Evaluation of Acceptability and Sensory Quality of Cocoa- or Cashew-Based Ready-to-Use Foods for Moderately Acutely Malnourished Children

Abstract

The fight against child malnutrition in Côte d’Ivoire requires solutions that are both appropriate and sustainable. Given the limited use of imported Ready-to-Use Foods, the integration of local ingredients such as cocoa and cashew emerges as a promising alternative. However, the sensory acceptability of these products remains a key challenge to ensure their adoption and effectiveness. The objective of this study was to evaluate the acceptability of two local formulae, based on cashew (CAF) and cocoa (COF), compared to the reference product, Plumpy’Sup ®. To this end, a randomized controlled trial was conducted with 54 mother-child pairs. The study analyzed children’s food consumption and the sensory preferences expressed by mothers, measured on a 1-to-5 scale. The results showed that the majority of the children were girls (57%), either well-nourished (67%) or moderately acutely malnourished (33%). Their mothers primarily practiced mixed breastfeeding (72-83%) and belonged to medium-sized households (4.34 to 5.1 people) with daily expenditures ranging from 2300 to 2600 FCFA per household, or 509.80 to 543.48 FCFA per individual (less than 1 USD per individual). Although Plumpy’Sup® received the highest sensory scores from mothers, children consumed more of the cashew-based formula (CAF), followed by the cocoa-based formula (COF), and then Plumpy’Sup®. These findings underscore the need to develop local, balanced, and accessible nutritional solutions tailored to the socio-economic realities of the country.