Mauritius Mandates Wheat Flour Fortification to Combat Micronutrient Deficiencies

*Photo: Woman at a market in Mauritius. (Nicola Rinaldi)*

Advancing food fortification in Mauritius

Recognizing the high prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies, particularly iron deficiency anemia, Mauritius embarked on a journey to fortify wheat flour in 2018. In 2023, Mauritius passed mandatory legislation for the fortification of wheat flour, a testament to the collaborative efforts of the Government of Mauritius, FFI, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

FFI, alongside FAO and SADC, provided Mauritius with crucial technical assistance to establish a robust fortification program. Key accomplishments included the completion of a landscape analysis to assess the feasibility of wheat flour fortification, a cost-benefit analysis demonstrating the program's economic viability, a costed implementation plan for fortification, revision of food safety regulations to accommodate fortification, development of a national standard for fortified wheat flour, and contribution to a comprehensive national fortification strategy (2023-2028) outlining implementation, financing, monitoring, and evaluation plans.

With these essential elements in place, Mauritius made significant progress in 2023. The wheat flour fortification standards were finalized and gazetted, and mandatory fortification regulations received approval from the World Trade Organization.

As Mauritius implements the legislation, FFI will continue to provide technical assistance to officially launch the fortification program, build industry capacity for quality assurance and control, equip government regulators to monitor compliance, and provide tools to raise public awareness about the benefits of fortified wheat flour.

The successful passage of mandatory wheat flour fortification legislation represents a major public health victory for Mauritius. By ensuring access to essential micronutrients through a widely consumed staple food, this program has the potential to significantly improve the health and well-being of the Mauritian population, particularly women and children. Expected benefits include a reduction in neural tube defects and anemia rates, leading to enhanced overall health, increased productivity, and decreased healthcare costs for the nation.