Fortified wheat flour  
─ 
  
Specification  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
NOTE: This is a draft proposal and it shall neither be used nor regarded as a Malawi Standard  
  
ICS 67.060       
  
  
  
  
  
  
       
D 
MS 30:2021  
 
  
          
   
    
  
  
Fourth  
  
edition  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
DRAFT  
PROPOSAL  
    ICS 67.060                  DMS 30:2021   
Fourth edition  
    
  
    
  
  
  
  
 
 
 
Fortified wheat flour ─ Specification   
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
 
 
Obtainable from the  
Malawi Bureau of Standards  
P O Box 946 
BLANTYRE  
  
  Tel: + 265 1 870 488  
 Fax: + 265 1 870 756  
  E-mail: mbs@mbsmw.org   
Website: www.mbsmw.org   
 
Price based on 6 pages  
© Copyright reserved  i 
 TABLE OF CONTENTS  
  
Contents      page  
  
Foreword   ........... ............................... ................................................................................... ............................... i  
Tech nical committee   ............. .............................................................. ........................... ............................... .... i  
Notice .. ............................................................................................................................. ................................... 1  
Scope .. ................. .............................. ................................................................................................................. 1  
Normative reference s .................. ............................... ...................... .................................................................. 1  
Terms and definitions   ............... ......... ................................................................................................................ 2  
Essential composition and quality  factors   ................... ...................................................................................... 2  
Food fortification   ........................................................................................................ ........................................ 3  
Food additives   ............................................................................................................ ....................................... 5  
Contaminants   ............................. .......................................................................................................... .............  5  
Hygiene …….. ....................................................................................................................... .............................. 5   
Packaging and label ling  ........................................................................................................................ .......... ... 5  
Methods of sampling and analysis.................. ............ ........................................................................................ 6  
  
  
FOREWORD  
  
This draft proposal was  prepared by MBS/TC 19, the Technical Committee on Bread and confectioneries,  to 
provide requirement s for fortified wheat flour . 
 
This draft proposal is the fourth edition of MS 30, Fortified w heat flour – Specification . The review  of this 
standard has been done incorporate the latest changes which have bee n made to the base document. Revision 
of this sta ndard does not remove requirements for fortification that were included in the third edition at the 
request of the National Fortification Alliance (NFA) in order to address issues of micronutrient malnutrition 
prevalent in Malawi.  
 
In preparing this draft  Malawi standard, reference was made to the following standards:  
 
Codex standard, CXS  152-1985 ( Amended in  2019 ), Standard for wheat flour; and 
 
African standard, ARS 840: 2016, Fortified wheat flour – Specification . 
 
Acknowledgement is made for the use of the information.  
 
 
TECHNICAL COMMITTEE  
  
This draft proposal was  prepared by the MBS/TC 19, the Technical Committee on  Bread and confectioneries, 
and the following companies, organizations a nd institutions were consulted :  
  
Bakhresa Grain Milling ; 
Blantyre City Council ; 
Bread Talk ; 
Bvumbwe Agricultural Research Station ; 
International Potato Center Malawi ; 
Lilongwe University of Agriculture & Natural Resources ; 
Ministry of Health – Department of Nutrition, HIV & AIDS ; 
National Fortification Alliance ; 
Universal Industries Limited ; and  
University of Malawi.  
 
 
NOTICE  
  
This standard shall be reviewed every five years, or earlier when it is necessary, in order to keep abreast of 
progress. Comments are welcome and shall be considered when the approved is being reviewed.    1  DMS 30:2021   
 
DRAFT PROPOSAL   
  
Fortified wheat flour ─ Specification  
  
  
1  SCOPE   
  
This draft proposal specifies the requirements and methods of sampling and analysis  for fortified wheat flour 
prepared from common wheat ( Triticum aestivum L .), club wheat ( Triticum  compactum Host .) or a mixture 
thereof intended for human consumption.   
 
