Global Data Visualizations

The scope of a country’s mandatory fortification includes which specific types or subsets of food vehicles require mandatory fortification, whether requirements apply to domestically produced, imported and/or exported foods, and any variations in fortification requirements based on intended use of the food (household consumption, production of processed foods, animal feed, and/or donated food).

In the GFDx visualization, “Countries with mandatory or voluntary legislation status,” countries with legal documentation for mandatory food fortification are reflected as having mandatory fortification. However, mandatory fortification may not apply to all foods. This visualization specifies which types, origins, or uses for a particular food have been identified in legal documentation for fortification (fortification scope). For example, mandatory fortification may not apply to whole wheat flour or mandatory fortification applies to all salt for human consumption including salt for food processing.

Understanding fortification scope is important, as mandatory fortification should apply to the most widely consumed types, origins, or uses of the food vehicle – otherwise, coverage of a fortified food may be lower than optimal for improved nutrient intake. Fortification scope can be used to identify loopholes in food fortification, specify the foods that fall under regulatory monitoring, or provide useful examples of how countries exempted certain types, origins, or uses for specified purposes. For example, a common argument against mandatory fortification is the need for consumer choice in the selection of a food (if a consumer prefers a non-fortified food). If legislation scope allows limited, appropriate exceptions, then the majority of a food should still be fortified but enabling consumers to choose non-fortified types.

The types of fortification scope that GFDx has extracted out of a country’s legal documents are:

• Types: The food type categories are mutually exclusive. “All food types” means that all foods for human consumption are required to be fortified. “Only certain food types” means that only a subset of foods for human consumption are required to be fortified. If neither was expressly stipulated in a country’s foundational documents, then “all food types” was assumed.
• Origins: The categories under food origins and destinations are not mutually exclusive. “Domestically produced” means that foods produced in the country must be fortified. “Imports” means that foods imported into the country must be fortified. “Exports” means that foods exported from the country must be fortified. If none was expressed stipulated in a country’s foundational documents, then “domestically produced” and “imports” were assumed to apply.
• Uses: The food use categories are not mutually exclusive. “Household use” means that foods for use in a household must be fortified. “Processed food use” means that foods intended to be ingredients in industrially processed food must be fortified. “Animal feed” means that foods used to feed animals must be fortified. “Donated” means that donated foods (e.g. for social protection programs) must be fortified. If none was expressly stipulated in a country’s foundational documents, then “household use” and “processed food use” were assumed to apply. If the foundational documents stipulate that “edible food” must be fortified, then “animal feed” was also assumed to apply.
• Exceptions: Any specific exceptions to fortification as mentioned in legislation. Include any exceptions listed in legislation, such as food types, origins, use, or none of these categories. For example:
  • Foods for medical use or for consumers with contraindications to fortification
  • Non-industrially produced foods (including those produced in the home for personal use)
  • Foods used in processed foods in which there are technical or organoleptic barriers
  • Foods sold in areas without deficiency/need for fortification
  • Foods used to produce specific processed foods (reason not stated)
  • Unpackaged/branded/labelled foods

Follow these steps to download data from the visualization as an Excel or CSV file:

• Click on the “Data” tab at the bottom of the visualization window.
• Hover over the header row of the table until an ellipses (three dots […]) appears.
• Click on “more options” and a drop-down menu will appear. Select “Export data.”
• In the new window, select the export format that best supports your needs and click the “Export” button.

• If a country has not specifically stated the fortification scope for a food, GFDx has applied assumptions to the types, origins, or uses of a food that must be fortified, as indicated above.
• GFDx has only extracted fortification scope details for foods with mandatory fortification; not where foods are voluntarily fortified.

GFDx populates its database through a bi-annual survey, aiming to reach 196 countries. In between survey cycles, the GFDx database is updated when new information is received directly from fortification partners and/or national stakeholders. To share data for your country, please contact us at info@fortificationdata.org.

For more information about GFDx methodology and indicators: GFDx Data Dictionary.

• The source is the author, name and publication information of the country-specific document.
• Country classifications of income status and geographic region are from the World Bank and the United Nations, respectively.

WHO: Global database on the Implementation of Food and Nutrition Action (GIFNA).

Global Fortification Data Exchange. Table: Scope of mandatory fortification. Accessed dd/month/yyyy. [http://www.fortificationdata.org.]