The Kenya Times: Why Your Ugali Might Not Be as Nutritious- Report

Every Kenyan knows the comfort of a warm plate of ugali. We make the dish almost daily, believing that the maize flour we buy, usually labeled “fortified with vitamins and minerals,” provides the nutrients we need. However, a new global report by the Access to Nutrition Initiative (ATNi) reveals a hidden truth: the food we think is fortified might not be doing its job.

This “hidden hunger” — the silent lack of essential vitamins and minerals like iron, vitamin A, and zinc — affects over five billion people worldwide.

According to a report, one in two preschool-aged children and two in three women of reproductive age globally suffer from at least one micronutrient deficiency.

Kenya has strong fortification laws requiring that staple foods like maize flour, wheat flour, salt, and vegetable oil be fortified. Yet, as the VitaMin Premix Supplier Assessment 2025 shows, rules alone aren’t enough when the chain from global suppliers to local millers is broken.

“Women and children in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are particularly at risk, with one in two pre-school-aged children and two in three women of reproductive age worldwide having at least one micronutrient deficiency,” the report states.

“Kenya represents a mandate-driven, import-dependent system in which staple foods such as wheat and maize flour, salt, and vegetable oils must be fortified by law and rely heavily on imported fortificants.”

Why your ugali is under-fortified

Despite Kenya’s efforts, many fortified foods fail to meet national standards. According to a National Research Fund (NRF) Kenya study, investigations into maize flour fortification by millers in the country found that not all millers were fortifying their products or doing so in line with regulatory standards.

For instance, only 2% of 177 maize flour samples assessed met all regulatory requirements for three micronutrients that were assessed (iron, zinc, and vitamin A).”

That means 97 percent of “fortified” flour may be failing its purpose — not because millers don’t care, but because the system that delivers fortificants (vitamin and mineral blends) is fragile.

Barriers for millers and regulators

Kenya relies heavily on imported fortificants, and for small- and medium-sized millers—especially those serving lower-income consumers—this dependence presents serious challenges.

One major issue is weak enforcement. Regulatory agencies often lack the necessary resources, including adequate funding and laboratory equipment, to regularly test the quality of fortified foods. Without consistent oversight, substandard or non-fortified products can easily slip through the system.

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