ICS 67.060                         DMS 30:2023  
                Fourth edition  
 
 
 
 
DRAFT MALAWI STANDARD  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fortified wheat flour – Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NOTE: This is a draft proposal and it shall neither be used nor regarded as a Malawi Standard  
 
__________________  
 Published by  
MALAWI BUREAU OF STANDARDS BOARD   
  ICS 67.060            DMS 30:2023    
Fourth edition  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Fortified wheat flour – Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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P O Box 946  
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 i TABLE OF CONTENTS  
  
Contents                                                                                                                                                     page     
Foreword………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..  ii 
Technical committee…………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ii 
Notice……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...  ii 
Scope……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..  1 
Normative references……………………………………………………………………………………………………  1 
Terms and definitions……………………………………………………………………………………………………  2 
Essential composition and quality factors………………………………………………………… ………………..  3 
Fortification requirements……………………………………………………………………………………………  5 
Food additives…………………………………………………………………………………………………………...  7 
Hygiene……………………………………… …………………………………………………………………………...  7 
Contaminats..……………………..…………………………………………............................................................  7 
Packaging..……………………..…………………………………………...............................................................  7 
Labelling……………………………………………...……………………..…………………………………………...  7 
Sampling and methods of an alysis……………………………..….………………………………………………...  8 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 ii FOREWORD  
 
This draft Malawi standard was prepared by MBS/TC 19, the Technical Committee on  Bread and 
confectioneries,  to provide requirements for fortified wheat flour. This draft proposal is the revision of MS 
30:2011, fortified wheat flour – Specification . 
 
This draft Malawi standard is based on the following African standards:  
 
African standard, ARS 470:2023, Wheat fl our – Specification; and  
 
African standard, ARS 860:2014, Fortified wheat flour – Specification.  
 
Acknowledgement is made for the use of the information.  
 
 
TECHNICAL COMMITTEE  
 
This draft Malawi standard was prepared by MBS/TC 19, the Technical Committee on Bread and 
confectioneries , and the following companies, organizations and institutions were consulted:  
 
Bakelines Limited ; 
 
Bakeman’s Confectioneries Limited ; 
 
Bakhresa Malawi ;  
 
Blantyre City Council ; 
 
Bread Talk ; 
 
Bvumbwe Agricultural Research Station ; 
 
Competition and Fair Trading Commission ; 
 
Consumers Association of Malawi ; 
 
H.M.S Food and Grains Limited ; 
 
International Potato Centre Malawi ; 
 
Kachere Bakery ; 
 
Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural R esources ; 
 
Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences ; 
 
Mega Bakers ; 
 
Ministry of Health – Department of Nutrition, HIV and AIDS ; 
 
Ministry of Trade and Industry ; 
 
National Fortification Alliance ; 
 
Rab Processors ; 
 
Shoprite Trading Limited ; 
 
Tehilah Bakery ; 
 
University of Malawi ; and  
 
Universal Industries . 
 
 
 
NOTICE  
 
This standard shall be reviewed every five years, or earlier whenever it is necessary, in order to keep abreast 
of progress. Comments are welcome and shall be considered when the standard is being reviewed .1 
                                                                                                  DMS 30:2023  
DRAFT MALAWI STANDARD   
 
Fortified wheat flour – Specification  
 
 
1 SCOPE  
 
This draft Malawi standard specifies the requirements, test methods and sampling for fortified wheat flour 
prepared from common wheat ( Triticum aestivum L .) or club wheat ( Triticum compactum Host ), or their 
mixtures intended for human consumption.  
 
