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Carrillo E, Parrilla R, Tárrega A. The difficult decision of buying food for others: Which puree will my baby like? Food Res Int 2024; 179:114018. [PMID: 38342538 DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2024.114018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
When selecting commercial baby food, parents make the initial decision, but the baby's approval ultimately determines the likelihood of repurchasing. However, discerning what babies prefer and enjoy can be challenging for food developers because babies cannot verbally express their preferences. To gain insight into the decision-making process of parents when selecting food for their infants, this study aims to examine: 1. the reasons behind choosing commercial baby food purees, 2. the sensory factors that influence baby acceptance, and 3. how accurately parents can predict baby acceptance. Two experiments were performed. The first investigated the purchasing decisions and underlying reasons of 100 parents, who evaluated 14 different commercial baby food purees. Second, a study was conducted involving 40 parents and their babies (8-30 months) who evaluated a set of 9 baby food purees in two different settings: 1. the parents tasted the puree, and 2. the babies ate the product at home. The results of the first experiment were analyzed using regression trees to uncover the hierarchy of factors that influenced parental decisions. Two negative factors, product unfamiliarity, and high price, were the most important factors leading to parental rejection. Healthiness, tastiness, satiety and good price were the reasons that contributed to a final positive purchasing decision. In the second experiment, the influence of the sensory attributes on babies' perception were determined through a PLS-regression model. The findings revealed that the chicken flavor and vegetable flavors, such as potato, onion, peas, and legumes, positively correlated with infants' liking, whereas fish, tomato, and acidic flavors had negative implications. The texture attributes of sandiness and stickiness had a positive effect on baby liking, whereas smoothness had a negative impact. The results of the regression model based on the predictions revealed that flavor attributes that drive liking and disliking for babies coincided with their parents. However, the texture attributes did not match. Parents considered texture attributes, specifically creaminess and smoothness, as relevant and positive. However, these texture attributes did not affect or slightly decrease babies' acceptance that was positively affected by sandiness and stickiness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Carrillo
- Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de los Alimentos (IATA-CSIC), Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, 46980 Paterna, Spain
| | - Rubén Parrilla
- Alimentación y Nutrición Familiar S.L. (ALNUT), Carrer de Garbí, 1, 46240 Carlet, Spain
| | - Amparo Tárrega
- Instituto de Agroquímica y Tecnología de los Alimentos (IATA-CSIC), Agustín Escardino Benlloch 7, 46980 Paterna, Spain.
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Bassetti E, Zehner E, Mayhew SH, Nasser N, Mulder A, Badham J, Sweet L, Crossley R, Pries AM. Nutrient profiles of commercially produced complementary foods available in Cambodia, Indonesia and the Philippines. Public Health Nutr 2022; 25:1-11. [PMID: 35786427 PMCID: PMC9991791 DOI: 10.1017/s1368980022001483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the nutritional suitability of commercially produced complementary foods (CPCF) marketed in three South-East Asian contexts. DESIGN Based on label information declared on the products, nutrient composition and content of CPCF were assessed against the WHO Europe nutrient profile model (NPM). The proportion of CPCF that would require a 'high sugar' warning was also determined. SETTING Khsach Kandal district, Cambodia; Bandung City, Indonesia; and National Capital Region, Philippines. PARTICIPANTS CPCF products purchased in Cambodia (n 68) and Philippines (n 211) in 2020, and Indonesia (n 211) in 2017. RESULTS Only 4·4 % of products in Cambodia, 10·0 % of products in Indonesia and 37·0 % of products in the Philippines fully complied with relevant WHO Europe NPM nutrient composition requirements. Sixteen per cent of CPCF in Cambodia, 27·0 % in Indonesia and 58·8 % in the Philippines contained total sugar content levels that would require a 'high sugar' warning. CONCLUSIONS Most of the analysed CPCF were not nutritionally suitable to be promoted for older infants and young children based on their nutrient profiles, with many containing high levels of sugar and sodium. Therefore, it is crucial to introduce new policies, regulations and standards to limit the promotion of inappropriate CPCF in the South-East Asia region.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Bassetti
- Helen Keller International, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | | | - Susannah H Mayhew
- Department of Global Health and Development, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Nadine Nasser
- Access to Nutrition Initiative, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | | | | | - Lara Sweet
- JB Consultancy, Johannesburg, South Africa
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Sanchez-Siles L, Román S, Haro-Vicente JF, Bernal MJ, Klerks M, Ros G, Gil Á. Less Sugar and More Whole Grains in Infant Cereals: A Sensory Acceptability Experiment With Infants and Their Parents. Front Nutr 2022; 9:855004. [PMID: 35634381 PMCID: PMC9137414 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.855004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
