Nearly 2 billion people – one third of the world's population – are malnourished and suffer from inadequate iron, Vitamin A and other essential nutrients. Tthose most at risk are children.
After they're weaned from breast milk, many children typically rely on diets heavy on corn, rice and wheat – and they don't get enough iron. Until recently, the best remedy was iron drops, but these stain teeth and have a very unpleasant taste.
Working in conjunction with the H.J. Heinz Co., Dr. Stanley Zlotkin, of Toronto, has made significant strides in the field, developing a new method of delivering this iron fortification in developing countries. Called "Sprinkles," this encapsulated iron is odorless, tasteless, unobjectionable and can be sprinkled onto foods.
Heinz and Dr. Zlotkin have worked since 2001 to start a global campaign to deliver these sprinkles to the children who need them the most. Testing is complete, and now the initiative is being scaled up. Heinz is focusing on Indonesia, India and China, while Dr. Zlotkin is working in Pakistan, Bangladesh and other developing countries.
"Indonesia has been a great success story," said Tammy Aupperle, director of the H.J. Heinz Company Foundation. "Following the tsunami, we provided the sprinkles, and the results have been wonderful. And this product can literally be customized for different needs in different countries." For example, Aupperle said, Mongolian children are swaddled because of the weather and as a result don't get a lot of sunlight. That causes a lack of Vitamin D, which can lead to rickets. So the sprinkles in Mongolia have extra Vitamin D.
In the fall of 2007, the Heinz Micronutrient Fund was started at The Pittsburgh Foundation so H.J. Heinz Co. employees and others could donate to the effort.
The key time to reach a child is from six months to two yearsold, as micronutrient deficiencies lead to impaired growth and cognitive developments. "For $1.50, you can prevent and treat micronutrient deficiencies for a child while improving his or her physical and cognitive abilities," Aupperle said. The effort for Heinz, which incorporates its food expertise and supply chain, is entirely humanitarian.