A latest version of the NutVal 2006 spreadsheet application for planning and monitoring the nutritional content of general food aid rations has been launched in line with the Sphere Project Key indicators for Nutrition. The program is in a Excel Spreadsheet (Version 2) and was released in August 2008. The program was developed by WFP with input from University College London and with financial support from WFP, UNHCR, UCL Futures, and the IASC Global Nutrition Cluster.

It is a useful tool to design rations and see the contribution of a ration (and food aid commodities) to meeting the major nutrient needs of recipient populations especially vulnerable grounps like the under-fives and pregnant/lactating women.

There are a number of minor changes in this Version 2 over the 2006 Version 1 including the dropping of commodity price data and an adjustment to the energy contribution of breast milk.

This collaboration for the development and enhancements to this tool is built around an extensive Food and Nutrient Database of 145 foods which also include the major 10 nutrients (see complete list of foods in excel spreadsheet). The foods are commonly available for food aid baskets.

A general ration and its contribution nutritionally for a range of age groupings can be calculated for a food basket for the whole population or specific age and physiological status (Pregnant and Lactating). The utility of the spreadsheet in its ability to estimate the contribution of foods to meeting requirements for the following nutrients: Energy, protein, fat, calcium, iron, vitamin A, Thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and Vitamin C. Special supplementary foods are including such as BP5 nutrient bars, High Energy Biscuits (WFP Spec), and fortified blended cereals (see list below).

The program does allow the user to add 2 additional foods to the Calculation Sheet -- there are two lines at the bottom (General Ration Planning and Calculation Sheet -- B16 and B17) that enable you to enter the name and the user needs to provide the nutrient composition of 10 nutrients of the particular food.

The list of Blended foods include:
CORN SOY BLEND (WFP SPECS.)
CORN SOY BLEND, (USA)
CORN SOY MASA FLOUR (USA).)
CORN SOY MASA FLOUR, INSTANT (USA)
CORN SOY MILK (USA),
CORN SOY MILK, INSTANT (ICSM)
FAMIX (ETHIOPIA)
HEPS (ZAMBIA)
RYE SOY BLEND
SOYA FORTIFIED BULGUR WHEAT (USA))
SOYA FORTIFIED MAIZE MEAL (USA)
SOYA FORTIFIED ROLLED OATS
SOYA FORTIFIED SORGHUM GRITS (USA)
SOYA FORTIFIED WHEAT FLOUR
TENAMIX (TANZANIA)
UNILITO (NEPAL)
WHEAT PEA BLEND (Danaert)
WHEAT SOY BLEND (USA)
WHEAT SOY BLEND (WFP SPECS.)
WHEAT SOY BLEND (WSB)
WHEAT SOY MILK (USA

The Spreadsheet tool is over 1MB in size and can be downloaded from the
Website: http://www.nutval.net/

Comments or suggestions for improving the tool can be sent to:
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Bugs should be reported to:
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Bruce Cogill, Ph.D.
IASC Global Nutrition Cluster Coordinator
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