Avaliação bioquímica e nutricional de uma farinha múltipla à base de vegetais (Multimistura)

Abstract

The National Conference of Brazilian Bishops and the "Pastoral da Criança" have implemented a program of alternative feeding based upon the utilization of a multiple meal called "Muitimistura", which is constituted by rice and wheat bran, chicken egg shells, seeds and green leaves powder. This Mixture has been utilized as dietary supplement to low income families and mainly for recovery of undernourished children. Its utilization, however, has been questioned by scientists as to its real nutritive value and the risk of the presence of toxic/ antinutritional factors. The present work aimed to assess the "muitimistura" as to chemical, biochemical and nutritional aspects. Samples of "multimistura" were obtained from a single supplier of "Pastoral da Criança"/ Henrique Jorge Community (Fortaleza-CE). The results showed variation in proximate composition among four samples tested. Among the minerals present in the "multimistura", magnesium, manganese, copper, iron and zinc meet the respective daily requirements of 1 to 3 years old children. Concerning the presence of heavy metals, some have been detected such as cadmium, chromium and nickel (the last two with values above the limits permitted by Brazilian legislation). The content of ail essential amino acids of "multimistura" was lower than those present in the reference protein chicken egg white, although isoieucine and treonine meet the daily requirements of 1 to 3 years old children. Only treonine meets the needs of the animals used in nutritional trials. As to the content of fatty acids in the "multimistura", reasonable levels of linoleic, oleic, palmitic, stearic and arachidic acids were determined. The results also showed the presence of the antinutritional factors phytic acid, phenolic compounds (tanins), trypsin and a-amylase inhibitors. The aqueous crude extract of "multimistura" was moderately toxic when injected intraperitoneously in mice with a LD50 of 94.43 mg/Kg body weight. The "multimistura" was offered as a test diet to a group of growing Wistar rats (n 6). There was significant difference (p < 0.05) in body weight gain, feeding efficiency, digestibility and biological value in the test group when compared to the animals of control group. The organs stomach, intestines, thyme, spleen and kidneys were hypertrophied. Thus, with these results put together, it can be revealed that there are no fundamented reasons to recommend the utilization of "multimistura" as dietary supplement.