Simango C
Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, University of Zimbabwe Medical School, Harare, Zimbabwe.
Soc Sci Med. 1997 Apr;44(7):1065-8. doi: 10.1016/s0277-9536(96)00261-4.
The current interest in the use of traditional fermented and malted foods for weaning is their potential to reduce the transmission of bacterial enteric pathogens through contaminated weaning foods as well as improving the nutritional value of the foods. This study was carried out to investigate the potential use of traditional fermented and malted foods for weaning in rural areas. Information was obtained by interviewing randomly selected 150 rural women with children under five years old. Ninety seven percent of the women had knowledge of some traditional fermented foods. The commonest fermented foods known by the women were mahewu (traditional fermented and malted sour, non-alcoholic cereal gruel), sour milk and sour porridge. Most of the women indicated that mahewu (94%), sour milk, (87%) and sour porridge (71%) were consumed by all family members. The majority of the women gave the fermented foods to infants from the age of four months. Although most of the infants were introduced to the fermented and malted foods from the age of four months, the foods were not given to infants very often, with the exception of mahewu. The storage period of the fermented foods ranged from one to three days. The results of this study show that mahewu, sour milk and sour porridge have a potential for use as weaning foods if they are promoted.
目前对使用传统发酵和发芽食品进行断奶的关注在于，它们有可能减少通过受污染的断奶食品传播细菌性肠道病原体，同时提高食品的营养价值。本研究旨在调查传统发酵和发芽食品在农村地区用于断奶的潜在用途。通过随机采访150名有五岁以下儿童的农村妇女获取信息。97%的妇女了解一些传统发酵食品。这些妇女最常知道的发酵食品是mahewu（传统发酵和发芽的酸的、不含酒精的谷物粥）、酸奶和酸粥。大多数妇女表示，所有家庭成员都食用mahewu（94%）、酸奶（87%）和酸粥（71%）。大多数妇女从婴儿四个月大时就开始给他们食用发酵食品。尽管大多数婴儿从四个月大时就开始接触发酵和发芽食品，但除了mahewu之外，这些食品并不经常给婴儿食用。发酵食品的储存期为一至三天。本研究结果表明，如果加以推广，mahewu、酸奶和酸粥有作为断奶食品使用的潜力。
