GLOBAL DIRECTORY OF MICRONUTRIENTS MANUFACTURERS
FIRST EDITION DECEMBER 1997

Table of Contents

Introduction

Using the Directory

• Table 1: Premix Manufacturer Locator
• Table 2: Supplement Manufacturer Locator
• Table 3: Manufacturer Locator - by Region

• Nutrition Needs Assessment
• Nutrient Specification

• Belgium
• Brazil
• Canada
• Croatia
• Denmark
• France
• Germany
• India
• Italy
• Mexico
• Netherlands
• Norway
• Pakistan
• South Africa
• Switzerland
• Thailand
• United Kingdom
• United States

4. Useful Resource Materials  

Introduction
Fortification of foods (e.g. salt, sugar, cereals, other flour products, and milk) with micronutrient premixes, and the distribution and consumption of supplements (e.g., Retinol capsules) have been accepted by many developing countries and development assistance agencies as strategies that can help to eliminate micronutrient malnutrition rapidly and cost effectively.

The Micronutrient Initiative (MI) developed this Directory to assist national organizations, such as ministries of health, and domestic food manufacturers, as well as international organizations, e.g., multilateral and bilateral aid agencies, and non-governmental organizations, to meet the needs of their health and nutrition programs by fortification or supplementation. The directory is designed to:

(a) identify manufacturers worldwide with the stated capability to formulate and produce micronutrient premixes or supplements that meet recognized international standards for product manufacture, quality assurance and use.

(b) improve the communication and understanding between micronutrient manufacturers on one hand, and those who specify, purchase or consume micronutrients on the other, of each other's needs, operating requirements and constraints.

The Directory is another initiative arising from MI's 1995 Ottawa Forum on Food Fortification, for helping public and private sector interests to better communicate and understand the requirements and challenges of fortification and supplementation in many developing countries.

This Directory is not a typical manufacturer's product catalogue in which product brand names, compositions, packaging, labelling and pricing details are shown. Rather, it lists manufacturers who responded to a worldwide survey by MI of about 700 companies and who indicated that they have the capability to formulate and produce micronutrient products which are typically specified or used by UNICEF, WFP, WHO etc., to meet health and nutrition needs of developing countries, and which comply with internationally recognized standards such as USP, BP and FCCodex.

As will be pointed out in Section 1, "General Information about Micronutrients", the product specifications for premixes and supplements which are typically procured for these applications do not necessarily match those of comparable products routinely marketed by manufacturers. A considerable degree of customization is often necessary, requiring the input of those representing the end users and the manufacturer, to arrive at a product composition, format, packaging, texture, colour, taste etc. that will meet the nutrition program needs. This Directory lists many, if not all, of the issues both sides may need to consider, based on the experience gained in the worldwide activities of MI and its partners in the areas of food fortification and supplementation.

This Directory does not attempt to provide authoritative technical guidelines on the formulation or use of either premixes or supplements. The MI welcomes comments on the scope, contents andstructure of this directory, including views on possibly expanding the directory into a handbook on fortification and supplementation for developing countries. Such a handbook could bring together the collective knowledge and expertise of all stakeholders in the areas of nutritional needs assessment, micronutrient product design and delivery, dosing technology, nutrition program design, costing, delivery and monitoring, and related issues such as quality assurance procedures and facilities, assessing and improving bioavailability, consumer acceptance, program sustainability, and national regulations necessary for either introducing or sustaining food fortification. Placing the directory and related information on the Internet, to widen the audience and facilitate frequent updates, i.e., to make it a "living" handbook, is an option that could be explored.

It is hoped that the information in this directory will be of assistance to parties involved in health and nutrition issues in developing countries. The Micronutrient Initiative cannot be held responsible for business arrangements entered into with the companies listed in this directory. Information on pricing, brand names, specific product compositions and the like was neither sought from the manufacturers nor is it provided herein, since they are subject to change without notice and may be regarded as proprietary information by manufacturers. Those companies which are not listed at present may contact the MI for possible inclusion in either the first edition that is due to be released in late September 1997, or in subsequent editions of this directory. 

Using the Directory

How the information was collected:
The Directory was compiled by ProMarket International, under contract to the MI. Directories provided by embassies and a variety of other public sources such as industry/trade associations or councils, trade journals and databases accessible via the Internet were searched to prepare a list of about 700 companies in almost 40 countries. All companies were faxed a letter explaining the Directory project, and a one page questionnaire. Companies were also invited to respond by e-mail via the MI web site on the internet: www.idrc.ca/mi/promark.

