eCatalogue of indicators for micronutrient programmes

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Name of the indicatorIndicator descriptionType 
Government commitment to salt iodization Documents that the national government demonstrates commitment to salt iodization to control iodine deficiency disorders. Input, Activity View
Multi-sector coalition on salt iodization is activeDescribes whether an active national multi-sector coalition related to the prevention of iodine deficiency through sustained salt iodization is established and recognized by the government.Input View
Legislation on salt iodization for food grade salt consumed by humansThis indicator assesses whether a law has been passed requiring that all food-grade salt for human consumption be iodized according to the national iodine standard. Activity View
Regulation for iodized salt includes definitions of national standardsAssesses whether under the law on mandatory iodization of food-grade salt, the relevant government authority has published a standard that specifies the type of iodine fortificant and the fortification level of iodine in salt. This is usually a derivation of the Codex Alimentarius standard for food-grade iodized salt. The standard defines the type of fortificant (potassium iodate (KIO3) or potassium iodide (KI)) permitted for salt iodization. Activity View
Internal quality control by domestic producers of iodized salt Assesses whether salt producers use Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in the production, packaging and monitoring of iodized salt, ensuring that iodized salt is adequately fortified based on the national standard. Activity View
Imported iodized salt is adequately fortifiedFor countries that import food-grade salt, this indicator assesses whether imported iodized salt is adequately fortified based on the national standard.Activity View
Subsidies for iodized salt production phased outThis indicator assesses whether government and/or donor subsidies for iodized salt production are phased out after introduction of the iodized salt programme. Input View
Standard operating procedures available for monitoring and enforcement by food control agency This indicator assesses whether the government’s food control agency (or similar body) has a written Standard Operating Procedures in place as described in ISO/IEC 17020 for inspections of domestic salt factories, border points of imports, and the markets (1). Activity View
Household coverage with iodized salt This indicator describes the percentage of households in a country (or other defined geographic area) with iodized salt at any iodine concentration and what percentage has salt with an iodine concentration ≥15 ppm. Outcome View
Urinary iodine concentrations in children, non-pregnant or pregnant womenThis indicator assesses urinary iodine concentrations in target groups to determine population impact of salt iodization. This indicator assesses overall population iodine intake. It takes into account other potential dietary sources of iodine, and can detect both deficiency and excess. Outcome View
Key stakeholders support a programme for large-scale fortification of wheat or maize flourThis indicator provides information on documentation of the commitment of key stakeholders that support the establishment and sustainability of large-scale fortification of wheat or maize flour.Input View
Anaemia status as measured by blood haemoglobinThis indicator describes the assessment of anaemia status and severity using blood haemoglobin concentrations. Outcome View
The total amount of wheat or maize flour produced for domestic human consumptionThis indicator provides information on the total amount of wheat or maize flour milled in the country or area for domestic human consumption. Activity View
Folate status as measured by red blood cell folateThis indicator describes the use of red blood cell folate as a biological indicator of folate stores. Outcome View
Folate status as measured by serum or plasma folateThis indicator describes the use of serum and plasma folate as indicators of short-term folate status (1). Outcome View
Iron status as measured by serum or plasma ferritin This indicator estimates iron status in an individual, using serum or plasma ferritin. Outcome View
Prevalence of neural tube defectsThis indicators assesses the rate of births in the population that result in neural tube defects. Outcome View
Average additional amount of micronutrients delivered daily by consumption of fortified flourThis indicator describes documentation of the additional nutrients ingested by consumers due to intake of flour that, by law or standards, should be fortified. Among the target population, this can be expressed as the average intake over a 24-hour period for any nutrient added through fortification of flour. This indicator refers to the ingestion of nutrients from foods made with fortified flour, not from all foods in the diet. Outcome View
Consumer recognition of the logo for fortified wheat or maize flourThis indicator assesses whether a target population is aware of the logo for fortified wheat or maize flour.Output View
The target population knows key messages on fortification of wheat or maize flourThis indicator assesses whether a target population that should have been exposed to key messages on fortification of wheat or maize flour can state them when asked, which indicates they can recall the message content.Output View
The number of large-scale wheat- or maize-flour mills in the country This indicator provides information on the number of mills with the capacity to process at least 20 metric tons of wheat or maize per day.Input View
Sufficient resources to carry out regulatory monitoring of large-scale fortification of flourThis indicator provides information on documentation that the resources needed for regulatory agencies to conduct monitoring (e.g. training, staff, transportation, sampling protocol, laboratory analyses) of a large-scale programme for fortification of wheat or maize flour are sufficient and in place. Input View
Legislation in place for mandatory large-scale fortification of wheat or maize flour This indicator provides information on documentation of legislation that requires that all or some of the wheat and maize flour available for human consumption through large-scale domestic production or importation is fortified with vitamins and minerals.Activity View
