Author: Supplefer

The current WHO/UNICEF recommended daily dose of iron for program settings where the prevalence of anemia is greater than 40% is 12.5 mg of iron (based on ferrous sulfate), for infants and young children from 6-24 months of age. Sprinkles are a new multiple micronutrient approach to home-fortification of complementary foods for children containing iron as microencapsulated ferrous fumarate. The dose of iron in Sprinkles should be large enough to treat anemia within a relatively short period of time yet be safe for prophylactic use in non-anemic children.The objectives of the study is to evaluate and compare the initial hematologic response from three different doses of Sprinkles, and two forms of iron compared to the reference standard (ferrous sulfate drops) in anemic infants 6-18 months of age.

The design of the study will involve randomizing anemic infants to one of 5 groups: (1)12.5, (2) 20, or (3) 30 mg Fe …

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Zinc:

Function

Zinc is a cofactor for numerous enzymes. It is involved in metabolism and cell growth. Other functions of zinc include sexual maturation, wound healing, appetite, sense of taste and smell and skin integrity.

Physiology

In the gut, zinc binds to a compound secreted from the pancreas, which helps absorption in the intestine. In the blood, zinc circulates bound to serum protein. Zinc is excreted via the feces, sweat and urine.

Food Sources

The richest sources of zinc include red meats, liver, fish, eggs, milk, nuts and legumes. Although zinc is present in vegetable matter, it is less available as it is bound by phytates which are chemicals found in many of these foods.

Deficiency

A deficiency of zinc may lead to growth faltering, delay in sexual maturation, mental lethargy and skin changes. Zinc also plays a role in maintaining immunity (T-cell function).…

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Sprinkles:
How to use them and how they can help your child

What happens when there isn’t enough iron and why it is
important to take Sprinkles

• Iron
  makes a child have strong blood and grow healthy.
• When a
  child does not have enough iron, it stops a him/her
  from learning well and his/her brain can’t grow well.
• Low
  iron makes a chil weak and tired.
• Sprinkles
  helps children to have strong blood, grow healthy, learn well and feel
  strong and energetic

What are Sprinkles?

• Sprinkles
  are packages of dry powder that has no taste 
• This
  powder has many vitamins and minerals to help make children strong,
  healthy and smart
• The
  vitamins inside are iron, zinc, vitamin A, folic acid and vitamin C which
  help children to have strong blood and protects them from getting sick
• The
  child’s caregiver should give one package each day to any child that

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Vitamin E:

Function

Vitamin E is involved in maintaining the integrity and function of cellular membranes. It is also thought to play a role in the prevention of oxidation of fatty acids contained in cell membranes. Vitamin E is also thought to be an antioxidant, potentially capable of preventing the actions of free radicals.

Physiology

Vitamin E is fat-soluble and therefore is absorbed with fat in the diet. Only a small percentage (20-40%) is absorbed from the gut. Vitamin E is transported to the liver via fat transporters called chylomicrons and to tissues via plasma lipoproteins. It is stored in membranes and in the liver, adipose (fat) and muscle tissue.

Food Sources

Vitamin E is most commonly found in vegetable and cereal seed oils. It is also found in small amounts in eggs, fish and meat.

Deficiency

Vitamin E deficiency may lead to hemolytic anemia, edema (water retention), elevated platelet …

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Iron is necessary for the creation of hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying component of blood. Iron deficiency occurs when
there is an inadequate supply of iron to the body resulting from a low iron intake from the diet or losses of blood
from parasitic infections Deficiency may results in anemia due to low hemoglobin levels. Hemoglobin carries oxygen
to all cells and tissues in the body. A depletion of oxygen can cause loss of energy, decreased metabolism and a failure to thrive.

According to the World Health Organization, as many as 30% of the world’s population
has iron deficiency anemia and these rates are as high as 50% in children living in Africa and Asia (Foege; 2002). Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Numerous studies have demonstrated that even moderate anemia (hemoglobin <100 g/L) is associated with depressed mental and motor development in …

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The minimum order size is 1 million sachets in bulk format. Organizations are responsible for the signing of a purchase agreement and the creation of custom artwork if different from the standard English/French version packaging design. Organizations may also wish to develop their own secondary packaging (i.e. box holding 20-30 sachets) for distribution to beneficiaries or consumers and are responsible for secondary packaging development, manufacturing and filling.

It is important to allow ample time for delivery. After the package artwork is approved, the estimated time to delivery is 12 weeks. The sachets are shipped in boxes of …

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PROCESS EVALUATION OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF MICRONUTRIENT SPRINKLES IN OVER 10,000 MONGOLIAN INFANTS USING A NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATION (NGO) PROGRAM MODEL

C. Schauer, S. Zlotkin, M. Nyamsuren, C.R. Hubbell, M. Chan, O. Purevsuren, C. MacDonald, N. Klaas

Background: Economic instability and severe winters have resulted in food shortages across
Mongolia. As a result, micronutrient deficiencies (iron and vitamin D) are common among children.
‘Sprinkles’ containing iron and other micronutrients (including Vitamin D) were developed as an
inexpensive micronutrient supplement. Objectives 1. To determine the prevalence of anemia and
rickets in children <5 years. 2. To develop an NGO distribution model to deliver Sprinkles to
infants 6-36 mo. and achieve 80% coverage. 3. To monitor and evaluate process and biological
outcome indicators. Methods: A cross-sectional baseline survey was conducted among 1478 children.
Assessment of anemia was based on hemoglobin (Hb). Assessment of rickets was based on a physical
examination. Program design, …

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In 1996, a group of UNICEF consultants determined that available interventions for iron deficiency anemia (syrup and drops
for infants and children, and capsules for women) were not effective, as adherence to treatment remained poor. They called for a simple,
inexpensive and potentially viable new method to provide micronutrients (including iron) to populations at risk (UNICEF-monograph). This

was based on two observations from the ‘West’ where micronutrient deficiencies are rare; (a) fortification of commercially available
food provides
essential micronutrients and (b) no change in the color, texture or taste of the food ensures compliance.

Responding to the challenge, the Nutrition Research Group at The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, developed ‘Supplefer’ utilizing encapsulated micronutrients for adding directly to food, that is inexpensive to manufacture and distribute. The
encapsulate is a thin coating of lipid that prevents the iron from oxidizing the food, resulting in ‘no change’ in …

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The Intellectual Property Rights to Supplefer Sprinkles are owned by Ped Med Ltd., a private incorporated company owned by Stanley Zlotkin.

1. First rights of refusal for the intellectual property rights to sprinkles were offered to the Hospital for Sick Children (as per our contractual obligation with the hospital). The Hospital turned down the offer (1998) and thus the rights were taken up by us.

2. Intellectual property rights were taken up because we wanted to perform appropriate research on Sprinkles before they were generally distributed and because we wanted to control the content of Sprinkles and manage issues around quality control.

3. It has always been our intent to have Sprinkles distributed to the populations in most need of micronutrient supplements.

4. We have an agreement with the HJ Heinz Company such that they will provide technical support, assist in the manufacture of Sprinkles from various manufacturing facilities around …

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Mix the food well after you have added the package of Sprinkles

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