Nilupa S Gunaratna1, Tafese Bosha2, Demissie Belayneh3, Tigist Fekadu2, Hugo De Groote4. 1. Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. 2. Hawassa University, School of Nutrition, Food Science, and Technology, P.O. Box 5, Hawassa, Ethiopia. 3. International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), P.O. Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 4. International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), P.O. Box 2041-00621, Nairobi, Kenya.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: For impact of nutritionally improved biofortified crops, consumer acceptance specifically by women and children is necessary when the target beneficiaries are young children. The objective was to assess women's and children's acceptance of a biofortified crop, quality protein maize (QPM), for complementary feeding in rural Ethiopia. RESULTS:Randomly sampled mothers (n = 61) of young children (6-24 months) evaluated flours from a QPM and a conventional maize variety for five sensory characteristics and overall acceptance by mother and child in a home use test with a double-blind, randomized controlled cross-over design. Women distinguished the varieties when used to prepare porridge, and QPM scored more favorably for texture in hand and mouth (both P < 0.05). The varieties did not differ in overall acceptance, which was, however, affected by order of presentation, mothers' number of children, and enumerators who collected data (all P < 0.05). Aroma and taste were key in mothers' acceptance, and appearance was further important for children. Women were more than twice as likely to prefer QPM over conventional maize. CONCLUSION: Consumer acceptance is unlikely to impede uptake and impact of QPM on young children's nutritional status. Home use testing proved feasible for assessing acceptance in rural areas with food insecurity and limited education.
RCT Entities:
BACKGROUND: For impact of nutritionally improved biofortified crops, consumer acceptance specifically by women and children is necessary when the target beneficiaries are young children. The objective was to assess women's and children's acceptance of a biofortified crop, quality protein maize (QPM), for complementary feeding in rural Ethiopia. RESULTS: Randomly sampled mothers (n = 61) of young children (6-24 months) evaluated flours from a QPM and a conventional maize variety for five sensory characteristics and overall acceptance by mother and child in a home use test with a double-blind, randomized controlled cross-over design. Women distinguished the varieties when used to prepare porridge, and QPM scored more favorably for texture in hand and mouth (both P < 0.05). The varieties did not differ in overall acceptance, which was, however, affected by order of presentation, mothers' number of children, and enumerators who collected data (all P < 0.05). Aroma and taste were key in mothers' acceptance, and appearance was further important for children. Women were more than twice as likely to prefer QPM over conventional maize. CONCLUSION: Consumer acceptance is unlikely to impede uptake and impact of QPM on young children's nutritional status. Home use testing proved feasible for assessing acceptance in rural areas with food insecurity and limited education.
Authors: Katherine Donato; Margaret McConnell; Dan Han; Nilupa S Gunaratna; Masresha Tessema; Hugo De Groote; Jessica Cohen Journal: BMJ Glob Health Date: 2020-12