Serendib’s new fortified flour in the Sri Lankan market
View(s):Serendib Flour Mills (SFML) recently introduced fortified wheat flour to the Sri Lankan market for the first time. SFML’s fortified wheat flour is part of the company’s ‘7 Star’ range and is the only wheat flour available in Sri Lanka that contains essential minerals such as iron and folic acid, making it the healthiest and most nutritious choice for consumers, according to a company media release.
It has been estimated that 1 in 3 children and 1 in 4 adults in Sri Lanka suffer from iron deficiency anemia, which is considered to be the most critical micronutrient deficiency in the country. According to UNICEF, anaemia, mainly caused by an iron deficiency, affects approximately 40 per cent of pre-school children and 1 in 2 pregnant women in developing countries. Recognising the growing need for healthier FMCG products in Sri Lanka and in order to support national nutrition efforts, SFML introduced fortified wheat flour to offer consumers access to nutritionally enhanced flour of the highest quality, the company said.
“This wheat flour is milled at our state-of-the-art facility at the Port of Colombo, using the finest selection of wheat grains from the US, Russia, Canada, Australia and other countries around the world. Serendib Flour Mills has always closely analysed the needs of our consumers and the country and we have developed new products to cater specifically to those needs. s of nourishment,” said Kalinga Wijesekera – Senior Manager, Sales and Marketing, SFML. The fortification of wheat flour involves adding vitamins and minerals to wheat grains during the milling process to enhance the nutritional content of the final product.
Fortified products help to prevent nutritional anaemia, they prevent neural tube birth defects, developmental complications in children and a variety of other health problems such as fatigue and lowered immunity. In the long-run, fortified products help to improve overall health and well-being, which in turn increases people’s productivity and supports the economic progress and development of a nation, the company said. Fortified wheat flour can easily be used instead of regular wheat flour to make a variety of local staple dishes such as String Hoppers, Pittu, Rotti and other local food items as well as baked items.