Tag: Mandatory fortification

According to the World Health Organization, more than two billion people globally suffer from micronutrient deficiencies, often called "hidden hunger". Mandatory fortification is a public health strategy designed to combat this widespread problem by legally requiring food producers to add essential vitamins and minerals to commonly consumed food products. This process aims to improve the nutritional status of entire populations, especially vulnerable groups, without requiring them to change their eating habits.

Over 80 countries worldwide have implemented mandatory fortification of wheat flour, a process that adds essential nutrients to a staple food to improve public health. So, what is the mandatory fortification of bread? It is the governmental requirement for millers to add specific vitamins and minerals to non-wholemeal flour used for bread-making to address widespread nutritional deficiencies.

Over 80 countries worldwide have implemented mandatory or voluntary programs to fortify flour with folic acid. Understanding **which countries fortify flour with folic acid** is key to grasping this widespread public health initiative and its significant impact on reducing birth defects.

According to the World Health Organization, fortification of staple foods is one of the most cost-effective and beneficial public health measures available, with evidence showing dramatic reductions in diseases like goiter and rickets. Yet, the question of whether food fortification is ethical is a complex one, pitting population-level health gains against individual autonomy and potential risks for certain groups.