Chijioke Iremeka Senior nutrition experts have said that adding red oil to garri while processing it or making eba to achieve its yellow colour does not make it Vitamin A-fortified. According to them, Vitamin A-fortified yellow garri is naturally enriched, as evidenced by its yellow colour, which is attributed to the presence of beta-carotene in the yellow cassava. The nutritionists argued that adding red oil to garri was merely an attempt to mimic the natural yellow colour made from yellow cassava.
The nutrition experts called for the implementation of a comprehensive food fortification project in Nigeria to effectively address the issue of micronutrient deficiency in the country. In Nigeria, by law, five foods must be fortified with vitamin A including sugar; oil; wheat, semolina, and maize flour. These fortified foods provide enough vitamin A to meet or exceed what is needed for good health.
A 2017 Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition survey demonstrated high household coverage and consumption of all recommended fortified staple foods. However, compliance with national food fortification standards for staple foods was inadequate due to a lack of enforcement and monitoring. The Access to Nutrition Initiative indicated that Nigeria’s population has the greatest number of stunted children in Africa (32%), and vitamin A, iron, iodine, and zinc deficiencies remain the biggest contributors to undernutrition.
According to the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s official Gazette t.