Development of a Peanut-Based Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food for Malnourished Children in Zamfara State

Ready-to-use therapeutic food is a lipid-based nutrient paste designed for the treatment of severe acute malnutrition in young children, and its local production using Nigerian raw materials has the potential to reduce cost and improve supply chain reliability. This study develops and evaluates a peanut-based ready-to-use therapeutic food formulated from groundnut paste, skimmed milk powder, vegetable oil, sugar, and a micronutrient premix for children aged 6 to 59 months in Zamfara State, North West Nigeria. Four formulations were prepared at varying groundnut-to-milk powder ratios and evaluated against the F-100 therapeutic food standard for energy density, protein content, fat content, and micronutrient compliance. Formulations were analysed for proximate composition, viscosity, water activity, and oxidative stability over a 12-week storage period. Consumer acceptability among caregivers and simulated child acceptability assessments were conducted with 40 participants at a primary health care centre in Gusau. The optimised formulation met WHO macronutrient specifications with 527 kcal per 100g, 12.7g protein per 100g, and 30.2g fat per 100g, with acceptable viscosity for self-feeding by children 12 months and older. The study draws on recent literature on locally produced ready-to-use therapeutic foods in sub-Saharan Africa. Findings are intended for the Zamfara State Ministry of Health and humanitarian nutrition programming organisations. Keywords: ready-to-use therapeutic food, severe acute malnutrition, peanut, Zamfara State, child nutrition