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Abstract
In Laos, 33.5% of children under five years of age are stunted, 26% are underweight and 8% are severely wasted. Additionally, the proportion of underweight adults living in Laos is 9.8%. Nutritional rehabilitation of malnourished children and adults often requires dietary energy, protein, and micronutrient supplementation. Water buffalo, native to Southeast Asia, produce milk with higher energy, protein and micronutrient concentrations than dairy cow's milk. Acid whey, a byproduct of soft-cheese production, is currently discarded at the Laos Buffalo Dairy in Laos after making cheese. The total energy and macronutrient concentrations of Laos water buffalo milk and acid whey were analyzed and compared to dairy cow's milk and acid whey data from Egypt and the US, respectively, to determine their suitability as a dietary energy, protein, and micronutrient supplement.