It should be noted that terms such as: "premix", "micronutrient premix", "fortificant" etc. have generally not entered the lexicon used in databases dealing with the subject of nutrition. Information about manufacturers of products of interest to this directory is best sourced or searched on the Internet and various databases by using keywords such as: "vitamins", "minerals", and "food additives or ingredients".

How the information is organized:
The directory has four sections. The first section contains general information about the selection of ingredients for both premixes and supplements, followed by a series of typical questions and issues that need to addressed when specifying either premixes or supplements for a given nutrition program. It is hoped that this section will contribute to the dialogue that is necessary between manufacturers and their customers (e.g., UNICEF, NGOs, governments, food industry) in designing, developing and selecting the appropriate strategies to combat micronutrient malnutrition, in a specific country or region.

The second section lists those manufacturers who responded appropriately to the MI survey and wished to be included in the directory. The list is organized alphabetically, by country in which the manufacturer's main facilities are located, and includes information for contacting the companies. For each company, the listing indicates,

• whether a company manufactures premixes, and the spectrum of ingredients used
• whether a company manufactures supplements, and lists both the ingredients used and the product format (tablet, gel capsule or syrup/tonic)
• the quality assurance procedures used during production
• the geographical regions where these products have been sold, and
• the international agencies to whom these products have been sold

How to use the Directory:
Having determined the micronutrients that are required for one's program, one can identify the companies who manufacture either premixes or supplements containing those micronutrients, by referring to the Manufacturer Locator Tables 1 to 3. Each company listed in section two has been given a company serial number, which appears against the micronutrient ingredient contained in the premix or supplement that the company produces. One should then initiate a dialogue with them, using the questions and issues outlined in Section 1 as a basis for selecting a premix or supplement suitable for one's needs. Manufacturers may also be asked to indicate if they have either branch offices, agents or other representation in the geographical region of one's choice. 

TABLE 2: SUPPLEMENT MANUFACTURER LOCATOR

	Micronutrient	Manufacturer Serial No. in Section 2
		TABLET	GEL CAPS	SYRUP/TONIC
1	Iron (Fe) Salt	7, 19, 21, 25, 28, 36, 45, 46, 49, 55, 59, 62	7, 19, 24, 33, 37	1, 7, 19, 36
3	Retinol	7, 19, 36, 37, 38, 40, 45, 46, 49, 55, 59, 62	4, 5, 7, 8, 19, 24, 25, 33, 37	1, 7, 19, 25, 36
4	Zinc	7, 8, 19, 27, 36, 37, 38, 40, 45, 46, 49, 52, 54, 55, 59, 62	7, 12, 19, 24, 33	19, 36
9	Vitamin D	25	-	25
11	Riboflavin	7, 8, 19, 25, 27, 36, 37, 38, 40, 45, 46, 49, 52, 55, 59, 62	7, 19, 24, 33, 37, 54	1, 7, 19, 25, 36
12	Thiamine	7, 8, 19, 21, 25, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 45, 46, 49, 52, 55, 59, 62	7, 19, 24, 33, 54	1, 7, 19, 25, 36r
20	Fe salt + Folic Acid	7, 18, 19, 25, 27, 28, 36, 40, 45, 46, 49, 55, 59, 62	7, 19, 24, 33, 35	19, 36
21	Ascorbic acid	7, 8, 19, 21, 25, 27, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 45, 46, 49, 52, 54, 55, 59, 62	7, 19, 24, 33	19, 36, 46
22	Iodised Oil	7, 19, 36, 40, 49, 55	7, 11, 12, 19, 24, 25	19, 36
23	Nicotinamide	7, 19, 21, 25, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 45, 46, 49, 52, 55, 59, 62	7, 19, 24, 33, 37, 54	1, 7, 19, 25, 36
24	Pyridoxine	7, 19, 25, 27, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 45, 46, 49, 52, 55, 59, 62	7, 19, 24, 33, 37	1, 7, 19, 25, 36
25	Sodium Fluoride	7, 8, 19, 27, 36, 40, 45, 46, 49, 55, 59, 62	7, 19	8, 19, 36
26	Multivitamins	25, 54	54	1, 25
28	Selenium	-	12	-
32	Conjugated Linoleic Acid	-	15	-
35	Iron (Fe) Complex*	32	-	32

* Proprietary Iron compounds. Contact manufacturer for more details. 

