2. Conflict of Interest Disclosure
I have no conflict of interest to report in relation to this presentation

3. Bioversity International
Vitamin A and iron content in common complementary foods for children in North western Tanzania and Central Uganda
Beatrice Ekesa-Onyango (PhD)*, Deborah Nabuuma (Msc), Gina Kennedy (PhD)
Bioversity International

4. Background GHI 26-UG and 28-Tanzania (von Grebmer et al. 2015)
VAD 39%-UG and 43%-TZ among under fives (IFPRI, 2016)
IDA 58%-TZ and 53%-UG(MOH, 2016; UBOS & ICF, 2017)
Complementary diets starchy based (Gewa & Leslie, 2015; Kikafunda et al., 2003; MoH et al., 2016; UBOS and ICF, 2017).

5. Objectives Establish the most popular complementary dishes
Establish the vitamin A content in the most common complementary dishes
Establish iron content in the common complementary dishes
Ascertain contribution of common CFs to iron and vitamin A EARs of vulnerable population groups

6. Identification of common complementary dishes
Household interview through cross sectional survey (400
Follow-up household visits, observation and participation

7. Sample preparation and Laboratory analysis
Ingredients obtained locally…
Vitamin A- HPLC(High Phase Liquid Chromatography)
Iron-Microwave digestion followed by FAAS (Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy)
Means were compared to Estimated Average Requirements   

8. Complementary dishes Maize-base porridge
Steamed-mashed banana (Matooke) served with beans
Boiled banana cooked with beans
Boiled banana cooked with groundnut sauce
Stiff porridge (Ugali) served with beans
Boiled cassava cooked with beans

9. Iron and Vitamin A content in single ingredients
Food item description
Iron
Provitamin A carotenoids (µg/100g ep)
mg/ 100g
All trans α-Carotene
All trans β -Carotene
Cis β -Carotene
Total pVACs
Boiled cooking bananas (Uganda)
0.21
361
310
58.2
729.2
Boiled cooking banana (Tanzania)
575
574.3
162
1219.5
Plain matooke (steamed and mashed)
0.20
273
299
70.5
642.5
Boiled cassava
0.24
n.d
43.1
11.90 55
Plain maize porridge
Stiff-Maize porridge (Ugali/posho)
0.63
Groundnut powder sauce
0.93
Groundnut powder sauce cooked with tomato, onion
0.95
47.2
7.83
55.03
Groundnut sauce cooked with sardines (mukene/dagaa), tomato, onion
1.08 10
57.2
Raw sardines (mukene/dagaa)
6.33
Steamed sardines (mukene/dagaa)
2.83
Stewed sardines (sunflower oil, onions, tomato)
2.54
263.0
63.13
326.13
Red kidney beans
2.29

10. Iron and Vitamin A content in the complementary dishes
Name and description of common dishes
Iron
mg/
100g
Provitamin A carotenoids (µg/100g ep)
All trans α-Carotene
All trans β -Carotene
Cis β -Carotene
Total pVACs
t-BCE
RAE
Stiff maize porridge with beans and stewed sardine
2.28
n.d
140.1
36.43
176.53
158.94
13.18
Boiled banana cooked with beans
1.18
303.7
326.3
92.0
722.00
525.99
43.68
Boiled cassava cooked with beans
0.89
26.1
7.27
33.37
29.88
2.48
Steamed-mashed banana with groundnut sauce
0.43
154
196
48.6
398.60
298.27
24.78
Steamed-mashed banana, Sardine, groundnut sauce, onions and tomatoes
0.46
153
180
44.5
377.50
279.64
23.23
Boiled banana with groundnut sauce, tomatoes and onions
0.31
202
240
63.2
505.20
373.86
31.05

11. Iron content and contribution to EAR
Complementary dishes
Iron content in the foods
mg/100g
%EAR child 1-3yrs child
%EAR 4-8Yrs child
Stiff porridge with beans and stewed sardines
2.28
76.00
55.61
Boiled banana mixed with beans
1.18
39.33
28.78
Boiled cassava mixed with beans
0.89
29.67
21.71
Steamed mashed banana with groundnut sauce
0.43
14.33
10.49
Steamed mashed banana, sardines, groundnut sauce onions tomatoes
0.46
15.33
11.22
Boiled banana with groundnut sauce, tomatoes and onions (Katogo)
0.31
10.33
7.56

12. Vitamin A content and contribution to EAR
Complementary/weaning food
Vitamin A content in the foods
 µg/100g
%EAR 1-3yrs child
%EAR 4-8Yrs child
Stiff porridge with beans and stewed sardines
13.18
6.28
4.79
Boiled banana mixed with beans
43.68
20.80
15.88
Boiled cassava mixed with beans
2.48
1.18
0.90
Steamed mashed banana with groundnut sauce
24.78
11.80
9.01
Steamed mashed banana, sardines, groundnut sauce onions tomatoes
23.23
11.06
8.45
Boiled banana with groundnut sauce, tomatoes and onions (Katogo)
31.05
14.79
11.29

13. Conclusions
No trace of either vitamin A or iron observed in the maize-based porridge
Iron 2.28mg/100gfw and 1.18mg/100gfw in dishes served with beans and small fish
Banana-based foods showed some content of vitamin A ranging from 23 to 43 RAE µg/100gfw
These foods are poor sources of these nutrients in their current form

14. Next steps
Explore opportunities around modifying preparation methods and incorporating more nutritious and diverse ingredients
Modifications based on available resources, cost, acceptable tastes and preferences

15. THANK YOU