Post-harvest food fortification

This solution was shared by Beatriz Neves , 11 April 2022

Print date: 20 March 2025 15:28

Description of the innovative solution

Biofortification Convenient processing Staple food Accountability mechanism Postharvest technology Big data Monitoring/Surveillance

Grains, such as corn, wheat, and rice -- known as staple grains -- are the foundation of diets in low-income communities in developing and emerging economies. During the milling process, staple grains are grinned and crushed and loose various nutrients essential to human health. A reliable source of micronutrients is required for optimal dietary requirements. This innovation proposes fortifying staple crops through IT- enabled micro-feeders for fortification directly during the milling process. This solution could enable families who bring their own grains for milling to have direct access to fortified micronutrients, and would further increase the nutrient density of local diets. In addition, the IT integration could enable real-time data and enhanced monitoring of fortification to ensure surveillance.

Primary users

Food processors
Foodtech companies
Agtech companies
Women
Low/Middle income households
Urban consumers
Peri-urban consumers
Rural consumers
Rural communities
Peri-urban communities
Urban communities
Natl. Govt - Ministries of Agriculture
Local government (municipalities)
Food safety & quality assurance agencies

Dietary impact

Micronutrient deficiencies have severe and far-reaching adverse effects on human health, including impaired physical and cognitive development, poor neonatal and maternal outcomes, and reduced work capacity. Food fortification could help restore the micronutrient content lost during processing and address inadequate micronutrient intake, especially in vulnerable communities. As this practice increases the content of one or more micronutrients (i.e., vitamins and minerals) in a staple food, it serves as a strategy to improve the nutritional quality of a common food supply.

Planetary impact

Food fortification does not require additional agricultural land or new infrastructure for staple crop production or distribution. This solution could use existing food processing and delivery systems, reaching populations with minimal external and ongoing investments. Using the existing food supply could generate a negligible amount of greenhouse gases while improving intakes of essential vitamins and minerals, maintaining the environmental impacts of the food system without increasing food production. Food fortification technologies present a low-impact opportunity to increase renewable and low-carbon energy sources (e.g. solar) while simultaneously improving nutrient intakes.

Equity impact

Post-harvest food fortification presents a cost-effective strategy both empowering local communities to continue traditional practices, with improved nutritious status. This innovation could reach large segments of populations through existing food delivery systems and does not require major changes to consumption patterns. Enabling production of fortified staple grains could lead to the reduction of the risks of micronutrient malnutrition, including the most vulnerable, and enhance resilience in the low-middle income communities.

Main concerns

To plan a realistic fortification program, it is crucial to understand the specific country, context, and setting's milling infrastructure and establish a cross-sectoral collaboration between local, municipal, civil society, and other stakeholders. For example, in the case of older mills, significant capital investment may be required to implement staple grain fortification. Other challenges might appear due to the lack of coordination among supply chain actors, lack of scalable technology solutions due to insufficient access to financial resources, and also poor access to the technical expertise needed to adopt improved technologies and scale local innovations. Thus, it is important to arrange an innovative, user-friendly, low-cost, low maintenance and environmentally friendly processing machinery for targeted beneficiaries, as in rural areas for example.

Supply chain segment

Processing and packaging Consumers

Maturity level

Moving to scale

Criteria

Food quality Food availability

SDG target

SDG 2: Zero Hunger SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being SDG 10: Reduced Inequality SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

Context

Urban Peri-urban Rural

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