Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) in the Management of Severe Acute Malnutrition in India

UMESH KAPIL

This editorial discusses the issues surrounding Home-based management of Severe Acute Malnutrition with Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food. It also outlines advantages of Home-Based against hospital-based management of SAM.

Professor Kapil explains that presently, there is indigenously made RUTF which meets the requisite criteria viz.,

  1. caloric dense, high in proteins, vitamins and minerals;
  2. simple to deliver and administer;
  3. easy to use;
  4. fast acting;
  5. affordable and acceptable cost;
  6. should not require trained staff to administer (parents can deliver it to a child);
  7. culturally acceptable;
  8. packed in single-serve packets (each packet may contain fixed amount of calories 400- 500 calories);
  9. requires little preparation before use;
  10. adequate shelf life and stability;
  11. can be stored in varied climatic conditions and temperature;
  12. resistant to bacterial contamination; and
  13. does not cause addiction to child.

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