EAC countries agree on uniform food processing standards
Aug 10, 2011
<b>-Uganda loses sh737b due to malnutrition<br>-EAC discussing draft</b><br>The East African Community (EAC) member countries will harmonise food fortification standards to reduce the increasing nutritional deficiencies among the population across the region.
By Pascal Kwesiga and Bashir Kibuuka
-Uganda loses sh737b due to malnutrition
-EAC discussing draft
The East African Community (EAC) member countries will harmonise food fortification standards to reduce the increasing nutritional deficiencies among the population across the region.
Food fortification involves adding of nutrients to foodstuffs, especially essential vitamins and minerals, during processing.
Uganda loses about sh737.8b worth of productivity annually due to the effects of stunted growth in children, iodine and iron deficiency disorders, according to a recent report by the Uganda National Academy of Science.
The report also said the country loses 4% of its gross domestic product each year because of malnutrition.
It noted that harmonising food fortification standards would boost free trade in fortified food products like maize and wheat flour, edible oil, sugar and salt across the EAC five member countries.
Uganda started fortifying staple foods, mainly cooking oil, maize and wheat flour with vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, folic acid and minerals, iron and zinc, in 2003.
The region will start using uniform fortified foods standards after adopting the proposed EAC draft standards that were suggested by the five countries.
The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) and the health ministry recently met with local food processors in Kampala to study the proposed draft standards.
Similar discussions on the regional draft standards are underway in all the EAC states.
UNBS executive director Dr. Terry Kahuma said applying uniform standards on fortified foods would reduce malnutrition in the region.
Patricia Ejalu, the UNBS standards manager, urged the food processors to adhere to the local standards as they wait for the regional standards to be enacted.
-Uganda loses sh737b due to malnutrition
-EAC discussing draft
The East African Community (EAC) member countries will harmonise food fortification standards to reduce the increasing nutritional deficiencies among the population across the region.
Food fortification involves adding of nutrients to foodstuffs, especially essential vitamins and minerals, during processing.
Uganda loses about sh737.8b worth of productivity annually due to the effects of stunted growth in children, iodine and iron deficiency disorders, according to a recent report by the Uganda National Academy of Science.
The report also said the country loses 4% of its gross domestic product each year because of malnutrition.
It noted that harmonising food fortification standards would boost free trade in fortified food products like maize and wheat flour, edible oil, sugar and salt across the EAC five member countries.
Uganda started fortifying staple foods, mainly cooking oil, maize and wheat flour with vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, folic acid and minerals, iron and zinc, in 2003.
The region will start using uniform fortified foods standards after adopting the proposed EAC draft standards that were suggested by the five countries.
The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) and the health ministry recently met with local food processors in Kampala to study the proposed draft standards.
Similar discussions on the regional draft standards are underway in all the EAC states.
UNBS executive director Dr. Terry Kahuma said applying uniform standards on fortified foods would reduce malnutrition in the region.
Patricia Ejalu, the UNBS standards manager, urged the food processors to adhere to the local standards as they wait for the regional standards to be enacted.