Project Peanut Butter – Clinical Trial of RUSF in Malawi

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As the 21st Century progresses, so does the opportunity to treat malnutrition in childhood more effectively. Ready-to-Use food (RUTF) was novel 10 years ago and is now the standard of care. Today, more focus and attention is being paid to the nutritional composition of food aid products.

The first RUTF was formulated with 25% sugar, a food safe carbohydrate. Within the last 5 years, food aid regulators and health advocates are clamoring for less sucrose in the RUTF products while improving the protein quality of the food. This project will produce a Ready-to-Use Supplementary food (RUSF) using whey permeate, a product that is 85% milk sugar. It is targeted to treat 1,800 moderately malnourished children in a clinical trial, comparing improved RUSF to a previously used dairy-based formula.

Hopefully, the study will demonstrate the safety and acceptability of whey permeate, as well as determining whether greater recovery is seen with the higher protein product.

For more information, visit www.ProjectPeanutButter.org