Hidden hunger
Chronic hunger affects millions across the globe. But an equally disturbing and often ignored problem is micronutrient deficiency, or ‘hidden hunger’. As many as two billion people around the world are affected by this kind of hunger. When it hits children, it stunts their development and diminishes their potential to live a full and productive life. DSM is developing an understanding and building awareness of hidden hunger to help combat micronutrient deficiency around the world.
What is Hidden hunger?
Hidden hunger is a micronutrient (vitamin and mineral) deficiency in a person’s diet. It is not the type of malnutrition you see in a hungry or starving individual. Most of the two billion people who suffer from hidden hunger eat enough calories. But their basic diet fails to provide enough crucial vitamins and minerals vital to their mental and physical health.
The problem of hidden hunger impacts both the developing and the developed world. The most obvious victims are in developing countries, where people can’t afford or don’t have access to nutritious foods. They simply can’t buy the meat, fish, eggs, fruits or vegetables that would provide the minerals and vitamins they need.
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Helping to fight the global problem of Hidden hunger
DSM is the world’s largest supplier of vitamins, carotenoids, micronutrient premixes and other health ingredients. We are committed to raising awareness of hidden hunger, and we have developed several tailored solutions in this area to help improve the lives of millions of people around the world.
DSM is proud to partner with a variety of development agencies, and we participate in many initiatives to combat micronutrient deficiency around the world. DSM and the World Food Programme (WFP) continue to trial and test new products and programs that tackle hunger-related malnutrition. Together, we are also developing a more sophisticated understanding of the problem, building awareness of hidden hunger and the available solutions.
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DSM Highlights 2012
Sight & Life publishes history of the global battle against micronutrient deficiencies
On 10th February 2012 Sight & Life, the humanitarian initiative of DSM and a well respected nutrition think tank will launch a book entitled Micronutrients, Macro Impact: The story of vitamins and a hungry world. This book tells how, for the past 25 years, Sight & Life has championed the battle against hidden hunger among the world's poorest and most vulnerable populations.
Scientists Without Borders recognized for global development innovations
Scientists Without Borders was recognized at an event at the White House on 8 February, for its model to foster game-changing innovations with the potential to solve long-standing global development challenges. DSM and Sight and Life partnered with Scientists Without Borders to find more innovative and sustainable approaches to tackle malnutrition.
DSM donates USD 1 million to WFP rice fortification activities
At the World Economic Forum in Davos on 26 January 2012, DSM announced its increased support for the World Food Programme with a donation of USD 1 million to support rice fortification activities. This latest commitment, which also includes an in-kind donation of NutriRice®, will help to lay the foundations for introducing fortified rice into WFP’s food basket, with the aim of improving the nutritional intake of 4 million people in several Southeast Asian countries. More>
DSM extends Vitamin A distribution partnership with Vitamin Angels
On 11 January 2012 DSM announced that Sight and Life, its humanitarian initiative aimed at achieving a sustainable and significant improvement in human nutrition and health, has extended its partnership with Vitamin Angels for the distribution of vitamin A capsules. Vitamin Angels is dedicated to reducing child mortality worldwide by advancing availability, access and use of essential micronutrients, especially vitamin A, among at-risk populations worldwide.
Links & Downloads
- Background information: Sight and Life: Building bridges for better nutrition (PDF, 73.79KB)
- Press release: Sight and Life publishes history of the global battle against micronutrient deficiencies (PDF, 47.98KB)
- Press release: Scientists Without Borders recognized at White House event (PDF, 72.66KB)
- Background information: Tackling hidden hunger through rice fortification (PDF, 83.46KB)
- Press release: Sight and Life extends Vitamin A distribution partnership with Vitamin Angels (PDF, 46.98KB)
- Sight and Life
- Vitamin Angels website
- Highlights 2011
- Highlights 2010
- Highlights 2009
Tailored Food Solutions help provide needed vitamins and minerals
DSM creates food supplements and premixes to ensure the right amount of nutrients tailored to individual needs. We call this ‘Tailored Food Solutions’.
MixMeTM is a home fortification concept
With MixMe™, people can add a single dose packet of vitamins and minerals to food, providing them with their full ’Recommended Daily Allowance’ of essential micronutrients. MixMe™ mixes easily and has been proven to have no negative effect on the taste, consistency, color or smell of food. It is especially suitable for children aged six to 59 months.
MixMe™ with phytase helps combat iron deficiency
DSM’s enzyme innovation and expertise now provides help for people suffering from iron deficiency. A recently developed MixMe™ formulation contains an enzyme, phytase, which greatly increases the availability of iron to the body by releasing the natural iron in the food. It thus eliminates the need for high iron dosing – a practice that can be dangerous in malaria regions.
NutriRice® is an award winning, nutritious rice
Although rice is the number one staple for millions of people in the world, it has a poor nutritional value, especially when it is milled. This cannot be solved by simply adding micronutrients to it, because these are lost when the rice is cooked. The NutriRice® rice fortification technology works as follows. Broken rice kernels (a by-product of regular rice production) are milled, mixed with vitamin/mineral premix and then run through a hot extruder to produce customized NutriRice® ‘rice kernels’ with encapsulated micronutrients. These kernels look, taste and cook exactly the same as regular rice, and they are added to regular rice in a ratio of 1:100. The resulting white rice is a very nutritious meal even after cooking, and the added cost is very small (around 5%).
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DSM and the World Food Programme
DSM is proud to partner with the World Food Programme – the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger – to improve the quality of the food baskets provided to the world’s neediest and most vulnerable. As a partner, DSM provides both technical and scientific support as well as food supplements and food fortification products.
This close partnership is a win-win relationship for the partners and for the world’s poor. DSM and the WFP signed a Memorandum of Understanding at the 2010 World Economic Forum, extending this partnership into 2013.
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Facts and figures
- Tragically, 1.2 million children go blind or die from vitamin A deficiency every year.
- In developing countries, iron, vitamin A and zinc deficiencies are among the top 10 leading causes of death due to disease.
- Malnutrition compounded by repeated bouts of infectious disease cause an estimated 3.5 million preventable maternal and child deaths every year.
- Poor nutrition and micronutrient deficiency have a staggeringly large impact.
- These types of problems:Impair the mental development of 40% to 60% of infants in the developing world.
- Debilitate the health and energy of 500 million women across the globe Lead to more than 60,000 deaths during childbirth every year. - Iodine deficiency is the world's greatest single cause of mental retardation and brain damage, lowering intellectual capacity by 10% to 15%.
