Why Fortify?

Fortification is adding vitamins and minerals to foods to prevent nutritional deficiencies. The nutrients regularly used in grain fortification prevent diseases, strengthen immune systems, and improve productivity and cognitive development.

Wheat flour, maize flour, and rice are primarily fortified to:

1. Prevent nutritional anemia

2. Prevent neural tube birth defects

3. Increased productivity

4. Improve economic progress

Fortification is successful because it makes frequently eaten foods more nutritious without relying on consumers to change their habits.

Vitamins and minerals often used in flour and rice fortification and their role in health include:

• Iron, riboflavin, folic acid, zinc, and vitamin B12 help prevent nutritional anemia which improves productivity, maternal health, and cognitive development.
• Folic acid (vitamin B9) reduces the risk of neural tube birth defects
• Zinc helps children develop, strengthens immune systems, and lessens complications from diarrhea.
• Niacin (vitamin B3) prevents the skin disease known as pellagra.
• Riboflavin (vitamin B2) helps with metabolism of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins.
• Thiamin (vitamin B1) prevents the nervous system disease called beriberi.
• Vitamin B12 maintains functions of the brain and nervous system.
• Vitamin D helps bodies absorb calcium which improves bone health.
• Vitamin A deficiency is the leading cause of childhood blindness. It also diminishes an individual’s ability to fight infections. Vitamin A can be added to wheat or maize flour, but it is often added to rice, cooking oils, margarine, or sugar instead.

Fortification as part of a country’s nutrition strategy is supported by global organizations such as UNICEF, the World Health Organization (WHO), the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), and the Micronutrient Initiative (MI). For the latest evidence and guidance on nutrition interventions, see the WHO e-Library of Evidence for Nutrition Actions (eLENA).

Through its global partnership, FFI provides advocacy support and technical assistance to help you plan, implement, and monitor high-quality fortification practices. For assistance, please contact us at info@ffinetwork.org.

Freshly baked bread is sliced at OCRIM flour mill in Brazil which tests the quality of its flour before distribution. Brazil, like most countries in the Americas, has been fortifying wheat flour for decades. Throughout the world, people generally consume wheat flour, maize flour, or rice as a staple part of their diets. Fortifying one more more of these grains is a cost-effective way to improve the population's nutrient intake. Photo copyright by David Snyder for the CDC Foundation.