 
2 NORMATIVE REFE RENCES  
 
The following standards contain provisions which, through 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 e dition of the standard, parties to agreements based on this draft Malawi standard 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: Labelling of prepacked foods – General standard ; 
 
MS 21: Food and food processing units – Code of hygienic conditions ; 
 
MS 55:  Wheat grain – Specification;  
 
MS 144 : Agricultural food products – Determination crude fibre content – General method;  
 
MS 145: Cereals and cereal products – Sampling;  
 
MS 149: Cereals, pulses and derived products – Determination  of ash content;  
 
MS 188: Edible salt – Specification ; 
 
MS 237: Food additives – General standard ;  
 
MS 302: Contaminants and toxins in food and feed – General standard ; 
 
MS 624: Nutrition  labelling – Guidelines;  
 
MS 625: Nutrition claims – General standard;  
  
ISO 1871: Food and feed products – General guidelines for the determination of nitrogen by the Kjeldahl 
method;  
 
ISO 4833: Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
microorganisms – Colony -count technique at 30 degrees C;  
 
ISO 6540: Maize – Determination of moisture content (on milled grains and on whole grains);  
 
ISO 6579: Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the detection of Salmonella 
spp; 
 
ISO 6888 (all parts): Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the enumeration 
of coagulase -positive staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus and other species);  
 
ISO 16050: Foodstuffs – Determination of aflatoxin B1, and the total content of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 
in cereals, nuts and derived products – High-performanc e liquid chromatographic method;  
 
ISO 16649 -2: Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the enumeration of beta -
glucuronidase -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 feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the enumeration of yeasts 
and moulds – Part 2: Colony count technique in products with water activity less than or equal to 0.95; and  
 
ISO 2591 -1: Test sieving – Part 1: Methods using test sieves of woven wire cloth and perforated metal plate.  
  
2 
  
3 TERMS AND DEFINITIONS  
 
For the purposes of this draft Malawi standard , the following terms and definitions shall apply:  
 
3.1 
fortified wheat flour  
product prepared from common wheat grain ( Triticum aestivum L. ) or club wheat ( Triticum compactum Host ) 
or their mixtures by grinding or milling process  to which nutrients have been added in accordance with this 
draft proposal  
 
3.2 
white wheat flour  
patent  wheat flour  
obtained by milling wheat grains at extraction rates that leaves negligible amounts of bran  
 
3.3 
bakers flour  
white wheat flour obtained by milling wheat intended for bread making  
 
3.4 
household or home baking flour  
product prepared from common wheat grain ( Triticum aestivum L. ) or club wheat ( Triticum compactum Host ) 
or their mixtures by grinding or milling process  
 
3.5 
biscuit flour  
white wheat flour obtained by milling a blend of hard and soft wheat with a high percentage of soft wheat for 
biscuit manufacture  
 
3.6 
cracker flour  
white wheat flour obtained by milling low protein wheat with no improvers  
 
3.7 
self-raising flour  
white wheat flour obtained by milling a blend of soft and hard wheat to which raising agents are added  
 
3.8 
standar d flour  
wheat flour obtained by milling wheat grains at a higher extraction than home baking flour  
 
3.9 
soft wheat  
wheat with low gluten content, and a soft, floury endosperm ratio of not less than 70 % mass fraction; in 
general, it is suitable for cake, b iscuit, and low -volume breads  
 
3.10 
hard wheat  
wheat with kernels having a high hardness criterion  
 
3.11 
wholemeal flour  
wheat flour obtained by milling the entire wheat grain to fine particle size without any separation  
 
3.12 
atta flour  
wheat flour of high extraction rate or white wheat flour to which pollard and or bran are blended  
 
3.13 
food grade packaging material  
material which will safeguard the hygienic, nutritional, technological, and organoleptic qualities of the product  
 
 
 
  
3 
 3.14 
foreign matter  
organic or inorganic material other than wheat flour  
 
3.15  
diluent  
a suitable, inert food -grade carrier for micronutrients  
 
3.16 
fortificant  
Prescribed compound which provides the specified micronutrient  
 
3.17 
premix  
Blend of fortificants and diluents formulated to provide specified and determinable amounts of micronutrients  
 
 
4 ESSENTIAL COMPOSITION AND QUALITY FACTORS  
 
4.1  Ingredients  
 
4.1.1  Wheat grain complying with MS 55.  
 
4.1.2  In addition to the ingredient given in 4.1, self-raising flour shall contain the following:  
 
4.1.2.1  Edible salt conforming to MS 188  
 
4.1.2.2  Acid ingredients  
 
The acid ingredients shall be one or any combination of the following:  
 
a) Sodium acid pyrophosphate;  
 
b) Mono acid calcium phosphate;  
 
c) Sodium aluminium phosphate; and  
 
d) Sodium bicarbonate shall be in sufficient amounts to provide not less than 0.45 of available carbon 
dioxide.  
 
