In vitro starch and protein digestibility and iron availability in weaning foods as affected by processing methods.

In the present investigation, four weaning foods were formulated using locally available cereals and pulses such as wheat (Triticum aestivum), barley (Hordeum vulgare) and green gram (Vigna radiata). Cereal, pulse and jaggery were used in the proportion of 70:30:25. Domestic processing technique like roasting and malting were used to process cereals and pulses for development of weaning foods. All the four blends had a nutrient composition within the range prescribed by the Indian Standard Institute (ISI) for processed weaning foods. The processing of grains resulted in 16-20% increase in starch digestibility and 17-32% increase in protein digestibility. Also 16-32% increase in iron availability was observed on processing. The effect was more remarkable in malted weaning foods as compared to roasted ones.