Assessing the Fortification Quality of Refined Vegetable Oil with Vitamin A, Wheat Flour with Iron, and Salt with Iodine: Findings from a Market Assessment in Senegal, West Africa.

BACKGROUND

Mandatory fortification (MF) of wheat flour (WF) with iron/folic acid, refined edible oil with vitamin A (VA), and salt with iodine is implemented to address micronutrient deficiencies in Senegal. The effectiveness of fortification depends on food vehicles meeting fortification standards (FS).

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study is to assess iron, VA, and iodine content of WF, oil, and salt, respectively, and compare them with FS.

METHODS

A cross-sectional market survey was conducted in the Dakar region and the neighboring city of Thiès. Samples of all available brands of WF, oil, and salt in the scope of MF were collected at 25 sampling sites. Qualitative tests were conducted, and positive samples were pooled by brand and type, and then analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometry (iron), iCheck Chroma3 (VA), and titration (iodine). Micronutrient content of food vehicles was compared with FS.

RESULTS

Overall, 142 WF, 372 oil, and 140 salt samples were collected from 27, 69, and 31 brands, respectively. The qualitative results showed that 26.8% of WF, 44.6% of oil, and 23.6% of salt were not fortified. After quantitative analysis, 51.4% of WF, 17.3% of oil, and 16.3% of salt were found fortified below the standard minimum. The positive brand composite samples had the following median contents of iron, VA, and iodine: 17.5, 10.8, and 33.3 mg/kg, in WF, oil, and salt, respectively, and which were below, around, and above the minimum value of the corresponding standards, respectively. Disparities were observed by the origin of production, between domestic producers, and by type of food vehicle.

CONCLUSIONS

Fortification quality gaps remain an issue in Senegal, and further action is needed to comply with FS and to realize the potential of food fortification for public health.