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“Fortified foods are completely safe for consumers and the benefits are enormous,” says Dr Parirenyatwa.

Government, through Statutory Instrument 120 of 2017, recently made it mandatory for cooking oil, sugar, maize-meal and flour producers to fortify their products with effect from July 1, 2017. Some producers have indicated a readiness to comply with the new law, others have begun fortifying while some sectors of industry are opposed to the new policy because of its cost implications.
The Herald’s Senior Health Reporter Paidamoyo Chipunza (PC) spoke to Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa (DP) on the importance of food fortification and the concerns from industry.

PC: Perhaps let’s start from the beginning. What is food fortification?

DP: Fortification is adding vitamins and minerals to foods to prevent nutrient deficiencies in the body. Food fortification offers a number of advantages.

It requires neither changes in existing food patterns nor individual compliance. It is also cost effective, especially if advantage can be taken of existing technology and delivery platforms.

Multi-micronutrient fortified foods are also better at lowering the risk of the multiple deficiencies that can result from the several deficits in the food supply or a poor quality diet. Several micronutrients are added without adding substantially to the total cost of the food product at the point of manufacture.

PC: Why fortification now and what are its effects on health?

DP: Food fortification is a public health strategy which has been proven to be very effective in reducing micronutrient deficiencies. As already highlighted, diets in Zimbabwe lack various micronutrients such as Vitamin A, iron and folate, therefore exposing the population at risk of diseases caused by deficiencies of these nutrients in the body.

A lack of micronutrients has an enormous impact on the health of the population particularly women and children.

Micronutrient deficiency disorders (MNDs) have many adverse effects on human health, not all of which are clinically evident.

Even moderate levels of deficiency can have serious detrimental effects on the functioning of the human body, along with profound implications for economic development and productivity, particularly in terms of potentially huge public health costs and the loss of human capital.

The control of micronutrient deficiency disorders is an essential part of the overall effort to fight hunger and malnutrition. Food-based strategies, namely dietary diversification and food fortification along with public health measures, nutrition education and supplementation are proven evidence-based approaches to address the situation.

Food fortification will prevent diseases such as anaemia, birth defects of the brain and spine, strengthen immune systems and improve productivity and cognitive development.

PC: How different is fortification from genetically modified foods, sometimes called GMOs?

DP: Genetically modified foods are derived from organisms whose genetic material, their DNA, has been modified in a way that does not occur naturally, for example, through the introduction of a gene from a different organism.

Food fortification, on the other hand, does not involve manipulation or introduction of a gene from a different organism. The process of food fortification involves physical addition of the micronutrient, the same way you will add sugar or salt to a food product, except that this is done industrially to increase the nutrient content of the food.

PC: People are worried about over-processed foods some of which are alleged to cause cancers. Will fortification not compound already existing fears?

DP: Fortified foods are completely safe for consumers and the benefits are enormous. Food fortification does not make the food potentially carcinogenic but has a potential to prevent some cancers.

As you are aware, some important micronutrients that could potentially fight cancers are lost during food processing. The micronutrients or antioxidants added to the food during fortification should contribute to fighting against some of the cancers.

The amount of vitamins and minerals added to the specific food is usually set at a proportion of the individual’s daily requirement and is usually less than one third of the total recommended dietary allowance.

Fortification is always strictly monitored by implementing stringent quality control measures to ensure there is no excessive intake of a specific vitamin or mineral.

PC: How are you going to balance fortification with price increases considering that industry is saying this will incur extra costs?

DP: The cost of food fortification is miniscule ranging from $3,50- $4,50 per metric tonne, which translates to just about 5c per 10kg bag of mealie meal. So it really is a minimal amount.

PC: What has been the response from industry in terms of compliance with this new law?

DP: Most of the manufacturers have responded positively and are ready to comply since there had been extensive consultation with the Ministry of Health and Child Care.

PC: How will Government monitor compliance of industry with the new legislation?

DP: Our Environmental Health Department will be monitoring compliance by industry at manufacturing level through routine inspections. They will also be doing routine collection and analysis of food samples on the market. Our port health officials will also be monitoring for compliance at all entry points.

PC: How wide were your consultations? We hear there are objections by sections of industry who say they were not consulted before the Statutory Instrument was introduced?

DP: Government conducted wide consultations before coming up with the Statutory Instrument. We held several quarterly meetings to which industry was invited and participated. They also participated in the development of the food fortification standards, strategy and the logo. Industry also participated in regional capacity building workshops that the ministry attended on food fortification and even on the launch, we had representatives from all sectors of industry.

PC: When is this coming into effect? Are there penalties for those who choose to defy the Statutory Instrument on food fortification?

DP: Come July 1, 2017, food fortification for cooking oil, sugar, mealie meal and flour becomes compulsory, failure of which industries risk paying a fine or imprisonment in line with the Statutory Instrument. However, Government is sincere with small to medium enterprises who are not yet ready for fortification and have put in place measures to apply for a waiver through the Permanent Secretary for Health and Child Care.