Annals of Agricultural Science (2011) 56(2), 7781

Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University

Annals of Agricultural Science

www.elsevier.com/locate/aoas

ORIGINAL ARTICLE

Nutritional evaluation of children meals at Egyptian schools:

II Amino acids, minerals and vitamins proles
Alaa Azouz

Food Technology Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt

Received 13 June 2011; accepted 25 July 2011

Available online 27 December 2011

KEYWORDS Abstract Adequacy diets play an important role especially for primary school children aged from 6
School meals; to 12 years, to support normal growth and development. Appropriate amounts of amino acids, vita-
Amino acids; mins and minerals are required since a decient intake of certain minerals can produce diseases and
Protein score; lead to abnormal development. In this way, the amount of amino acids, vitamins and minerals must
Amino acid score; be suitable with the edible portions of diets prepared for children. A school meal (pie) was prepared
Minerals; in this study. The meal was evaluated for its proximate composition, amino acids, minerals and vita-
Vitamins mins. The total protein content of the pie was 9.70%. This formula contained high percentage of
essential amino acids. The percentage of total essential amino acids in the protein was 42.46%, it
was rich in cysteine (2.29%), valine (11.48%), isoleucine (5.25%) and phenyl alanine (5.58%)
compared to those of casein. The essential amino acids index (EAAI) was also higher than casein
being 0.85 and 0.83, respectively. The rst limiting amino acid in meal protein was lysine. On the
other hand, the content of Fe in 100 g of the experimental meal covered 11.07% of FAO/WHO daily
allowance. Also, the prepared pie was rich in vitamins A, D, B complex and C, their contents in 100 g
of meal covered FAO/WHO daily requirements except vitamin E. Therefore, results indicated that
the prepared meal contained a complementary amino acid proles, minerals and vitamins.
2012 Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V.
Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.

