| Nutritional & Chemical Evaluation |
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P.O.Box
910, Brackenfell, Cape Town,
South
Africa, 7561
Telephone: 27 21 981 4510
Email: celanem@mweb.co.za
1st August 2005
Mr
Kransdorff
Econocom
Foods
29
8th Avenue
Melville.
2092
Johannesburg
Dear Mr. Kransdorff,
In reply to our telephonic conversation we refer as follows regarding the product e’Pap.
Celanem Institute for Biochemistry, Metabolic Studies and Applied Nutrition
The Celanem Institute for Biochemistry, Metabolic Studies and Applied Nutrition is based in Guatemala. It was formed in 1976 by leading scientists in Central American specializing in addressing the nutrient deficiencies of the region.
After rapid success of clinical trials using biochemistry and applied nutrition, the Celanam Institute rapidly gained international recognition though publications of their results obtained in fortifying staple foods with nutrients that were deficient amongst children, pregnant and lactating mothers, and the most vulnerable.
The Celanem Institute was headed up by the late Professor Oscar Alfonse Pineda. Currently, there are 6 clusters of the Celanem Institute worldwide. One of these include Africa where the office provides technical support for South Africa and the entire African Continent.
To date 73 clinical trials in a host of different countries have been conducted with the aim of improving the nutritional status of vulnerable population groups. Four of these studies have been carried out in South Africa in collaboration with the University of Pretoria and the Medical Research Council.
The Celanem Institute is a non profit organization and carries out work for the likes of UNICEF, FAO, & Multinational Corporations continuously seeking scientific methods to improve staple functional foods to rid the world of nutrient deficiencies amongst the most vulnerable sectors of the global population.
As we are all aware, many South African children are malnourished and suffer from many nutrient deficiencies as identified by The National Food Consumption Survey April 2000. The four main nutrient deficiencies in malnourished South African children are iron, zinc, iodine and Vitamin A.
Over the past several years we have evaluated many instant porridges on their ability to correct and prevent the known nutrient deficiencies. The criteria of our evaluations were to investigate these porridges on the basis of their ability to feed and at the same time to eradicate known nutrient deficiencies and to maintain these children in a homeostasis nutrient balance.
We are not at liberty to disclose the names of other instant porridges tested. With the exception of the e’Pap, in each and every one of them, the chemistry did not add up in terms of their ability to address known nutrient deficiencies.
It is our view that formulators of many of these instant porridges do not understand that there is competition for receptor sites in the body and antagonism between inorganic minerals. It would seem to us, based on the mineral compounds selected for these porridges, that most formulators of the porridges we evaluated totally disregard the absorption by the body of the mineral compounds selected. In addition, the degradation of vitamins appears never to be considered when inorganic minerals are added.
It is our view that scientifically based formulations have to be calculated on their ability to address the most extreme cases of nutrient deficiency in children. This has not been evident in all instant porridges that we have evaluated with the exception of the e’Pap.
The use of inorganic nutrient compounds such as iron, regardless how it is manufactured, only has a bioavailability (absorption) factor of 0.1% in a high phytate diet such as maize. 98% elemental iron with a mesh size greater than 300 millimetres in diameter is difficult to be absorbed by the body and pass intact through the Duodenum. The lack of toxicity data on reduced iron for example is a major concern because it could lead to Hemochromotosis and other degenerative diseases. Studies have shown, that, with the addition of reduced iron and vitamin A and the B vitamin complexes, over a period of 180 days, the oxidative effects are catastrophic.
Inorganic zinc oxide has not properly been tested in humans. Inorganic zinc and iron compete for the same absorption receptor sites in the body. The interference and antagonism of these minerals cannot be ignored if nutrient absorption is the primary objective.
Inorganic minerals such as magnesium calcium potassium (the macro minerals) have a significant influence on what will be absorbed by the human body because of positive and negative electric charge interaction and because of the volume in a serving size.
Critical areas that need to be evaluated in terms of the ability of a nutrient dense porridge to address nutrient deficiencies are the micronutrients. W.H.O. F.A.O. surveys and the Food Consumption Survey conducted in South Africa amongst children collaborate these findings. Trace elements are important as is evident by new scientific research that has been conducted over the past ten years. The objective of this research has been to understand just how to improve the nutritional content of food matrixes to assist in the contribution to a healthy mind and body. It is important to remember, that, in highly refined and processed cereal flour’s, many nutrients are removed or destroyed.
On studying the nutrient blend used by e’Pap, it is evident that the selection of Chelated Amino Acid Minerals has been the correct scientific and chemical choice for such a nutrient dense maize based food matrix. Chelated minerals are absorbed via the Jejunum and pass directly through the Duodenum. Approximately 20% of the Chelated minerals are hydrolyzed in the Jejunum with the balance been absorbed via the blood stream. Chelated minerals are therefore more effectively utilized and regulated by the body to make up for daily utilization and losses. This does not infer that the Chelated minerals are absorbed 100%. They too are subjected to inhibiters such as phytates, phenols, tannins etc. Clinical studies show that smaller dosages of chelates are required to be absorbed compared to much larger doses of inorganic minerals.
This makes chelates more effective in correcting and preventing nutrient deficiencies especially when so many minerals and vitamins have been combined in one food matrix.
The correction and prevention of the nutrient deficiencies lower morbidity and mortality rates in the most vulnerable due to the fact that the immune system is enhanced to operate at a functional level.
Amino Acid Chelated iron and zinc has proven to be the most successful choice chemically. There is no interference or antagonism at receptor sites due to the fact that the chelates are deposited in the body where needed. Iron is deposited at 20% in the liver and the balance is deposited in the bone marrow. This improves blood oxygenation flow through increased haemoglobin values per decilitre plus increasing iron stores (ferritin).
The addition of Potassium Iodate to e’Pap and not Potassium/Iodine is further evidence that the chemistry in e’Pap is of the highest standard. Many of the porridges we have evaluated to date use Potassium/Iodine, which degenerate’s vitamin A, rapidly.
Macro elements, carbohydrates, fats, protein and fibre in e’Pap are adequate to correct protein energy malnutrition, if consumed on a sustainable basis.
The Celanem Institute for Biochemistry, Metabolic Studies and Applied Nutrition do not endorse any commercial branded products for usage. It is our view, based on our own evaluation of the chemistry used and as a result of our own test studies, that e’Pap is by far superior to any other instant porridge we have tested in the South African market. The results of extensive clinical studies carried out using e’Pap confirm our evaluation and conclusion that the most effective chemistry has been used in formulating e’Pap. The clinical and educational improvements observed by these studies highlight the benefits that result from effectively addressing nutrient deficiencies. (To the best of our knowledge we are not familiar with any clinical evaluations done on other instant porridge using inorganic minerals and synthetic vitamins)
The cost dose response of e’Pap in these evaluations corresponds with our findings. Reducing opportunistic infection/diseases amongst malnourished people is the objective that results from addressing micronutrient deficiencies. It is our view - instant porridges using inorganic nutrients have challenging technical issues to address to achieve this objective.
The water reconstitution of e’pap delivers a constituency and taste profile as an instant porridge culturally acceptable by the targeted population. The low CFU counts per gram of fungi and bacteria that the e’Pap product is able to deliver, puts it in a class of its own when comparing to all other porridges. Low bacteria/fungal counts in epap prevent colonization in the duodenum allowing for maximal absorption of nutrients.
Sincerely
Ms.
Anthea Nefdt
P.A
Celanem
Institute African
Desk
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