Nutrient Composition and Phytate-Zinc Molar Ratio of Prepared Foods Consumed by Rural Preschool Children

Objective: The aim of this study is to provide information on the variety and nutrient content of prepared dishes offered preschool children living in rural villages. Materials and Methods: Respondents for this study were 116 preschool children living in University Agriculture Abeokuta [UNAAB] extension villages in Ogun State south-western part of Nigeria. Representative samples of cooked dishes offered to the children were taken for three days for each child. The samples were placed in sealed food containers and were taken for proximate and micronutrient analysis. Result: Data from this study showed that the foods with the highest protein were kulikuli a groundnut cake (34.74g/100g) and fish (28.94g/100g). High energy sources came from groundnut (676Kcal) others include ogbono soup a dika nut kernel soup (288.60Kcal) and akara (fried cowpea paste) (279.84Kcal). High calcium foods include kulikuli (871.08mg/100g), akara (296.13mg/100g) and fufu a wet cassava meal (255.31mg/100g). kulikuli was also high in iron and zinc (20mg/100g and 33.22mg/100g respectively). Phytate content of the dishes ranged from 0.09mg/100g in kunu to 4.12 mg/100g in kulikuli. Phytate- zinc molar ratio wa