Abstract :
Food-based interventions are becoming important in approaching and addressing micronutrient deficiencies especially in lactating mothers in Ghana. Orange fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) is a good source of energy and vitamin A that has the potential of increasing vitamin A status of lactating mothers. This study assessed OFSP awareness, importance of vitamin A among lactating mothers and its contribution to ß-carotene in sweet potato-based bread (Vitabutter and Vitatea) as well as estimation of vitamin A nutrient profile of the Vita bread recipes. Structured questionnaires were used to collect data in the Tamale Metropolis among lactating mothers (150). OFSP awareness among the lactating mothers was found to be low (10%). The estimated ß-carotene content of the Vita bread recipes, based on earlier Vitasugar bread, would be about 2938 µg for Vitabutter and 2325 µg for Vitatea bread. This level of ß-carotene content could meet (18.83-20.40% for Vitabutter and 14.90-16.15% for Vitatea) of the Recommended Dietary Allowance of vitamin A for lactating mothers, which is 1300 mcg/day. Although Vitabutter and Vitatea bread could be a food-based approach towards increasing dietary intake of vitamin A, awareness activity OFSP needs to be intensified among lactating mothers in Tamale Metropolis.
Keyword :
beta carotene, sweet potato, viatmin A, lactating mothers, Nutritional deficiency, fortifications and bio fortification.