There is an urgent need to reduce sugar intake in early childhood. Commercial infant cereals are among the first solid foods introduced to infants at the beginning of the complementary feeding period in most countries. The aim of this study was to examine infants' overall acceptability of low-sugar complementary cereals. To do so, a between-subjects experimental study with 165 parents and their infants aged 6-24 months was conducted where one group tested a high-sugar refined cereal (21 g/100 g), and the other a low-sugar cereal (<1 g/100 g) with 50% of whole grain, which represented a 95.2% decrease in sugar content. We found no significant differences between the two groups in terms of infants' overall acceptability (infant's reaction, estimated intake and relative intake). Importantly, infants' reactions to high- and low-sugar cereals were not influenced by the time that infants had been consuming sweet cereals (15-25% sugar) before the experiment took place. In addition, parent's overall liking and sensory evaluation (sweetness, color, taste, texture, and aroma) was positive and very similar in both groups. Overall, our findings show that it is feasible to reduce sugar content in infant cereals without sacrificing its sensory acceptability by infants and their parents. This represents a good opportunity for the infant food industry to adhere to current healthy and sustainable demands of lowering the sugar intake leading to important benefits in infants' health, without compromising competitiveness in the market.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisma Sanchez-Siles
- Research and Nutrition, Hero Group, Murcia, Spain
- Institute for Research and Nutrition, Hero Group, Lenzburg, Switzerland
| | - Sergio Román
- Department of Marketing, Facultad de Economía y Empresa, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Juan F. Haro-Vicente
- Research and Nutrition, Hero Group, Murcia, Spain
- Institute for Research and Nutrition, Hero Group, Lenzburg, Switzerland
| | - Maria Jose Bernal
- Research and Nutrition, Hero Group, Murcia, Spain
- Institute for Research and Nutrition, Hero Group, Lenzburg, Switzerland
| | - Michelle Klerks
- Research and Nutrition, Hero Group, Murcia, Spain
- Institute for Research and Nutrition, Hero Group, Lenzburg, Switzerland
| | - Gaspar Ros
- Department of Food Technology, Nutrition and Bromatology, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Ángel Gil
- Center of Biomedical Research, Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology “José Mataix”, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, School of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
- ibs. GRANADA, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Granada, Granada, Spain
- CIBEROBN (CIBER Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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Plaza-Diaz J, Bernal MJ, Schutte S, Chenoll E, Genovés S, Codoñer FM, Gil A, Sanchez-Siles LM. Effects of Whole-Grain and Sugar Content in Infant Cereals on Gut Microbiota at Weaning: A Randomized Trial. Nutrients 2021; 13:nu13051496. [PMID: 33925049 PMCID: PMC8145071 DOI: 10.3390/nu13051496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The introduction of complementary foods during infancy marks an important step in the development of the infant gut microbiome. Infant cereals are popular weaning foods but consistent evidence on their effect on the intestinal microbiota, especially when differing in nutritional quality, is lacking. Fecal samples from 4–7-month-old Spanish infants who consumed infant cereals differing in whole grain and sugar content as first weaning foods were analyzed on changes in microbial composition by massively parallel sequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene at baseline and after 7 weeks of intervention. Samples were obtained from a previous trial conducted in Spain demonstrating whole-grain cereal acceptability. In total, samples of 18 infants consuming 0% whole grain cereals with 24 g sugar (0-WG) and 25 infants consuming 50% whole grain cereals with 12 g sugar (50-WG) were analyzed. Microbial composition changed significantly over time (p = 0.001), per intervention group (p = 0.029) and per infant (p = 0.001). Abundance of genus Veillonella increased in both groups while Enterococcus decreased. Within the 0-WG group, phylum Actinobacteria decreased along with genus Bifidobacterium. In the 50-WG, we observed an increase in Lachnoclostridium and Bacteroides. In addition, 50-WG decreased Proteobacteria and Escherichia to levels lower than 0-WG. Although weaning itself appeared to be responsible for most changes, the increased presence of anaerobic fermenters together with inhibition of pathogenic Escherichia may indicate a supporting effect of infant cereals with 50% whole grains and a reduced sugar content over infant cereals manufactured with refined hydrolyzed flours on the infant microbiota. In fact, using a novel methodology for the identification of microbial signatures, we found two groups of microbial taxa predictive of infants consuming enriched whole-grain infant cereals with a high predictive value of about 93%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio Plaza-Diaz
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology II, School of Pharmacy, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain;
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria IBS. GRANADA, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Granada, 18014 Granada, Spain
- Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1H 8L1, Canada
| | - Maria Jose Bernal
- Research and Nutrition Department, Hero Group, 30820 Alcantarilla, Murcia, Spain; (M.J.B.); (S.S.)
- Institute for Research and Nutrition, Hero Group, 5600 Lenzburg, Switzerland
| | - Sophie Schutte
- Research and Nutrition Department, Hero Group, 30820 Alcantarilla, Murcia, Spain; (M.J.B.); (S.S.)
- Institute for Research and Nutrition, Hero Group, 5600 Lenzburg, Switzerland
| | - Empar Chenoll
- Biopolis-ADM, 46980 Paterna, Spain; (E.C.); (S.G.); (F.M.C.)
| | | | | | - Angel Gil
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology II, School of Pharmacy, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain;
- Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria IBS. GRANADA, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Granada, 18014 Granada, Spain
- Institute of Nutrition & Food Technology “José Mataix”, Biomedical Research Center, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
- CIBEROBN (CIBER Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: (A.G.); (L.M.S.-S.)
| | - Luis Manuel Sanchez-Siles
- Research and Nutrition Department, Hero Group, 30820 Alcantarilla, Murcia, Spain; (M.J.B.); (S.S.)
- Institute for Research and Nutrition, Hero Group, 5600 Lenzburg, Switzerland
- Correspondence: (A.G.); (L.M.S.-S.)
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