Food fortification is being widely practiced in developing countries as a means to combat micronutrient deficiencies. Staple foods are targeted especially as vehicles for fortification, because they have the greatest potential to reach the populations most vulnerable to micronutrient deficiencies. The following tables provide a summary of staple food fortification activities, both mandatory and voluntary, occurring in developing countries. Foods included in the tables are cereal flours, including wheat flour, maize flour/meal, millet flour; cooking oils/margarine and table margarine or spread; liquid and dried milk forms; and sugar.

It should be noted, however, that the fortification of non-staple foods and iodization of salt, both of which are commonly practiced in developing countries, have not been included in these tables as the focus of this compilation is on foods and micronutrients of greatest public health importance.

The tables include all developing countries for which relevant data are available. Food fortification activities are categorized by country within each region. Products that are fortified under mandatory fortification laws are identified in bold and the title and date of regulation is noted wherever such information is available to the authors; all other products are fortified on a voluntary basis. The nutrients and levels added are also provided, with levels that are not specified in the regulation or unknown to the authors indicated as "XX."

The information provided here represents the best of the authors' knowledge as of November 1999. However, fortification practice may be changing constantly with new fortified staple foods added to the food supply in developing countries. Additionally, other ongoing fortification activities, either mandatory or voluntary, may have been missed. Such omissions are due to the unavailability of information to the authors and are in no way intentional. Therefore, this table should be considered a work in progress, and readers who have more current and/or accurate information are encouraged to notify the authors.

The primary sources of information include the predecessor table "Mandatory Food Enrichment" in the 1/1996 Nutriview Supplement, the Roche/USAID Fortification Basics series, and OMNI/ USAID publications. Héctor Cori (Roche/Chile), Quentin Johnson (Quican Inc./Canada), Boon Hwa Lim (Roche/Singapore), Cheri Malanick (USAID/Washington), Haile Mehansho (Procter & Gamble/USA), José Mora (MOST Project/USA), and Heidi-Lee Robertson (Roche/South Africa) all contributed to this compilation.

Anna Winoto
Ritu Nalubola
FEBRUARY 2000

This work was made possible by support from the U.S. Agency for International Development under Cooperative Agreement HRN-A-00-98-00047-00 with the International Science and Technology Institute, Inc.