4.2  General quality requirements  
 
4.2.1   All types of fortified wheat flour shall have the characteristic colour and shall be free from any 
objectionable flavours and odours.  
 
4.2.2  The flour shall be free from insects, worms, fungal infest ation, rodent contamination and other foreign 
matter.  
 
4.2.3 The flour shall not contain flour from other cereals. However, the addition of malted barley flour not 
exceeding 1 % is permissible in the case of baker’s flour.  
 
4.2.4  All processing of the wheat including drying, milling or other treatment of wheat,  intermediate milling 
products and the milled wheat flour shall be carried out in a manner that:  
 
a) Minimizes loss of nutritive value particularly protein quality;  
 
b) Avoids undesirable changes in technological properties of the wheat flour; and  
 
c) Avoids having  unground grains and hull in wheat flour.  
 
4.3 Specific compositional requirements  
 
The types of fortified wheat flour shall comply with the specific requirements given in Table 1  when tested in  
accordance with the test methods specified therein.  4 
 Table 1 – Specific compositional requirements for fortified wheat flour  
 
 
Characteristic  Type of flour   
White wheat  
flour  Baker’s 
flour  Home baking  
flour  Biscuit 
flour  Cracker 
flour  Self-raising  
flour  Standard 
flour  Atta 
flour  Whole -meal  
flour  Test Method  
Moisture content, max. 
%, m/m  14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 14 ISO 
6540  
Crude fibre content max. 
% m/mon dry matter basis  
 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.0 ISO 
5498  
Total ash content 
max. % m/m on dry 
matter basis  0.7 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 3.0 1.1 2.0 2.0 MS 149  
Residue on  
sieving through 180 
micron sieve, max. %  0.5 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 0.8 30.0 55.0 30.0 ISO 2591 -1 
Protein content, min. 
%, m/m on dry matter 
basis  8.0 11.0 9.0 8.0 8.0 8.0 11.0 12.0 12.0 ISO 1871  
Mixture of Acid 
ingredients and 
sodium bicarbonate  
added, max. %, m/m  N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 4.5 N/A N/A N/A N/A 
 
 
 
 5 
 4.4 Microbiological limits  
 
Fortified wheat  flour shall be free from pathogenic micro -organisms and shall conform to the microbiological  
limits in Table 2.  
 
Table 2 – Microbiological limits for fortified wheat flour  
 
S/N Microorganism  Limit  Test method  
1 Total plate count, cfu/g, max.  105 ISO 4833  
2 Staphylococcus aureus  cfu/g max.  102 ISO 6888  
3 Escherichia coli , MPN, max  Absent  ISO 16649 -2 
4 Salmonella , per 25 g, max  Absent  ISO 6579  
5 Yeasts and moulds, cfu/g, max.  104 ISO 21527 -2 
6 Coliforms g (per 100g)  Absent  ISO 4832  
7 Bacillus cereus, per 25g max.  Absent  ISO 7932  
 
 
5 FORTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS  
 
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 wheat flour and for imported wheat flour.  
 
Note:  Factories should aim at fortifying the products at the recommended factory level to ensure the product conforms to the regula tory 
levels throughout the distribution chain.  
 
5.2 Fortificants  
 
All fortificants shall be of acceptable standard and conform to the following standards: United States 
Pharmacopoeia (USP), British Pharmacopoeia (BP), Food Chemical Codex (FCC), Merck Index (MI), United 
States Nation al Formulary (NF), European Pharmacopoeia (Ph Eur) and Codex Alimentarius Commission 
(CAC).  
 
