Hidden Food Safety Attributes And Sensory Evaluation Of Food Served Under Mid-Day Meal Scheme In Khamanon Block, District Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab (India)

Abstract

The mid-day meal scheme began in India with thgoal to eradicate hunger  for millions of children and to contribute to their education, nutrition and  health. However, it has not achieved the goal at the desired pace to meet the  Millennium Development Goals. This study was conducted in 11  government schools of Khamanon block of district Fatehgarh Sahib, Punjab (India). It is a cross sectional study in which the sample size of 336 was alculated based on the prevalence of malnutrition. The hidden, quasi hidden and sensory attributes of food served under mid-day meal scheme in  Khamanon block were examined. The results revealed that uric acid levels  were above the PFA standards for wheat and rice (>1%) while aflatoxins  levels were within the permissible limits. Less than 10% weevil infestation  was observed in wheat, rice and green gram, one week after storage. There  were no rodent infestations in food grains. Broken count of food grains was  < 10%. No foreign materials such as animal faeces or fur were found in the  samples. Significant differences were noted during sensory evaluation of  cooked meals in different schools. The study showed that mid-day meal  provided to the students fulfils the recommended daily requirement of a  child, but there is a need to improve some of the contents of meal. For  example, the fat content was low, and leafy vegetableswere deficient. There  is a need to improve the quality and nutritional aspects of mid-day meal.