1. General Information About Micronutrients
The term "micronutrient" refers to vitamins and minerals. Most of these cannot be made in the human body. They must be part of the diet or taken as supplements. The human body needs them only in small amounts. For example, a person needs about a teaspoon of iodine over an entire lifetime to ward off the debilitating effects of goitre. Hence the prefix "micro". Failure to ensure an adequate intake of these small quantities could lead to devastating effects.

There are dozens of these micronutrients. Three of them - iron, vitamin A and iodine - merit most urgent attention because:

(a) they are the ones most often found to be deficient in people's diets,

(b) their deficiency leads to grave health, social and economic consequences, and

(c) there are cost-effective strategies, such as fortification and supplementation, to overcome these deficiencies.

Food fortification generally means adding needed micronutrients, as premixes, to staple foods (including condiments) which are produced in commercial units such as flour mills, and commonly consumed in any country. For example, in Venezuela, Ecuador, Brazil and Grenada, wheat and corn flour are fortified with iron and B vitamins. Sugar is fortified with vitamin A in Guatemala, while salt is fortified with iodine in almost every country. Other examples of foods fortified in developing countries include milk, beverages, weaning foods, flat breads, curry powder, rice, biscuits, fish sauce and processed noodles.

Fortified foods can be effective only if they are eaten. Therein lies the challenge. While the technology to fortify a variety of foods with one or more nutrients in medium to large scale commercial units is available and established, there is a distinct knowledge gap in the technology needed for food fortification in small scale units such as hammer or rice mills, especially those located in poor, remote regions, serving populations most affected by nutritional deficiencies. In addition, those populations must not only accept the fortified foods, they must afford to pay for it.

On the other hand, supplementation is useful as a short to medium term preventive as well as therapeutic measure when combatting nutritional deficiencies. Supplementation is the provision of nutrients in a tablet, capsule, syrup, tonic or an injection. For example, in drought stricken and other areas where people are at risk of vitamin A deficiency, giving vitamin A supplements to infants older than 6 months and to mothers within 6 weeks of child delivery is widely practised. Where goitre and cretinism are evident, supplementation with iodized oil is an effective solution while salt iodization is being introduced on a commercial scale.

Developing a nutrition strategy, whether involving fortification or supplementation, requires:

Nutrition Needs Assessment:
Before using this directory, it is essential to,

(a) identify nutrient deficiencies, their causes, their impact, and the characteristics of the affected or target population (age groups, gender, diets, living/sanitation conditions, income levels, occupations, access to healthcare etc.) in any given developing country

(b) for a given deficiency, determine the appropriate nutrients, required nutrient levels and make a preliminary assessment of the suitability of fortification versus other means such as dietary modification and supplementation, drawing on practices employed in comparable situations by agencies such as UNICEF, WFP, WHO, MI and CARE. A literature search is also recommended. The nutrification strategy should consider the total nutrition intake of the target population from all the foods, beverages and any medications they consume.

(c) estimate the nutrient composition of either the premix to be used for fortification, or the supplement to be distributed, as permitted by the existing health or food manufacturing regulations in the target country.

Nutrient Specification:
(a) Having estimated the desired nutrient needs for a given population, and selected fortification or supplementation as the appropriate strategy, pick out the companies in the directory who have indicated that they manufacture either premixes or supplements containing the desired nutrients. It is unlikely, especially for fortification, that companies can supply off-the-shelf formulations that fully satisfy one's needs.

(b) The choice of companies who may be contacted for product, pricing and related information could be subject to a number of considerations, including proximity, sales experience in one's region, local representation, previous sales to a given organization, and compliance with specific quality assurance standards.

(c) It is equally important to ensure that those companies receive information that defines one's needs very clearly, if one expects to establish reasonable dialogue that can lead to successful procurement. From the manufacturers' perspective, the more information they have about the user's local conditions (dietary habits, living conditions, cultural traits, economy, infrastructure, literacy etc.), the easier it will be to respond to the prospective customer. The initial inquiry sent to manufacturers should

• indicate desired nutrients, target population, and nutrification levels (e.g., indicate how much of the target population's recommended daily allowance is to be met)
• indicate preference for fortification or supplementation. If it is the former, indicate the food to be fortified. Provide details on food preparation and consumption, e.g., indicate if people grow a specific grain, how they process it (e.g., milling), what foods are prepared with it, how it is cooked, the frequency and amount of consumption, local peculiarities about colour, taste, texture etc. of the food before and after cooking. If supplementation is preferred, indicate the desired potency, format, frequency of dosage and how the supplements will be stored and distributed to the target population. Where possible, provide details of previous experience using either strategy.
• request product literature, specifications, use restrictions, pricing, suggested dosing methods and product samples from manufacturers. Enquire if a company is willing to customize a product for your needs. Also indicate how long your program may run.

