Porridge prepared from sieved maize, otherwise known as ‘Mmore Koko’ in the local parlance has the tendency of getting babies who are fed with it drunk, the Ghana Health Service has revealed.
The pudding that has over the years been the ideal meal for babies due to its easy-to-prepare nature and affordability is made from fermenting blended maize and made into a meal for babies.
But when the maize is kept for too long, it turns into alcohol for these babies, which according to the Ghana Health Service is not good for the brain development of babies, especially those that are getting off exclusive breastfeeding.
This forces the baby to sleep and the result is that the baby misses some meals during the day.
Mothers have therefore been advised not to serve only this porridge, and if they do they do not have to ferment the maize, and ultimately the pudding must be fortified.
Greater Accra Regional Nutritional Officer, GHS, Faustina Vimariba Tour made this known to the media at a workshop for journalists organized by UNICEF.
The workshop was on the theme ‘Equipping media workers with information to support media reportage on nutrition and nurturing care.
The exercise hosted some 20 journalists from media houses across the capital and had representatives from UNICEF as well as the Ghana Health Service as speakers.
Participants were also taken on a tour of the Children’s unit of the Greater Accra Regional Hospital where they were briefed on procedures at the Antenatal Clinic, Postnatal Clinic, Child Welfare Clinic and Nutrition Department.
Madam Tour said “…some people will give only ‘Mori Koko’ and sometimes they over ferment the ‘Mori Koko’ which is the maize porridge and it becomes alcohol. So, when you feed the child with it, it means that the child ends up getting drunk because it is the alcohol you have given to the child, and when the child sleeps, the child will miss the number of times that they’re supposed to feed.”
As to whether there is research to prove any long-term effects of this practice on children, she noted “we cannot really tell the alcohol percentage. But alcohol is not good for the brain development of the child so it has some effects. If it’s something they like, it should be fortified by adding other things to make it rich. Fortify it with groundnut paste, soya, etc
Also, it shouldn’t be very light but should be thick and friendly for the child. Three to four spoons is enough.”
Source: Starrnews
