Plumpy'nut
Encyclopedia
Plumpy'nut is a peanut
-based paste in a plastic wrapper for treatment of severe acute malnutrition
manufactured by a French company, Nutriset
. Removing the need for hospitalization, a 92 gram packet of the paste can be administered at home and allow larger numbers to be treated.
Plumpy'nut may be referred to in scientific literature as ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) although other RUTFs do exist (e.g. BP-100, a solid form of therapeutic milk).
situations more efficient than in the past. Severe acute malnutrition has traditionally been treated with therapeutic milk and required hospitalization. Unlike milk, Plumpy'nut can be administered at home and without medical supervision. This utility has been recognized by the United Nations, which stated in 2007, "new evidence suggests... that large numbers of children with severe acute malnutrition can be treated in their communities without being admitted to a health facility or a therapeutic feeding centre." Plumpy'nut conforms to the UN definition of a Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food
(RUTF).
The ingredients in Plumpy'nut include "peanut-based paste, with sugar, vegetable fat and skimmed milk powder, enriched with vitamins and minerals." Plumpy'nut is quoted as being "surprisingly tasty."
As of 2011, 10 partner companies and one non-profit organization make Plumpy'nut locally; most are in Africa.
s). Peanuts contain easily-digested monounsaturated fats. They are also relatively high in calories, which means that a patient receives a lot of nutrition from small amounts, important because malnutrition shrinks the stomach. They are rich in zinc
and protein — both supportive for the immune system and long bone growth in reversing stunted height, while protein also contributes to muscle development. Peanuts are also a natural source of vitamin E
, an antioxidant that helps to convert food into energy.
spread, Plumpy'nut was formulated by André Briend
, a French
paediatric nutritionist, and Michel Lescanne, a food-processing engineer, in 1996.
from producing any similar products.
Some seek invalidation of Nutriset's patent. In 2010 two non-profit organizations based in the US, a country with a large number of peanut producers, sued the French company in an attempt to remove Plumpy'nut patent protections.
Others have criticized Nutriset's licensing regime. Médecins Sans Frontières
(Doctors Without Borders) wrote an open letter to Nutriset in November 2009 "call[ing] for the establishment of a more flexible licensing policy". Nutriset has responded to the criticism; in many African countries, companies and NGOs are free to make the patented paste and need not pay any license fees.
Peanut
The peanut, or groundnut , is a species in the legume or "bean" family , so it is not a nut. The peanut was probably first cultivated in the valleys of Peru. It is an annual herbaceous plant growing tall...
-based paste in a plastic wrapper for treatment of severe acute malnutrition
Malnutrition
Malnutrition is the condition that results from taking an unbalanced diet in which certain nutrients are lacking, in excess , or in the wrong proportions....
manufactured by a French company, Nutriset
Nutriset
Nutriset is the French manufacturer and trademark owner of Plumpy'nut®, the peanut-based food for use in famine relief. It was formulated in 1997 by André Briend, a French paediatric nutritionist. Unicef purchases 90 percent of the supply from that factory for humanitarian aid....
. Removing the need for hospitalization, a 92 gram packet of the paste can be administered at home and allow larger numbers to be treated.
Plumpy'nut may be referred to in scientific literature as ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF) although other RUTFs do exist (e.g. BP-100, a solid form of therapeutic milk).
Overview
Plumpy’nut has a two year shelf life and requires no water, preparation, or refrigeration. Its ease of use has made mass treatment of malnutrition in famineFamine
A famine is a widespread scarcity of food, caused by several factors including crop failure, overpopulation, or government policies. This phenomenon is usually accompanied or followed by regional malnutrition, starvation, epidemic, and increased mortality. Every continent in the world has...
situations more efficient than in the past. Severe acute malnutrition has traditionally been treated with therapeutic milk and required hospitalization. Unlike milk, Plumpy'nut can be administered at home and without medical supervision. This utility has been recognized by the United Nations, which stated in 2007, "new evidence suggests... that large numbers of children with severe acute malnutrition can be treated in their communities without being admitted to a health facility or a therapeutic feeding centre." Plumpy'nut conforms to the UN definition of a Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food
Therapeutic food
Therapeutic foods are foods designed for specific, usually nutritional, therapeutic purposes as a form of dietary supplement. The primary examples of therapeutic foods are used for emergency feeding of malnourished children or to supplement the diets of persons with special nutritional...
