[ACCEPTANCE OF PULP FRUIT BEVERAGES FORTIFIED WITH FERROUS FUMARATE; AN ALTERNATIVE SUPPLEMENT FOR A HEALTH PROGRAM].

Introduction: undernutrition and individual nutrients deficiencies are common public health problems worldwide and Mexico is not the exception, where the highest prevalence occurs in rural areas. One way to solve these nutritional deficiencies is with the use of dietary supplements. However, these supplements need to be readily available for and accepted by the objective population.

Objectives: to develop a flavored-multivitamin supplement (MVS) for the Health and Nutrition Program for Indigenous People (PSNPI-Mexico) and to evaluate its acceptance by 6 to 24 months old infants in rural and urban areas.

Methods: the MVS was developed in three different flavors, their vitamin and mineral content in accordance with PSNPIs guidelines. Acceptance of the MVS by the infants was evaluated with "scale faces" and this was further corroborated in the 6 to 12 mo by registering the amount consumed. The differences in acceptance by age and gender, as well as locations (urban vs rural) were determined with chi-squared test.

Results: the MVS developed for this study constitute a better alternative to supplement currently used by PSNPI.