Introduction

E-mail address: alaazouz@hotmail.com Healthful eating habits are essential to reduce childrens risk of
immediate and long-terms health problems. Nutrition-related
0570-1783 2012 Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams University. health problems of children range from growth retardation,
Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND iron-deciency anemia and dental caries to chronic diseases
license. such as obesity, heart disease, type 2 diabetes and osteoporosis
Peer review under responsibility of Faculty of Agriculture, Ain Shams (American Dietetic Association, 2008; Institute of Medicine,
University. 2007). The pyramid food guidance system, which reects the
doi:10.1016/j.aoas.2011.07.003 recommendations of the dietary guideline for Americans,
provides information on the amounts of food recommended
Production and hosting by Elsevier for consumption to promote heath and reduce risk of chronic
diseases (US Department of Agriculture, 2008).
78
Schools can make important contributions to improve chil-
dren meal and nutrient intake. School-aged children spend at
least 6 h at school every school day and obtained up to 47%
of their calories from meals and snakes consumed at school
(Condon et al., 2009).
Since no protein is fully utilized, needed maintenance
protein intake is always higher. Applying net protein utilization
(NPU) of 0.6, which is roughly midway between the highest
and lowest protein NPU in foods considered to be a signicant
protein sources, gives as needed daily maintenance protein
intake of 0.75 g/kg (0.34 g/pound) of lean body weight. Thus,
the FAO/WHO/UNU (World Health Organization, 2007) rec-
ommended daily protein intake 0.75 g/kg of lean body weight.
Beginning with the safe minimum of 750 mg/kg/day of protein,
84 mg of which are essential amino acids, the increase to
187 mg total of essential amino acids would take us to
853 mg/kg of total protein (which would have somewhat high-
er relative essential amino acid content). This is only 14%
higher than the old requirement. However, since the reduction
of relative requirement for methionine/cysteine which is lim-
iting amino acid in nearly all important protein food sources
except grains would signicantly improve essential amino
acid usage, the new relative caloric protein requirement could
be even smaller than the old one. In all, this new pattern for
indispensable amino acid requirement, if correct, still would
not increase the above rounded off average gure of 10% of
total calories.
The childhood diet must be adequate to support normal
growth and development, and appropriate amount of minerals
are required since a decient intake of certain minerals can
produce diseases and lead to abnormal development (Camara
et al., 2007).
Good nutrition is an essential part of healthy children.
However, national survey data showed that some children do
not get enough of vitamins and minerals needed to maintain
health and support growth and development (Moshfegh et
al., 2008).
Vitamins and minerals of potential concern for school-aged
children included magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin A, C and E
15% or more children had inadequate intakes of these nutri-
ents (Clark and Fox, 2009).
Mineral deciency is usually caused by a low mineral con-
tent in the diet when rapid body growth is occurring and/or
when there is poor absorption of minerals from the diet
(Favier, 1993). In this way not only must the absolute amounts
of minerals be increased in the edible portion of foods, but
these minerals must also be in forms that are bioavailability
to the person consuming them. Camara et al. (2007) observed
that, the protein content of Spinach school meals exerts a po-
sitive inuence upon iron uptake, and a negative inuence
upon calcium uptake with no inuence upon the uptakes
of either Zn or Cu. Also, solubilized Zn exerts a negative inu-
ence upon iron retained.
Mn is and essential element that is a constituent of several
enzymes and activates many others (Navarro-Alarcon et al.,
2005). Specically, Mn was identied as a constituent of mito-
chondrial glutamate synthetase, pyruvate carboxylase and
mitochondrial superoxide dismutase, primary enzymes in
anti-oxidative defense system (Mason, 2005). Mn deciency
has been related with skeletal abnormalities, ataxia, alterations
of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, osteoporosis, epilepsy,
A. Azouz
difculties in wound healing and impaired growth (Anderson,
2004; Navarro-Alarcon et al., 2005).
Iron deciency anemia is one of the most prevalent nutri-
tional deciencies affecting the worlds population today, espe-
cially among children and women in developing countries. Most
programs aimed at decreasing the incidence of iron deciency
utilize fortication of the diet with various iron compounds
(Clark and Fox, 2009; Leung, 1998). The recommended dietary
allowances for children Southeast Asia (79 year) were 700 mg
calcium, 6.911.9 mg iron, 6 mg zinc/day. While, the recom-
mended vitamin allowances were 500 lg vitamin A, 5 lg vitamin
D, 35 mg vitamin C, 0.9 mg thiamine, 0.9 mg riboavin, 12 mg
niacin and 300 lg folate (Barba and Ma Isabel, 2008).
The Institute of Medicine recommendations reected new
developments in nutrition science, increase the availability of
key food groups in the school meal programs, as appropriate,
and enhance the ability of school meals to faster healthful
eating habits and safe guard childrens health (Institute of
Medicine, 2008).
Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate a pre-
pared school meal enriched with amino acids, vitamins and
minerals to consume by school children who did participate
in the Egyptian school meal programs.
Materials and methods
Materials
The school pies include different ingredients in Table 1. Flour
was purchased from Egyptian millers company 6 October city,
eggs from production sector Agricultural Research Center
Giza, margarine from Efco star company, skim milk from the
International commerce group, vanillin and sugar from Sugar
company and complementary industries, butter from El-Eman
form commerce and supplying, salt in El-Nasr company Alex-
andria, sesame from El-Reda & El-Nour company, minced date
(Agwa) from Central Administration for Food Industries
(Food Technology Research Institute-Agricultural Research
Center) and the yeast from Al-Zahraa company Giza.
Methods
Technological processing
School meal was prepared using the recipe summarized in
Table 1.
Table 1 Recipe of the school meal
formula/100 g.
Ingredients (%)
Wheat our 50.00
Sugar 5.00
Yellow butter 4.00
Margarine 4.00
Sesame 1.00
Yeast 0.25
Salt 0.30
Eggs 4.50
Skimmed milk 2.00
Vanillin 0.05
Minced date (agwa) 20.00
Water 6.90
Nutritional evaluation of children meals at Egyptian schools: II Amino acids, minerals and vitamins proles
Table 2 Proximate composition of the prepared school meal
(as dry weight basis%).
Composition Moisture Carbohydrates Fiber Protein* Fat Ash
% 24.50 51.31 3.49 9.70 9.80 1.20
*
FAO/WHO/UNU (1985) protein daily allowance (0.75 mg/
kg BW/day).
Pies were prepared according to the method described in
AACC (1983). Dry raw materials (wheat our, sugar, salt,
yeast, sesame, skimmed milk and vanillin) were added in
dough mixer and blended at the slow speed (60 rpm) for homo-
geneity of all these components. Then, water was added, mixed
at slow speed to form the gluten network. The fat materials
(margarine and yellow butter) and eggs were then added,
and blended on slow speed (60 rpm). After that, water was
added and blended for 3 min at the slow speed (60 rpm), then
for 12 min on the fast speed (120 rpm) until the development of
the dough.
The dough was transferred to the shaping machine, also the
minced date was added to feeder. After the shaping of the pies,
automatically transferred to the trays. Then the trays trans-
ferred to the fermentation room for 1 h until the pies were fer-
mented. The trays were transferred to rotating ovens at 210 C
for 1113 min., then ventilated and packaged into packaging
machine.
Analytical methods
Moisture, crude fat, crude protein, ash and crude ber were
determined according to AOAC (2000).
Amino acids prole were analyzed using amino acid ana-
lyzer, Beckman 7300, according to the method of the AOAC
(2006).
First limiting amino acids, protein efciency ratio (PER)
and biological value (BV) were calculated according to Oser
(1959) and Akeson and Stahman (1964).
Protein score, amino acid scores and essential amino acids
index (EAAI) were calculated as mentioned by FAO/WHO/
UNU (1985), in relation to casein and whole eggs protein
(Bhatty et al., 1976). The arginine:lysine ratio and methio-
nine:glycine ratio were calculated as described by Morita et
al. (1997).
Minerals were analyzed by using atomic absorption spec-
trophotometer (PerkinElmer 3300) according to the method
of AACC (1983).
Vitamin A was determined by the method of Noll (1996).
Nicotinic acid, thiamine, pyridoxine and riboavin were deter-
mined according the method of Batifoulier et al. (2005) and
vitamin C was determined by the method of Romeu-Nadal
et al. (2006) using HPLC. On the other hand, vitamin D and
E were determined by HPLC as described by Pyka and Silwiok
(2001).
Results and discussion
Data presented in Table 2 showed the proximate composition
of the prepared meal. Results show that, carbohydrate content
was 51.31%, while oil and protein contents were 9.80% and
9.70%, respectively. These data revealed that the formula of
the prepared Egyptian school meal had a good source of
79
protein which could be safe for school children compared to
the healthy diet of adult (0.75/kg body weight daily intake)
(FAO/WHO/UNU, 1985). Also, the results indicated that
the level of nutrients were higher in prepared school formulas
compared with USDA/ARS children.
Table 3 showed the percentage of amino acids in prepared
school meal protein compared to casein and whole egg pattern.
The prepared meal contained higher percentage of total essen-
tial amino acids being 42.56% more than that of casein
(41.32%), while this percentage was lower than that in whole
egg pattern (49.9). Also, the experimental meal protein was
rich in cysteine (2.29%), valine (11.48), isoleucine (5.25%)
and phenyl alanine (5.58%) compared to their corresponding
percentages in casein being 0.33%, 5.70%, 4.46% and
4.47%, respectively. Furthermore, the meal protein had higher
valine percentage compared to that of whole egg being 11.48%
and 7.4%, respectively.
The experimental meal protein from the same Table 2, it
was noticed that had higher percentage of total non-essential
amino acids than casein (57.54 and 39.66, respectively). It
had higher contents of aspartic acid, glutamic acid glycine, ala-
nine and arginine than these in casein being 6.56, 6.18; 26.59,
9.00; 3.39, 1.65; 3.50, 2.61 and 6.35, 3.22%, respectively.
While, it had lower contents of histidine and proline than in
casein (1.97, 2.65% and 9.19, 9.32%, respectively).
Also, the calculated protein efciency ratio (PER) and bio-
logical value (BV) of the school meal protein were 2.59 and
76.41, respectively being higher than those of casein (1.62 and
66.15, respectively).
Essential amino acid index
Table 3 showed that, the meal made from the experimental for-
mula had higher essential amino acid index compared to that
of casein (0.85 and 0.83, respectively). It was also noticed that
Arg:Lys ratio in the meal protein was higher than that of case-
in (3.22 and 0.46, respectively), in contrast Meth:Gly ratio in
formulas was lower than that of casein (0.58 and 1.57, respec-
tively). The arginine: lysine ratio and methionine:glycine ratio
are highly importance in lowering cholesterol level (Morita et
al., 1997) when Arg:Lys ratio was high and Met:Gly was low.
On the other view, the value of chemical protein score of
meal and amino acid score was lower (35.00 and 19.82, respec-
tively) than casein (65.34 and 72.46, respectively).
Minerals content in prepared school meal
Data in Table 4 showed that 100 g of the experimental meal
covered 3.77%, 3.18%, 11.07%, 0.57% from magnesium, zinc,
Fe and Ca daily requirements (mg) established by FAO/WHO/
UNU report (2001) for children aged from 79 years (25.2 kg
appox.).
Minerals bioavailabity is inuenced by other food compo-
nents which play an important role in the absorption within
the intestinal lumen (Baech et al., 2003).
It was noticed that, the prepared formula was rich in iron.
It is important to mention that individual physiological condi-
tions also alter iron bioavailability, which reects the balance
between dietetic and physiological factors on the absorption,
transport, cellular organization, storage and excretion of nutri-
ents (Fairweather-Tait, 2001).
80 A. Azouz