  
2  NORMATIVE REFERENCES  
  
The following standards contain provisions which, throu gh reference in this text, constitute provisions of this 
draft proposal. All standards are subject to revision and, since any reference to a standard is deemed to be a 
reference to the latest edition of the standard, parties to agreements based on this dra ft proposal are 
encouraged to take steps to ensure the use of the most recent editions of the standards indicated below. 
Information on currently valid national and international standards can be obtained from the Malawi Bureau of 
Standards:  
  
MS 19:  Gene ral standard for labe lling of prepacked foods;  
  
MS 21:  Code of hygienic conditions for food processing units;  
  
MS 55:  Wheat grain – Specification;  
 
MS 144 : Agricultural food products – Determination of crude fibre content – Modified Scharrer method;  
 
MS 145:  Cereals and pulses – Methods of sampling as milled products;  
  
MS 148:  Cereal and cereal products – Determination of fat content;  
  
MS 149:  Cereals, pulses and derived products – Determination of ash;  
 
MS 237 : Food additives  – General standard;  
 
MS 302: Contaminants and toxins in foods – General standard;  
 
MS 610:  Cereals, and cereal products – Determination of moisture content (Basic reference method);  
  
MS 624: Nutrition labelling – Guidelines;  
  
MS 625: Nutrition claims – Guidelines;   
 
MS 1632: General standard for the labelling of food additives when sold as such;  
 
AOAC 965.22:  Sorting corn grits. Sieving method ; 
 
ISO 1871:  Agricultural food products – General directions for the determinati on of nitrogen by the Kjeldahl 
method;  
  
ISO 4833 -1: Microbiology of the food chain – Horizontal method for the  enumeration   of  microorganisms – 
Part 1: Colony count at 30 °C by the pour plate technique ; 
   2  ISO 6579:  Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the detect ion of Salmonella 
spp.; 
 
ISO 6888 -1: Microbiology of the food chain – Horizontal method for the enumeration of coagulase -positive 
staphylococci (Staphyloco ccus aureus and other species) – Part 1: Method using Baird -Parker agar medium ; 
 
 ISO 7251:  Microbiol ogy of f ood and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the detection and 
enumeration o f presumptive Escherichia coli – Most probable number technique ; 
 
ISO 7932/AMD 1: Microbiology of food and ani mal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
presumptive Bacillus cereus – Colony -count technique at 30 degrees C – Amendment 1: Inclusion of optional 
tests ; 
 
ISO 16649 -2: Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the enumeration of beta -
glucuroni dase -positive Escherichia coli – Part 2: Colony -count technique at 44 degrees C using 5 -bromo -4-
chloro -3-indolyl beta -D-glucuronide ; 
 
ISO 21527 -2: Microbiology  of food and animal feedstuffs – Horizontal method for the en umeration of yeasts  
and moulds – Part 2: Colony count technique in products with water activity less than or equal to 0.95 ; and 
 
ISO 21872 -1: Microbiology of the food chain – Horizontal   method for th e determination of Vibrio spp. – Part 1: 
Detection of potentially enteropat hogenic Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio cholerae and Vibrio vulnificus . 
 
 
3  TERMS AND DEFINITIONS   
  
For the  purposes of this draft proposal , the following ter ms and definitions shall apply:  
  
3.1 
diluent  
suitable, inert food -grade carrier for micronutrients   
  
3.2    
fortified wheat flour  
product prepared from grain of common wheat (Triticum aestivum  L.,) or club wheat, (Triticum compactcum  
Host.), or mixtures thereof, by grinding or milling process in which the bran and germ are partly remove d and 
the remainder is comminuted to a suitable degree of fineness to which nutrients have been added in 
accordance with this draft proposal  
  
3.3 
fortificant   
prescribed compound which provides the specified micronutrient  
  
3.4 
premix  
blend  of fortificants and diluents formulated to provide specified and determinable amounts of micronutrients  
 
 
4  ESSENTIAL COMPOSITION AND QUALITY FACTORS  
  
4.1  General quality factors  
  
4.1.1  Wheat flour and any added ingredients shall be safe and suita ble for human consumption.  
  
4.1.2 Wheat flour shall be free from abnormal flavours, odours, and living insects.  
  
4.1.3 Wheat flour shall be free from impurities of animal origin, including dead insects  when determined in 
accordance with MS 1787.  
    3  4.2 Essential specific composition factors  
  
Fortified wheat flour shall conform to compositional requirements in Table 1.  
 
