Summary of Latest Developments - October 2010

Mandatory fortification is accepted as a major contemporary project of the Ministries of Health and Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Turkish Standards Institute, and Turkish Flour Industrialists’ Federation. The Turkish Standards Institute finalized the legal infrastructure to fortify wheat flour with iron in January 2010. The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural affairs passed legislation on June 11, 2010, with respect to the law of Veterinary Services, Plant Health, Food and Forage. This law will permit the implementation of fortification following European Union directives related to vital elements in food, including flour and bread.  This new rule is expected to be in place in December 2010 with a six-month transition period for the industries involved. These steps are seen as crucial progress toward flour fortification on a mandatory basis.

Overview of Progress Toward Fortification

Steps along the path toward mandatory flour fortification started in 1974 as health, nutrition and vitamin-mineral deficiency studies were conducted by local universities and the national government. The first documented workshop on fortification of bread was held in Turkey in 1992. In 1994, a "Program for the Elimination of Iodine Deficiency Disorders and Salt Iodization" was undertaken by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with UNICEF. This ongoing national program set the precedent for the type of program, partnership and policy needed for flour fortification in Turkey. In 2001, the Turkish Armed Forces undertook a trial to fortify bread within their food services. The first enriched bread/fortified flour product was launched by Doruk Milling/UNO in 2003.

The Ministry of Health submitted a proposal to GAIN in 2004 for support of the national flour fortification program which was subsequently rejected. This led Tim Burleigh, FFI Industry Liaison/National Action Support Coordinator, to begin an assessment and action stimulation mission in Turkey with facilitation and cooperation by UNICEF and Doruk. At an FFI Leadership Forum in London, Doruk Milling Company executives opted to join the FFI Leaders Group. Between 2004 and 2006, the Turkish Flour Millers Association became involved in the government Food Codex Commission subcommittee, which is responsible for developing standards for fortified flour and other staple foods in line with EU regulations and legal parameters. Strategy recommendations and reports from David McKee, resulting from two self-financed missions, in October 2005 and March 2006, including meetings with UNICEF, Istanbul and Ankara Municipal Baking Companies, Doruk /UNO, both national flour milling organizations, and Istanbul Technical University.

The inaugural IAOM Eurasia District Conference and Exhibition in Istanbul November 2006 provided an umbrella for conducting the first of several FFI Regional Leaders Group meetings planned in the FFI strategy. These events created an opportunity for Turkish stakeholders and partners to identify major remaining obstacles and possible solutions to mandatory national flour fortification.

The Turkish Flour Industrialists Federation (TUSAF) made the decision to feature flour fortification as the central theme of their biannual Congress in April 2007. This meeting secured broad, formal support of the Turkish milling industry for a mandatory approach to national scale flour fortification. The Congress converged with the global “Micronutrient Forum” which was held in Istanbul on April 17-18, 2007. This event spawned a “Turkey National Food Fortification Congress” side meeting, where DG Kose publicly reaffirmed leadership in a proposed national alliance for advancing mandatory flour fortification.

In January 24, 2008, a meeting was held between academicians in the Ministry of Health in order to create a scientific document for mandatory flour fortification. This meeting resulted in the following decision: “Mandatory flour fortification is needed in Turkey. It should start with iron first.” This decision for mandatory flour fortification is expected to be shared with the Ministry of Agriculture, with a subcommittee called to prepare a draft regulation. A round table meeting including all stakeholders concluded that Flour Fortification on a mandatory basis is a cost effective strategy to combat micronutrient deficiencies. There is still no definite agreement regarding folic acid fortification; current focus is on iron.

updated October 2010