Without essential micronutrients, or organic compounds that the human body needs in tiny amounts like iron, Vitamin A and iodine, the body may suffer lasting damage to physical growth, health and mental development.
Iron deficiency increases maternal morbidity and mortality.
Without iron, a pregnant mother may become anemic and lose her child prematurely. Anemia in a child may permanently lower cognitive performance. Lack of Vitamin A can lead to blindness, and has been associated with impairing the immune system. And more than half of children under five are moderately or severely malnourished, or suffer from stunting. The fortified food meets 80 percent of the daily requirements of micronutrients for a child.