Flour can be fortified with many vitamins and minerals such as thiamine, riboflavin, and niacin. Recent publications have focused on the scientific basis for fortifying flour with iron, folic acid, vitamin B12, vitamin A, and zinc. See links to those publications below.

Flour Fortification With Iron, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12, Vitamin A, and Zinc: Proceedings of the Second Technical Workshop on Wheat Flour Fortification – Food and Nutrition Bulletin supplement – March 2010

World Health Organization Consensus Statement Endorses Flour Fortification Guidelines (April 2009) - English
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Maize Fortification Studies

The type and quantity of vitamins and minerals to add to flour is decided by each country, and the chart below offers guidelines to help countries develop their standards. These recommendations are the result of nearly 100 leading nutrition, pharmaceutical and cereal scientists and milling experts from the public and private sectors from around the world meeting in 2008 to harmonize their advice for countries considering wheat and/or maize flour fortification. Click here for more information.

Average levels of nutrients to consider adding to fortified wheat flour based on extraction, fortificant compound, and estimated per capita flour availability. Please click on nutrient name to link to 2009 PPT presentation.

Nutrient	Flour Extraction Rate	Compound	Level of nutrient to be added in parts per million(ppm) by estimated per capita wheat flour availability (g/day)1
			<752 g/day	75-149 g/day	150-300 g/day	>3002 g/day
Iron	Low	NaFeEDTA Ferrous Sulfate Ferrous Fumarate Electrolyte Iron	40 60 60  NR3	40 60 60 NR3	20 30 30 60	15 20 20 40
	High	NaFeEDTA	40	40	20	15
Zinc4	Low	Zinc Oxide	95	55	40	30
	High	Zinc Oxide	100	100	80	70
Folic Acid	Low or High	Folic Acid	5.0	2.6	1.3	1.0
Vitamin B12	Low or High	Cyancobalamin	0.04	0.02	0.01	0.008
Vitamin A	Low or High	Vitamin A Palmitate	5.9	3	1.5	1

¹ These estimated levels consider only wheat flour as main fortification vehicle in a public health program. If other mass fortification programs with other food vehicles are implemented effectively, these suggested fortification levels may need to be adjusted downwards as needed.
² Estimated per capita consumption of <75 g/day does not allow for addition of sufficient level of fortificant to cover micronutrients needs for women of childbearing age. Fortification of additional food vehicles and other interventions should be considered.
³ NR = Not Recommended because the very high levels of electrolytic iron needed would negatively affect sensory properties of fortified flour.
⁴ These amounts of zinc fortification assume 5 mg zinc intake and no additional phytate intake from other dietary sources.

European Food Safety Authority Finds Ferric Sodium EDTA Safe for Food Fortification January 2010

Second Technical Workshop on Wheat Flour Fortification: Practical Recommendations for National Application
April 2008

Guidelines on Food Fortification with Micronutrients
English / Chinese
World Health Organization and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations 2006