Production, Assessment, and Safety Aspect of Weaning Food from Sorghum, Crayfish and Garden Eggs

Aim: This study examined the production, assessment, and safety aspects of weaning food from sorghum, crayfish, and garden eggs.

Methodology: Sorghum was fermented, garden egg and crayfish were cleaned and processed into flours and further formulated into blends. Five formulations were produced through response surface methodology. Laboratory analyses were carried out, lipid and hematological studies of thirty five Wistar rat fed with commercial and formulated diets were done, other parameters include; growth rate, feed intake and bodyweight. Data were subjected to one-way analysis of Variance (ANOVA) in randomized block to test significant variations (P<0.05) among mean values obtained.

Results: The results showed that moisture content observed in the diets was very low. The lowest moisture content was observed in diet O (10.41%), the highest protein was from diet L (26.35%). The highest ash content was observed in diet L (5.35%). Diet L (8.82%) had the highest fat content. The highest calcium content was found in diet L (26591.10 mg/kg). Next were A (26158.86 mg/kg), M (23405.84 mg/kg), I (16291.12 mg/kg), O (13298.34 mg/kg), and F (6011.12 mg/kg). Diet A (103.40 mg/kg) had the highest iron content. Next were M (91.69 mg/kg), L (89.74 mg/kg), O (77.66 mg/kg), I (77.07 mg/kg), and X (28.19 mg/kg). The lowest low density lipoprotein (LDL) was observed in rats fed diet M (14.0 mg/dl). Next were rats fed diets L (16.0 mg/dl), S (17.50 mg/dl) and O (24.0 mg/dl). The bodyweight of the rats at day 0 ranges between 32.10-33.85g, at day 4 (39.60-47.90 g), at day 8 (38.85 – 52.75 g), at day 12 (38.70 -54.35 g), at day 16 (41.80-74.25 g), at day 20 (46.30 -84.85 g), at day 24 (47.85 -86.35 g), and at day 28 (50.15 -90.35 g). The highest white blood cell (WBC) counts were diets M, and O with the same values (10.0X109/L), next was A and S with the same values (9.0x108/L), L (8.0x108/L), I (7.0x108/L) and X (4.0x108/L) in that same decreasing order. The highest PCV count was diet I (43%). Next were A (42 %), O (41%), M (40%), L (39%), X (38%), and S (37%).

Conclusion and Recommendation: This study showed that the use of sorghum, crayfish, and garden eggs (vegetable) at a combination of 60: 30:10 respectively, could improve optimal health and growth in children between 6-23 months in Nigeria.