Acceptability, tolerance, and nutritional value of a rice-based infant formula

Area of Science:

• Nutritional Science
• Pediatric Nutrition
• Food Science

Background:

• Malnutrition in infants requires effective nutritional interventions.
• Rice-based formulas offer an alternative to traditional milk-based options.
• Optimizing nutrient profiles in infant formulas is crucial for growth and development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a novel high-protein rice flour-based infant formula.
• To assess the formula's acceptability, tolerance, and nutrient digestibility in recovering malnourished infants.
• To compare the formula's efficacy with established cow's milk-derived formulas.

Main Methods:

• Infant formula formulation using high-protein rice flour, lysine, and threonine.
• Evaluation of nutrient digestibility (energy, fat, carbohydrate, protein).
• Assessment of nitrogen (N) retention and plasma-free amino acid profiles.
• Measurement of mineral absorption (Calcium, Magnesium, Phosphate, Zinc).
• Analysis of energy costs of weight gain and nitrogen content in gained weight.

Main Results:

• Excellent acceptability and tolerance observed.
• High digestibility for energy (93.9%), fat (96.9%), and carbohydrate (96.8%).
• Moderate protein digestibility (80.1%) but high biological value, resulting in N retention comparable to casein.
• Satisfactory absorption of key minerals (Ca, Mg, PO4, Zn).
• Energy utilization for weight gain and N content in gained weight were comparable to high-quality cow's milk formulas.

Conclusions:

• The rice flour-based infant formula is well-tolerated and effectively utilized by recovering malnourished infants.
• Despite moderate protein digestibility, the formula supports adequate nitrogen retention and growth.
• This rice-based formula presents a viable alternative for infant nutrition, particularly in contexts where milk-based formulas are not preferred or available.