Guidelines on Food Fortification with Micronutrients

Drawing on several recent high quality publications and program experience on the subject, information on food fortification has been crucially analyzed and then translated into scientifically sound guidelines for application in the field. The main purpose of these guidelines is to assist countries in the design and implementation of appropriate food fortification programs. They are intended to be a resource for governments and agencies that are currently implementing or considering food fortification, and a source of information for scientists, technologists and the food industry. The guidelines are written from a nutrition and public health perspective, to provide practical guidelines on how food fortification should be implemented, monitored and evaluated. They are primarily intended for nutrition-related public health program managers, but should also be useful to all those working to control micronutrient malnutrition, including the food industry.

This book is organized into four complementary sections. Part 1 introduces the concept of food fortification as a potential strategy for the control of micronutrient malnutrition. Part II summarizes the prevalence, causes and consequences of micronutrient deficiencies, and the public health benefits of micronutrient malnutrition control. Part III provides technical information on the various chemical forms of micronutrients that can be used to fortify foods, and reviews prior experiences of their use in specific food vehicles. Part IV describes the keys steps involved in the designing, implementing, and sustaining fortification programs. The importance of and strategies for regulation and international harmonization, communication, advocacy, consumer marketing and public education are also explained in some detail.