Evaluation of the Nutritional Quality of Food Composites Developed from Local Ingredients to Target the Needs of Persons Experiencing Nodding Syndrome in Northern Uganda

Evaluation of the Nutritional Quality of Food Composites Developed from Local Ingredients to Target the Needs of Persons Experiencing Nodding Syndrome in Northern Uganda | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Evaluation of the Nutritional Quality of Food Composites Developed from Local Ingredients to Target the Needs of Persons Experiencing Nodding Syndrome in Northern Uganda Bonny Aloka, Solomon Olum, Duncan Ongeng This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7088780/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 24 Nov, 2025 Read the published version in Scientific Reports → Version 1 posted 11 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Undernutrition is widespread in developing countries and exacerbated by conditions such as nodding syndrome, with a prevalence of 4.5% in northern Uganda. To combat this problem, nutrient-rich composites were developed using locally sourced ingredients. Preferred formulae were analysed for nutritional, physico-chemical, antinutritional, and functional properties using standard methods. The composites were developed from two main energy lines (maize and sorghum), with ingredients at ratios of 70:2:15:5:3:5 for maize/sorghum: silver fish: soybean: orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP): beans: chia seeds, respectively. Compared with the sorghum-based formula, maize-based formula had significantly greater amounts of selenium (18.43 µg vs 17.83 µg), potassium, and vitamins A and D; the bioavailability of iron and zinc; and in vitro protein digestibility. Compared with the sorghum-based formula, the sorghum-based formula also had lower levels of antinutritional factors and a better fatty acid profile (p < 0.05). The sorghum-based formula had significantly higher levels of ash (2.23% vs 2.08%), crude protein (7.85% vs 7.45%), magnesium (115.83 mg vs 105.07 mg), calcium (144.35 mg vs 134.52 mg), and vitamin B6 and a greater oil absorption capacity (3.0% vs 1.36%) and bulk density (0.89 g/cm 3 vs 0.78 g/cm 3 ). Overall, maize-based formula outperformed the sorghum-based formula for most parameters, hence a better option. Biological sciences/Biochemistry Biological sciences/Biotechnology Biological sciences/Plant sciences composite functional property nodding syndrome northern Uganda nutritional quality Full Text Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 24 Nov, 2025 Read the published version in Scientific Reports → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: Revision requested 08 Sep, 2025 Reviews received at journal 04 Sep, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 27 Aug, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 27 Aug, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 26 Aug, 2025 Reviews received at journal 21 Aug, 2025 Reviewers agreed at journal 06 Aug, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 03 Aug, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 23 Jul, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 12 Jul, 2025 First submitted to journal 12 Jul, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7088780","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":496207713,"identity":"a1575e76-9965-4cb7-9572-ab2962544fbd","order_by":0,"name":"Bonny Aloka","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA4UlEQVRIiWNgGAWjYDACdgZmBsYGEIv5AJCQkCGshRmuhS0BpIWHFC08BmCSoA7+ZubDBj932OSZS+R8fnWjxoKHgf3w0Q34tEgcZktO7D2TVmw5I3ebdc4xoMN40tJu4LXmMI/xAd62w4kbbuRuM85hA2qR4DHDq0UeqOXgX7CWnGfGOf+I0GIA1JIMsSWH+XFuGxFaDIF+MZY9k5a44cwzM+bcPgkeNkJ+kTvefFjy7Q6bxA3Hkx9/zvlWJ8fPfvgYfu/DgUACmwSIZiNOOQjwH2D+QLzqUTAKRsEoGEkAAF+MSVaAu7BXAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"","institution":"Gulu University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Bonny","middleName":"","lastName":"Aloka","suffix":""},{"id":496207714,"identity":"77fe0f09-4a86-4f49-9b47-73cec5dfb885","order_by":1,"name":"Solomon Olum","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Gulu University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Solomon","middleName":"","lastName":"Olum","suffix":""},{"id":496207715,"identity":"55a1343e-c8c5-4751-82fe-4fbfa054bc58","order_by":2,"name":"Duncan Ongeng","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Gulu University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Duncan","middleName":"","lastName":"Ongeng","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-07-10 04:23:13","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7088780/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7088780/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-25483-6","type":"published","date":"2025-11-24T15:57:14+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":97178279,"identity":"1c0b5194-bada-46db-9d37-116d248e84b4","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-12-01 16:06:58","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":538502,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"BonnyAlokaPublicationJuly2025Edited.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7088780/v1_covered_71d324f7-e3ee-44f8-b085-83fa6ee34e78.