National Experience on Wheat Flour Fortification Program of Government of Nepal: A Review

Abstract

Objectives: Wheat flour fortification is one of the such move towards control of micronutrient deficiency and was begin in 2002 with the tripartite agreement between Department of Food Technology and Quality control (DFTQC), Nepal, Flour Mills Association and Ministry of Health and Population. Wheat flour both whole and refined was taken as the food vehicle for micro-nutrient fortification as the per capita utilization of wheat flour is 78 gram per head per day in Nepal. Methods: This study is a decade long (2002 to 2013) national experience of national food control agency in Nepal which is involved in monitoring fortified wheat flour in Nepal. Results: Three nutrients Vit A palmitate 1 mg  per kg, Iron 60 mg per kg in the elemental form and Folic acid 1.5 mg per kg were the fortificants chosen for wheat flour fortification. The expenditure incurred for the these three nutrient pre mix, the logo and technical backstopping was supported by Micro-nutrient Initiatives (MI). In order to regulate the fortification activity in the roller mills, Government of Nepal build up voluntary standard in 2006 with the supposition that flour mills will initiate fortification. Shortly, Government becomes conscious that there is call for mandatory standard for fortified flour. Therefore, in 2011 Government come up with mandatory standard. Conclusions: At present, each and every roller mills in Nepal manufacture fortified flour and Department of Food Technology and Quality Control is engage in monitoring of it.