Formulation of high-calorie foods from local raw materials using the Design of Experiments (DOE) methodology

• Use of local raw materials to formulate high-calorie foods using experimental design methodology. • Development of a high-calorie food to meet the nutritional needs of military personnel and athletes. • Characterization of the energy value of formulated foods • Optimization of formulas to maximize energy intake while minimizing costs. • Use of Minitab software to analyze the effects of each ingredient on the energetic value of formulated foods. • Experimental validation of optimized feeds to ensure repeatable performance. An experimental study on the formulation of high-calorie foods from local raw materials was carried out for the benefit of military personnel involved in the fight against terrorism. The aim of this study was to provide this social stratum with food of high nutritional quality at a reduced cost. The Design of Experiments (DOE) method was used to formulate and optimize the food using Minitab version 21 software. The results of this experimentation yielded an optimal formula with ingredient incorporation rates in percentage (%) of 10.3263; 17.7273; 15.0; 10.0000; 10.0000; 15.6694; 10.3261; 3.3263; 5.2978 and 2.3268, respectively for corn, toned soy, pollen, peanut paste, moringa, monkey bread, fish meal, sugar, oil and salt. One hundred (100) grams of this food provided 450.0563 Kcal at a cost of USD 0.3213 with a satisfaction index of 0.9956; caloric intake of 450.0563 Kcal with a desirability index of 0.9988; cost of USD 0.3213 with a desirability index of 0.9919; carbohydrate intake of 39.9913 g/100 g with a desirability index of 0.9991, protein intake of 24.9033 g/100 g with a desirability index of 0.9879 and the fat intake of 21.1642 g/100 g with a desirability index of 1.0000. The obtained optimal formulation will considerably minimize the production cost of high-calorie food intended for physically active people. These results provide new information on high-calorie foods that could be used by military authorities.