World Grain - January 2025 - 18
Addressing
hidden hunger
by Jürgen Dukart and Julia Fabiny-Schindel
G
enerally available staple foods such as wheat
and maize flour provide energy, but they alone
often don't fulfil the need for all nutrients necessary
and sufficient nutrition. Resulting deficiencies
quietly weaken communities - a symptom that is referred
to as hidden hunger, and a problem that is widespread
in South Africa.
The health burden of vitamin and mineral deficiencies
is profound, and this is true worldwide. According
to the Food Fortification Initiative (FFI), one in two
pre-school children and two in three women of reproductive
age worldwide suffer from at least one vitamin
or mineral deficiency. These deficiencies lead to increased
susceptibility to infectious diseases and significantly
impair children's growth and development.
Therefore in South Africa, as in over 90 other countries
of the world, the fortification of staple foods
such as wheat and maize flour is mandatory to protect
the population from the dangers of malnutrition.
Governmental legislation and associated food fortification
programs are based on this recognition of the importance
of food fortification as a valuable investment
in the health of the population.
The fortification of staple foods with vitamins and
minerals, also known as micronutrients, has a direct
impact not only on life expectancy, but also on people's
18
learning ability and intellectual performance. It reduces
the risk of illness and maternal and infant mortality,
and it prevents serious birth defects of the brain and
spine as well as anemia due to nutrient deficiency. By
preventing these health risks, it provides an economic
benefit to countries.
Regulations introduced
Like many other countries, South Africa faces significant
public health challenges related to micronutrient
deficiencies, including anemia, neural tube defects, and
stunted growth. The mandatory fortification of staple
foods - especially with vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, niacin,
folic acid and the minerals iron and zinc - was
therefore a logical consequence. In 2003, as a key intervention
aimed at addressing these issues, the South
African government's Department of Health introduced
a regulation that made wheat and maize flour fortification
with essential vitamins and minerals mandatory.
The regulations state in detail that a premixed blend
of fortificants and diluents are to be used to ensure the
correct amounts of micronutrients are added to food
products to improve nutritional value. To comply with
the mandate and meet the high-quality standards in fortified
foods, manufacturers are obliged to follow strict
quality control measures to guarantee that correct proJanuary
2025 / World Grain / World-Grain.com
South Africa's flour fortification efforts paying off
Photo courtesy of Stern-Wywiol Gruppe
http://www.World-Grain.com
World Grain - January 2025
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of World Grain - January 2025
World Grain - January 2025 - Intro
World Grain - January 2025 - 1
World Grain - January 2025 - 2
World Grain - January 2025 - 3
World Grain - January 2025 - 4
World Grain - January 2025 - 5
World Grain - January 2025 - 6
World Grain - January 2025 - 7
World Grain - January 2025 - 8
World Grain - January 2025 - 9
World Grain - January 2025 - 10
World Grain - January 2025 - 11
World Grain - January 2025 - 12
World Grain - January 2025 - 13
World Grain - January 2025 - 14
World Grain - January 2025 - 15
World Grain - January 2025 - 16
World Grain - January 2025 - 17
World Grain - January 2025 - 18
World Grain - January 2025 - 19
World Grain - January 2025 - 20
World Grain - January 2025 - 21
World Grain - January 2025 - 22
World Grain - January 2025 - 23
World Grain - January 2025 - 24
World Grain - January 2025 - 25
World Grain - January 2025 - 26
World Grain - January 2025 - 27
World Grain - January 2025 - 28
World Grain - January 2025 - 29
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World Grain - January 2025 - 31
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World Grain - January 2025 - 33
World Grain - January 2025 - 34
World Grain - January 2025 - 35
World Grain - January 2025 - 36
World Grain - January 2025 - 37
World Grain - January 2025 - 38
World Grain - January 2025 - 39
World Grain - January 2025 - 40
World Grain - January 2025 - 41
World Grain - January 2025 - 42
World Grain - January 2025 - 43
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World Grain - January 2025 - 45
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World Grain - January 2025 - 50
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World Grain - January 2025 - 55
World Grain - January 2025 - 56
World Grain - January 2025 - 57
World Grain - January 2025 - 58
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World Grain - January 2025 - 60
World Grain - January 2025 - 61
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World Grain - January 2025 - 64
World Grain - January 2025 - 65
World Grain - January 2025 - 66
World Grain - January 2025 - 67
World Grain - January 2025 - 68
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/wg_2025_02_01
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-january-2025
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-december-2024
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-november-2024
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-october-2024
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-september-2024
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-august-2024
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-july-2024
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-june-2024
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-may-2024
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-april-2024
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-march-2024
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-february-2024
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-january-2024
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-december-2023
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-november-2023
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-october-2023
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-september-2023
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-august-2023
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-july-2023
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-june-2023
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-may-2023
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-april-2023
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-march-2023
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-february-2023
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-january-2023
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-december-2022
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-november-2022
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-october-2022
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-september-2022
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-august-2022
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-july-2022
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-june-2022
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-may-2022
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-april-2022
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-march-2022
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-february-2022
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-january-2022
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-december-2021
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/-world-grain-november-2021
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-october-2021
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-september-2021
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-august-2021
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-july-2021
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-june-2021
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-may-2021
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-april-2021
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-march-2021
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/world-grain-february-2021
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/2021_01_01
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/2020_12_01
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/2020_11_01
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/2020_10_01
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/2020_09_01
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/2020_08_01
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/2020_07_01
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/2020_06_01
https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/2020_05_01
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https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/2020_02_01
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https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/2019_12_01
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https://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/2019_02_01
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http://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/2018_12_01
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https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/wg/2016_12_01
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https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/wg/2016_09_01
https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/wg/2016_08_01
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https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/wg/2016_05_01
https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/wg/2016_04_01
https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/wg/2016_03_01
https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/wg/2016_02_01
https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/wg/2016_01_01
https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/wg/2015_12_01
https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/wg/2015_11_01
https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/wg/2015_10_01
http://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/2015_09_01
http://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/2015_08_01
http://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/2015_07_01
http://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/2015_06_01
http://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/2015_05_01
https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/wg/2015_04_01
https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/wg/2015_03_01
https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/wg/2015_02_01
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https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/wg/2014_12_01
https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/wg/2014_11_01
https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/wg/2014_10_01
https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/wg/2014_09_01
https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/wg/2014_08_01
https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/wg/2014_07_01
https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/wg/2014_06_01
https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/wg/2014_05_01
https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/wg/2014_04_01
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https://www.nxtbook.com/sosland/wg/2012_02_01
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http://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/2011_02_01
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http://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/2010_11_01
http://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/2010_10_01
http://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/2010_09_01
http://digital.world-grain.com/sosland/wg/2010_08_01
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