Provitamin A retention and sensory acceptability of landrace orange maize (MW5021) food products among school-aged children living in rural Malawi

Alex Arves Katola, Aliza Hannah Stark, Victoria Uchizi Ndolo, David Tryson Tembo, Mangani Chilala Katundu

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Landrace orange maize is rich in carotenoids and is thought to be a potentially sustainable solution for Vitamin A deficiency. This study evaluated the acceptability of landrace orange maize food products among school-aged children living in rural Malawi. It also determined the retention of provitamin A carotenoids after storage in an uncontrolled environment, followed by milling and cooking. Sensory evaluations of porridge and nsima (thick porridge) were carried out in school-aged children (n = 160) using a 7-point hedonic scale. Total carotenoid content (TCC) was analysed using a spectrophotometric method and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) was used to identify the specific carotenoid composition of the food products. Sensory evaluation results showed a higher acceptance of landrace orange maize food products in comparison to those commonly prepared from white maize. Plain porridge scored 6.5 ± 1.4 and 5.6 ± 1.9 for orange and white maize, respectively. Similar results were observed with nsima. Orange maize nsima received a score of 6.8 ± 0.7 while white maize was evaluated at 5.8 ± 1.9. After 10 months of storage and processing, there was 89% retention of total carotenoids with 59% accounted for by evaluation of individual carotenoids. Despite the total degradation of beta-carotene, 42% retention of beta-cryptoxanthin with provitamin A activity was observed. Encouraging the production of landrace orange maize appears to be a useful strategy for providing Malawian farmers with carotenoid-rich foods with high palatability. It presents a cost-effective option to reduce dependence on supplementation and fortification. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]

Original languageEnglish
Article number57
JournalFood Production, Processing and Nutrition
Volume5
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2023

Keywords

  • Carotenoids
  • Landrace orange maize
  • Provitamin A
  • Sensory evaluation

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Food Science
  • Nutrition and Dietetics

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