Baby Food | Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Science Optional for UPSC PDF Download

Summary: Baby Food Composition and Standards

Overview

• Infants, especially those under one year old, often require alternative sources of nutrition if they cannot solely rely on human milk.
• In developing countries like India, a significant percentage of children suffer from malnutrition.

Composition of Human Milk vs. Cow Milk

• Human milk is characterized by lower protein and calcium content, making it easily digestible for infants.
• Modified cow milk is commonly used for infant feeding by diluting with water and adding sugar.
• Amul in India developed standardized baby food from buffalo milk in 1960, known as Amulspray baby food.

Definition of Infant Milk Food

• Infant Milk Food is a product made by drying cow or buffalo milk, with added carbohydrates, salts, and vitamins, and it must meet specific nutritional criteria.
• It should have a moisture content not exceeding 5.0%, milk fat content between 18.0% to 28.0%, and other specified nutritional values.

Indian Standard Specifications for Infant Milk Foods

• Moisture content should not exceed a certain percentage.
• Requirements for total milk protein, milk fat, total carbohydrates, total ash, and other components are specified.
• The product must meet specific standards for solubility, vitamin content, iron content, and bacterial counts.

Infant Milk Food Composition and Production

Importance of Vitamin C in Infant Milk Food

• The addition of vitamin C to infant milk food is crucial as infants require about 30 ug of vitamin C per day for their normal growth and development.

Composition of Infant Foods

• Two popular Indian brands of infant foods, namely Amul and Glaxo, have different compositions as indicated below:
• 
  
  • Amul:
    • Moisture: 3.0%
    • Fat: 18.0%
    • Protein: 22.0%
    • Carbohydrate: 52.0%
    • Ash: 5.0%
  • Glaxo:
    • Moisture: 2.9%
    • Fat: 26.5%
    • Protein: 24.9%
    • Carbohydrate: 38.5%
    • Ash: 5.6%

Manufacturing Process of Amul Baby Food

• The production process of Amul baby food involves several key steps:
• 1. Filtration and clarification of raw milk
• 2. Standardization of milk to achieve specific fat and solid-not-fat (SNF) ratios
• 3. Addition of phosphate buffer salt to reduce curd tension
• 4. Incorporation of sucrose to adjust protein and fat content
• 5. Addition of lactose for beneficial effects on intestinal health
• 6. Concentration, homogenization, and drying of the product
• 7. Fortification with essential nutrients and packing under inert gas

Storage and Uses of Infant Milk Food

• Infant milk food is typically stored at room temperature and can maintain quality for an extended period when properly sealed and stored.
• It is utilized for infant feeding after reconstitution following the manufacturer's instructions.