PROXIMATE COMPOSITION AND PHYSICO CHEMICALQUALITY OF A FORMULATED PLANT-BASED READYTO-USE SUPPLEMETARY FOOD (RUSF) COOKIES TO ADDRESS NUTRIENT DEFICIENCIES IN MODERATE ACUTE MALNUTRITION (MAM), CONVALESCENCE AND GENERAL HEALTH MAINTENANCE

Moderate Acute Malnutrition (MAM) remains a critical public health burden in Nigeria, exacerbated by the high cost, dairy-dependence, and limited cultural acceptability of many imported Ready-to-Use Supplementary Foods (RUSF). Leveraging locally available, nutrient-dense plant ingredients offers a promising strategy for developing sustainable and acceptable nutritional interventions. This study aimed to formulate a plant-based RUSF in a cookie format using indigenous Nigerian ingredients and evaluate its proximate composition and physicochemical quality against international standards. Two cookie formulations (FPP A for MAM/convalescence; FPP B for general health) were developed using a composite flour of oat, sesame, and baobab, supplemented with pumpkin seed flour, peanut butter, sunflower oil, coconut milk, date syrup, and lemon. Proximate composition was determined using standard AOAC methods. The quality of extracted sunflower oil was assessed via acid value, peroxide value, free fatty acids, and iodine value. Results were benchmarked against Codex Alimentarius standards and a commercial RUSF. The formulated RUSF cookie (FPP A) yielded an energy density of 526.32 kcal/100g, statistically equivalent to the commercial control (518.99 kcal/100g) and meeting the RUSF energy standard (510-560 kcal/100g). Fat content (37.75%) was similar to the control (35.10%) and supported the high energy density. Similarly, the protein content (11.07%) was within the range of RUSF standard (11-16%). The extracted sunflower oil showed excellent oxidative stability (Peroxide Value: 3.65 meq O₂/kg) but was at the permissible limit for hydrolytic rancidity (Acid Value: 0.60 mg KOH/g). All products exhibited low moisture content (<8.71%), crucial for shelf-stability. The plant-based cookie successfully met the key energy requirement for a RUSF, demonstrating the viability of using local ingredients to create a nutritious, shelf-stable supplement. The slight protein deficit identifies an area for future optimization, but the formulation presents a significant step towards an affordable, culturally appropriate, and locally sustainable solution for managing MAM in Nigeria.

Keywords:Moderate Acute Malnutrition, Ready-to-Use Supplementary Food, Plant-based, Cookie, Proximate Composition, Local Ingredients, Nigeria.