COMPARATIVE, ANALYSIS OF THE NUTRITIONAL CONTENTS OF HOME MADE WEANING FOOD (TOM-BROWN) AND COMMERCIAL WEANING FOOD (CERELAC) SOLD IN LAFIA, NASARAWA STATE

The study aimed at the comparative analysis of the nutritional contents of homemade weaning food (Tom brown) and commercial weaning Food (Cerelac) in Lafia, Nasarawa State. The objectives of the study were to formulate a composite flour (weaning food tom brown) based on locally available cereals and legumes (millet, yellow maize, crayfish, ginger, garlic, turmeric, onion, clove, soybean, rice groundnut and cereals were purchased from Lafia modern market of Lafia local government Area, Nasarawa state, Nigeria. composite flours were formulated based on protein basis of the food commodities used: millet yellow maize, crayfish, ginger , garlic ,turmeric, onion ,clove, soybean, rice and groundnut in equal proportions. Standard procedures of the association of official analytical chemists were used to determine the proximate chemical composition. The caloric value was calculated from crude protein, crude fat ,crude fibre, carbohydrate ,moisture and ash content. The results showed that sample (composite flour tom brown) contained ash (3.59%), crude protein (25.78%),crude fat (18.74%), crude fibre (3.69%),moisture (4.96%) and carbohydrate (46.93%). The energy fibre calculated gave 459.50kcal/100g. The overall results indicated that crude protein, lipid, fibre, ash, moisture, energy and carbohydrate contents of the composite flour were either comparable or higher than values in the proprietary formula. The researchers believe that complementary foods formulated from locally available food commodities have great potential in providing nutritious foods that are practical, food based approaches, aimed at combating the problem of nutrition among the infants and children in Nigeria in particular, and developing countries in general.