Analyzing nutrition rations at pre-school children facilities in a large industrial city in Russia

Our research goal was to assess nutrition rations (menus) offered to children at pre-school children facilities after they had raised the costs of their services. We performed hygienic assessment of cycle menus in order to establish whether they conformed to the existing standards; the assessment was performed in 28 pre-school children facilities in different districts of a large Russian city. All the calculations were made with our own software program called “Menu” that contained a database on a chemical structure of food products and product charts for dishes and culinary products. Model menus offered to children at pre-school children facilities were able to satisfy their needs in macro-nutrients (by 102-127 %), vitamins (by 102-176 %), and minerals (by 102-162%). However, vegetable fats were not provided in sufficient quantities (20 %). We revealed that there was a deficiency of certain products in a ration and it amounted to 10 % regarding vegetables and wheat flour; more than 20 %, potatoes; more than 30%, sour milk drinks and vegetable oil...