?Nearly half of Kenya’s maize flour not fortified, study reveals

A plate of ugali and kale.

A new study by Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology indicates that nearly half of the maize millers in Kenya do not add essential minerals and vitamins to their flour products. The process, technically known as flour fortification or enrichment, is a legal requirement in Kenya. The country has prioritized fortification of salt, maize and wheat flour, as well as fats and oils.

According to the study findings, while all large scale millers were found to be fortifying, only 46 per cent of medium scale millers fortify their products. The situation was worse among small scale millers where just 24 per cent reported adding the mandatory micronutrients to the flours.