Turning cattle feed into nutritional flour for aged care residents

A legume traditionally used to feed cattle could reduce malnutrition rates in aged care residents across Australia, according to a Queensland researcher.The legume, lupin, has been turned into flour and added to the diets of about 2,000 aged care residents as part of a program rolled out to 15 facilities in Queensland.Research lead Cherie Hugo said the program was achieving “remarkable” results.”At the last visit six months ago, their long-term residents [who are part of the program] had shown 29 per cent improvement in nutritional status,” Dr Hugo said.She said in comparison, malnutrition typically decreased by around 6 per cent over 12 months in other Australian studies on aged care nutritional programs.The legume lupin can be turned into flour and then baked goods. (Kim Honan: ABC Rural)Almost one in two people living in residential aged care in Australia are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition, according to the 2018 Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety.One…