Table 3 Amino acids prole (g/100 g protein) of the school meal formula compared with casein and whole egg pattern.
Amino acids Amino Amino acids g/ FAO/WHO/UNU** Casein amino acid Whole egg pattern
acid* (%) 100 g protein meal (mg/kg BW/day) (g/100 g protein) (g/100 g protein)
Lysine 0.18 1.97 60 6.99 6.6
Therionine 0.26 2.84 35 3.72 5.0
Cysteine 0.21 2.29 0.33 5.4
Methionine 0.18 1.96 27 2.59
Valine 1.05 11.48 33 5.70 7.4
Leucine 0.69 7.55 45 8.27 8.0
Isoleucine 0.48 5.25 30 4.46 6.6
Tyrosine 0.33 3.61 27 4.79 10.8
Ph.alanine 0.51 5.58 4.47
Total essential 3.89 42.56 257 41.32 49.9
AA
First limiting Lysine
AA
PER 2.59 1.62
BV 76.41 66.2
Essential 0.85 0.83
amino acid
index
Arg:Lys ratio 3.22
Meth:Gly ratio 0.58 1.57
Chemical 35.00 65.34
protein score
Amino acid 19.82 72.46
score
Aspartic acid 0.60 6.56 6.18
Glutamic acid 2.43 26.59 9.00
Glycine 0.31 3.39 1.65
Alanine 0.32 3.50 2.61
Histidine 0.18 1.97 2.65 2.4
Arginine 0.58 6.35 3.22 6.6
Proline 0.84 9.19 9.32
Total non- 5.26 57.54 39.66
essential AA
*
%mg/100 mg.
**
FAO/WHO/UNU amino acid requirements (mg/kg BW/day).