Table 1 ─  Specific compositional requirements for fortified wheat flour   
  
1 2 3 4 
S/N Characteristic  Limit  Method of test  
 
 
1 Fat acidity  70 mg/100 g flour on a dry matter basis expressed as 
sulphuric acid or not more than 50 mg of potassium 
hydroxide shall be required to neutralize the free fatty 
acids in 100 g flour on dry basis  MS 148  
2 Protein (5.7)  7.0 % on a dry basis, min.  ISO 1871  
3 Particle size(Granularity)  98 % of flour shall pass through a 212 micron (No. 70 
sieve)  AOAC 965.22  
4 Moisture content  15.5 % m/m, max.  MS 610  
 
4.3  Optional ingredients  
  
The following ingredients may be added to wheat flour in amounts necessary for technological purposes:  
  
4.3.1 Malted products with enzymatic activity made from wheat, rye or barley , conforming to relevant Malawi 
standards ;  
  
4.3.2 Vital wheat gluten;  and  
  
4.3.3 Soybean flour or  legume flour , conforming to relevant Malawi standards .  
 
4.4 Microbiological limits  
 
Fortified wheat flour shall be free from pathogenic micro -organism s and shall conform to the m icrobiological 
limits in Table 2 . 
 
Table 2  – Microbiological limits for fortified wheat flour  
  
1 2 3 4 
S/N Micro -organism  Limit  Method of test  
1 Total plate count, cfu/g, max.  103 ISO 4833 -1 
2 Staphylococcus aureus , cfu/g max  102 ISO 6888 -1 
3 Escherichia coli,  cfu/g, max.  Absent  ISO 7251  
4 Salmonella , cfu/25 g , max.  Absent  ISO 6579  
5 Yeast and mould, cfu/g, max.  103 ISO 21527 -2 
6 Coliforms, cfu/100 g, max.  absent  ISO 16649 -2 
7 Bacillus cereus, cfu/25g,  max.  Absent  ISO 7932 /AMD 1  
8 Vibrio cholerae  Absent  ISO 21872 -1 
 
 
5  FOOD FORTIFICATION  
  
5.1  Required content of vitamins and minerals in fortified wheat flour  
  
Fortified wheat flour shall contain vitamins and minerals at the levels specified in Table 3 . These levels shall 
be applied during production of the fortified wheat flour and for imported wheat flour.  
 
 
 
   4  Table 3  ─ Fortification requirements at production and during importation  
  
1 2 3 4 5 
S/N 
Nutrient  
Fortification compound  Factory 
addition level  
(mg/kg)  Tolerable range at factory or site of 
import (mg/kg)  
Minimum  Average  Maximum  
1 Folate  Folic a cid  2.0 1.3 2.3 3.3 
2 Iron  Sodium iron EDTA  30 27 39 51 
3 Vitamin B -12  Vit B -12 0.1 % WS  0.020  0.011  0.020  0.029  
4 Vitamin B -1  Thiamine mononitrate  9.0 5.4 9.8 14.2 
5 Vitamin B -2  Riboflavin  6.0 3.6 6.6 9.6 
6 Niacin  Niacin amide  50 33.0 60.0 87 
7 Zinc  Zinc oxide  80 60.0 88.0 116.0  
8 Vitamin A  Vitamin A Palmitate SD  1.0 0.6 1.0 1.4 
*These levels of fortification take into consideration intrinsic content of nutrients in the unfortified wheat flour as well as process variation.  
   
