Useful Tools for Food Aid: Linear Programming and Protein Quality Tools

Abstract

The development of a superior treatment option for severe acute malnutrition (SAM) which allowed for home-based therapy put in place constraints that are crucial for ensuring the feasibility and nutritional integrity of the treatment. Soon after the initial success of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), there were attempts to modify the formulation for cost and other areas of acceptability. While alternative formulations have been taken on in clinical trials, they have been inferior to the standard RUTF recipe. Linear programming (LP) technology, however, has streamlined the formulation process allowing the user to account for the crucial constraints required to maintain the feasibility and nutritional integrity of standard RUTF. With the aid of an LP tool and other functional tools for assessing nutrient quality, nutrition researchers can use innovative approaches in food development that could potentially revolutionize food aid products.