Arla Foods Ingredients looks to add dairy to fufu to improve nutrition

By Jim Cornall

- Last updated on GMT

Arla Foods Ingredients says that adding dairy to the staple diet of DR Congo, fufu, could improve nutrition in the country. Photo: iStock
Arla Foods Ingredients says that adding dairy to the staple diet of DR Congo, fufu, could improve nutrition in the country. Photo: iStock

Related tags Arla foods ingredients Arla food ingredients Milk Nutrition

A field study by Arla Food Ingredients of low-income families in the Democratic Republic of Congo has found an opportunity to improve the nutritional quality of the staple diet at very little cost.

The opportunity lies in fufu, a traditional cassava and maize flour dish that is widely consumed every day.

Through the addition of 10% dairy ingredients, Arla Food Ingredients says fufu could become a daily source of milk protein and minerals. At an estimated extra cost of $7.50 per tonne, the increase in the kilo price of fufu is minimal, according to the Danish company.

High malnutrition rate

According to the World Food Programme, in 2014, 23% of children in DR Congo under the age of five, and 14% of women, were underweight.  Almost 50% of the under-fives were stunted, and more than half a million pregnant or breastfeeding women suffered from acute malnutrition.

To investigate the potential to improve this situation using dairy ingredients, Arla Foods Ingredients conducted interviews with 30 consumers living in the DR Congo capital, Kinshasa, earlier this year. This revealed that an average household includes four children and spends $6 a day on food.

All but one of the people interviewed stated they consume fufu at least once a day. The exception was a woman who prepared fufu for her family but did not eat it herself.

Man Kasiama Ebaba, who conducted the study for Arla Foods Ingredients, said fufu is part of the staple diet in many African countries.

“People know fufu is not very nutritious but it keeps them from going hungry,”​ he said.

Protein and mineral enrichment

Application trials in the Arla Foods Ingredients laboratory have shown the addition of skimmed milk powder and whey permeate can enrich the protein and mineral content of fufu without altering the overall taste and texture.

“The taste is slightly sweeter but, in our small-scale tests with people who eat fufu regularly, likeability was high,”​ Kasiama Ebaba said.

During his trip to DR Congo, Ebaba approached several companies to gauge local interest in producing nutritionally-enriched fufu. These discussions are ongoing.

Models for responsible business

Prior to the DR Congo study, Arla Foods Ingredients conducted a similar investigation of affordable food opportunities in Bangladesh.

Arla Foods Ingredients is a member of the GAIN Nordic Partnership, which aims to develop affordable and nutritious foods in partnership with local manufacturers.

Related news

Related products

show more

Healthy ageing: a food supplement from Biofarma Group

Healthy ageing: a food supplement from Biofarma Group

Content provided by Biofarma Group | 26-Feb-2024 | White Paper

Worldwide, the percentage of people over 65 and 80 years of age is steadily increasing. However, as society continues to age, people do not necessarily...

Oats: A Superfood for Sport Nutrition and Health

Oats: A Superfood for Sport Nutrition and Health

Content provided by Fazer Mills | 26-Jan-2024 | White Paper

Oats are a versatile, affordable, and easy to use superfood that can offer many health benefits and a well-balanced nutritional profile for athletes.

Unlock the business potential of the protein trend

Unlock the business potential of the protein trend

Content provided by Valio | 24-Jan-2024 | White Paper

Read our white paper to learn how to overcome taste and texture challenges in protein products — and how to commercialise the protein trend by making delicious...

Related suppliers

Follow us

Products

View more

Webinars