(a) national regulations on nutrification that cover recommended daily allowances for specific nutrients, labeling/nutrition information on fortified food packaging, product testing, permitted colouring and other additives etc. Regulations that may be governed by local religious or other cultural dictates.

(b) depending on the food to be fortified, how the food is processed, cooked and consumed, which carrier substance (e.g., starch, flour) may be used, and in what format, texture, colours and quantities

(c) if the food to be fortified is a cereal or other grain, the milling facilities that are available, and the degree of automation or sophistication in milling equipment.

(d) the equipment available for dosing the premix, e.g., a blender, the degree to which it is automated and the types of materials it can handle

(e) local storage facilities (especially if climate control is necessary) for both the premix and fortified food, as well as local climatic conditions

(f) given local climate, storage and product distribution conditions, the permitted levels of antioxidants, antifungal agents and any other preservatives that may be necessary

(g) premix format - powder, granules, pellets, liquid/oil base etc.- that is suitable for fortification

(h) premix packaging (e.g., material, moisture or sunlight protected, size, shape), labeling (including language, nutrition information and use instructions) and testing requirements

(i) fortified food packaging, labeling including marketing/advertising considerations, testing

(j) premix import restrictions, potential distribution methods, training of mill operators, promotional campaign to educate healthcare workers and customers

(k) premix procurement conditions (e.g., buyer - private or public sector, local or international organization, purchasing period, financing constraints, on-site support)

There could be other issues such as the manufacturer's need to conduct product development and testing in that country, run a test marketing campaign and repackage the premix locally. 

2. Micronutrient Manufacturers - Listed by Country
The information contained in this section is presented exactly as provided by the manufacturers who responded to the MI survey (refer to the last page for a copy of the survey form).

The list of micronutrients shown in the Premix section of that form was derived from Table 91- 2:Vitamin and Mineral Safety Indexes, "Nutrification of Foods", J. Christopher Bauernfeind, Ch.91, Modern Nutrition in Health & Disease, 8th Edition, Edited by M.E.Shils, J.A.Olson, M.Shike; Vol. 2, 1994; Lea & Febiger. Additional ingredients were submitted by manufacturers.

The list of micronutrients shown in the Supplements section of that form was derived from the Sixth Report of the WHO Expert Committee:" The Use of Essential Drugs", with additional ingredients provided by the Micronutrient Initiative, and manufacturers.

BELGIUM  

1. Purna Pharmaceuticals N.V.		Van Gucht, R: Managing Director  Biesmans, C: Q.A.Manager
Rijksweg 17
B-2870 Puurs
Belgium		Tel: 32-3-886 0085
		Fax: 32-3-886 2538
MANUFACTURE		MICRONUTRIENT
Premix	containing	1, 3, 9, 26
Supplement: Syrup/Tonic	containing	1, 3, 11, 12, 23, 24, 26
QUALITY ASSURANCE		USP, BP, EP
SALES TO
Regions		ME, AF, SA
Agencies		UNICEF, UNHCR, WHO

BRAZIL  

2. Fortitech South America, LTDA		Rech, Juarez A: Director General
Rua Euclides Vera 609
P.Q. Sao Quirino
13088-280 Campinas, SP		Tel: 55-192-52-5646
Brazil		Fax: 55-192-42-5848
MANUFACTURE		MICRONUTRIENT
Premix	containing	1 to 19
QUALITY ASSURANCE		USP, BP, FCC
SALES TO
Regions		ME, AF, SA, EU, FE, AS, NA
Agencies		UNICEF

 

3. Produtos Roche Quimicos E Farmaceuticos		Nilson, Alberto R: H.N. Manager
Av. Engo Billings 1729-05321-900
Sao Paulo		Tel: 55-11-819-45-19
Brazil		Fax: 55-11-819-49-80
		E-mail: alberto.nilson@roche.com
MANUFACTURE		MICRONUTRIENT
Premix	containing	1 to 19
QUALITY ASSURANCE		USP, BP
SALES TO
Regions		ME, AF, SA, EU, FE, AS, NA
Agencies		UNICEF, WFP

