In 2015, an estimated 35,500 serious birth defects of the spine and brain were prevented because wheat and maize flours were fortified with folic acid, according to research published in July 2016.

1. W
hile the figures above
are a tremendous
accomplishment, the
study noted that the
total only represents
13.2 percent of the birth
defects that could be
prevented by adding folic
acid to grain products.
“The difference between what is being done and what could be
done points out two areas for growth related to flour fortification
– increasing political support for fortification and monitoring for
quality and compliance,” said Scott J. Montgomery, Director of
the Food Fortification Initiative (FFI). “As we make progress in
each of these areas, more children will be born healthy. And, as
flour fortification usually includes iron, we’ll greatly reduce the
risk of anemia from iron deficiency.”
Folic acid is a form of vitamin B9 used in flour fortification.
Its color does not affect flour’s sensory properties, and the
nutrient content is stable when exposed to heat. Women who
have enough folic acid prior to conception and in the early days
of their pregnancy are less likely to have infants with neural tube
defects (NTDs) of the spine such as spina bifida. Infants born
with anencephaly, another NTD affecting the brain, die shortly
after birth.
Anemia is defined as low hemoglobin. It causes debilitating
fatigue, which reduces productivity. Anemia also keeps children’s
minds from developing fully which limits their future earning
potential. Anemia while women are pregnant creates multiple
risks for the mothers and the infants. Iron deficiency is the single
most common cause of anemia.
Increasing Political Support
Most countries in the Americas have fortified wheat flour with
iron for decades, and folic acid was added 20 years ago. Several
countries in the Middle East began fortifying flour in the late
1990s. Countries in Africa are adapting fortification, and maize
flour and rice are beginning to be fortified as well. But countries
in Europe and Asia are fortifying very little of their cereal grain
products. To make progress in those regions, policy makers will
by Sarah Zimmerman, Food Fortification Initiative
Birth defect estimates highlight two key growth areas
GRAIN FORTIFICATION
In 2015, an estimated 35,500 serious birth defects of the spine and brain
were prevented because wheat and maize flours were fortified with
folic acid, according to research published in July 2016.
54 | September 2016 - Milling and Grain
F

2. need to be convinced of the value of fortification.
Fortification is a long-term process to improve nutrition. Some
of the health problems it addresses, such as anemia, are invisible.
As a result, it can be difficult to convince politicians to introduce
and support legislation for fortification. Governments also need to
provide the human and financial resources required for regulatory
monitoring.
Cost effectiveness is the message most likely to motivate policy
makers, according to an advocacy working group formed in
2015 in response to a Global Summit on Food Fortification. The
working group included representatives from FFI, the Global
Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), the International
Federation for Spina Bifida, the Iodine Global Network, and the
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
For governments, fortification represents a significant savings
in healthcare dollars. This is particularly true with spina bifida.
In the United States, fortifying wheat flour, maize flour, and rice
with folic acid has reduced the number of live-born infants with
spina bifida by at least 614 annually.
Infants born with spina bifida will undergo a lifetime of
surgeries and face many health issues. Consequently preventing
spina bifida by fortifying grains in the US represents a net savings
of US$ 603 million annually.
When anemia is prevented, people are more productive
and children are more successful in school. One study found that
fortification yields $84 for every dollar spent on reducing iron
deficiency anemia prevalence.
“We recognise that millers usually the buy premix for
fortification, while the government or insurance program enjoys
the savings from averted healthcare expenditures,” Montgomery
noted. “We always encourage governments to exempt premix
from import taxes to give millers a little financial relief. We also
Brabender®
MT-CA
Track moisture measurements from anywhere and anytime.
Brabender technology optimises the quality of your
raw materials and ensures your success.
Brabender®
GmbH&Co.KG · www.brabender.com
Quadrumat®
Junior
Get production-like flour samples
in a multi-stage grinding process.
Farinograph®
-TS
Check rheological flour properties
regardless of your end device
and location.
MetaBridge®
Controller
Upgrade your Brabenderinstru-
ments with the latest technology.
instru-
ments with the latest technology.
Check rheological flour properties
NEW
The latest Brabender solutions.
User-friendly. State-of-the-art.
Rotation_MT-CA_EN_190x132.indd 1 16.08.2016 13:50:03
Milling and Grain - September 2016 | 55
F

