Awogbenja, Makanju DehindeOsundahunsi, O.F.Fagbemi, T.N.2023-12-112023-12-112019-01-11Ajibola C. F., Fagbemi T.N. and Osundahunsi O. F. (2016) Nutritional quality of weaning Foods formulated from Maize gruel ‘Ogi’ and Crayfish using combined traditional processing technology. Advances in Research. 6(4): 1-11. Brown, K.H., Dewey, K.G. and Allen, L.H. 1998. Complementary Feeding of Young Children in Developing Countries: A Review of Current Scientific Knowledge. WHO/NUT/98, World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland. Agbede J.O, Aletor V.A. Comparative evaluation of weaning foods from Glyricidia and Leucaena leaf protein concentrates and some commercial brands in Nigeria. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. 2003;84:21-30. Anigo K. M., Ameh D. A., Ibrahim S. and Danbauchi S. S. (2009). Infant feeding practices and nutritional status of children in North Western Nigeria. In Asian Journal Clinical Nutrition. 1(1):12-22. Anigo K. M, Ameh D. A., Ibrahim S. and Danbauchi S. S. (2010). Nutrient composition of complementary food gruels formulated from malted cereals, soybeans and groundnut for use in North-western Nigeria. African Journal of Food Science. 4(3):65-72. AOAC. Association of official analytical Chemists Offical Methods of Analysis 16th ed. Washington D.C; 1995. Caulfield L.E., Huffman S.L., Piwoz E.G. (1999). Interventions to improve intake of complementary foods by infants 6 to 12 months of age in developing countries: impact on growth and on the prevalence of malnutrition and potential contribution to child survival. Food Nutr Bull., 20:183-200. de Onis M., Frongillo E. A. and Blossner M. (2000). Is malnutrition declining? An analysis of changes in levels of child malnutrition since 1980. Bulletin of the World Health Organization,78(10):1222-1232.https://keffi.nsuk.edu.ng/handle/20.500.14448/3112The aim of the study was to determine protein quality and hematological parameters of complementary diets prepared from Millet, Groundnut and Moringa oleifera by feeding albino rats. A basal diet (Nitrogenfree) was formulated along with four different 10% protein diets and cerelac as control. The 30 weanling rats used in the experiment were divided into 6 groups of 5 rats each, and each group was allotted to the different diets. The Biological value (70.74 - 78.29%), true protein digestibility (65.03-66.03%), protein efficiency ratios (2.79 -3.94) and and Protein retention efficiency (70.88-79.52) of formulated complementary diets were found to be significantly (P<0.05) higher compared to Ogi (BV=17.64%, TPD=14.78%, PER=1.52, PRE =22.88), but, these values were found to be lower than Cerelac values (BV= 81.71%, TPD=70.6%, PER=4.50, PRE= 63.68). The result showed that the hematological parameters(packed cell volume, red blood cells and hemoglobin) of rats fed the formulated diets were within the normal range. The result for erythrocytes sedimentation rate (ESR), monocytes, basophils, mean cell heamoglobin concentration (MCHC), mean cell heamoglobin (MCH) and mean cell volume (MCV), showed there were no significant difference observed between the values of animals fed with the formulated diets and control food samples (ogi or Cerlac) (p<0.05). The weight gained by the organs (heart, liver, spleen and kidney) of animals fed with the experimental complementary food samples were observed to be significantly higher than those animals placed on ogi, but found to be lower than those rats fed with Cerelac (p<0.05). In the overall, the rats fed with formulated diets showed good growth and development, with no adverse biochemical or hematological effect and therefore maybe used as an ideal weaning food to improve the nutritional status of children.enMoringa Oleifera, Protein quality, hematological, Biological ValueArticle