OWSD PhD Fellowship
OWSD Early Career
2023
Maseta Elina
About the project
Her research project will develop a fortified mango-based snack in order to address the increase consumption of iron and folic acid among pregnant women in Tanzania. Micronutrient deficiencies are still highly prevalent in Tanzania and throughout the developing world. Pregnant women are often deficient in iron and folic acid (IFA), impairing the health of the mothers as well as their unborn children. The use of IFA supplements in the form of tablets has made some improvements in reducing anaemia among pregnant women, however compliance is low due to perceived side effects, unpleasant taste, and other factors. This project proposes a food-based strategy in order to improve compliance. A fortified fruit bar snack based on mango will be given to pregnant women while their haemoglobin levels are monitored. It is hoped that the snack will be more acceptable to the women than tablet-based supplements, as well as being a cheap and sustainable IFA delivery method.
Field of Specialization
Position
Lecturer and Health Coordinator
About the institution
