Protein enrichment efforts of complementary foods-an update

Abstract

An update on protein enrichment efforts of complementary foods was reviewed. Complementary foods are foods used during the transition from consuming solely human milk or infant formulas to the introduction of mixed diets. Recent advances on Protein enrichment efforts of complementary foods include fortification of whole grains with legumes, fruits, tubers, crops, bioactive compounds and vegetables that are rich in micro and macro nutrients, commercial technologies such as malting, popping, fermentation and using of modern food-processing technologies such as roller drying and extrusion cooking and other unusual animal products such as insects, periwinkle, termites, cockroaches. To guarantee the nutritional wellbeing of children, a holistic approach with a focus on the first 1000 days of life is required and consistency of complementary foods should change from semisolid to solid foods to meet the nutritional needs of children. The introduction of nutritionally adequate and safe complementary (solid) foods at 6 months together with continued breastfeeding up to 2 years of age or beyond will address adequate complementary feeding practices including feeding frequency, quality and quantity of diet and food safety in addition to breastfeeding.