Tepung

Tepung adalah partikel padat yang berbentuk butiran halus atau sangat halus tergantung pemakaiannya. Biasanya digunakan untuk keperluan penelitian, rumah tangga, dan bahan baku industri. Tepung bisa berasal dari bahan nabati misalnya tepung terigu dari gandum, tapioka dari singkong, maizena dari jagung atau hewani misalnya tepung tulang dan tepung ikan.

Fortifying with iron can increase national IQ by 5%, increase national GDP by 2% and eliminate 60,000 deaths of pregnant women every year.

Fortifying with folic acid can significantly reduce the 200,000 cases of neural tube defects such as spina bifida found every year in new born babies.

Flour fortification is part of the direct solution to six of the seven UN Millennium goals and is a sound economic investment. The Copenhagen Consensus, a group of eminent, independent economists, concluded that fortifying food was the second most cost-effective measure that governments could use to improve quality of life.

Fortifying 70% of large roller mill wheat flour with, at least, iron and folic by 2008 is a realistic goal (vs. almost 20% 2002). This fortification goal cannot be achieved unless most countries adopt fortification. However, it is clear that certain countries are crucial, either because of their size or because they are likely to catalyse fortification in other countries in the region. These countries are highlighted for “acceleration” should not be taken to imply that other countries should delay. There are 14 key countries where fortification should be accelerated: 3 because of size (China, Russia, India); 11 because success is expected to catalyse other countries in the region (Morocco, Egypt, Iran, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ukraine, Romania, Turkey, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand and Kazakhstan). The European Union and Japan require special programmes because consumers are concerned about the naturalness of food.

Fortification is achieved through national action. Members of the Leaders Group are asked to make their human and financial resources available to support action through national alliances, supported by regional alliances and, at a global level, by FFI. While we must ensure prompt success in the 14 key countries, early action in other countries is encouraged.

FFI operates at the global level to focus member’s support to national action (sometimes through regional groups). It provides a forum for members to share proposed action and needs so that national action is resourced effectively. The small, central staff monitors national programmes for progress and re-applicable lessons. The volunteer members of the Communication and the Training and Technical Support groups create and disseminate materials that can create demand for, and support, the implementation of fortification.

FFI operates by consensus. Our Executive Management Team has created a succinct strategy for the Flour Fortification Initiative. This summary includes clear goals and measures that will enable progress to be reviewed on a regular basis. Given the challenging objective of achieving fortification of 70% of wheat flour produced in large roller mills with, at least, iron and folic acid by end 2008, regular attention to barriers to progress and the timely seizing of opportunities is essential.

Purpose: To speed up national programmes to improve people’s health, by creating a norm to fortify all flour with selected essential vitamins and minerals.

Vision: Individuals in public, private and civil society organizations at global and national level co-operate effectively by integrating and expanding existing programmes, thus speeding up flour fortification.