g, this is technologically or economically seldom feasible because of stability and storage problems, as was noted earlier. In these cases, the instructions on the label should recommend adding specified quantities of fat at the time of preparation for feeding.
The Codex Alimentarius guidelines  are based on protein quality of at least 65, which corresponds to a protein-energy ratio (PER) of not less than 2.1. These values apply also to the products considered here.
PAG guideline no. 8 and the 1985 Codex Alimentarius Proposed model composition for supplementary foods [see 2, table 1 ] suggest that there should be 20 g protein per 100 g product and that 100 g product should provide about 400 kcal. Assuming that no extra fat (or sugar) is added when the food is prepared, the protein-energy percent age will be about or more than 20 kcal per cent, compared to about 12-15 kcal per cent in ordinary mixed foods. At this protein-energy level, (expensive) protein may be used physiologically for energy needs. If the protein content is lowered 15 g per 100 9, the corresponding ratio would provide about or more than 15 kcal per cent.
Recently an expert committee carefully considered energy and protein requirements, including the "safe level of protein intake" . In the age range of 4-6 months to 3 years, the safe intake level of protein ranged between 14 and 15.5 g (protein quality equivalent to that in milk or eggs). Assuming a digestibility and quality in vegetable-based supplementary foods of about two-thirds that in milk or eggs (amino acid score of 65), the total daily safe level of protein intake would be 21 to 23 g. Therefore, to contribute two-thirds to three fourths of the recommended protein intake, the supplementary food should contribute 14-17 g protein.
It is therefore suggested that the protein content of 20 g per 100 g in the Codex proposed model composition for supplementary food should be lowered to 15 g (14-17 9) per 100 g and that the instructions for use should take the above considerations into account.
Because dietary fibres are slowly absorbed and fermented by intestinal flora, thus causing a laxative effect, the crude fibre content of the supplementary food should not exceed 5 g per 100 g dry matter .
Vitamins and Minerals
Minimum Adequate Daily Intakes
The addition of extra vitamins should take the following into account:
- the vitamin and
mineral content of the ingredients of the supplementary food
- local nutrition and health problems, - the distribution of vitamins and minerals at MCH centres, and
- relevant national legislation.
Minimal safe daily intake levels from the total diet are shown in table 1. Only those vitamins and minerals listed by the Codex committee to be contained in supplementary foods are shown. These minimum levels of daily intake and the estimated energy requirement are based on infants 6 months and children 3 years of age [7, 8].
Maximum Safe Daily Intakes
Excessive intake of fat-soluble vitamins and some minerals over a long period of time may result in toxicities. The margin of safe intake varies considerably by nutrient. In this document we consider safe maximum levels only for vitamins A, D, and E and for the minerals calcium, phosphorus, iron, and iodine since these are the micronutrients in the Codex proposed model composition for supplementary foods.
Chronic toxicity is reported from daily ingestion of vitamin A in excess of 2,500 IU per kilogram of body weight (750 µg/kg) by infants 4-6 months old  (1 IU = 0.3µg retinol = 1 retinol equivalent [RE]). On the other hand, single doses of 100,000 IU given twice yearly to infants 6-12 months old and 200,000 IU given to children over 12 months old at similar intervals have been safely used in several large-scale vitamin A distribution programmes . In view of the uses intended for the supplementary foods considered in these guidelines, maximum levels of vitamin A should not exceed 4,000-6,000 IU if the supplement is consumed daily as the sole food. Recognition of local circumstances, for example, an area where periodic high-dosage sup