RESUMO
Objectives: This study identifies the micronutrient and macronutrient density of composite foods produced and marketed in Africa for infants aged 6 to 24 months. These are typically dry mixtures of cereals, legumes and sometimes other ingredients, produced by small and medium enterprises in peri-urban settings. Methods: We purchased random samples of products sold in a variety of small shops and supermarkets in Uganda and Ghana, and subjected them to laboratory tests for nutrient density in terms of total protein, fats and carbohydrates as macronutrients, iron and zinc as micronutrients, and also phosphorus as an antinutrients marker of phytic acid levels. We also conducted extensive interviews with manufacturers and stakeholders involved in complementary feeding, so as to identify the likely contributors to differences in nutritional composition. Results: Our central finding is that many locally-made products are of high quality, with nutritional profiles comparable to international standards such as CSB 13 or the heavily-advertised multinational brand names, but other products have much lower density of both macro- and micro-nutrients. Products' nutritional density is only weakly correlated with packaging quality, price or labeled ingredients. Conclusions: Africa has a large and growing market for pre-packaged complementary foods, but meeting infant needs and building consumer confidence will require more consistent nutritional profiles, including new systems for systematic quality assurance.