CANADA 

4. Accucaps Industries Limited		Moore, Gordon: President  Odette, Roger: Director, Sales
2125 Ambassador Drive
Windsor, ON N9C 3R5
Canada		Tel: 1-519-969-5404
		Fax: 1-519-969-7378
MANUFACTURE		MICRONUTRIENT
Supplement: Gel Caps	containing	3
QUALITY ASSURANCE		USP
SALES TO
Regions		EU, NA
Agencies		CIDA

 

5. Banner Gelatin Products (Canada) Ltd.		Richardson, Deb: Sales Admin.
5807-47th Ave.
Olds, AB T4H 1S7
Canada		Tel: 1-403-556-2531
		Fax: 1-403-556-7079
MANUFACTURE		MICRONUTRIENT
Supplement: Gel Caps	containing	3
QUALITY ASSURANCE		USP
SALES TO
Regions		SA, EU, NA
Agencies		UNICEF

CROATIA  

11. Mantra International D.D.		Orlic, Rene: Manager
Strossmayerova
51000 Rijeka
Croatia		Tel: 385-51-42-11-19
		Fax: 385-51-42-12-74
MANUFACTURE		MICRONUTRIENT
Premix	containing	6, 7, 8, 11, 13
QUALITY ASSURANCE		USP, BP
SALES TO
Regions		ME, EU

DENMARK  

12. BASF Health & Nutrition A/S		Abrath, Andreas: Marketing Director
Malmparken 5
DK-2750 Ballerup
Denmark		Tel: 45-44-73-01-00
		Fax: 45-44-73-01-02
MANUFACTURE		MICRONUTRIENT
Premix	containing	3, 5 to 15, 27
QUALITY ASSURANCE		USP, BP
SALES TO
Regions		ME, AF, SA, EU, FE, AS, NA
Agencies		UNICEF, WHO

FRANCE  

13. Laboratoire Guerbet		Chastin, I: Scientific Manager
B.P. 50400
95943 Roissy CDG Cedex
France		Tel: 33-1-4591-5000
		Fax: 33-1-4591-5199
MANUFACTURE		MICRONUTRIENT
Premix	containing	2
Supplement: Gel Caps	containing	22
QUALITY ASSURANCE		EP
SALES TO
Regions		ME, AF, SA, EU, FE, AS, NA
Agencies		UNICEF, WHO

GERMANY  

14. Bona Vital		Hesse, Rainer (Dipl.-Ing.)
Ickstat Str. 5
80469 Munchen
Germany		Tel: 49-89-2010 863
		Fax: 49-89-2010 846
MANUFACTURE		MICRONUTRIENT
Premix	containing	5 to 14, 16, 17, 18
Supplement: Gel Caps	containing	4, 22, 28
QUALITY ASSURANCE		BP
SALES TO
Regions		ME, AF, EU, AS

INDIA 

20. Eupharma Laboratories Ltd.		General Manager
Taluka Kadi, Dist. Meshana
INRAD 382 721, Gujarat
India
MANUFACTURE		MICRONUTRIENT
Supplement : Tablet	containing	20
QUALITY ASSURANCE		USP, BP
SALES TO
Regions		ME, AF, AS
Agencies		Govt. of India

ITALY 

23. MACOR di Trucazzano S.r.l.		Melloni, P.: Manager
Viale Monte Grappa 1
20060 Trucazzano, Milano
Italy		Tel: 39-2-958-3136
		Fax: 39-2-958-3707
MANUFACTURE		MICRONUTRIENT
Premix	containing	1, 6, 12, 14, 16, 17
Supplement: Tablet	containing	1, 12, 21, 23
QUALITY ASSURANCE		USP, BP
SALES TO
Regions		EU

MEXICO 

24. Galliapan SA de CV		Aguirre, Mr. Carlos: Gen. Director
Av. Cartagena 498, Bodega 11
Parque Industriale Cartagena
Tultiplan, Estado de Mexico		Tel: 52-5-888-0936
Mexico 54900		Fax: 52-5-888-1447
MANUFACTURE		MICRONUTRIENT
Premix	containing	1, 5, 6, 11, 12, 14
QUALITY ASSURANCE		USP
SALES TO
Regions		SA