Fortification of Vegetable oil and Sugar with Vitamin A in Uganda

VI. Recommendations and Conclusions
CHAPTER SIX
Uganda has made significant advances in fortification in recent years and is now poised to
accelerate the pace of progress. Ugandan vegetable oil is already fortified with vitamin A; initial
maize flour fortification efforts have begun; and the Government is now considering wheat flour
fortification. Sugar, considered in the past, also seems to be an appropriate vehicle for
fortification. This report focused on oil and sugar fortification as vitamin A sources.
A. Nutritional Significance
After reviewing the current consumption pattern of oil, a second food vehicle is necessary to
complement vitamin A intakes being provided by fortified oil. The most suitable candidate is
sugar, in terms of coverage and additional vitamin A intake. In Uganda, fortification formulas of
both wheat and maize flour contain vitamin A, and the level should be adjusted to complement
the amounts provided by oil and, expectantly, sugar.
Table 6.1 summarizes the nutritional significance of oil and sugar fortified with vitamin A.
Estimations were also made using the ECSA fortification guidelines—a level of 10 mg/kg
instead of the current 15 mg/kg, as stipulated in the Ugandan sugar fortification standard.
Parameter
Table 6.1
Nutritional Significance of Oil and Sugar Fortification in Uganda
Oil
Uganda Formula
Sugar
ECSA Formula
Average vitamin A
level at fortification
35 mg/kg 15 mg/kg 10 mg/kg
Estimated vitamin A
level at households
20 mg/kg 7.5 mg/kg 5 mg/kg
Daily food intake by
consumers
15 g/day 34 g/day 34 g/day
Additional intake of
vitamin A
300 µg/day 255 µg/day 170 µg/day
Additional proportion
of the requirement 14 60 % 51 % 34 %
Proportion of
consumers in 2003
57 % 65 % 65%
Number of
individuals reached 15 16.3 million 18.6 million 18.6 million
14 Assuming that the “population” Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) is 500 µg/day.
15 Assuming a population of 29 million persons.
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