Journal of Biology and Nature

Complementary feeding between 6 and 23 months is a nutritionally demanding transition in which cereal porridges remain prominent in Burkina Faso. Local seed resources - notably pearl millet, sorghum, maize, cowpea, soybean, groundnut, sesame, Bambara groundnut and fermented African locust bean seed - offer a plausible basis for affordable, culturally recognisable complementary foods, but their value depends on more than proximate nutrient composition. This critical narrative review examined literature from 1 January 2000 to 6 July 2026, while retaining earlier foundational sources when required. Evidence was synthesised from international and regional scholarly sources, institutional guidance, and citation searching, with emphasis on studies conducted in Burkina Faso and closely relevant West African settings. The evidence indicates that cereal-pulse-oilseed combinations can improve protein balance, energy density and dietary diversity relative to thin cereal-only gruels. Burkina Faso studies also demonstrate that amylolytic fermentation can permit higher solids at acceptable viscosity, and that phytase can increase zinc absorption from millet porridge. These benefits are conditional: decortication, fermentation, germination and heat treatment produce nutrient and functionality trade-offs; phytate reduction does not automatically translate into improved long-term micronutrient status; and local blends that satisfy energy and protein targets may still remain inadequate in iron, zinc or vitamins without deliberate fortification or nutrient-rich adjuncts. Safety is the most binding constraint. Aflatoxin contamination has repeatedly been documented in locally produced infant flours and in maize and groundnut supply chains, while microbiological surveys identify failures compatible with weak process control. Valorisation should therefore be conceived as an integrated food-system strategy linking seed selection, contaminant prevention, validated processing, micronutrient design, sensory acceptability, packaging, labelling, quality assurance and affordable distribution. Local seeds are a strong platform for complementary food development in Burkina Faso, but they are not a self-sufficient solution unless nutrient bioavailability and safety are engineered and verified alongside local economic feasibility.