The challenge
GB Foods has been producing bouillon cubes for Africa for over 30 years. Knowing that vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a big problem in West Africa, they begun a new initiative: fortifying the cubes with vitamin A. The product had to meet two requirements: that there was enough vitamin A and that it was stable. This is no mean feat – bouillon cubes are sold in local markets where the conditions are hot and humid, and are being boiled for an hour before being consumed. How could GB Foods test the cubes for all eventualities?
The solution
Together with GB Foods, BioAnalyt developed an innovative method of testing the fortified bouillon cubes. Taking just 15 minutes to measure vitamin A and assess the quality of the cubes, iCheck Fluoro is both fast and affordable.
“We knew that vitamin A deficiency was a real problem in West Africa and we wanted to make our products
healthier. It was challenging, since we had never made any products with added vitamins before.”
Agustin Labrador, GB Foods Research lead
The result
iCheck Fluoro enables local, on-the-ground quality control of bouillon cubes. By looking beyond traditional methods, GB Foods was able to bring the fortified cubes to market faster. With reduced cost of testing GB Foods ensures that the product itself is kept affordable joining the fight against VAD.
To explore further stories on bouillon cubes, read here
