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Samples of flour from mills meet fortification specifications according to country standards
This 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.
Quality fortification procedures result in flour fortification at mills according to standards. Testing the nutrient content in flour samples after fortification is a means of confirming that mills are fortifying according to specifications in the fortification regulations.
The percentage of mills where flour samples meet the fortification specifications.
Numerator: the number of mills where flour samples meet the fortification specifications, among all mills where samples were collected during a specified time period (e.g. six months)
Denominator: the total number of mills in the fortification programme (using producing 20 MT per day or more), or mills with samples taken and analyzed, within the same time period.
• Divide the numerator by the denominator. Multiply the result by 100 to convert the number into a percentage.
Considerations for the calculations:
Countries may have different methods for determining if a mill has met specifications. Examples include:
1. If 100% of nutrients in all samples meet the levels stipulated in regulations, the mill is considered to meet specifications.
2. If 80% of the samples taken at the mill meet regulations, the mill is considered to meet specifications.
3. In lieu of measuring multiple nutrients in samples, one marker nutrient is selected for measurement.
4. If the mean nutrient content of all samples is within the target range of the regulations, the mill is considered to meet specifications.
mill sample,verification,fortified,production,standard,regulatory monitoring,flour
Food fortification
Activity
Quality
School age children, 12-23 months, 24-35 months, 36-47 months, 48-59 months, 6-11 months, Adolescents, All, Men, Women of reproductive age
None,
All
Market-based
• This indicator may be collected from each mill at very different time points, usually during an inspection. It is important to standardize the time parameters when aggregating the samples.
• Ideally, single samples are collected from a batch and combined to produce one composite sample. In practice, however, inspectors may need to be present when samples are collected. For this reason, fewer single samples may be collected and combined for the composite sample. The composite sample will then undergo quantitative testing for one or more micronutrients.
• If multiple nutrients are tested and some nutrients meet the regulations and others do not, this may point to inadequate collection of the sample at the mill, improper testing of the sample at the laboratory, incorrect dosing of flour with vitamin and mineral premix at the mill or use of premix that does not meet fortification regulations.
This indicator provides information about achieving quality fortification of flour and adherence to the (national) fortification regulations and standards.
It may be difficult to verify the sample results from all the mills within a short time period if there are a large number of mills in the fortification programme in the country.
The measured nutrient content in a sample of fortified flour can be influenced by many factors: the naturally occurring nutrient content in the unfortified flour, the amount of nutrient added during the fortification process, nutrient loss during processing or storage, and the analytical variability at the laboratory. The fortification standards need to take these into account.
As part of regulatory procedures, a country aims to collect four composite samples from every mill in the country during a year. One year, 192 composite flour samples were collected from 48 mills and analysed for four nutrients: thiamine, riboflavin, folic acid and iron. If the average content of all samples from a mill met regulatory specifications for all four nutrients, then the mill was considered to meet the specifications. Fourteen mills met the specifications. Fourteen mills met the specifications.
Numerator: 14
Denominator: 48
Calculation: 14/48 * 100 = 29% of mills met the specifications for the four nutrients.
1. Koontz JL, Phillips KM, Wunderlich KM, Exler J, Holden JM, Gebhardt SE, Haytowitz DB. Comparison of total folate concentrations in foods determined by microbiological assay at several experienced U.S. commercial laboratories. J AOAC Int. 2005;88:805-13.
2. Yusufali R, Sunley N, de Hoop M, Panagides D. Flour fortification in South Africa: post-implementation survey of micronutrient levels at point of retail. Food Nutr Bull. 2012;33(4 Suppl):S321-9. doi: 10.1177/15648265120334S308.
3. Informe Programa Fortificación de Harinas, Año 2011 [Flour fortification program report, year 2011]. Santiago: Subsecretaría de Salud Pública Ministerio de Salud, Instituto de Salud Pública de Chile; 2011 (in Spanish).
4. WHO, FAO. Guidelines on food fortification with micronutrients. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2006. (https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/43412, accessed 14 April 2021).