Nutritionist Khavhatondwi Netshiheni is writing her PhD thesis, which is due in December, yet her research is already a tangible product and on sale, and has received wide recognition for alleviating malnutrition.
The 30-year-old University of Venda doctor of philosophy student in public health nutrition has developed an instant maize porridge fortified with moringa and termites, Dzilafho Ya Malwazi Instant Fortified Porridge.
Though still produced on a small scale because of limited funds, she plans to sell it all over Southern Africa.
Netshiheni, from Tshidzivhe village in Venda, distressed by the contradictions of living in a fertile province with high levels of malnutrition, set out to do her bit towards achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Maize is a staple food and is consumed by 80% of people in South Africa, which could explain why there is a high prevalence of malnutrition. Maize is deficient in micronutrients that are good for the body.
“I figured out that malnutrition could be because of the high consumption of maize,” she said.
“I wanted to use supplements we already have [moringa oleifera and termites] to enhance maize with micronutrients such as protein, zinc, calcium, iron and iodine.
“Termites have been used by our ancestors to deal with malnutrition and increase nutrients in food,” she said.
Quoting results of studies published last year conducted by other researchers, Netshiheni said they show that 42.6% of children under the age of five were zinc-deficient and 28% anaemic. “These are signs of chronic malnutrition,” she said.
Netshiheni developed her fortified instant maize product when she was studying for her master’s degree in nutrition and dietetics.
“The launch of the UN’s SDGs has also been a catalyst for the work that I do. Africa is best placed to deal with its own problems. I asked myself what can I do to contribute towards the attainment of SDG 1, 2 and 3 [no poverty, zero hunger, good health and wellbeing],” she said.
She combined maize, termite powder and moringa, cooked, dried and milled it to produce the instant porridge that has won a number of research awards, including from the Technology Innovation Agency, the Department of Higher Education and Training, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, the University of Virginia and the Vhembe district municipality.
Netshiheni said the controlled trials were conducted in the deep rural villages of Venda where malnutrition is most prevalent, and the sample size was 250 preschool children. “We collected data – urine and blood samples. Most of the children were underweight, weighing 10kg to 15kg.
“They were fed the porridge for six months and the results were remarkable, with some gaining up to 18kg.”
She said their diet didn’t change except for the porridge, adding that the taste was not too different from what the children are used to because the ratios of moringa and termites did not change the flavour much.
The Health Professions Council of SA-registered nutritionist said she wanted to be a medical doctor but when she had the opportunity to study medicine she realised that she would rather be part of health professionals who develop the treatments administered by doctors instead.
On her future plans, she and her team at Futsa Nutrition plan to expand the manufacturing and production of the porridge.
She is already looking forward to her post-doctoral research, which will focus on improving the nutritional quality of maize.
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