Table 3 – Fortification requirements at production and during importation  
 
Nutrient  Fortification 
compound  Factory addition 
level mg/kg  Tolerable range at factory or site of  
import (mg/kg)  
Minimum  Average  Maximum  
Iron Ferrous fumarate  40 ± 10  30 40 50 
NaFeEDTA  30 ± 10  20 30 40 
Vitamin B 12 Vitamin B12 0.1 % WS  0.02 ± 0.009  0.011  0.020  0.029  
Vitamin B 2 Riboflavin  6.6 ± 3.0  3.6 6.6 9.6 
Vitamin B 1 Thiamine mononitrate  9.8 ± 4.4  5.4 9.8 14.2 
Vitamin B 9 
(Folate)  Folic Acid  2.3 ± 1.0  1.3 2.3 3.3 
Zinc Zinc oxide  80 ± 20  60.0 88.0 116.0  
Vitamin A  Retinyl Palmitate  1.0 ± 0.4  0.6 1.0 1.4 
Vitamin B 3 
(Niacin)  Niacinamide  60 ± 27  
 33 60.0 87 
  
6 
 Table 4 ─ Fortification requirements during marketing  
 
 
5.3 Premix  
 
5.3.1  The fortificants may be mixed with diluents or carrier as appropriate to form a premix. Diluents or 
carriers shall conform to USP, BP, Ph. Eur, NF, MI, FAO/WHO CAC or F CC. 
  
5.3.2  The premix shall be made in such a way that at a given rate of addition to the p roduct, the product 
shall conform to the requirements in Table 3  and 4. 
 
5.3.4  Where the premix is made  using ferrous fumarate as a source of iron , the addition rate shall be 500 g 
of premix per metric tonne of wheat flour. Where the premix is made  using  NaFeEDTA , the addition rate shall 
be 600 g of premix per metric tonne of wheat flour.  
 
5.3.5  The premix shall be labelled with the addition rate (that is the amount of premix to be added to the 
wheat flour) in grams of premix per metric tonne of wheat flou r and dilution factor.  
 
Note:  This premix formulation in Table 5  is designed with minimum nutrient composition and does not take into consideration factory 
overages in the preparations of the premix.  
 
Table 5 ─ Specification of fortification premix formulation  
 
 
Note:  Diluent shall make up the premix to 1kg when either ferrous fumarate or NaFeEDTA is used.  
 
                                                           
 
2 Retinol Equivalent (RE) = 1 microgram retinol = 3.33 IU  Nutrient  Fortification compound  Amount (mg/kg)  Label claim (mg 
per 100g)  Minimum  Maximum  
Iron Ferrous fumarate  30 50 4.0 
NaFeDTA  20 40 3.0 
Vitamin B 12 Vit B -12 0.1 % WS  0.011  0.029  0.002  
Vitamin B 2 Riboflavin  3.6 9.6 0.6 
Vitamin B 1 Thiamine mononitrate  5.4 14.2 0.9 
Vitamin B 9 Folic acid  1.1 3.3 0.2 
Zinc Zinc oxide  60 116 8.8 
Vitamin A  Retinyl Palmitate 250,000 IU/g (dry)  0.5 1.4 0.1 
Vitamin B 3 Niacinamide  30 87 5.8 
Nutrient  Fortification compound  Amount of fortificant 
in premix, g/kg  Amount of nutrient 
in premix, g/kg  
Iron Ferrous fumarate  250.0  80 
NaFeDTA  461.5  60 
Vitamin B 12 Vit B -12 0.1 % WS  40 0.04 
Vitamin B 2 Riboflavin  12.0 12.0 
Vitamin B 1 Thiamine mononitrate (Activity 81 % 
min) 22.2 18 
Vitamin B 9 Folic acid (activity 100% min)  4.4 4 
Vitamin B 3 Niacinamide (Activity 99% min)  101.0  100 
Vitamin B 6 Pyridoxine (activity 82 %, min)  14.6 12 
Zinc Zinc oxide (Activity 80% min)  93.8 75 
Vitamin A Vitamin A1 Palmitate Spray Dried or 
equivalent   (0.075 % retinol,min)  26.7 2 
Vitamin A shall be added in the form of stabilized Vitamin A palmitate that has been spray dried or any equivalent form, cont aining 
75,000 micrograms RE2 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 wh eat flour having 
mois ture content in the range of 13.5 % to 14.5 %   
7 
 6 FOOD ADDITIVES  
Only those food additives listed under this product in MS 237, may be used and only within the  limits specified.  
 
