Nestle: How Industry Can Help Eliminate “Hidden Hunger” Through Cross-Sector Partnerships

26 Jan 2016 --- Petra Klassen, Scientific Advisor at Nestlé’s Corporate Nutrition, Health and Wellness Unit, and Janet Voûte, Nestlé Head of Global Public Affairs, explain how government, civil society and the private sector can work together to end "Hidden hunger".

An estimated 2 billion people — over 30 percent of the world’s population — suffer from deficiencies in essential vitamins and minerals. The term “Hidden hunger” is often used by health experts to refer to micronutrient deficiencies, because most people affected do not show the visible physical symptoms and hence may not be aware of their condition.

Klassen and Voûte explain: "The consequences of hidden hunger can be devastating, leading to mental impairment, poor health, low productivity and in severe cases, death. Even mild to moderate deficiencies can affect a person’s well-being and development. Hidden hunger disproportionately affects infants, young children and women, preventing them from achieving their full potential in life".

However, Nestlé believe that an end to this situation is "within our reach": "Proven, low-cost solutions can be implemented but we will only be successful if governments, civil society and the private sector build on each other’s know-how to close the nutrient gap. In an ideal world, people would obtain essential nutrients from a balanced and varied diet. However, this is not always possible, particularly for poorer populations. Micronutrient fortification is a cost-effective way to address hidden hunger alongside efforts towards diversifying diets”.

What to fortify?
Global staple food fortification programs — such as adding iron and folic acid to bread, or vitamin A to cooking oil and sugar — have been very successful in reducing the disease burden from micronutrient deficiencies. However, many young children and women still fail to fill their nutrient gap because they do not get to eat enough nutritious food. 
Nestlé suggest that the food and beverage industry can help tackle this major global health problem by adding relevant micronutrients to foods and beverages that people already enjoy eating.  

“To achieve the biggest impact, it is important to fortify a range of popular and affordable products that fit into people’s existing eating habits. Foods chosen to carry nutrients should be those consumed widely and frequently. Good examples are condiments, such as soy and fish sauce, bouillon cubes and seasoning.” In the Ivory Coast, for example, Nestlé’s iron-fortified bouillon cubes are estimated to have helped reduce iron deficiency anemia by 5-8 percent. 

“Balancing taste and nutrient value is also challenging because often people first buy a product because it tastes good and then look for an added value. It can be tricky to fortify foods without impacting their taste and appearance, while ensuring the nutrients are being well absorbed by the body. Companies can support governments and civil society’s efforts by investing in R&D and by educating consumers about the benefits of fortified foods”.

Finding the right level of fortification to improve health can also be complex: "The aim is to fortify foods and beverages at levels that are sufficient to make a positive impact on health, while ensuring that they will not lead to over consumption of vitamins and minerals as part of a varied diet. This is why working with health authorities to establish fortification standards and monitor the impact of food fortification programs is crucial. 

Industry investment
Besides the improvement of health outcomes in vulnerable populations, micronutrient fortification makes good business sense too. Nestlé call this “Creating Shared Value”: creating value for their shareholders, while at the same time creating value for the societies in which they operate. In 2014 Nestlé delivered 183 billion servings of food fortified with at least one of the “big four” (iron, iodine, vitamin A and zinc).  

By Kerina Tull