IMPROVED ENERGY INTAKES USING AMYLASE-DIGESTED WEANING FOODS IN TANZANIAN CHILDREN WITH ACUTE DIARRHEA

Amylase from germinating cereal grains enables the preparation of porr idge with a higher energy density than conventional weaning foods, Thi s food can be combined with fermentation, which inhibits pathogen grow th. These food technologies are inexpensive, can be implemented at the household level, and are therefore particularly appropriate for use i n developing countries. In a controlled clinical trial, 75 children ag ed 6-25 months admitted to hospital with acute diarrhea were rehydrate d and then randomly allocated to three corn porridge dietary groups: c onventional, amylase-digested (AMD), and fermented and amylase-digeste d (FAD). The study diets were given ad libitum five times daily, and a ll intakes except breast milk were weighed. Mean daily energy intakes over 4 days in the conventional AMD, and FAD groups, respectively, wer e 32.4 (95% CI 28.7-36.6), 46.0 (CI 39.6-53.4), and 37.3 (CI 31.8-43.9 ) kcal/kg/day. The energy intake in the AMD group was 42% higher than the conventional group (p = 0.003). There were no significant differen ces between the groups for duration of diarrhea, frequency of stooling , or vomiting. Starch digestion using amylase from germination is an e ffective way of improving energy intake in children with acute diarrhe a.