Paulina O. ADENIYI^1,, Oluwatobi O. ADESINA¹, Fausiyah A. BALOGUN¹

Malnutrition, particularly among infants and young children, remains a persistent public health concern in many developing countries. Some cereals have been used exhaustively for complementary feeding while some like grain amaranth remain grossly underutilized. Complementary foods formulated with locally available, nutrient-rich ingredients are promising in improving nutrient adequacy during the critical complementary feeding period. This study was conducted to evaluate the nutritional composition and sensory properties of complementary food blends developed from grain amaranth flour and soybean flour. A total of five complementary food samples (GSS1–GSS5), comprising varying ratios of grain amaranth and soybean flour, were evaluated for proximate, mineral composition and sensory properties and compared to a commercial complementary food brand (CRC). Proximate and mineral compositions were compared using ANOVA (p<0.05), while sensory properties were compared using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (p<0.05). The results showed that formulated blends contained significantly higher levels of protein (25.78%–44.67%), fat (10.54%–17.85%), and key minerals such as iron, calcium, zinc, potassium, and magnesium than the commercial control. Carbohydrate content decreased with increasing soybean inclusion, while moisture and ash contents remained within acceptable limits. Sensory evaluation indicated that all samples were acceptable across parameters including texture, aroma, and appearance, with minor variations in colour and taste. These findings suggest that grain amaranth–soybean blends have strong potential as nutrient-dense, locally sourced complementary foods capable of supporting growth, development, and metabolic health in infants. This study supports the integration of underutilized indigenous crops into complementary food formulations as a sustainable approach to combating protein-energy malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies during infancy and early childhood.

Complementary food, Malnutrition, Grain Amaranth, Soybean