3. encourage countries to make fortification mandatory to make the
costs equitable among millers.”
Monitoring for Quality and Compliance
Millers are most likely familiar with the internal monitoring
process for fortification. It begins with ordering quality premix
and ensuring that the Certificate of Analysis matches what
was ordered. Regularly checking the flow of premix from
the feeder and conducting the iron spot test are other steps in
internal monitoring. But millers may not be as familiar with the
government’s role, which is often called regulatory monitoring.
“At FFI, we like to provide monitoring training for millers
and government leaders simultaneously,” Montgomery said.
“Effective monitoring is a partnership of the public and private
sectors. They need to know and respect each other’s roles.”
FFI recommends that government monitoring at flour-mills
be done by the same staff who inspect production facilities for
food safety. This prevents multiple trips to the mill by different
government staff. Inspectors may want to see premix orders to be
sure a consistent supply is being used.
They may inquire about and observe the mills’ quality assurance
and quality control processes and gather documents for auditing.
They may also conduct an iron spot test or collect composite
samples to send to a laboratory for further analysis.
In addition, the government’s role may include import and
commercial monitoring. Import monitoring is done at border
control sites. It also involves ensuring that paperwork is in order
and periodically sampling products to be sure they comply
with the country standard. Commercial monitoring is when
government inspectors go to retail outlets. An inspector visits
shops, talks with the proprietors about the source of the flour or
rice they sell, and reviews the labels. Commercial monitoring
may also involve periodic laboratory sampling of the product.
Globally, regulatory monitoring for food fortification programs
suffers from a lack of resources. Monitoring requires human
resources for inspectors, who often have a broad range of
responsibilities beyond food safety. In some countries the same
inspectors responsible for enforcing food fortification may also
be responsible for water quality, pollution, restaurant hygiene,
and human health and quarantine. Beyond inspectors, any lab
analyses requires either lab capacity or additional expenses to
outsource analyses.
Another challenge can be unclear roles and responsibilities
between government agencies. With limited time and funds, it is
essential that responsibilities are clear so they do not duplicate
each other’s work. In addition, monitoring fortification is often
not a priority when compared to risks of food-borne diseases.
People will not get sick if food is not fortified, although
unfortified foods do put consumers at greater risk for long-term
health conditions.
FFI recommends that countries establish a monitoring program
that outlines the responsibilities of each group involved. This
clarifies expectations and makes it easier to follow the system.
Monitoring results can also be shared in an open and transparent
system with other government agencies or consumers.
“Ideally monitoring is a win-win situation,” Montgomery
said. “All millers know what is expected and can easily meet the
country’s standard. The government incorporates fortification
monitoring into its existing food control system without requiring
additional staff, and most importantly, the population benefits
from better nutrition in foods they already enjoy.”
http://bit.ly/FFI_Monitor
SILICA EXTRACTION
END TO END
RICE MILLING SOLUTIONS
END TO
RICE MILLING
POWER PLANTS
Follow us on
MR. SUNIL KUMAR Manager – International Marketing
+91 - 9108459241
exports2@milltecmachinery.com
www.twitter.com/MilltecMMPL
www.facebook.com/Milltecmachinerypvtltd
www.linkedin.com/Milltecmachinerypvtltd
TOLL FREE:
18001028431 (INDIA)
For More Details Contact:
MILLTECISO 9001:2008 / ISO 14001:2004
Boiler
Parboiling &
Dryer
Pre - Cleaner
Destoner Sheller Tray Separator Whitener Polisher
length Grader
Color Sorter
Packing
MILLTEC MACHINERY PVT. LTD
No. 51/A , 1st Phase, KIADB Indl Area
Bommasandra, Bangalore -560099
Karnataka, India
TEL: +91-80-28016666+91-80-27831128
Email: marketing@milltecmachinery.com
Website : www.milltecmachinery.com
www.milltecmachinery.in
56 | September 2016 - Milling and Grain
F

4. Our most important ingredient
is the dialogue with our customers.
How do you become the world market leader in
flour improvement and enrichment? With almost
90 years of intensive application research and the
constant search for innovative solutions, certainly.
But ultimately it is the constant dialogue with our
over 1 000 mill customers around the world that
sets Mühlenchemie apart. Our flour experts gain
a first-hand understanding of your challenges,
and return to our labs and test bakeries to create
solutions that are a perfect fit. That’s what makes
the difference between satisfied and delighted
customers – and that’s what makes us successful.
German Quality made by Mühlenchemie.
• Flour improvement
• Flour standardization
• Enzyme systems
• Fortification with vitamins
and minerals
• Flour analysis
• Applications services
• Metering equipment
for micro-ingredients
www.muehlenchemie.cominfo@muehlenchemie.comA member of the Stern-Wywiol Gruppe