Researchers at Vaal University of Technology (VUT) have developed a nutritionally balanced vetkoek that ends hunger and meets children’s micronutrient needs. It is economical enough to be included in school feeding schemes.
A vetkoek, or legwinya, is made from deep-fried unsweetened dough. It can be covered with syrup, honey or jam, or may contain mince.
Dr Jeanette Kearney, senior lecturer at VUT’s hospitality, tourism and PR management department, said researchers at the university’s institute of sustainable livelihoods conducted a preliminary study in 2002. The study was meant to determine the household food-security status of children aged six to 13 years at the Setlabotjha Primary School in Eatonside, an informal settlement in the Vaal region.
“Results indicated that 93% of the parents were unemployed, 68% of the households had an income of less than R500 a month and 40% of the households spent less than R50 a week on food. Taking into consideration that there were four to five people in the average household, this amounted to between R2 and R3 for each person a day.”
According to Emily Mochela, the school’s previous principal, the school received food from feeding schemes sponsored by the National Education Department and administered by the Gauteng education department.
Kearney said research has shown that if school meals are of good nutritional quality and quantity and continue for some time, children’s underlying nutritional problems — such as wasting and iron deficiency — should be reduced.
This could lead to improved cognition and attentiveness.
“Some children receive four slices of bread with margarine and jam or peanut butter with a reconstituted powdered cold drink supplied by the department of health.”
As part of the project undertaken by VUT researchers, and funded by the National Research Foundation, other children received either a vetkoek and a glass of water or fruit.
The special vetkoek was meant to address malnutrition in a selected group of children.
It had to meet an average 25% of dietary intake for energy, iron, zinc, calcium and vitamin A for children between the ages of six to 13. (A 2003 study conducted by Wentzel-Viljoen from North West University indicated that any product used in school feeding programmes should supply at least 25% of the nutrients children needed for normal development, activity and growth.)
“The criteria for the development of the vetkoek was that it should be easy to prepare with local ingredients and with minimal waste, and it had to be cost effective.
“Ingredients included nutty wheat, maize flour, milk powder, pilchards and spinach.”
Kearney said the results showed that the mean energy intake of the children, as well as their weight, height and body mass index, increased after they ate the vetkoek daily for seven months.
This showed that the vetkoek had a positive effect on hungry, malnourished children. It also fulfilled the department of education’s nutrient criteria and improved the intake of micronutrients.
According to Kearney, the vetkoek was also within the range of the provincial school-feeding budget and could be implemented in school-feeding programmes.
A pamphlet containing different vetkoek recipes was developed and used to train the mothers and caregivers.