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Food fortification in Senegal can increase micronutrient levels
For many years, MI has been working with food producers in Senegal to help them fortify their products - specifically cooking oil and wheat flour - with micronutrients.
Posted on February 25, 2011
Fortification of staple foods presents an opportunity to reach a large part of the population with micronutrients.
The most appropriate foods to target for fortification are those that are widely consumed and are inexpensive to fortify.
For many years, MI has been working with food producers in Senegal to help them fortify their products – specifically cooking oil and wheat flour – with micronutrients.
The organization has provided financial and technical support to the National Food Fortification Alliance (COSFAM) and has worked with individual companies on how to easily fortify their products without significantly adding to the cost.
To level the playing field for staple food producers, MI assisted the Senegal Bureau of Standards (ASN) to draft legislation that would make it mandatory to fortify cooking oil with vitamin A and wheat flour with iron and folic acid. MI also helped the main oil manufacturer upgrade its equipment for fortification.
In September 2009, the Government of Senegal issued a national decree making this fortification mandatory. Fortification of these staple products should help improve the micronutrient status of Senegal’s women and all its citizens. Oil fortification with vitamin A started in January 2010. Wheat flour fortified with iron and folic acid was available in February 2010.
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