Evaluation of folic acid and Iron components in fortified nutritional flour brands in Mwanza city, Tanzania.
Janeth Sagenge CUHAS/BP/3000526/T/18
Evaluation of folic acid and Iron components in fortified nutritional flour brands in Mwanza city, Tanzania. - Mwanza, Tanzania: Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences [CUHAS – Bugando] : ©27.04.2022 - x; 23 Pages Includes Refferences and Appendices
Abstract:
Background: Fortification of foods for human consumption is an important strategy in order to improve the nutritional quality of populations. This approach is based on the fact that it can reach large populations of people at risk without imparting any changes in their food consumption patterns. Micronutrient fortification of wheat, maize flours and cooking oil is mandatory in Tanzania since 2013. There is limited information in the country regarding the compliance of micronutrient fortification.
Methodology: An experimental based analytical study was conducted in two district to analyse quality of fortified nutritional flour. The study included samples from four (4) brands collected from supermarkets and analysed for folic acid (FA) and iron (Fe) using standard methods and procedure.
Results and Discussion: The study revealed that all the flour samples complied with the iron fortification. On the other hand, only 4 samples (18.2%) contained folic acid in which two samples (9.1%) were over-fortified while two (9.1%) were adequately fortified with folic acid.
Conclusion: Analysis from this study showed that Fe fortification in nutritional flour should not be used as a marker to reflect fortification of other micronutrients in the flour. Also, levels of micronutrient fortification with folic acid in flours is still lower from the standard specifications established. This study highlights that food fortification is still facing some challenges in country and needs to be quantified for solutions
Phone: +255 28 298 3384 Fax: +255 28 298 3386 Email: vc@bugando.ac.tz Website: www.bugando.ac.tz
--Pharmacy
Evaluation of folic acid and Iron components in fortified nutritional flour brands in Mwanza city, Tanzania. - Mwanza, Tanzania: Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences [CUHAS – Bugando] : ©27.04.2022 - x; 23 Pages Includes Refferences and Appendices
Abstract:
Background: Fortification of foods for human consumption is an important strategy in order to improve the nutritional quality of populations. This approach is based on the fact that it can reach large populations of people at risk without imparting any changes in their food consumption patterns. Micronutrient fortification of wheat, maize flours and cooking oil is mandatory in Tanzania since 2013. There is limited information in the country regarding the compliance of micronutrient fortification.
Methodology: An experimental based analytical study was conducted in two district to analyse quality of fortified nutritional flour. The study included samples from four (4) brands collected from supermarkets and analysed for folic acid (FA) and iron (Fe) using standard methods and procedure.
Results and Discussion: The study revealed that all the flour samples complied with the iron fortification. On the other hand, only 4 samples (18.2%) contained folic acid in which two samples (9.1%) were over-fortified while two (9.1%) were adequately fortified with folic acid.
Conclusion: Analysis from this study showed that Fe fortification in nutritional flour should not be used as a marker to reflect fortification of other micronutrients in the flour. Also, levels of micronutrient fortification with folic acid in flours is still lower from the standard specifications established. This study highlights that food fortification is still facing some challenges in country and needs to be quantified for solutions
Phone: +255 28 298 3384 Fax: +255 28 298 3386 Email: vc@bugando.ac.tz Website: www.bugando.ac.tz
--Pharmacy