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Human nutrient deficiencies remain prevalent globally and are particularly common in low- and middle-income countries, such as Kenya. Fish holds potential to help address these deficiencies but remains barely incorporated in nutrition policies and strategies, partly due to a lack of supporting evidence. We address this gap by analyzing sixteen years of fisheries production and trade data from marine, freshwater, and aquaculture systems to evaluate fish nutrient supply, assess changes in supply, and determine the contributions the current supply could make to meet the nutritional needs of children under five years in Kenya. Despite an 11% increase, through time, in the total supply of fish, there was a 24% decline in per capita fish consumption due to fishery changes and increased fish demand. Furthermore, a 21% decline in supply of fish from inland freshwater systems resulted in a 25–40% decline in nutrient supply. Based on the current supply of fish, Kenya's per capita consumption of 2.5 kg/yr is below WHO recommendations of 10.4 kg/yr. However, this supply has the potential to support nearly 13 million Kenyans at this WHO recommendation. If supply was targeted towards vulnerable groups, such as children under five years, it could supply all children in Kenya with one-third of their calcium, selenium, and protein and over 70% of children in Kenya with one-third of their iron, zinc, and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids requirements. Therefore, fish can play an important role in supporting nutritional security in Kenya if strategic interventions involving all relevant sectors are considered, to reduce identified nutrient deficiencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A poor nutritional status in children results in reduced physical and mental health and poor academic performance. The National Homegrown School Feeding Program (NHSFP) was introduced in Nigeria in 2016 to ameliorate short-term hunger and improve the nutritional status of school-aged children (SAC). At least 33% of the recommended nutrient intake (RNI) for the enrolled students should be met by the school meals. However, to our knowledge, the contribution of school meals served through the NHSFP to the RNI of SAC in Zaria, Nigeria, remains to be explored. We conducted a school-based cross-sectional study among 276 eligible SAC recruited from public primary schools in the Zaria Local Government Area. Portion sizes of the meals served through the NHSFP were determined using an electronic scale, meal samples were collected for nutrient analysis, and the average daily nutrient intake of the participants from the meals was calculated. The average daily intake of nutrients and energy of the participants was compared with the age- and sex-specific RNI to estimate the percentage contribution of the meals. The portion sizes recorded were 199.3 ± 20.6 g, 263.9 ± 11.5 g, 242.1 ± 16.8 g, 311 ± 17.3 g, and 160.3 ± 1.9 mL, respectively, for moi-moi, jollof rice and beans, bean porridge, jollof rice and boiled egg, and yoghurt. In addition, the meals contained moisture (30.13–66.11%), ash (0.73–7.08%), crude fat (9–32.61%), crude protein (7.25–24.5%), crude fiber (0–2.45%), and total carbohydrate (2.19–29.74%) with an energy content ranging from 183.6 to 330.57 kcal. Similarly, the meals contained calcium (82.58—711 mg), potassium (133–797 mg), sodium (340–1720 mg), iron (0.078–8.60 mg), zinc (1.84–13.4 mg), vitamin A (2.38–100.56 RAE), and vitamin C (0.04–1.57 mg) per 100 g of the school meals. The meals contributed 18.2–19.1%, 102.8–183.7%, 13.04–13.6%, and 26.1%–35.8% of the RNI for carbohydrates, proteins, fiber, and energy, respectively. Furthermore, they contributed 137–175%, 314.3–502.2%, 87.6–142.1%, 21.5–25.1%, 279.2–348.5%, 3.3–5.9%, 24.7–48.8%, and 3.3–5.9% of the RNI for iron, zinc, calcium, potassium, sodium, vitamin A, and vitamin C, respectively. The meals served through the NHSFP contributed at least 33% of the RNI for energy, protein, iron, calcium, sodium, vitamin A, and zinc. However, they could not meet the 33% of the RNI for carbohydrates, fiber, potassium, and vitamin C. Increasing the portion sizes and the diversity of the meals can address the suboptimal contribution of the meals to the RNI for carbohydrates, fiber, potassium, and vitamin C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edible crabs of different species are well-known as rich sources of protein and minerals. The present study evaluated the nutritional profile of Portunus pelagicus and Portunus sanguinolentus crabs collected from the coastal Cox’s Bazar district of Bangladesh. The meat and shell parts of both male and female crabs were analyzed for moisture, protein, fat and ash/minerals. The meats contain significantly higher amount of protein (12.72-19.25%), fat (2.78-4.06%), moisture (74.71-79.81%) and lower amount of ash (1.06-2.01%) compared to the shells (0.94-1.55% protein, 0.87-1.33% fat, 47.59-51.01% moisture and 20.99-24.48% ash). Among the minerals, calcium, iron and phosphorus are significantly higher in the shells (6567.11-9463.03 mg/100g, 10.36-31.72 mg/100g and 97.76-127.67 mg/100g, respectively) than in the meats (23.33-233.09 mg/100g, 4.22-8.34 mg/100g and 51.88-63.28 mg/100g, respectively). The findings of the present study suggest that the meat and shell of these crabs could be considered for consumption as excellent sources of protein and minerals essential for infants, young children, adults, pregnant and lactating women.

Angola suffers from a high child mortality rate and a prevalence of anemia due to malnutrition. The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive overview of the mineral content of 43 wild edible plants. A total of 24 different elements (aluminum, antimony, arsenic, cadmium, calcium, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, lead, lithium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, nickel, potassium, selenium, silicon, sodium, strontium, titanium, thallium, vanadium, zinc) were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy to identify nutritional beneficial and hazardous plants. For the majority of studied species (31 of 43) data lack completely. For the remaining, only macronutrient contents are published yet, determining their (ultra)trace element and heavy metal contents for the first time. None of the examined plants pose a risk to human health due to low heavy metal contents, seasonality, and low amounts of consumed plant parts. Iron and zinc rich plant parts, such as fruits of Canarium schweinfurthii, or leaves of Crassocephalum rubens, Solanum americanum, and Piper umbellatum could help combating deficiency syndromes. The genus Landolphia shows to be an aluminum hyperaccumulator with aluminum contents >1000 mg/kg. Results of this study serve as a database for upcoming research. The nutritional value of edible plants is evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]