TITLE:
A Quality Assessment of Home-Made Baby Foods and Their Impact on the Health of Babies
AUTHORS:
Philip John Kanu, Fatmata Bintu Dumbuya, Alhaji Ibrahim Sankoh
KEYWORDS:
Mother/Caregivers, Contamination, Health Hazards, Weaning
JOURNAL NAME:
Food and Nutrition Sciences,
Vol.16 No.2,
February
20,
2025
ABSTRACT: Food is vital for the growth of humans especially children. Irregular growth in children can lead to many health hazards ranging from physical impairment to death. In Sierra Leone, poor Infant and Young Child feeding practices are predominant, with only 32% of children being exclusively breastfed and 42% appropriately fed with complementary foods, some of which are produced home-made. This study aimed to assess the quality of home-made produced baby foods and their impact on the health of infants. The objectives of the study are to, 1) investigate the weaning process and identify the types of food mothers/caregivers use to introduce the child to weaning food, 2) interview parents in the community that feed their children with home-made produced baby foods to understand, the health and developmental problems affecting their children in relation to the food, 3) observe and assess the production and processing methods of home-made produced baby foods and 4) relate these processes to the quality of the food and analyse home-made produced baby foods. Using laboratory techniques the food quality and possible contamination were assessed and possible amendments for the benefit of the child were suggested. Interviews were conducted using a structured interview schedule and food was analysed in the laboratory for macronutrient levels, and microorganisms. It was discovered that babies are introduced to weaning foods before three months and 100% both production and preparation observed have the tendency to contaminate the food. Not all the food tested have the required levels of nutrients. Microorganisms that can be pathogens were found in the food. It was concluded that home-made produced foods are often not safe weaning foods since they have the potential to cause food borne in children.