Therapeutic food

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Therapeutic foods and Ready-to-Use Therapeutic foods (RUTFs) are foods designed for specific, usually nutritional, therapeutic purposes.

Malnutrition has often been addressed by nutritious powdered milk formulas called F-75 and F-100. These suffer from hygiene and distribution issues, requiring clean water for preparation and refrigeration for storage.

[edit] Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF)

Plumpy'Nut and BP-100 (a nutrient-fortified wheat-and oat bar) are examples of a ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) as effective as therapeutic milk products. Neither BP-100 nor Plumpy’nut require additional water, eliminating the need for a clean water source for proper dilution. Neither do they require cooking or other preparation. Plumpy’nut costs about the same as the milk powders but is easier to transport in bulk and takes up less space.

Current WHO, World Food Program, and UNICEF guidelines only recommend RUTF for severely malnourished children.

[edit] Examples

  • F-75 and F-100
  • Ensure, a fortified milkshake drink designed primarily for the elderly.
  • Fortisip, a milkshake-style drink similar to Ensure.
  • TwoCal
  • Plumpy'nut, a peanut-based food designed for emergency feeding of severely malnourished children.
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