Mandatory Fortification of Bouillon Cubes: A Threat to Maternal and Child Health in Nigeria

By Bukola Olukemi-Odele

A recent narrative circulating across public health and media spaces-exemplified by reports from food corporations and their allies - advocates mandatory fortification of seasoning cubes with iron, zinc, folic acid, and vitamin B12 to fight against anaemia and neural tube defects in pregnancy. According to these advocates, fortified seasoning cubes, which are consumed in almost every Nigerian home, could become an effective vehicle for delivering essential vitamins and minerals to pregnant women across the country, helping to reduce the country’s high prevalence of anaemia among women of reproductive age and neural tube defects in newborns. These advocates point to high household reach, framing fortification of ultra-processed seasoning cubes as a primary maternal health intervention, while ignoring the grave maternal and neonatal emergencies- gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, and cardiovascular complications caused by high sodium intake in pregnancy. 

This narrative is misleading and the Nigerian government must carefully review the growing trend of fortifying ultra-processed foods (UPFs) with micronutrients, as it could amplify the current nutrition transition, influencing population dietary patterns towards ultra-processed foods rather than nutrient-dense wholesome staples.

Exposing pregnant women to high daily doses of sodium under the guise of micronutrient delivery directly undermines maternal safety. A single bouillon (seasoning) cube contains up to 1,200 mg of sodium - about 60 per cent of the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommended daily limit of 2,000 mg from a single source. In typical Nigerian household cooking, multiple cubes are combined with added table salt per meal, far exceeding recommended nutrition limits. Excessive dietary sodium intake is a primary driver of fluid retention, vascular resistance, and blood pressure spikes. In pregnant women, high sodium exposure directly increases the risk of gestational hypertension and preeclampsia - a condition characterized by sudden high blood pressure, protein leakage in urine, organ damage, and potential progression to life-threatening eclampsia (seizures). According to Nwagha et al, (2026), hypertensive disorders account for 16.7 per cent of all maternal deaths in Nigeria, and remain one of the top direct causes of maternal and perinatal mortality in Sub-Saharan Africa. 

Despite the assertions that fortified UPFs address micronutrient gaps, they often contain high levels of sugar, unhealthy fats, and additives. As a result, they fail to tackle the root causes of malnutrition but contribute to a "double burden," where populations experience both nutrient deficiencies and increasing rates of diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, obesity, among others. 

Importantly, artificial fortification cannot replicate the bioavailability and nutrient synergy found in whole foods. Therefore, fortifying these calorie-dense products is biologically incompatible with our long-term health needs. 

Despite the voluntary fortification of bouillon with iron, the prevalence of anaemia in Nigeria has doubled over the last two decades. 

Furthermore, there is no local evidence to suggest that the fortification of bouillon and other ultra-processed foods (UPFs) has effectively addressed the issue of hidden hunger. A comparison between the 2001 Food Consumption and Nutrition Survey (FCNS) and the 2021 National Food Consumption and Micronutrient Survey (NFCMS) shows that the prevalence of anaemia in women increased from 24.3 per cent to 55 per cent over this period, which is nearly a doubling of cases. This rise is largely attributed to increased food insecurity, which includes poor access to nutrient-dense, wholesome staples and limited dietary diversity, among other factors. According to the 2021 NFCMS reports, 79 per cent of Nigerian households are food insecure (57 per cent moderately insecure and 22 per cent severely insecure). High food inflation and declining purchasing power over the last decade have forced low-income families to cut out nutrient-dense animal-source proteins, fruits and vegetables, which serve as rich sources of vitamins and minerals for mono-crop starches.

Promoting the fortification of seasoning cubes and other industrially processed food products relies on well-documented corporate strategies used by ultra-processed food (UPF) manufacturers. By adding low-cost synthetic vitamins and minerals to sodium-rich, monosodium glutamate-heavy cubes, food conglomerates create a health halo, presenting unhealthy food products as public health necessities rather than dietary risks. According to the Positive Nutrition Factsheet by Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), this strategy was introduced in 2006 by Unilever’s Choices Program under the term "Positive Nutrition." It serves to protect corporate profits and mitigate the negative perception of ultra-processed foods (UPFs), presenting these unhealthy products as a cheaper and more accessible option or a public health solution for low-income and vulnerable households that cannot afford nutrient-dense, wholesome meals at home. This tactic presents the food industry as a key player in the fight against malnutrition, rather than a threat to nutrition security and public health.

Rather than deepening reliance on sodium-dense processed seasonings, a safer public health strategy for Nigeria should prioritize the implementation of mandatory sodium limits, front-of-pack labels on bouillon and other processed and pre-packaged foods, encouraging manufacturers to reformulate to safeguard public health and protect vulnerable groups. The government must implement policies and programs that expand access to safe, nutritious and wholesome foods. Encouraging home gardening can help increase the consumption of local herbs, fruits and vegetables rich in micronutrients within households. Agricultural fortification efforts should focus on whole staples, such as iron-fortified cassava, zinc-fortified maize, and orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, as these carry no added sodium or cardiovascular risks. It should also increase access to free or subsidized prenatal Iron-Folic Acid (IFA) and Multiple Micronutrient Supplements (MMS), which should be delivered through primary healthcare facilities and community health workers. Consumer education and nutrition literacy are crucial for promoting healthier dietary choices and lifestyles that enhance public health outcomes. 

The path to a healthy and productive Nigeria is not paved in laboratory-enriched bouillon cubes; it is found in a resilient food system that promotes dietary diversity and nutrition security. Nigeria cannot supplement its way out of a poor diet; as a nation, we must prioritise food sovereignty and whole-food nutrition over industrial convenience.

Olukemi-Odele, a food scientist, is the Programme Officer, Sodium Reduction at Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA).