Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.
been proposed that this be done by merely adding a powdered premix to the rice. Experience has shown that a powdered premix adheres to the surface of the rice grains surprisingly well under mechanical shaking as in transport of rice. However, maintenance of proper distribution of the premix in packaged rice must be fully assured by commercial experience. All protests filed with the Food and Drug Administration on the standards for en- riched rice proposed in December 195634 and revised in August 195734 have been reviewed and an order was issued38 which took effect February 27, 1958, with certain corrections of wording and staying the effectiveness of the riboflavin requirement. It remains to be seen how extensively and effectively rice enrichment will be carried out throughout the United States under these provisions. Federal Standards for Enriched Rice, Effective February 27, 1958 Amounts per pound Minimum Maximum Thiamine 2.0 mg. 4.0 mg. Niacin (or niacinamide) 16.0mg. 32.0mg. Iron 13.0 mg. 26.0 mg. Riboflavin9 1.2 mg. 2.4 mg. Calcium (optional) 500.0 mg. 750.0 mg. Vitamin D (optional) 250 USP 1000 USP units units 0 The requirement for riboflavin has been stayed. A public hearing will be held on the issue of whether the standard of identity shall include riboflavin as a required ingredient of enriched ENRICHMENT IN OTHER COUNTRIES While the responsibilities of the Food and Nutrition Board are limited to the United States, the indirect interest of its members as well as that of American millers extends throughout the world. Hence a brief account of the extension of food en- richment to other lands is in order. Cereal Enrichment in Latin America Cereal enrichment in Latin America is in general handicapped by some of the same factors as in Asia, namely, the lack of data on incidence of deficiency diseases, indiffer- ence of governments to public health prob- lems unless they are politically weighted, and shortage of dollars with which to buy vitamins. In addition to these, there are many com- plexities arising from the fact that the staple cereal is sometimes wheat, sometimes rice, sometimes corn, or even some other starchy product such as cassava. In some areas all these products are found side by side in the markets, each preferred by some ele- ment of the population. In general, Latin Americans do not use cereals in the same high proportions as do rice-eating Asians. "Federal Register 22: 6887, 6993 (1957) "Federal Register 23: 1170 (1958) Nevertheless, the total consumption of re- fined cereals, i.e., white flour, white rice, and cassava, represents a substantial part of the total diet. The situation is made more critical by a rather large consumption of corn which by nature is low in niacin and tryptophan. A tremendous nutritional ad- vantage, much greater than that achieved in the United States, would therefore result from appropriate enrichment. The Indian populations of Central Amer- ica and the Pacific and Andean areas largely use corn as their staple grain. Corn is, however, produced mainly in small patches and processed in the home. There is a mini- mal industrial production of corn, hence factory-type enrichment does not apply. Home enrichment is out of the question. There is a relative absence of pellagra in Guatemala and Mexico in spite of a very high corn consumption. Until the scientific basis for this situation is understood, sound advice cannot be given regarding improve- ment of the nutritional quality of the grain supply for these countries. A limited amount of tortilla flour is being factory produced on the outskirts of Mexico City and enrich- ment of this is contemplated. Perhaps this 12
practice will be extended for the benefit of city dwellers in the future. White flour in the form of bread and white rice as the boiled grain are common- ly used by Spanish-speaking Latin Ameri- cans. In general, white bread is used more widely than white rice. In Chile and in northern Brazil, little rice is consumed. In the lowlands of Colombia and of Ecuador and in the southern part of Sao Paulo, Brazil, rice outranks white bread in im- portance. The statistics of production versus import of both these products are extremely vari- able from country to country. Ecuador and Honduras, for example, produce a surplus of rice; all other Latin American countries import at least a portion of their supply. Most Latin American countries produce some wheat, sometimes at fabulous costs âas in upland Colombia. Some additional supplies are imported, partly as wheat to be milled locally, partly as flour for im- mediate sale to homes and bakeries. Because of these complexities, any pro- posed cereal enrichment laws must take into account enforcement both in local mills and at ports of entry. Often there are also conflicts of interest between local producers and importers. There are problems enough to deal with when only a single cereal is concerned and when it is all of domestic origin, as in the Philippines. One can imag- ine the difficulties when both rice and wheat are involved and when part of each is imported, some in rough form, some in finished form. This is often the situation in the Latin American