Global malnutrition and cereal fortification, chapts. 1-6 : cereal fortification

OVER HALF OF THE DEVELOPING WORLD"S POPULATION SUFFERS FROM NUTRITIONAL DEFICIENCY. GLOBAL MALNUTRITION IS CLEARLY ONE OF THE MOST PRESSING PROBLEMS FACING THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. IN THE 1960S, THE PROBLEM WAS OVERSIMPLIFIED AS A PROTEIN GAP, AND CEREAL-GRAIN FORTIFICATION WAS SEEN AS THE IDEAL SOLUTION. HOWEVER, FIELD RESEARCH IN THE 1970S HAS REVEALED THAT THE EFFECTS OF FORTIFICATION ARE FAR LESS AUTOMATIC OR DRAMATIC THAN WAS PRESUMED. FORTIFICATION IS ONLY ONE OF SEVERAL INTERVENTION OPTIONS, MANY OF WHICH CAN BE USED TOGETHER. THE QUESTION FOR PLANNERS IS THE DESIRABILITY AND FEASIBILITY OF FORTIFICATION INTERVENTION FOR THEIR NATIONS. THAT ISSUE IS THE FOCUS OF THIS STUDY, AND IT EXAMINES FORTIFICATION OF THREE CEREALS: RICE, WHEAT, AND MAIZE. THE BARRIERS TO FORTIFICATION LIE IN FIVE CATEGORIES: NUTRITIONAL NEED (WHETHER IMPROVED NUTRIENT QUALITY WILL ALLEVIATE CERTAIN DEFICIENCIES) STRUCTURE OF THE COMMODITY SYSTEM (WHICH BLOCK ACCESS TO TARGET GROUPS), TECHNOLOGY (WHICH MAY BE EXCESSIVELY COMPLICATED), CONSUMER ACCEPTABILITY, AND INTERVENTION ECONOMICS (COSTS VS. BENEFITS OF FORTIFICATION). EACH OF THESE BARRIERS IS EXAMINED IN A SEPARATE CHAPTER. THE LAST THREE CHAPTERS APPLY THE METHODOLOGY FOR EXAMINING FORTIFICATION BARRIERS IN GUATEMALA, TUNISIA, AND THAILAND.