Technical standards for large-scale fortification of wheat or maize flour This indicator provides information on documentation of standards or regulations that define the technical requirements for large-scale fortification of wheat or maize flour. Activity View
Guidelines in place for large-scale inspection and standards enforcement of flour mills This indicator provides information on whether the procedures for mill inspection and enforcement of standards or regulations for large-scale fortification of wheat or maize flour are written and available.Activity View
Industrial mills with equipment for fortification installed and properly workingThis indicator provides information on documentation that all of the fortification equipment needed by the large-scale mills in the fortification programme is properly working. Activity View
The quantity of premix procured in line with the quantity of flour milled and fortifiedThis indicator examines whether the amount of premix procured was adequate, given the amount of flour milled and fortified over a given period of time in large-scale flour fortification.Activity View
Labelling of packaged fortified flour or flour products at retail outlets follows standardsThis indicator provides information on documentation of whether the label on packaged wheat flour or maize flour, or food products made with fortified wheat or maize flour, includes all of the required information. Checking labels at retail outlets is typically part of regulatory monitoring activities.Activity View
Premix meets national regulations and requirements for large-scale fortification This indicator provides information on documentation that the premix of vitamins and minerals used to fortify wheat or maize flour for large-scale fortification meets the minimum requirements for human consumption established by the official regulations and is approved for use.Output View
Tested premix samples meet specifications for fortification according to country standardsThis indicator assesses whether premix samples, obtained from national premix producers or mills, meet the required levels for all nutrients tested. Activity View
Comparison of the planned and actual flour samples collected at mills for regulatory monitoringThis indicator assesses the number of flour samples (wheat or maize) actually collected for laboratory testing at large industrial mills (20 metric tons per day or more) among the samples planned to be collected as part of external regulatory monitoring for wheat or maize flour fortification. Activity View
Quality assurance and quality control procedures in place at large-scale flour millsThis indicator provides information on documentation of internal quality assurance and quality control procedures for fortification in place among the mills participating in the fortification programme. It prompts direct follow-up with producers of the flour if inconsistencies are identified.Activity View
Samples of flour from mills meet fortification specifications according to country standardsThis indicator assesses the number of mills where flour samples (wheat or maize flour) that meet the required levels for all nutrients or a marker nutrient tested. The indicator is calculated from among all tested flour samples collected from mills that are required to adhere to standards [usually producing 20 metric tons (MT) per day or more] in the country. Testing the nutrient content of fortified flour is part of external monitoring activities and allows direct follow-up with flour producers if inconsistencies are identified.Activity View
Percentage of fortified wheat or maize flour available on the national market This indicator describes the availability of fortified wheat or maize flour in the country destined for the national market, including that which is imported and produced domestically in large and small mills, and excluding that destined for export.Output View
Certificate of Conformity for imported fortified flour Imported fortified flour must have a phyto-sanitary documentation that certifies the nutrient content. Often called a "Certificate of Conformity", this document, provided by a competent authority, certifies that imported flour follows the specifications within the (national) regulations of the importing country. Inspectors at importation sites are authorized to approve or refuse imported fortified flour.Output View
Samples of imported fortified flour tested meet fortification specificationsThis indicator assesses samples of imported flour that meet the levels specified by standards or regulations for all nutrients tested. The indicator is calculated from the same source (producer/supplier) that undergo quantitative testing and is part of regulatory monitoring procedures. It allows direct follow-up with the importers of the flour if inconsistencies are identified. Output View
Households consuming fortified flour (fortified flour coverage)This indicator describes the coverage (or presence) of fortified flour in the household.Output View
Retail and market samples of flour and products made from flour meet fortification specificationsThis indicator monitors the nutrient content of retail samples of flour that regulations state should be fortified, and whether the samples meet the required fortification levels. It allows direct follow-up with the producers and importers of the flour, if inconsistencies are identified.Activity View
Consumption of fortified wheat- or maize-flour products over the past 7 days This indicator assesses the consumption of food products made with fortified wheat or maize flour during the previous 7 days, by the target population. Outcome View
Average additional content of micronutrients in fortified flours (micronutrient provision)This indicator describes documentation of the additional nutrients provided by fortification in flour that, by law or standards, should be fortified.   View
Average daily intake of fortified flour (fortified flour consumption) This indicator describes documentation of the daily consumption of flour that, by law or standards, should be fortified. Among a target population, this can be expressed as the average intake of fortified flour over a 24-hour period by consumers surveyed. This indicator refers to the ingestion of fortified flour, not all foods in the diet.   View
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