(RUTF).
The ingredients in Plumpy'nut include "peanut-based paste, with sugar, vegetable fat and skimmed milk powder, enriched with vitamins and minerals." Plumpy'nut is quoted as being "surprisingly tasty."
Local production
While the majority of Plumpy'nut was made in France as of 2010, this therapeutic food is easily produced and can be made locally in peanut-growing areas by mixing peanut paste with a slurry of other ingredients provisioned by Nutriset.As of 2011, 10 partner companies and one non-profit organization make Plumpy'nut locally; most are in Africa.
How it works
Plumpy’nut is frequently used as a treatment for emergency malnutrition cases. It supports rapid weight gain, which can make the difference between life and death for a young child. The product is also easy for children to eat since they can feed themselves the soft paste. The fortified peanut butter-like paste contains a balance of fats, carbohydrates and proteins (macronutrients), and vitamins and minerals (micronutrientMicronutrient
Micronutrients are nutrients required by humans and other living things throughout life in small quantities to orchestrate a whole range of physiological functions, but which the organism itself cannot produce. For people, they include dietary trace minerals in amounts generally less than 100...
s). Peanuts contain easily-digested monounsaturated fats. They are also relatively high in calories, which means that a patient receives a lot of nutrition from small amounts, important because malnutrition shrinks the stomach. They are rich in zinc
Zinc
Zinc , or spelter , is a metallic chemical element; it has the symbol Zn and atomic number 30. It is the first element in group 12 of the periodic table. Zinc is, in some respects, chemically similar to magnesium, because its ion is of similar size and its only common oxidation state is +2...
and protein — both supportive for the immune system and long bone growth in reversing stunted height, while protein also contributes to muscle development. Peanuts are also a natural source of vitamin E
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is used to refer to a group of fat-soluble compounds that include both tocopherols and tocotrienols. There are many different forms of vitamin E, of which γ-tocopherol is the most common in the North American diet. γ-Tocopherol can be found in corn oil, soybean oil, margarine and dressings...
, an antioxidant that helps to convert food into energy.
History
Inspired by the popular NutellaNutella
Nutella is the brand name of a chocolate spread. Nutella, manufactured by the Italian company Ferrero, was introduced on the market in 1963. The recipe was developed from an earlier Ferrero spread released in 1944. Nutella is now sold in over 75 countries....
spread, Plumpy'nut was formulated by André Briend
André Briend
André Briend is a French pediatric nutritionist affiliated with the World Health Organization. Briend is best known for his 1996 formulation of Plumpy'nut, a peanut-based nutritional paste that has been successfully used to treat severely malnourished children, primarily in Niger and Malawi. The...
, a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
paediatric nutritionist, and Michel Lescanne, a food-processing engineer, in 1996.
Patent issues
Nutriset holds (published in 2002) for the production of nut-based, nutritional foods as pastes, which they have defended to prevent non-licensees in developed countriesDeveloped country
A developed country is a country that has a high level of development according to some criteria. Which criteria, and which countries are classified as being developed, is a contentious issue...
from producing any similar products.
Some seek invalidation of Nutriset's patent. In 2010 two non-profit organizations based in the US, a country with a large number of peanut producers, sued the French company in an attempt to remove Plumpy'nut patent protections.
Others have criticized Nutriset's licensing regime. Médecins Sans Frontières
Médecins Sans Frontières
' , or Doctors Without Borders, is a secular humanitarian-aid non-governmental organization best known for its projects in war-torn regions and developing countries facing endemic diseases. Its headquarters are in Geneva, Switzerland...
(Doctors Without Borders) wrote an open letter to Nutriset in November 2009 "call[ing] for the establishment of a more flexible licensing policy". Nutriset has responded to the criticism; in many African countries, companies and NGOs are free to make the patented paste and need not pay any license fees.