PETALING JAYA: Manufacturers will have to start fortifying wheat flour with nutrients to better protect Malaysian women and unborn infants, says Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin.

       This comes as the Cabinet approved a proposal by the Health Ministry last Wednesday (April 20) to make it mandatory for manufacturers to add folic acid and iron into their 25kg wheat flour packages.

       "The proposal will ensure that the level of iron and folic acid in wheat flour is in line with the proposal by the World Health Organisation (WHO)," the Health Minister said in a statement on Tuesday (April 26).

       He noted the proposal, once implemented following amendments to the Food Regulations 1985, will see 6.0 miligram (mg) of iron and 260 microgram (μg) added in every 100 grams of wheat flour.

       "At the moment, both nutrients are not added to the 25kg packages.

       "Both nutrients are only included in the 1kg wheat flour packages voluntarily and are lower than the proposed levels," he added.

       Khairy said the move to fortify wheat flour with the two nutrients is aimed at preventing disabilities among unborn infants such as Neural Tube Defect (NTD) and anemia among child bearing mothers.

       "Based on the National Health and Morbidity Study 2019, one out of five (21.3%) Malaysians suffer from anemia.

       "More specifically, three out of 10 (29.9%) women between the productive ages of 15 and 49, suffer from anemia," he said.

       He noted that anemia would result in premature births and affect the mental, physical and cognitive development of an infant.

       He added that NTD was a condition that affects the cranial, brain and spinal development of an unborn infant.

       "This will result in further problems such as higher patient management and rehabilitation costs," he said, noting that NTD could also result in death.

       Khairy said the mandatory inclusion of the nutrients in the 25kg wheat flour packages would also improve the quality of food produced by the small and medium enterprises (SME).

       "This will improve the nutrient quality of food produced by the SME such as bread, wet mee, roti canai and cakes, which would provide Malaysians better access to more nutritious food in the market," he added.

       Khairy said that the ministry will engage the relevant industry stakeholders on the matter including ensuring that the implementation of the proposal would not burden the rakyat in terms of cost.