Article Sidebar
Published:
Jan 13, 2015Article Details
Issue
Section
Articles
Material submitted for publication in the South African Journal of Clinical Nutrition (SAJCN) is accepted provided it has not been published elsewhere. Copyright forms will be sent with acknowledgement of receipt and the SAJCN reserves copyright of the material published.
The SAJCN does not hold itself responsible for statements made by the authors.
Main Article Content
Acceptance of a complementary food prepared with yellow, provitamin A-biofortified maize by black caregivers in rural KwaZulu-Natal
Abstract
Objectives: The objective was to assess the sensory acceptability and consumer perceptions of soft porridge made with yellow, provitamin A-biofortified maize by black African female infant caregivers from rural KwaZulu-Natal.
Design: This was a cross-sectional study.
Setting: The study was conducted at Edendale Hospital, located in the uMgungundlovu District, KwaZulu-Natal province. The hospital serves a high proportion of people from rural areas in this district.
Subjects: Sixty black African female infant caregivers participated in the study.
Outcome measures: The sensory acceptability of soft porridge made from two varieties of provitamin-A biofortified maize and one variety of white maize were evaluated by black African female infant caregivers (n = 60) using a five-point facial hedonic scale. Some of the subjects (n = 21) participated in focus group discussions to assess consumer perceptions.
Results: There was no significant difference in the sensory acceptability of the biofortified maize porridge and the white maize porridge, irrespective of caregiver age (p-value > 0.05). The caregivers expressed a willingness to give their infants porridge made with provitamin A-biofortified maize if it was more affordable, readily available and beneficial to health.
Conclusion: The biofortified maize soft porridge was found to be as acceptable as the white maize soft porridge to black African female infant caregivers from rural KwaZulu-Natal. Provitamin A-biofortified maize has the potential to be used as a complementary food item that would contribute to the alleviation of vitamin A deficiency.
Design: This was a cross-sectional study.
Setting: The study was conducted at Edendale Hospital, located in the uMgungundlovu District, KwaZulu-Natal province. The hospital serves a high proportion of people from rural areas in this district.
Subjects: Sixty black African female infant caregivers participated in the study.
Outcome measures: The sensory acceptability of soft porridge made from two varieties of provitamin-A biofortified maize and one variety of white maize were evaluated by black African female infant caregivers (n = 60) using a five-point facial hedonic scale. Some of the subjects (n = 21) participated in focus group discussions to assess consumer perceptions.
Results: There was no significant difference in the sensory acceptability of the biofortified maize porridge and the white maize porridge, irrespective of caregiver age (p-value > 0.05). The caregivers expressed a willingness to give their infants porridge made with provitamin A-biofortified maize if it was more affordable, readily available and beneficial to health.
Conclusion: The biofortified maize soft porridge was found to be as acceptable as the white maize soft porridge to black African female infant caregivers from rural KwaZulu-Natal. Provitamin A-biofortified maize has the potential to be used as a complementary food item that would contribute to the alleviation of vitamin A deficiency.
