Amylase Rich Food (ARF) | බබාට දෙන කෑම වල ගුණය වැඩි කර ගන්න, ගෙදරදීම "ඇමයිලේස්" එකතු කර ගනිමු.

Preparation of ARF in the MRI laboratory

During complementary feeding (after 6 months of age), traditionally; the first food introduced to a child is porridge. This is usually prepared from a cereal or cereal flour such as mung, cowpea or ulundu. These porridges tend to have a high viscosity and a low energy content, which may not meet the daily energy requirements of the child.

The addition of ARF lowers the dietary bulk and increases the energy content, thus making the porridge easier to consume as well as increasing the calorie content per unit volume of food consumed.

Amylase is an enzyme that catalyses the breakdown of starch (carbohydrate) into sugars. 

ARF can be easily produced at inexpensively at home, the preparation method can be seen below:

1. Select whole, unbroken grains (i.e. mung, cowpea, ulundu)

2. Soak the grain in water until sprouting takes place (around 48 hours)

3. Dry in the sun / roast lightly on low flame

4. Powder by hand pounding or in an electric grinder

5. Store in a wide mouthed screw cap bottle

6. Add one teaspoon powder to the cereal during the preparation of feeding

Teaching mothers to prepare inexpensive AFR at the household level; Dr.C.L Piyasena Explaning

Homemade ARF is both easy and inexpensive to help prepare a low-bulk, high energy dense meal for your child.

Source: Gopaldas T, Deshpande S, Chinnamma J. Studies on a wheat-based amylase-rich food. The United Nations University.


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