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Retail and market samples of flour and products made from flour meet fortification specifications
This 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.
This indicator is part of regulatory monitoring activities and supports quality fortification at all points in the distribution chain. It is known that foods fortified at the mill typically experience a loss of some nutrient content over time and this may be exacerbated by certain storage conditions. Standards may specify the required nutrient content of flour purchased at retail outlets to ensure that the nutrients will be present in sufficient amounts to improve micronutrient intakes. This indicator monitors flour samples collected at retail outlets to determine whether regulations are being met and whether changes are needed.
The percentage of brands of retail flour that meet fortification specifications
Numerator: number of brands of flour from the same source (producer/supplier) whose flour samples meet fortification specifications during a specified period of time (e.g. 12 months).
Denominator: total number of brands which samples were collected from retail sites that underwent quantitative testing during the same period.
• Divide the numerator by the denominator. Multiply the result by 100 to convert the number into a percentage.
Considerations for the calculations:
Considerations for the calculation:
• Different countries may have different methods for determining if a brand, producer or supplier 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.
• If available, reports can show the percentage of flour from the same source (producer/supplier) that meet fortification standards by flour type (e.g. maida, atta) and/or brands (imported or local brands), which allows for follow-up with specific companies if problems are identified.
commercial monitoring, fortification, fortified, market, monitoring, point of sale, regulatory monitoring, retail, retail monitoring, verification ,sample
Food fortification
Activity
Quality
School age children, 12-23 months, 24-35 months, 36-47 months, 48-59 months, 6-11 months, Adolescents, Men, Women of reproductive age
None,
All
Market-based
Ideally, this indicator is collected from retail inspection sites at least once per year.
The sampling of retail sites might occur throughout the year on a rolling basis, or all at one point in time. Ideally, sampling will occur in all parts of the country, so the flour collected reflects the condition of typical products available throughout the country or area covered by fortification.
If available, the brand name and country of origin for each sample to allow for follow-up with specific producers if problems with nutrient content are identified through monitoring.
Packaged fortified flour should be labelled according to country standards. This information can be reviewed to determine if labelling regulations for fortified flour are being followed.
This indicator can provide information about conformity with the regulations and ensure the quality of fortified flour.
• It may be difficult to verify and aggregate results from all sites within a short time period.
• 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.
In a country, 36 composite wheat flour samples, representing 36 brands of flour from the same source (producer/supplier), were taken from different retail outlets. The samples were measured for iron concentration only. Samples from 29 brands had the minimum iron content specified in (national) regulations for retail outlets.
Numerator: 29
Denominator: 36
Calculation: 29/36 * 100 = 81% of brands had the minimum iron content specified in national regulations for retail outlets.
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. 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).