From: Palle Valentiner-Branth pvbatssi.dk

Subject : nutritional content of CSB

Date: Tue, 22 Sep 1998 12:40:27 +0100

Can anyone supply me with technical information of the nutritional

content of CSB (corn-soya blend) or CSM (corn-soya blend mixed with

dried milk)?

Best regards

Palle Valentiner-Branth, Denmark

Date: Sat, 26 Sep 1998 19:53:15 EDT

From: George Beaton <g.beatonatutoronto.ca>

Subject: Ngonut: Re: your mail

Dr. Valentiner-Branth:

There are multiple answers to your question about CSB composition. CSB is a patent product produced in the U.S. under contract to USAID. However, CSB is also used as a common name for mixtures of corn and soy produced elsewhere. In a recent review of possible modification of CSB, the following composition data were published for the "official" CSB.

Ingredients:

Corn meal (processed, gelatinized) 69.8% Soy flour (defatted, toasted) 21.9%

Soy bean Oil (stabilized) 5.5%

Mineral Premix (1) 2.7%

Vitamin Premix (2) 0.1%

(1) Mineral premix contains: tricalcium phosphate, ferrous sulphate, zinc sulphate, and iodized salt (2) Vitamin mix contains Vit A palmitate (stabilized), Vit D (stabilized) alpha-tocopherol acetate, thiamin mononitrate, ascorbic acid (ethyl cellulose coated), pyridoxine hydrochloride, niacin, D-pantothenate, folic acid and Vit B12 in a soy flour carrier.

Calculated final nutrient cmposition (per 100 g CSB as shipped)

Energy 379.6 kcal

Protein 17.16 g

Calcium 800 mg

Phosphorous 586 mg

Iron 17.99 mg

Sodium 272.3 mg

Zinc 1.94 mg

Iodine 45.5 mg

Vit A 2603 IU

Vit D 198 IU

Vit E 7.8 mg

Vit C 40 mg

Thiamin 0.53 mg

Riboflavin 0.48 mg

Niacin 6.17 mg

(derivation from tryptophan not included) Pantothenic acid 3.42 mg

Pyridoxine 0.47 mg

Folacin 298 mcg

Vit B12 3.97 mcg

Source: Institute of Medicine "Vit C Fortification of Food Aid Commodities." National Academy Press, Washington Dc., 1997.

When I wrote a report for CIDA on Fortification of Foods for Refugee Feeding, I also tried to tabulate the composition of a number of the available premixes and blended foods (showing that all were major mismatches with the actual needs of refugees when used to complement existing food packages), and then developedmy own formulation of a preferred nutrient premix If you give me your fax address, and want the tables describing the variaton in reported maize composition and that describing composition of then- existing premixes and blends, I can send it to you. A point I would make however is that the reported composition of maize meal differs quite widely around the world and hence I would suspect that the composition of the blended food prepared in different settings would also vary quite widely.

The report I quote above does also presents information on the assayed composition of CSB samples picked up in refugee camps in Tanzania, both before and after cooking in the local style; composition was quite variable, particularly for the micronutrients. The bottom line appears to be that there was inadequate mixing and inadequate quality monitoring in the original factory production rather than variable losses in transport and storage as had been alleged..

I hope this helps you.

George Beaton, GHB Consulting

9 Silverview Dr., Willowdale, Ont, Canada M2M 2B2

Email g.beatonatutoronto.ca, Fax: (416) 221 8563

Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1998 18:10:12 +0100

From: briendatext.jussieu.fr (Andre' BRIEND)

Subject: Ngonut: Re:iodine in CSB

I assume there is a typo in George Beaton's mail re: CSB for iodine. It should be 45 mcg (microgrammes) and not 45 mg per 100 g CSB.

By the way, iodine is not routninely added to CSB. Most programmes supposedly rely on salt to bring iodine.

Regards,

Dr. André Briend

Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1998 15:52:00 EDT

From: George Beaton <g.beatonatutoronto.ca>

Subject: Re: Ngonut: Re:iodine in CSB

I agree with Andre:

The 45 mg for iodine would more sensibly read 45 mcg but 45 mg is the way the composition is reported in the Institute of Medicine publication . In that particular source, there is no indication that salt was an option - the tabulation is simply described as the composition of CSB. Further, in this formulation, the iodine is listed as coming from the vitamin/mineral premix USDA/CCC 1996 specification and the mineral premix is described as containing iodized salt. My assumption would be that the salt and its iodine are fixed components under then-current USDA specifications.

I have not gone further to verify it but I can say that the USDA specifications for CSB do vary over time. The composition I sent out is different than the composition that was reported earlier when I was doing the report on fortification of foods for refugees. That perhaps is part of the problem with all the different products that are now available, the micronutrient composition[specification] varies between products and in the same product over time. My personal conclusion is that very few people (Mike Golden and Andre Briend being notable exceptions), have really been interested in the micronutrient content of these foods and diets. Even fewer have addressed the question of differing micronutient composition profiles for different planned uses (enter the Beaton report).

I would also assert that when I was designiong a micronutrient premix for refugee use, I omitted iodine on the same rationale that Andre mentioned - use iodized salt in food preparation and don't double up the sources!

George Beaton

Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 14:21:53 +0100

From: pvbatssi.dk (by way of Michael Golden <pvbatssi.dk>)

Subject: Ngonut: request for recipes using csb

Could anyone supply me with recipes based on Corn-soya blend for the

nutritional rehabilitation of moderately malnourished children. If

possible please give information on recipes with and without milk

powder.

Yours sincerely

Palle Valentiner-Branth

Department of Epidemiology Research, Statens Serum Institut

Artillerivej 5, DK-2300 Copenhagen S Denmark

Phone work ++0045-32683965, phone home ++0045-39652517

Fax work ++0045-32683165, E-mail pvbatssi.dk

Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1998 18:21:05 +0100

From: "Katherine Hilderbrand" <khildatnutrition.itg.be>

Subject: Re: Ngonut: request for recipes using csb

Here are a few recipes which are taken from the MSF guideline "Guide nutrition"

Wet rations, preparation for 1 meal for 1 child:

EXAMPLES OF PRE-MIX FOR DRY RATIONS:

PS please note that in these last two recipes the quantity is per week and the kcals and P /day.

Best regards

Katherine Hilderbrand