5.2  Fortification requirements during marketing  
  
It is recognized that some losses in nutrients may occur during marketing and so the levels to be applied at 
retail take into account these losses. The regulatory levels at retail are provided in Table 4.  
 
Table 4  ─ Fortification requirements during marke ting  
  
1 2 3 4 5 
 
S/N Nutrient  Fortification compound  Amount (mg/kg)  Label 
claim (mg 
per 100 g)  Minimum  Maximum  
1 Folate  Folic acid  1.1 3.3 0.2 
2 Iron  Sodium Iron EDTA  27 51 3.9 
3 Vitamin B -12  Vit B -12 0.1 % WS  0.01 0.029  0.0020  
4 Vitamin B -1  Thiamine mononitrate  4.6 14.2 0.9 
5 Vitamin B -2  Riboflavin  3.3 9.6 0.6 
6 Niacin  Niacin amide  30 87 5.8 
7 Zinc  Zinc oxide  60 116 8.8 
8 Vitamin A  Vitamin A Palmitate SD  0.5 1.4 0.1 
  
5.3  Formulation of fortification premix for addition of vitamins and minerals to wheat flour  
  
5.3.1  The   fortification premix  shall  be  formulated so  that when 550 g of fortification premix is added to  
1 metric ton of wheat flour, the levels described as factory addition level in Table 2  are achieved during 
production.  
  
5.3.2  All fortificants, including diluents, shall be of acceptable standard and conform to the following: United 
States Pharmacopoeia (USP), British Pharmacopoeia (BP), Pharmacopoeia Europa (PE), National Formulary 
(NF), Food Chemical Codex (FCC) and FAO/WHO.  
  
5.3.3  The fortification premix  shall  be  labelled   according  to  labelling  recommenda tions in MS 19 and  
MS 1632 .  
  
5.3.4  Large factories with good mixing facilities can add the fortification premix directly while small 
fortification plants may have to dilute the premix with flour before adding to ensure consistent mixing. 
Regardless of the mixing facilities, fortification pr emix should be added at the rate of 550 g to 1 metric ton flour. 
Specifications for the fortification premix are provided in Table 5 .  
  
 
   5   Table 5  ─ Specification of fortification premix formulation  
  
1 2 3 4 5 
 
S/N Nutrient  Fortification compound  Concentration 
of nutrient  
(g/kg)  Concentration 
of fortificant  
(g/kg)  
1 Folate  Folic acid ( Activity 90 % min)  4 4.0 
2 Iron  Sodium iron EDTA  55 419.6  
3 Vitamin B -12  Vit B -12 0.1 % WS  0.04 36.4 
4 Vitamin B -1  Thiamine mononitrate (Activity 81 % min)  16 20.2 
5 Vitamin B -2  Riboflavin  11 11 
6 Niacin  Niacin amide (Activity 99 % min)  91 91.8 
7 Zinc  Zinc oxide (Activity 80 % min)  145 181.8  
 
8 Vitamin A  Vitamin A Palmitate spray dried or 
equivalent  2 24.2 
9 Diluent     To make up 1kg  
Note 1 : Vitamin A shall be added in the form of stabilized Vitamin A palmitate that has been spray dried or any equivalent form, 
containing 75,000 micrograms RE activity per gram (0.075 % min). The vitamin A palmitate shall have storage stability such 
that no more than 20 % of its original activity will be lost when stored for 21 days at 45 ºC in a well closed container at a  level 
2.5kg in whe at flour having moisture content in the range of 13.5 % to 14.5 %.  
  
Note 2:  1 Retinol Equivalent RE = 1 microgram retinol = 3.33 IU   
 
 
6  FOOD ADDITIVES  
 
Only those food additives listed under this product in MS 237, may be used and only within the limits specified.   
 
