Ready to Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF)

As per UNICEF report, an estimated 52 million children under-five (8% of the global under-five population) suffer from acute malnutrition (wasting) globally. 19 million children suffer from its most extreme form, severe acute malnutrition (SAM), and require specialized therapeutic feeding care. The percentage is very high in African nations while compared to other nations globally. An estimated one million children die annually as a consequence of acute malnutrition. Severe infectious diseases such as diarrhea, measles, pneumonia, meningitis, malaria and sudden onset food insecurity are among the leading causes of severe acute malnutrition especially in African nations.

RUTF (Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food) is a vitamin and mineral fortified peanut paste mixed with dry milk products as per the recommendations of WFP / WHO / UNICEF.
It can be used as a miracle cure for children/adults suffering from Severe Acute Malnutrition.
RUTF can be consumed directly without processing or mixing with other food reparations and it is in ready to eat stage.
RUTF primarily comes in two variants.
In a paste from
In a bar form (like a biscuit)

An energy-dense, micronutrient paste based on a mixture of peanuts, sugar and milk powder in a prescribed composition. This comes in a paste/spread form and is ideal for children of age 6 to 24 months.
The energy of approx 500 Kcal is contained per 90 grams of the pack.

An energy-dense, nutrient-fortified wheat, and oat bar
Each bar of weighs 55 to 60 grams and contains 300 kcal approx. This can be as a biscuit directly from the pack, accompanied by clean drinking water, or crumbled into boiled drinking water and eaten as porridge.
The number of bars required per day depends on the weight of the person, e.g. 2 bars per day for a 3 kg child and approximately 10 bars per day for a 30 kg adult.