Fameal Explained

Fameal is a general word for a food product, used by Non-governmental organizations (NGOs), in programs to feed the hungry as a part of the Agricultural Act of 1949. The food product is made up of a wheat-soy meal blend or a cornmeal-soy blend (WSB or CSB, corn soy blend).^[1] This food is distributed, often aided by volunteers, in the Caribbean and West Africa.^[2]

Typical usage

A premade mix of fameal is extrusion cooked for usage under primitive conditions. In this form, the meal is eaten as a thin paste or thickened and made into dumplings or bread.

Nutritional components

The general measures of fameal are:^[3]

• 50% (by volume) Cornmeal or Whole-wheat flour.
• 30% (by volume) Bean meal, of any kind, including soy. Lentils are sometimes used due to ease of grinding and fast cooking.
• 10% (by volume) Cooking Oil. Any cooking oil works.
• 10% (by volume) Sugar, honey, syrup, or similar sweetener.
• Salt for taste.
• Multi-vitamin powder, or multi-vitamins ground to a meal.

The fameal is a powder which can be mixed slowly with boiling water or used as a flour replacement for baking, similar to cornbread, or as a cake mix.

CSB Plus - formula ingredients percentage (by weight):^[4]

• Corn (white or yellow) 78.47
• Whole soybeans 20
• Vitamin/Mineral 0.20
• Tri-Calcium Phosphate 1.16
• Potassium chloride 0.17

Nutritional value per 100g dry matter:

• a. Energy: 380 kcal minimum
• b. Protein: 14.0% (N x 6.25) minimum
• c. Fat: 6.0% minimum
• d. Crude Fiber: 5.0% maximum

Notes and References

1. Web site: COMMODITIES REFERENCE GUIDE FACT SHEET: CORN SOY BLEND . USDA:FSA:PDD:EOB April, 1996 . 7 April 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090218031623/http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/humanitarian_assistance/ffp/crg/downloads/fscornsoyblend.pdf . 18 February 2009 .
2. Fuguitt . Dana . THE IMPACT OF EXTRUDED CORN-SOYA BLENDS ON RURAL NJOMBE WOMEN'S TIME AND WELFARE: A MODEL FOR PRE-PROJECT MARKETING ANALYSES . Michigan State University, Eckerd College . 1991 . 7 April 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111228221058/http://gencen.isp.msu.edu/documents/Working_Papers/WP224.pdf . 28 December 2011 .
3. Web site: USAID Section II: Food Commodity Fact Sheets, Corn Soy Blend . 7 April 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120410052121/http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/humanitarian_assistance/ffp/crg/fscornsoyblend.htm . 10 April 2012 .
4. Web site: USDA COMMODITY REQUIREMENTS CSBP2 CORN SOY BLEND PLUS FOR USE IN INTERNATIONAL FOOD AID PROGRAMS Effective Date: September 2, 2014. 2019-04-05.