Timing of weaning is later in Korean rural and lower urban classes compared with middle and upper classes. Weaning after the international standard of six months of age has adverse effects on the growth rate of children. This occurs because supplementary foods are not provided for the child during the weaning period; rather, the infant goes directly from nursing(or bottle feeding) to the cereals and solid foods of the adult diet.
Consequently, all nutrient and calorie intake, with the exception of thiamin, in Korean rural children had not yet attained the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). This situation bas created an urgent need for easy to prepare, low priced. highly nutritious supplementary foods.
The research team of Yonsei University developed 3 formulas prepared from rice, soybeans, sesame, dry skim milk and fish which are all plentiful and inexpensive items in Korea. A proximate analysis and amino acid determination were performed on three formula. These formulas were prepared and used as exprimental diet for an animal assay. In the animal assay, growth rate, PER evaluated and biochemical analyses were also carried out. A safety storage assay and the cost evaluation were also conducted.
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