The SADC Minimum Standards for Food Fortification apply to all SADC Member States, aiming to create a uniform approach to food fortification across the region. The standards have been developed in 2020 and are intended to support implementation up to 2025, in alignment with the SADC Food and Nutrition Security Strategy (2015 – 2025). The primary objective of the Standards is to ensure the availability of adequately fortified foods and facilitating intra-regional trade of these foods. The standards are intended to address micronutrient deficiencies of public health concern by providing clear guidelines on the mandatory fortification of staple foods. Key recommendations in the document also address quality assurance, monitoring, and enforcement activities. Additionally, it provides guidance on labeling and packaging as well as the use of the fortification logo. The purposes of these standards include: (i) to provide SADC Member States with mandatory prescripts for mass fortification of staple foods. This includes the specification of the minimum number of micronutrients and their target addition levels to staple foods and condiments; (ii) to facilitate the intra-regional trade and distribution of fortified foods among SADC Member States, ensuring compliance with the prescribed parameters in the standards; (iii) to significantly increase micronutrient intake across the population, particularly targeting deficiencies that are of public health concern. The guidelines help ensure that fortification efforts are safe and effective for all population groups, including children, women of childbearing age, and men; (iv) to support countries, especially those with low levels of industrial fortification, in increasing the coverage of fortified foods through clear and harmonized standards.
2020-01-01