The Multi-mixture Workshop offered by the Fraternity – International HumanitarianMissions (FIHM) took place on July 18, 2022, at the headquarters of Caritas in Luanda, Angola, and was taught by Mother Maria del Huerto. 35 people participated in it, among which were representatives of the Piaget University and the National Institute of Health Research of the Ministry of Health, members of the board and officials of Caritas, besides community leaders and volunteers of various parishes of Rwanda, and other professionals in the area of health.
The work lasted six hours and was divided into two stages:
- First there was a class on theory, with a description of the nutritional value of each ingredient of the multi-mixture – corn flour, wheat bran, peanuts, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds and cassava leaf -, telling its story since its creation, and an explanation of its current uses, according to the need.
- The second stage of the work was the practical experience of making the multi-mixture, with everyone’s participation. The group learned to identify the precise temperature for toasting and grinding of each ingredient, and to make the mixture. Each step was carried out with the full attention of the participants and with much joy. During the process, the importance of hygiene in handling the food items was emphasized.
There was also an opportunity to talk about the importance of the Imbondeiro or Baobab tree, a native of Africa with fruit that not only has a nutritional value of great importance for remedying malnutrition, but also contains a large number of active principles for healing different illnesses. With this information, baobab flour (from the Baobab fruit) was made, which can be used as a food additive.
Different kinds of plants native to Angola were introduced, with their potential to develop new prepared concentrates, and it was proposed to the group to research what other foods could be added to the Baobab powder, in this way developing a new plant supplement, and opening the door to research on new resources to help in combating infant malnutrition in the country.
At the end of the workshop, the group also learned about the basics of harvesting, drying and storing herbs, for using in food preparation.
The story of multi-mixtures, a food supplement for combating infant malnutrition
Facing limited resources for feeding children, the paediatrician and nutritionist, Dr. Clara Takaki Brandão, revolutionized Brazilian infant nutrition with the creation of multi-mixture flour.
When visiting a black pepper plantation, she noticed the presence of a certain bran next to each pepper plant; enquiring of the farmers, she discovered that it was rice bran, a product used at that time in order to stimulate plant growth.
Excited by the discovery, Dr. Clara studied the nutritional components of the rice bran, finding a potential source of minerals in it. She introduced the product into the menu of day care centres and in a short time, observed a significant reduction in cases of diarrhoea in the children.
She added other brans to the rice bran, as well as leaf powders rich in minerals and vitamins: thus, the multi-mixture flour was born, or simply “multi-mixture”, composed of 70% rice or wheat bran, 15% manioc leaf powder, and 15% seed powder (sesame or pumpkin).
Using meal plans enriched with multi-mixture, it was observed that within four months, the children were recovering. The results obtained were presented in congresses and seminars, under Paediatrics, Illnesses and Nutrition, until in 1983, Dr. Clara was honoured by the Brazilian Paediatrics Society with the Álvaro Bahia prize for the best work against infant mortality.
In the article “Alternative Food”, Dr. Clara explains that the quality of the food is connected to variety, which is to say, it would be more nutritious to use less amounts and a greater variety of foods, rather than a greater amount and less variety. According to the authoress, the products used in the multi-mixture could vary from region to region, but should have a high nutritional value, low cost, good flavour and regionalized production.
Dr. Clara Brandão’s success in the fight against child malnutrition, and even that of adults, led Pastoral da Criança – a social organization linked to the National Confederation of Bishops of Brazil (CNBB) – to embrace the formula recommended by the doctor. In 1985, the Pastoral began to teach mothers of families and community leaders about what became known as “Alternative Food,” which consisted in adding a mixture made with flours and cereals, wheat and rice bran, and a powder of dark green leaves, seeds and eggshells to the daily diet. In a short time, the founder of Pastoral, a healthcare doctor Zilda Arns, travelled the country and the world publicizing the advantages of this mixture that, despite its low cost, was capable of having the most serious cases of malnutrition recover.
Such characteristics caused her program of food orientation against malnutrition to go through a rapid dissemination throughout the country; in addition to the Pastoral da Criança, also the Community Health Agents Program – PACS, the Family Health Program – PSF, Caritas, the Emater, the Indagro, the Caravana da Vida, some state governments, many municipal governments, and countless NGOs started to use it in their citizenship activities. The program also reached around 15 countries in Latin America, Africa and Asia.