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"Evaluation of the Nutritional Quality of Food Composites Developed from Local Ingredients to Target the Needs of Persons Experiencing Nodding Syndrome in Northern Uganda","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"scientific-reports","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"scirep","sideBox":"Learn more about [Scientific Reports](http://www.nature.com/srep/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Scientific Reports","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Scientific Reports","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"composite, functional property, nodding syndrome, northern Uganda, nutritional quality","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7088780/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7088780/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eUndernutrition is widespread in developing countries and exacerbated by conditions such as nodding syndrome, with a prevalence of 4.5% in northern Uganda. To combat this problem, nutrient-rich composites were developed using locally sourced ingredients. Preferred formulae were analysed for nutritional, physico-chemical, antinutritional, and functional properties using standard methods. The composites were developed from two main energy lines (maize and sorghum), with ingredients at ratios of 70:2:15:5:3:5 for maize/sorghum: silver fish: soybean: orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP): beans: chia seeds, respectively.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eCompared with the sorghum-based formula, maize-based formula had significantly greater amounts of selenium (18.43 \u0026micro;g vs 17.83 \u0026micro;g), potassium, and vitamins A and D; the bioavailability of iron and zinc; and in vitro protein digestibility. Compared with the sorghum-based formula, the sorghum-based formula also had lower levels of antinutritional factors and a better fatty acid profile (p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;0.05). 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Overall, maize-based formula outperformed the sorghum-based formula for most parameters, hence a better option.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Evaluation of the Nutritional Quality of Food Composites Developed from Local Ingredients to Target the Needs of Persons Experiencing Nodding Syndrome in Northern Uganda","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-08-06 12:27:39","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7088780/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"decision","content":"Revision requested","date":"2025-09-08T15:42:36+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-09-04T20:01:27+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"178352335042724428109504175969818599803","date":"2025-08-28T03:12:10+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"339136132043783181307872894902502695666","date":"2025-08-27T10:38:09+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"90870564988132954983080469169626373357","date":"2025-08-26T06:18:38+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvitedReview","content":"","date":"2025-08-21T06:14:42+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"14732510457950061325003365072331754481","date":"2025-08-06T04:42:39+00:00","index":"hide","fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-08-03T17:24:07+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-07-23T18:40:21+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"checksComplete","content":"","date":"2025-07-12T19:08:41+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Scientific Reports","date":"2025-07-12T19:03:25+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"scientific-reports","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"scirep","sideBox":"Learn more about [Scientific Reports](http://www.nature.com/srep/)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"","title":"Scientific Reports","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"stoa","reportingPortfolio":"Scientific Reports","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"14b9680c-09a9-4c76-82cd-1afe7a655e11","owner":[],"postedDate":"August 6th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[{"id":52702940,"name":"Biological sciences/Biochemistry"},{"id":52702941,"name":"Biological sciences/Biotechnology"},{"id":52702942,"name":"Biological sciences/Plant sciences"}],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-12-01T16:00:24+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-7088780","link":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-25483-6","journal":{"identity":"scientific-reports","isVorOnly":false,"title":"Scientific Reports"},"publishedOn":"2025-11-24 15:57:14","publishedOnDateReadable":"November 24th, 2025"},"versionCreatedAt":"2025-08-06 12:27:39","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1038/s41598-025-25483-6","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-25483-6","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7088780","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7088780","identity":"rs-7088780","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}