scene. For Latin America it is simpler to enrich flour than rice. Enrichment of flour is less expensive because protection against wash- ing loss is not necessary. Since all North American millers enrich their flour, the Latin American buyer can get it simply by ordering it wherever flour importation is economically in order. In contrast to the flour millers, the North American rice mill- ers have been persistently reluctant to enrich; the Latin American buyer must demand enriched rice. A genuine popdlar demand for enriched rice in Latin America may ultimately prevail, but at present the Latin American buyer must have strong convictions and be prepared to fight for them. In view of the current situation, there is no immediate prospect of general rice enrichment in any Latin American country. However, with respect to white flour the prospect is much better. Chile, which con- sumes mainly wheat, long since took the lead in this under the guidance of Chilean statesmen and public health workers. Leg- islation following U. S. standards took effect January 1, 1954 and, according to latest information, is proceeding quite successful- lyâthis in spite of dollar shortage problems under which Chile suffers. Enrichment of both domestic and im- ported flour is required by law in San Salvador, and similar legislation is under active consideration in Guatemala, Hon- duras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. The law proposed in Panama also covers rice. Flour legislation has been discussed in Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia, and Peru, but at present action seems remote. In Venezuela, all flour is imported from the United States. There is no dollar shortage and the government has lush reserves of oil royalties. Flour and rice enrichment have both been discussed for three or four years without definite action. In Brazil, the State of Sao Paulo has long been eager for flour enrichment and has an interest in rice enrichment as well. Dollar shortage problems and want of sympathy on the part of the National Government at Rio de Janeiro have delayed effective decision. The idea of enrichment of rice and flour has been planted widely throughout Latin America and may grow to major propor- tions in future years. Rice Improvement in Puerto Rico On the insistence of a shrewd and civic- minded governor and supported by the work of Dr. Lydia Roberts, the Puerto Rico 13
legislature adopted compulsory rice forti- fication in May 1951. Many United States rice millers protested, but Puerto Rico en- forced the law without the slightest diffi- culty110. U. S. standards for enriched cereals are followed except that riboflavin is omitted. All Puerto Ricans have been getting for- tified rice for the past five years. The result was accomplished so quietly that most Puerto Ricans are not even aware that their health is protected by a different form of rice. Since the per capita consumption is about 140 pounds of rice per year, the vita- min and iron contribution from fortification is substantial. However, Puerto Rico's problem was quite simple because all the rice used is imported. Furthermore, all the rice imported by Puerto Rico comes from the United States and passes in interstate commerce and is therefore subject to the jurisdiction of the United States Food and Drug Administration. Falsely labeled rice is subject to seizure enroute. Hence routine inspection at the ports of entry is all that is required of Puerto Rican authorities. Enrichment in Cuba Great efforts have been made during the last eight years by the Fundacion de Inves- tigaciones Medicas, Havana, to educate the people to demand enriched rice. Much of this educational endeavor has been futile because it has not been possible to maintain even token quantities of enriched rice con- tinuously on the Cuban market. One cannot effectively teach people to use a given prod- uct unless they can buy it in a nearby market. Compulsory enrichment laws for flour and rice have been framed and even passed by the legislative body, but the presidential signature approving the measures was not obtained. Cubans eat on an average 80 pounds of white flour and 120 pounds of white rice per year. With so much refined cereal in the Cuban diet, enrichment is imperative. " Lydia J. Roberts. Enriched rice for Puerto Rico. " T. Moran and J. C. Drummond. Nature 146: 117 Food Enrichment in Europe In France, food enrichment is substan- tially prohibited by the restriction of the sale of fortified foods to pharmacies. Swit- zerland, Holland, Belgium, Italy, and some others permit the addition of vitamins to foods at levels approved by the govern- ments. Claims for beneficial effects must have prior approval of local health authori- ties. Actual practice of food fortification under these circumstances is negligible except perhaps as a token of further recon- sideration. Germany has no compulsory food forti- fication. Most margarine is fortified, but only negligible amounts of flour are en- riched. The sale of vitaminized foods is permitted by regulation dating from 1942, but the practice is limited except with respect to margarine. Scandinavian Food Enrichment Programs The Scandinavian countries have wel- comed the food