Chemical Composition and Hydration Index of Selected Cooked Foods Consumed in Kisangani, Democratic Republic of the Congo: An Approach to Improve Dietary Prescription in Patients

Dietary management of diet-related non-communicable diseases requires prior knowledge of the caregiver on the chemical composition of foods. The objective of this study is to determine the approximate chemical composition, yield factors (YF), yield coefficient (YC) and edible coefficient (EC) of some staple foods after cooking consumed in Kisangani, in order to improve the dietary prescription of patients. Methods: This was a quasi-experimental study carried out in Kisangani. Sweet cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) and its processed products, sweet potatoes (Ipomoea batatas), Bananas (Musa paradisiaca), taros (Colocasia esculenta), flour pastes (foufou) of corn (Zea maize), cassava and semolina, as well as rice (Oryza sativa L.) were analyzed for their approximate chemical composition after cooking, yield factors (YF), yield coefficient (YC) and edible coefficient (EC). Chemical analyses were carried out at the biochemistry laboratory of the Faculty Institute of Agronomic Sciences of Yangambi (IFA) between March 2022 and August 2023. Results: The plantain cultivar French has an EC of 48.68 ± 1.90 significantly higher than the other varieties (P Conclusion: Only the chemical composition of foods after cooking should be considered during dietary prescription. The use of chemical composition of raw foods could overestimate or underestimate the patient’s nutritional intake. It is therefore recommended that providers refer to the chemical composition of foods after cooking when prescribing dietetics.