Fortification
An important, complementary approach to the delivery of micronutrients through supplements is the fortification of commonly consumed foods with essential micronutrients. Fortification involves the addition of one or more essential nutrients to a food, whether or not it is normally contained in the food, for the purpose of preventing or correcting a demonstrated deficiency of one or more nutrients in the population or specific population groups. Examples of food fortification include adding specific micronutrients to commercially processed staple foods, such as vitamin A in sugar and margarine, iron and B vitamins in wheat and corn flour, and iodine in salt.
Fortification has several advantages and has been successful in a number of countries:
- It is socially acceptable;
- It does not require that consumers change their dietary habits;
- It does not place a burden on the health sector;
- The fortified food has the potential to reach the target group quickly and effectively because the food is already widely available and consumed;
- And fortification will increase the nutrient intake of many different age groups within the at-risk population.
Overall, food fortification provides an effective medium- to long-term intervention, with greater sustainability and generally lower cost than supplementation and other diet improvement programs.
USAID Response
In 1997 USAID launched the Enhanced Vitamin A Effort (VITA) that includes the private and public sectors in a joint effort to combat vitamin A deficiencies, especially through food fortification. Effective vitamin A fortification programs have been started in Zambia (sugar), Nicaragua (wheat flour), Philippines (variety of foods) and several other countries. In 2001, USAID contributed to the formation of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), an international coalition of bilateral and multilateral donors, foundations, and the private sector, to address key nutrition issues, with micronutrient fortification as its first priority.
Other Interventions
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