Arnott's Cookies of Milk Sweeten Lives of Ethiopian Children

Nutritious, high-energy milk biscuits developed to help young Africans affected by the AIDS virus

THREE CHEERS FOR MILK "BIKKIES!" After just one week of eating two Arnott's milk biscuits ("bikkies") every day, little Bumnuit, a severely malnourished Ethiopian AIDS orphanage resident, showed a dramatic increase in energy levels, and for the first time began playing with other children.

In the rural northeast African country of Ethiopia, roughly 30 percent of all deaths are related to the AIDS virus. Almost one in 10 of the more than 70 million residents is HIV-positive. At least 200,000 of those are under 15 years of age, and overall, thousands of Ethiopian children have been orphaned by the disease.

Among the significant issues caregivers face is finding a sufficient supply of foods that are both appealing and appropriate for these children's specific nutritional needs.

In Australia, Melbourne scientist and Ph.D. candidate Richard Nasra has taken on this challenge, and last year he approached the Arnott's team to provide specially formulated milk biscuits for Ethiopian children. The biscuits are seen as "ready to eat," easy to transport and store, and, perhaps most important, tempting for children.

Got milk biscuits?

This isn't the first time Arnott's has been called upon for famine-relief efforts.

"In the 1970s, Arnott's manufactured a high-protein, high-energy milk biscuit to support relief programs, particularly in developing countries such as Zambia, and other areas where water was not always safe to drink," explained Robyn Murray, Corporate Director, Research & Development, Campbell Arnott's.

THE MILK OF HUMAN KINDNESS. "The potential of the milk biscuit to alleviate hunger and malnutrition for countless numbers of starving orphans is very real," said Bob Pitts (back row, at right). The Campbell Arnott's team that produced the biscuits includes (back row, from left) Robyn Murray, Gove Mann, (front row, from left) Mina Fathinia, and Xia Li.

"When Richard asked us to help," she said, "our team was eager to participate. We reviewed that original recipe, and in collaboration with research sponsor Gardiner Foundation, Murray Goulburn Nutritionals, and DSM Vitamins and Minerals, we found that with some reasonable changes, the formulation had potential to help these children."

Specifically, they needed to add whey, a more concentrated milk protein source that is essential for those who have been malnourished and potentially immune-compromised. They also had to include a specific pre-mix of calcium, magnesium, iron, iodine, and vitamins that satisfied the requirements of the World Health Organization World Food Program for Vitamins and Minerals in high-energy biscuits.

Xia Li, Product Development Technologist, Biscuit R&D, Huntingwood, and Gove Mann, Compliance Technologist, Regulatory Affairs, North Strathfield, conducted bench and pilot scale trials with the new ingredients at Arnott's Product Development in Huntingwood.

As the trials progressed, Stephen Carney, Manufacturing Projects Manager, and Ken Brown, Manufacturing Coordinator, in Marleston assessed the feasibility of baking the biscuits while Mina Fathinia, Packaging Development Technologist, Biscuit R&D, North Strathfield, determined the packaging specifications to meet the export and extended shelf-life requirements for the biscuits.

Biscuit-eating children seem "more alert and attentive"

EAT MORE MILK. Working with an orphanage run by the Hope For Children Foundation, researcher Richard Nasra has demonstrated the benefits of specially formulated Arnott's milk biscuits for Ethiopian children affected by AIDS. Measurements of their physical progress (bottom left photo) and observations of their smiles all indicate a marked improvement in physical and emotional health -- and an appetite for the delicious, nutritious "bikkies."

In March, the biscuits were baked and packed at the Marleston bakery. After unexpected shipping delays, trials began in October at an orphanage in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in conjunction with the Hope for Children Foundation.

The 145 HIV-positive children, between the ages of 5 and 10, were divided into two groups: a control group would remain on the diet set by the orphanage in collaboration with the Ethiopian Health and Nutrition Institute, while the treatment group also would receive five biscuits per day, five days per week. The children in the treatment group, though sick and often weak, literally ate the biscuits up.

"The kids love these biscuits -- the taste, the small size that's just right for little hands, and the fact that they are fun to eat," said Jacqui Gilmour, Executive Director, Hope for Children. "It's the first food the children have really accepted."

Baseline measurements of the children's heights, weights, and mid-upper-arm-circumferences were repeated every two weeks to monitor growth progress. Only one child in the treatment group was unable to eat her five daily biscuits, apparently due to the advanced effects of her disease.

"Overall, the preliminary results of the pilot are encouraging," Nasra said. "One teacher said that the children seem more alert and attentive in class -- an interesting and unexpected observation indeed! We are optimistic about obtaining positive final results, showing that nutritional supplementation using a protein- and energy-enriched, and fortified food such as the Australian milk biscuit from Arnott's can enhance the nutritional status and general well-being of children living with HIV."

"We became involved in this collaborative research simply because we believe we have a humanitarian obligation to contribute what knowledge and capability we may have to assist in this worthwhile endeavor, and potentially improve the plight of millions of children," said Bob Pitts, Vice President-R&D/QA, Asia Pacific. "We are extremely hopeful that this work does provide one more tool to use, and will add to the body of scientific knowledge, in the fight against AIDS. At the very least, we do know that the milk biscuit can improve the nutrition and health of seriously undernourished children."

-Written by Lisa Rouh