KENYA – Sanku, a global leader in micronutrient fortification, has boosted JKUAT’s EU-Funded Food Fortification Project with a small-scale dosifier unit, to help it in its efforts to educate small-scale millers about fortification.
Due mostly to a starchy diet deficient in vitamins and minerals, over 243 million Africans are undernourished.
The majority of maize flour consumed in Africa is produced by local millers, who account for over 90% of production.
Until recently, however, they were unable to fortify their flours with the vital elements iron, B12, zinc, and folic acid, unlike most industrial millers.
To promote a balanced diet, the Sanku Dosifier permits the “dosing” of flour with precise nutrient ratios.
The business has so far equipped more than 300 flour mills in East Africa and intends to build 15,000 more by 2025 to serve over 100 million people.
Prof. Daniel Sila, Coordinator of the JKUAT-EU-funded food fortification project, recognized that some small- and medium-sized millers lack the equipment or skills necessary to carry out fortification.
He claimed that the facility will be helpful in enhancing the capacity of nearby small-scale farmers so that they can contribute to assuring fortification compliance.
“Fortification is a costly process and I want to acknowledge Sanku’s effort in ensuring the small-scale millers produce quality fortified flour. We will use the Dosifier unit to do demonstrations of the fortification process from beginning to the end to the small-scale miller who visits our lab,” said Prof. Sila.
When weight losses are recognized in flour, the gadget injects nutritious premix into the flour. It is a totally automated, user-focused device that makes the highest level of efficiency possible.
Despite the fact that large-scale fortification projects have minimal impact in Africa, Sanku Chief Executive Officer Felix Brooks acknowledged that food fortification is widespread in developed nations.
Prof. Jackson Kwanza, the Deputy Vice Chancellor for Research, Production, and Extension at JKUAT, thanked Sanku for the donation and gave them the assurance that the university would use the Dosifier to strengthen and equip the community’s millers as part of the EU-funded Food Fortification Project.
“Every single one of the devices installed is connected to a centralized dashboard through a cellular link, allowing Sanku to monitor the real-time data generated. We always make sure that the dosifiers are functioning correctly ensuring that millers always have the tools that they need to fortify their flour,” said Mr. Brooks.
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