Compliance of fortified maize flour with Tanzania standard for small scale food processors in Morogoro and Dar es Salaam regions
Loading...
Date
2021
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Sokoine University of Agriculture
Abstract
Maize flour fortification was introduced in Tanzania in 2011 in order to address the risk of
micronutrients deficiency in children, adolescence and women of child bearing age. Most
of fortified maize flours are processed by small scale processors who are exempted from
mandatory fortification. They have been carrying out fortification for more than 3 years
and it is important to know whether fortification is carried out as per the recommended
standards or not. Therefore, the study aimed at assessing the compliance and stability of
fortified maize flour processed by small scale processor relative to the recommended
national standard (TZS 328:2018- EAS 768:2013), asses the challenges faced by small
scale processors to attain compliance and the extent of implementation of fortification
practices by small scale processors. A total of sixty-nine (69) samples of fortified maize
flour were collected at point of production and retail outlets of Ubungo district in Dar es
Salaam region and in Morogoro Municipality in Morogoro region. Micronutrients zinc
and iron were analyzed using Microwave Plasma-Atomic Emission Spectrometer and folic
acid was analyzed using High Performance Liquid Chromatography. There was a
significance variation (p˂0.05) in mean contents in samples collected from production
sites and that of retail outlets with production samples having higher mean contents than
retail outlet samples. The mean concentrations of iron, zinc and folic acid of samples
collected from production sites were 27.17±1.63 mg/kg, 30.56±2.01 mg/kg and 0.69±0.02
mg/kg respectively, while that of retail outlets were 19.34±0.97 mg/kg, 21.71±1.50 mg/kg
and 0.49±0.02 mg/kg for iron, zinc and folic acid respectively. Only 31.6% of the assessed
samples from production and 12.9% from retail outlets complied with the recommended
national standard. The stability of iron, zinc and folic acid for the fortified maize flour
stored at room temperature (20 -32 o C) for six months was 95.8% for iron, 96.9% for zinc
and 66.9% for folic acid. The main challenges identified by processors that hindered them
to attain compliance include; lack of training on fortification standard and awareness of
consumers on fortification. Further investigation on consistency performance of dosifier
and consistency of training of workers working in the processing unit on the requirements
of fortification standard should be done.
The extent of implementation of fortification practice (quality assurance and quality
control) by processors to attain compliance as assessed include; cleaning and sanitation,
personnel, written procedures or instructions on QA/QC, control of micronutrient premix,
control of flour fortification processes and control of fortified flour. It involved a
descriptive cross sectional study which was carried out in 38 small scale processing
facilities between December 2019 and January 2020 in Ubungo district in Dar es Salaam
region and Morogoro Municipality in Morogoro region. Results indicated that 26.3% of
the premix were kept open in production area close to milling machine where heat is
generated and only 68.4% of fortified maize flour were stored over the pallet.
Furthermore, it was observed that only 2.6% of processors had written instructions or
procedures that guide them during fortification process to ensure quality and only 13.2%
were able to conduct quality assessment to confirm the presence of micronutrients. It is
concluded that implementation of quality assurance and quality control practices by small
scale processors is not satisfactory. Strengthening of quality assurance and quality control
practices to small scale processors is recommended in order to ensure that the targeted
groups of people receive safe and quality fortified maize flour with adequate
micronutrients.
Description
Dissertation
Keywords
Fortified maize flour, Tanzania standard, Small scale food processors