fortification principle. Den- mark leads in this, requiring fortification of all white flour in a manner resembling that prevailing in the United States. Niacin is not required, but calcium is. Riboflavin levels are about twice as high as those in the United States. Denmark also requires the fortification of margarine with 20 I. U. of vitamin A and 0.5 I. U. of vitamin D per gram, levels similar to those in the United States. In Sweden, neither flour nor margarine fortification is required by law. However, it is followed voluntarily in the major part of the production of flour and of substan- tially all the margarine. Vitamins A and D are added to margarine. Norway requires a similar fortification of margarine, but flour enrichment is little practiced. British Policy on Nutritional improvement of Staple Foods Great Britain has been the scene of exten- sive debate on the principle of food forti- fication. As early as July 194037 the British Government decided to fortify all flour and Rice Journal S4(8):9 (1951) (1940) 14
bread with thiamine but never actually car- ried it out for the major part of the pro- duction. Because of war conditions, British thiamine production was delayed and has not yet risen to substantial levels. Incidents in Parliament gave rise to the suspicion that vitamin manufacturers were destined to reap inordinate profits. Nutritional leaders favored the milling of long extraction flour, a practice disliked by the millers and there- fore unsuccessful until it was made com- pulsory in April 1943. The addition of 7 ounces of calcium carbonate per 280-pound sack of 80 to 85 per cent extraction flour was required. The production and use of this type of flour was maintained by gov- ernment subsidy until September 29, 1956. Since August 1953 white flours have been permitted, but for such flours an addition of 1.65 milligrams of iron, 0.24 milligram of thiamine, and 1.60 milligrams of nicotinic acid per 100 grams of flour, as well as 14 ounces of calcium carbonate per 280-pound sack, is required by law. Such flours do not enjoy government subsidy and sell at a higher price. As a consequence, they rep- resent only a small volume in comparison with the long extraction "National Flour". Since 1954, fortification of all margarine with vitamins A and D is required. The early decision of British food author- ities to encourage long extraction flour seems to have been justified by the threat- ened submarine blockade. Great Britain needed to maintain substantial food stocks in its island fortress, and the cereal could be shipped and stored more economically as grain. Grist was needed for the existing British mills to aid in conserving foreign exchange. The mill byproducts were needed as cattle feed. Furthermore, the people, with their backs to the wall, could be per- suaded to lay aside their preference for white flour as a means of saving their country. The continuation of this policy in the postwar period may also have been justifiable as an economic measure to con- serve foreign exchange. Since the war closed, there has been agitation by the milling and baking indus- tries of Great Britain for abandonment of the subsidy on the national long extraction flour and encouragement of artificial en- richment in its place. As a result of the Cohen Report38, this action was taken on September 29, 1956. The levels of enrich- ment have not been changed, and it is reported that enrichment has been widely adopted in commercial practice. Enrichment in Canada After the commencement of the enrich- ment program in the United States, Cana- dian millers and bakers realized the oppor- tunity it provided for making flour and bread reliable sources of the B vitamins and thereby perhaps helping to arrest the down- ward trend of bread consumption. At a conference of millers, bakers, nutritionists, and government officials, called in July 1941 to discuss a program of flour and bread improvement, the Department of Pensions and National Health expressed strong oppo- sition to fortification of flour and favored the production of long extraction flours. Subsequently, the Department of Pensions and National Health issued an order giving specifications for two kinds of high vitamin flour, namely "Vitamin B Flour" to contain not less than 550 I.U. of thiamine per pound, and "Vitamin B White Flour" to contain not less than 400 I.U. per pound. The order made it an act of adulteration to add syn- thetic thiamine to flour and prohibited the use of the term "vitamin" in labeling or describing any flour or bread other than the two types of "Canada Approved". These flours were introduced on a voluntary basis. The Vitamin B White Flour (Canada Ap- proved), representing from 77 to 80 per cent of the wheat kernel, was inferior to standard grades in baking quality, and sales of the flour were insignificant apart from government purchases. In an attempt to provide a flour of higher and more uniform baking quality, the specifications for the "Vitamin B White Flour" were amended in 1943 to provide a minimum thiamine con- 1 Report of the Panel on Composition and Nutritive Value of Flour, presented to Parliament May 1956. Sir Henry Cohen, Chairman, London, H. M. Stationery Office Omd. 9757. 15
