Food Marketing & Technology - India May 2019 | Page 24

Ingredient
AN OVERVIEW ON WEANING FOODS
BY: ANKITA KATARIA *
W
eaning, more scientifically
known as complementary
feeding, implies to process
where solid foods and other liquids,
in addition to milk, are introduced
to infants in order to meet their
growing nutritional requirements.
The incorporation of complementary
feeding is the first major proactive
step in the infant’s life towards
“growing up”. It requires a series of
neurodevelopmental
achievements
and it becomes a way of socialisation.
While the original World Health
Organization (WHO) definition of
complementary feeding included
infant formula as a complementary
food or weaning food, the term now
refers to all solid foods and liquids
other than breastmilk or infant formula
and follow-on formula.
until six months of age, the ESPGHAN
review claims that there is no evidence
that this delay will reduce the
likelihood of allergies. However, WHO
recommended that each infant must be
managed individually since they grow
at different rates.
The weaning food offered to infants
must have the following characteristics:
• The food should be rich in calories
and adequate in good-quality
protein, vitamins, and minerals;
• The food, when stirred with cold or
warm water or milk, should form
a slurry or semisolid mass of soft
consistency, enabling the child to
swallow it easily;
• The prepared food should have
low dietary bulk;
The European Society of Paediatric
Gastroenterology, Hepatology and
Nutrition (ESPGHAN) and the
North American Society for Pediatric
Gastroenterology, Hepatology and
Nutrition (NASPGHAN) reviewed
the literature on complementary
feeding for healthy term infants and
recommended that:
• Exclusive breastfeeding for around
six months is a desirable goal;
• Complementary feeding should
not be introduced before 17 weeks
(four months) and not later than 26
weeks (six months);
• Breastfeeding should continue
throughout weaning, particularly
during the early stages;
• Introducing
gluten
between
four and seven months while
breastfeeding may reduce the risk
of coeliac disease, type 1 diabetes
and wheat allergy.
While it is recommended to avoid
high-allergen foods like egg and fish
Food Marketing & Technology
24
May 2019
• The food should be pre-cooked/
pre-digested or processed in such
a way that it needs minimum
preparation prior to feeding and is
easily digested by the child;
• The food should be low in
indigestible fibre content;
• It is advisable not to add artificial
colours and flavours to weaning
foods, and the composition of the
food must follow the guidelines
and
standards
recommended
by competent agencies, like the
Bureau of Indian Standards.
According to the guidelines of the
Protein Advisory Group, weaning
foods should have a protein content
of at least 20 percent (on a dry weight
basis), a fat content of 10 percent, a