Development of Value-Added Cookies Incorporated with Spirulina Platensis for The Mitigation of Malnutrition in Children

Abstract

Child malnutrition is more prevalent in India, manifesting as stunting and underweight problems in children. India is home to roughly one-third of the world’s malnourished children. Malnutrition remains a major public health issue in the developing world. As a result, malnutrition is the most important risk factor for disease burden in developing countries. Long-term malnutrition causes “anemia,” which affects the general population of developing countries, as well as many other diseases such as goiter, hypokalemia, tooth decay, and vitamin deficiency, which has existed for many years. Thousands of well-executed intervention programs could not even improve the situation a single time. This study focused on incorporating Spirulina as a dietary supplement into cookies to fortify the food product with enriching protein, calcium, iron, vitamin B12, and phosphorus to improve a child’s foundation years. Spirulina is a blue-green algae with high nutritional value. In the same area, Spirulina produces 20 times more protein than soya, and Spirulina typically contains about 60 percent protein. It is high in vitamin B12, copper, and iron. Spirulina protein contains few calories. The researcher added Spirulina in specific quantity to food product recipes of cookies, pasta and noodles. These were then assessed for their nutritive value under normal condition. The results indicated significantly increased values of protein, calcium, phosphorus and iron will not much change in the taste of the food products.