Plumpy’nut®
Ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF)

Photo du produit Malnutrition aigüe sévère

Recommendations for use

Quantities to use for the rehabilitation of a child suffering from severe acute malnutrition :

  • 200 kcal/d/kg until the children reaches target weight, which should be in 6 to 10 weeks.
  • For the treatment of a child weighing 7 kg and suffering from severe acute malnutrition : about one carton of Plumpy’nut®, or 13.8 kg (calculated on the basis of 200 kcal / kg / day, or 2.8 sachets / day for 8 weeks).

Packaging and conservation

  • Primary packaging : Plumpy’nut® is available in individual 92 g sachets.
  • Secondary packaging : cartons of 150 x 92 g sachets (net weight : 13.8 kg ; gross weight : 14.7 kg)
  • Palletisation : pallets with 56 cartons (for container transport, 843.2 kg) or 48 cartons (for air transport, 725.6 kg)
  • Where possible, to be stored in a dry, cool area, at a temperature of less than 30°C.

Plumpy’nut® was developed in 1996 by Nutriset and the IRD. It was the first ready-to-use food intended specifically for the treatment of severe acute malnutrition. It corresponds to the definition of RUTFs (Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food), recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for the home treatment of severe acute malnutrition.

Main characteristics, target population and benefits obtained

Plumpy’nut® has a nutritional value equal to that of F-100 therapeutic milk. It is especially dedicated to the nutritional rehabilitation of people (children from 6 months of age up and adults) suffering from severe acute malnutrition.

It consists of a peanut-based paste, with sugar, vegetable fat and skimmed milk powder, enriched with vitamins and minerals (technical data sheet available upon request). It is available in 92 g sachets which provide 500 kcal, and it can be used for up to 24 months after the date of manufacture without refrigeration.

As a ready-to-use food, Plumpy’nut® requires no preparation, no dilution in water prior to use, no cooking, and it can be consumed direct from the sachet.

Because it can be used at home without any preparation, under the supervision of the mother or another member of the family, Plumpy’nut® makes it possible to treat the majority of children suffering from severe acute malnutrition without them needing to be hospitalised. This has made it possible to considerably increase the number of malnourished children treated, while improving adherence to the regularity of the treatment, and the recovery rate.

Ready-to-use therapeutic foods (RUTF) like Plumpy’nut® are a real revolution compared with therapeutic milks and, since May 2007, they have been recommended by the WHO, UNICEF, the WFP and the UN Standing Committee on Nutrition, in the joint declaration on community-based management of severe acute malnutrition.

Plumpy’nut® is produced by Nutriset at its Malaunay (Normandy, France) site, but it is also produced by Nutriset's partners in the PlumpyField network.

References