Non-fortified food products to be phased out

Commonly consumed food products that are not fortified with micronutrients will be phased out as mandated by Republic Act 8976 or the Food Fortification Act of 2000, the Department of Health (DOH) said yesterday.

Health Secretary Manuel Dayrit said RA 8976 should have been fully implemented last Nov. 7, four years after it was passed into law.

"Its full implementation will greatly contribute to the government’s efforts to eliminate malnutrition in the country as it will give essential nutrients to everyday food like flour, rice, sugar and salt," he said.

Dayrit, however, could not say when the phaseout process will start.

RA 8976 was passed after the Food and Nutrition Research Institute released a study showing that many Filipino children suffer from "hidden hunger" or micronutrient malnutrition.

The study found out that in every 10 Filipino children, four are deficient in vitamin A, three are anemic due to iron deficiency, and three lack iodine in their diet.

Children below six years and women of reproductive age are among the "hardest hit groups."

"The problem of malnutrition in the country has been increasing despite the government’s continuous efforts. This can be traced to the lack of micronutrient intake in our regular diet," Dayrit said.

RA 8976 makes it mandatory for rice to be fortified with iron, wheat flour with vitamin A and iron, refined sugar and cooking oil with vitamin A, and "other staple foods with nutrients as may later be required" by the National Nutrition Council (NNC).

"Imported rice, wheat flour, refined sugar, cooking oil and other processed foods or food products that may be identified later by the NNC shall comply with the requirements of this act on entry in the country, at the end of the manufacturing process and/or at all points of sale or distribution," the law stated.

Another law, Republic Act 8172, requires that salt be fortified with iodine.

The DOH is hopeful that the food fortification scheme will provide essential micronutrients Filipinos need in their daily diet.

Through the Bureau of Food and Drugs, the DOH is mandated to penalize establishments violating RA 8976 and RA 8172 by denying their application to register processed food and food products, recall their products from the market, and imposing fines.

"We must persevere to attain excellence and strengthen our efforts to eliminate micronutrient malnutrition in the country. And the only way we can achieve success is through a working and solid partnership with the private sector," Dayrit said.