Joining the November 7 observance of National Food Fortification Day, Nestlé Philippines cited the urgency of tackling widespread malnutrition and reaffirmed its long-term commitment to do so, especially in addressing micronutrient deficiencies (MND) among young children aged zero to five years.

The country’s leading manufacturer of food and beverage products, Nestlé PH provided Filipinos with 25 billion fortified servings of its products in 2023, possibly the highest volume in the manufactured food sector. Among these are nutritional products for young children, consisting of infant cereals, baby food, and growing up milks.

Local micronutrient deficiencies. Apart from protein-energy undernutrition, one of the most common forms of malnutrition in the country is MND, with concerning effects on young children. A prevalent health problem caused by MND is iron deficiency anemia among Filipino children aged six months to under one year old, with an alarming incidence of 43.1 percent. This means that four out of 10 of the country’s children in that age group suffer from it. As the deficiency worsens, children become pale and weak, eat less, and tire easily. They have poor weight gain, and frequent respiratory and intestinal infections. Most worrisome is the link between iron deficiency and impaired behavioral, cognitive, and psychomotor development.

Other serious conditions among young Filipino children include iodine deficiency disorders and vitamin A deficiency (VAD). The World Health Organization (WHO) says iodine deficiency is the main cause of brain damage in childhood, impairing cognitive and motor development that affects school performance. As for VAD, globally, it is one of the most preventable causes of childhood blindness and associated with significant levels of illness and death from childhood infections. Dietary surveys also point to deficiencies of vitamins such as B complex and C, and necessary minerals like calcium and zinc.

Food fortification in tackling MND. The Food and Nutrition Research Institute or FNRI of the Department of Science and Technology recognizes the value of food fortification in fighting micronutrient deficiencies. Food fortification involves adding essential vitamins and minerals to commonly consumed foods to enhance their nutritional value and help prevent deficiencies in the population. An FNRI policy statement says it is feasible, cost-effective, and sustainable as a long-term solution. Food fortification has proven to be successful in reducing the number of health conditions due to MND.

Accordingly, the Philippine Food Fortification Act of 2000 mandates the fortification of staple foods and encourages voluntary fortification of processed foods, to address nutritional deficiencies and improve the overall health of Filipinos. The main vehicle for implementing this law is the Sangkap Pinoy program led by the Department of Health.
Role of fortified infant cereals. Providing young children aged six months to two years at home with all the nutrients they need, micronutrients included, can be a challenging task as it needs time, attention, and resources that may not be available. A fortified food product with the needed nutrients, convenient to prepare and feed to young children, is infant cereals.

According to Nestlé PH Nutrition Business Executive Officer Arlene Tan-Bantoto, a mother who has worked for over 20 years with Cerelac, the most popular infant cereals locally, the products’ main contribution is helping to tackle MND in young children through food fortification. “During the period which includes the crucial weaning stage, children need specific micronutrients to allow the substantial physical growth and weight gain that should be taking place. But MND can retard their development, with negative and serious health impacts for the rest of their lives. First, with MND widespread in the country, we are serious in our efforts to alleviate micronutrient deficiencies. Second, when we scientifically formulate Celerac, it’s to balance taste and nutrition delivery so that it’s accepted by moms and babies,” she said. Ms. Tan-Bantoto noted that these infant cereals are fortified with up to 20 vitamins and minerals as well as probiotics and DHA required for healthy child growth and development.

“There are micronutrients in infant cereals, like iron and DHA, that may naturally taste unpleasant and unpalatable. For this reason, our infant cereals recipes are carefully balanced to make taste and texture acceptance possible and achieve the purpose of food fortification. In doing so, limited amounts of sugar may be added to some of our infant cereals. When it comes to added sugars, the levels in our infant cereal products are well below the limits set by both international and local standards. Furthermore, we’re accelerating our efforts to give parents more no-added sugar options both internationally and in the country.

“In combination with our nutrition standards, scientific research and development unmatched in the global food industry, and state-of-the-art manufacturing, our infant cereals have served to help meet the micronutrient needs of young Filipino children for many years. We will continue to help parents and caregivers raise healthy infants based on science, adhering to global guidelines and local regulations, and prioritizing good nutrition and health for children,” she concluded.