7 HYGIENE  
Fortified wheat flour shall be manufactured in premises complying with the hygienic practices stipulated in MS 
21. 
 
8 CONTAMINANTS  
8.1 Heavy metals  
Fortified wheat flour shall comply with the maximum levels for contaminants th at are specified for the product 
in MS 302.  
8.2 Pesticide residues  
Fortified wheat flour shall comply with those maximum residue limits in the latest database established by the 
Codex Alimentarius Commission.  
8.3 Mycotoxins  
Fortified wheat flour shall comply with those maximum mycotoxin limits in the latest database established by 
the Codex Alimentarius Commission.  
 
9 PACKAGING  
9.1 Fortified wheat flour shall be packaged in containers which will safeguard the hygienic, nutritional, 
technological, and or ganoleptic qualities of the product.  
9.2 The containers, including packaging material, shall be food grade.  
9.3 When the product is packaged in sacks, these shall be clean, sturdy and strongly sewn or sealed.  
 
10 LABELLING  
10.1 Labelling of retail packages  
In addition to the requirements of MS 19, MS 624 and MS 625, each package shall be legibly and indelibly 
marked with the following:  
a) Product name as “Fortified wheat flour”;  
b) Type of wheat flour;  
c) Name, address and physical location of the manufact urer/ packer/importer;  
d) Lot/batch/code number;  
e) Net weight, in kg;  
f) The declaration “Food for human consumption’’;  
g) Storage instruction as “Store in a cool dry place away from any contaminants’’;  
h) Date of manufacture;   
8 
 i) Best before date;  
j) Instructions on disposal of used package;  
k) Country of origin; and  
g) The names and the amount of the nutrients added.  
10.2 Labelling of  non-retail packages  
Information for non -retail containers shall either be given on the container or in accompanying d ocuments, 
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 
accompanying documents.  
 
 
11 SAMPLING AND METHODS OF ANALYSIS  
 
11.1 Sampling  
 
11.1.1  Sampling for food fortification.  
 
Sampling shall be in accordance with international provi sion of AOAC and the ECSA manual for monitoring 
of wheat flour fortified with vitamins and minerals.  
 
11.1.2  Sampling for physical and chemical requirements and microbiological limits  
 
 Sampling shall be in accordance with MS 145.  
 
11.2 Methods of analysi s 
 
11.2.1  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 ECSA manual of laboratory methods for fortified foods.  
 
11.2.2  Methods of analysis for microbiological limits  
 
 Determination of the microbiological limits in fortified wheat flour shall be undertaken in accordance with 
AOAC.  
 
11.2.3  Methods of analysis for physical and chemical requirements  
 
The methods of test shall be in accordance with the methods declared  in this draft proposal or any other 
equivalent methods . 
  
 
IS 67.060                    DMS 30:2023
                                                                                   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 Trade and 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, com modities, materials, 
practices, operations and from time to time 
revise, alter and amend the same to 
incorporate advanced technology.  To bring the advantages of standardization 
within the reach of the common consumer, the 
Bureau operates a Certification Ma rk Scheme. 
Under this scheme, manufacturers who 
produce goods that conform to national 
standards 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 reli ability.