What is therapeutic ready-to-use food?
Therapeutic ready-to-use food (RUF) is highly effective in curing malnutrition. It comes in individually wrapped rations, that are resistant to bacterial infections, and are easy to distribute. It contains all the necessary nutrients, vitamins, and minerals that a young child needs. This dense therapeutic food, which has milk powder, sugars and vegetable fats can be produced and stored locally and transported easily, even in hot climates. It allows a child to recover from being malnourished and catch up on lost growth.

The benefits of therapeutic ready-to-use food

• Ingredients of RUF are better suited to children’s needs. The nutrient-dense spreads are better able to target as well as safely and effectively deliver the full range of minerals, trace metals, essential amino-acids and lipids and other beneficial nutrient factors required by young fast-growing children. They are tasty, dense in calories, and are ideal for small children with small stomachs.

• RUF lasts longer, is safer and is easier to use.  With RUF, there is no need to add water, which eliminates the risk of contamination. RUF’s packaging also allows it to be stored for significant periods of time without spoiling, even in hot or humid climates. Fortified blended food, on the other hand, requires water and preparation time for cooking, has the risk of under- and over-dosing, has a limited shelf-life and is easily spoiled or infested.

• RUF packages are easy to store and transport. RUF is lighter and less voluminous, thus it requires less storage space, and is eases transport from the production site to the child’s home.

• RUF makes it easier to target the child because it comes in individual packages. Distributing amounts of fortified blended food to a family runs the risk that the food is shared by the entire family, and the child not be treated.

• Being easy-to-use, mothers are the main caregivers (not doctors and nurses), meaning far more children at risk can be reached. Only those children with complications need to be admitted to hospital for treatment.