 
7  CONTAMINANTS  
  
7.1  Heavy metals   
  
Fortified wheat flour shall comply with the maximum levels for contaminants that are specified for the product 
in MS 302.  
  
7.2  Pesticide residues  
  
Fortified wheat flour shall comply with those maximum residue limits in the latest database established by the 
Codex Alimentari us Commission .  
 
7.3  Mycotoxins  
  
Fortified wheat flour shall comply with those maximum mycotoxin limits in the latest database established by 
the Codex Alimentari us Commission .  
  
  
8 HYGIENE  
  
Fortified wheat flour shall  be manufactured in premises complying with the hygienic practices stipulated in  
MS 21.  
 
 
9  PACKAGING AND LABE LLING  
  
9.1  Packaging   
  
9.1.1 Fortified wheat flour shall be packaged in containers, which will safeguard the hygienic, nutritional, 
technological, and organoleptic qualities of the product.  
    6  9.1.2 The containers, including packaging material, shall be made of substances that are saf e and suitable 
for their intended use. They shall not impart any toxic substance or undesirable odour or flavour to the product.  
  
9.1.3 When the product is packaged in sacks, these must be clean, sturdy and strongly sewn or sealed.  
  
9.2  Label ling  
  
In addition to the requiremen ts of MS 19, MS 624 and MS 625 , the following specific labelling requirements 
shall apply and shall be legibly and indelibly marked:  
  
9.2.1  Name of the product. The name of the product to be shown on the label shall be “Forti fied wheat 
flour.”    
  
9.2.2 Labe lling of non -retail containers   
  
Information for non -retail containers shall either be given on the container or in accompanying documents, 
except that the name of the product, lot identification and the name and address of the manufacturer or packer 
shall appear on the container. However, lot identification and the name and address of the manufacturer or 
packer may be replaced by an identification mark, provided that such a mark is clearly identifiable with the 
accompanyi ng documents.  
  
9.2.3 Fortification. The label shall include the minimum level of fortification made, as per Table 4.  
  
  
10  METHODS OF SAMPLING AND ANALYSIS  
  
10.1  Sampling  
  
10.1.1 Sampling for food fortification. Sampling shall be in accordance with international provision of 
AOAC and the ECSA manual for monitoring of wheat flour fortified with vitamins and minerals.  
  
10.1.2 Sampling for physical and chemical requirements and microbiological limits. Sampling shall 
be in accordance with MS 145.  
  
10.2  Methods of analysis   
  
10.2.1 Methods of analysis for vitamins and minerals. Determination of the quantity of vitamins and 
minerals in fortified wheat flour shall be undertaken in accordance with the EC SA manual of laboratory methods 
for fortified foods.  
  
10.2.3 Methods of analysis for physical and chemical requirements.  The methods of test shall be in 
accordance with the methods outlined in Table 1  and any other methods established by the Codex 
Alimen tarius Commission .  
  
   ICS 67. 060                   DMS 30:2021   
Fourth edition  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 THE MALAWI BUREAU OF STANDARDS            CERTIFICATION MARK SCHEME  
The Malawi Bureau of Standards is the 
standardizing body  in Malawi under the aegis 
of the Ministry of Industry .  Set   up  in  1972 by  
the  Malawi   Bureau  of  Standards  Act (Cap: 
51:02), the Bureau is a parastatal body whose 
activities aim at formulating and promoting the 
general adoption of standards relating to 
structures, commodities, materials, practices, 
operations and from time to time revise, alter 
and amend the sa me to incorporate advanced 
technology.  To bring the advantages of standardization 
within the reach of the common consumer, the 
Bureau operates a Certification Mark Scheme. 
Under this scheme, manufacturers who 
produce goods that conform to national 
standar ds are granted permits to use the 
Bureau’s “Mark of Quality” depicted below on 
their products.  This Mark gives confidence to 
the consumer of the commodity’s reliability.