Evaluation Of The Micronutrient Content In Flours, Semolinas And Table Salts Sold In Ubani Market Umuahia

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to evaluate brands of flour, semolina andtable salts for their quality and micronutrient contents. Assuming a 30,000IU level of fortification for vitamin A in the flour and semolina samples, vitamin A losses of 16.11% for Golden Penny Semolina, 18.83% for Honeywell flour, 19.61% for Pure flour, 19.88% for Honeywell whole wheat meal, 20.06% for Golden Penny flour, 21.06% for Supreme semolina and 21.72% for Honeywell Semolina were recorded. Results obtained for iron content analyses of the flour and semolina samples showed very low levels of iron (8.31mg/kg – 10.94mg/kg) in all the samples analysed. This poses a huge challenge in the effort to fight iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) in Nigeria. For the salt sample analyses, the effects of the interactive relationships between storage time, brand, and packaging on iodine losses, moisture content and pH were also investigated. The results showed that all salt samples analysed had adequate amounts of added iodine (Mean values ≥ 30ppm) at the time of analyses but storage time and exposure of the salt samples had significant effects (p<0.05) on the rate of iodine losses, assuming a 50ppm level of iodisation at the time of production as stated on the labels thereby suggesting the need for improved consumer education and awareness, monitoring and evaluation by relevant agencies, and salt producers making necessary processing adjustmentsat the point of production to reduce the rate of iodine losses under different conditions of handling, storage and distribution.