Section B
Malnutrition during weaning age—when breast milk is being replaced by semi-solid foods—is highly prevalent in children of poor households in many developing countries. While the etiology is complex and multifactorial, the immediate causes are recognized as feeding at less than adequate levels for child growth and development, and recurrent infections, including diarrhoea, resulting mainly from ingestion of contaminated foods. As a result, many young children, particularly between six months to two years of age, experience weight loss and impaired growth and development.
Two such answers have arisen. Firstly, cereal fermentation is used for reducing the risk of contamination under the existing inappropriate conditions for food preparation and storage in many households. Secondly, a tiny amount of sprouted grains flour is used in preparation of weaning foods as a magic way to lessen the viscosity without decreasing energy density.
A method to eliminate pathogenic bacteria and inhibit their growth during storage of weaning preparations can benefit nutrition and health in young children considerably. Use of fermented foods for feeding children of weaning age appears to be an effective solution. Fermented foods have lower levels of diarrhoeal germ contamination, they are suitable for child feeding, and can be safely stored for much longer periods of time than fresh foods. The practice has been a traditional way of food preservation in many parts of the world. The antimicrobial properties of fermented foods and their relative higher safety—documented since the early 1900’s—have been indicated in a number of studies.
What are the underlying mechanisms by which fermentation processes help to prevent or reduce contamination？ A possible answer suggests that during the fermentation process foods become more acid. This explains why diarrhoea-causing bacteria are not able to grow in fermented foods as rapidly as in unfermented ones. It is also hypothesized that some of the germs present in the foods are killed or inhibited from growing through the action of antimicrobial substances produced during fermentation (Dialogue on Diarrhoea, 1990). The fermented foods can, therefore, be kept for a longer time compared to fresh ones. It has been shown that while contamination levels in cooked unfermented foods increase with storage time, fermented foods remain less contaminated.
Whatever the underlying mechanisms, the fact is that the exercise reduces contamination without adding to the household cost both in terms of time and money. Its preparation is easy. The cereal flour is mixed with water to form. a dough which is left to be fermented; addition of yeast, or mixing with a small portion of previously fermented dough is sometimes needed. The dough can then be cooked into porridge for feeding to the child.
Summary:
Malnutrition and the resulting impaired growth and development in children of weaning age in developing countries results not only from【61】______but also from infections caused by contaminated food. Studies have addressed the problem of inadequate intake by using sprouted grains in food preparation. Contamination has been tackled with【62】_____. Both of these methods are, or were, used traditionally and are practical and inexpensive.
Fermented foods have higher【63】______, and also have antimicrobial qualities. This means that contamination is decreased and that their【64】______is increased. Fermentation occurs when【65】______is left to stand, occasionally with simple additives.
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