Table 4 Minerals content of school meal (mg/100 g). Table 5 Vitamins content (mg/100 g) of school meal formula
Minerals FAO/WHO/UNU *
School meal % ** compared with FAO/WHO/UNU.
(mg/day) (mg/100 g) Vitamins FAO/WHO/UNU* School meal
Mg 100 3.773 3.77 requirement (mg/day) (mg/100 g)
Na 22.85 A 0.5 3.7
Zn 5.6 0.18 3.18 D** 0.005 0.039
Mn 0.05 Nicotinic acid 12.0 240.4
Fe 7 0.77 11.07 Thiamine 0.9 73.4
Ca 700 3.98 0.57 Pyridoxine 1.0 34.2
K 4.19 Riboavin 0.9 14.9
Cu 0.04 C 35.0 45.9
*
FAO/WHO/UNU report (2001), children (79 years, 25.2 kg E 7.0 1.8
approx.). *
FAO/WHO/UNU requirement (2001) children (79 years).
** **
%Covered by 100 g meal the daily requirement of FAO/WHO. %As vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol).

In this respect, Camara et al. (2007) mentioned that the Given importance of an adequate intake of minerals in
enormous importance of zinc in children nutrition, at least childhood, it was considered that school menus represent 30
once a week, of foods of this kind in school menus is advisable. 35% of the total daily intake (Grifth et al., 2000).
Nutritional evaluation of children meals at Egyptian schools: II Amino acids, minerals and vitamins proles
Vitamins content of prepared school meal
Vitamins content of prepared meal are presented in Table 5.
Results showed that 100 g of the tested formula contained
higher percentage of vitamin A, D and C exceeded that of
FAO/WHO/UNU daily requirements (3.7, 0.5; 0.039, 0.005;
and 45.9, 35 mg, respectively). In parallel, 100 g of the experi-
mental meal had also higher content of nicotinic acid, thia-
mine, pyridoxine and riboavin compared to FAO/WHO
daily requirements (240.4, 12.0; 73.4, 0.9; 34.2, 1.0 and 14.9,
0.9 mg, respectively). In contrast, the content of vitamin E
(1.8 mg/100 g) was lower than FAO/WHO daily requirements
(7.0 mg/day), it means that 100 g of the meal covered only
25.7% from the daily requirement of this vitamin.
Therefore, 100 g of the tested formula covered the daily
requirements of vitamins compared with FAO/WHO/UNU
requirements except vitamin E.
Generally, it could be concluded that, the school meals
program in Egypt play an important role in the adequacy
nutrition for daily childrens diet for more than million of pu-
pils in Egyptian schools.
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