Plumpy'nut

Plumpy'nut is a peanut butter paste developed by Nutriset to combat severe malnutrition that was first served to children in Darfur, Sudan and southern Niger. Plumpy'nut was invented in 1999 by French scientist Andre Briend and is based on Nutella.

The products ingredients are peanut butter, milk and vitamins. The substance is easy to digest and very high in calories, zinc, protein and helps to boost the immune system.http://www.msf.org/msfinternational/invoke.cfm?component=article&method=full_html&objectid=AB245DCC-E018-0C72-09098ADA14D7E34B The product is also very fast acting too, malnourished patients can be saved from the brink of death using this product.http://www.msf.org/msfinternational/invoke.cfm?component=article&method=full_html&objectid=AB245DCC-E018-0C72-09098ADA14D7E34B

The substance is popular with children because it is sweet. It is particularly useful for rural and remote areas because it does not require any refrigeration, water or cooking to prepare. Parents are provided with a small foil package of paste, which is 2 inch square in size. This can simply be squeezed out to serve; it is said that children could theoretically feed the paste to themselves. The mixture was designed by a nutritionist and is popular with the charitable group Doctors Without Borders.http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/10/19/60minutes/main3386661.shtml

In August of 2009, the government of India has blocked the UN Children's Agency, Unicef, from distributing Plumpy'nut in two of its poorest states. Despite the successful efforts of Unicef and the World Health Organization to use the substance to treat malnutrition in Africa, the Indian Government claimed that it would prefer to find Indian-designed alternatives.http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6739362.ece They also objected to the fact that the government had not been advised in advance that Plumpy'nut would be distributed.http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article6739362.ece

Two companies Breedlove Food and the Mama Cares Foundation are challenging the patent for Plumpy'but held by Nutriset. Both companies believe ""no restrictions should be placed on the development and production of life-saving food aid".http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=87712

In January, 2010 both organizations filed a declaratory judgment action against Nutriset and IRD. The action was filed in the US District Court in Columbia (Washington DC). This court is a specialist court in patent issues. Both companies are seeking a court declaration that their products do not break the patent for Plumpy'nut. A declaratory judgment action is sought to defend oneself against a possible lawsuit from another party (in this case Nutriset).