For many years, SUSTAIN organized short-term activities in response to requests for assistance from developing countries. These requests came from local businesses, organizations, universities and educational institutions, USAID missions and other international donors, host country governments, and others. SUSTAIN staff carefully evaluated each request in consultation with expert volunteers to determine the nature of the problem and the most appropriate type of assistance. Assistance was offered in many forms, including technical consultations, technical assistance, assessments, workshops, and other activities to best address the needs in the field.

Stuttgart, AR (September 1998). Workshop on Micronutrient Enhancement of Rice
A SUSTAIN industry specialist participated in a workshop on technologies to enhance the micronutrient content of rice, which was held at the Rice Research and Extension Center at the University of Arkansas. The workshop provided a forum to review current technologies for rice fortification, as well as other interventions to enhance the micronutrient content of rice in developing countries. SUSTAIN also helped support the writing and publication of the workshop proceedings.

Guatemala (September 1998). Guatemalan Association of Food Technologists 1998 Congress
Two SUSTAIN volunteers participated in the Guatemalan Association of Food Technologists’ Biannual Congress. They spoke on the following topics: “Irradiation in Combination with Modified Atmosphere Packaging to Enhance the Safety of Minimally Processed Vegetables,” and “Functional Foods: Benefits and Future”.

Beirut, Lebanon (July 1998). Workshop on Flour Fortification in the Middle East and North Africa
A SUSTAIN industry specialist participated in a regional workshop on iron deficiency and the health and economic implications of iron fortification in the Middle East. The prevalence of iron deficiency anemia (IDA), the high consumption of flour in the Middle East, and the safe, effective, and inexpensive methods of combating IDA through micronutrient fortification were addressed.

Malawi (June/July 1998). Assessment of Opportunities to Assist Malawi Food Businesses
Two SUSTAIN volunteers traveled to Malawi with a representative of Amsterdam's Royal Tropical Institute to assess how SUSTAIN might contribute to economic growth and improved nutrition in Malawi. The team concluded that SUSTAIN could assist manufacturers of a low-cost weaning food to expand sales and distribution of their nutritious product, and to become less dependent on donor aid through improved quality control and retail strategies.

Russia (June-July, 1998). Technical Assistance to Advance Russian Flour Enrichment
A SUSTAIN volunteer participated in a technical assistance visit to Russia to help support micronutrient initiatives focusing on iron, iodine, selenium, and flouride. The visit was organized in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) as an extension of activities previously conducted under the auspices of the Gore-Chernomyrdin Commission’s Health Committee. The SUSTAIN volunteer provided technical support to help assess the needs and capabilities of Russian mills and bakeries in fortification. The volunteer also provided assistance to a Russian company interested in establishing a vitamin and mineral premix distribution business in the region. As a result of this assistance, the Russian company succeeded in helping to launch the fortification of bread and milk in several Russian Oblasts.

Atlanta, GA (June 1998). Annual Meeting of the Institute of Food Technologists 1998
SUSTAIN participated in the 1998 IFT Annual Meeting held in Atlanta, GA. During the conference SUSTAIN:
• Organized a special forum on “Iron Fortification of Foods.” The Forum brought speakers from research institutes and government/non government agencies together to discuss various issues dealing with iron fortification.
• Prepared and presented two poster sessions on “Stability of Vitamin A and Vitamin C in Food Aid Commodities” and “Stability of Vitamin A and Vitamin C during Cooking of Food Aid Commodities.” These presentations were both based on reports authored by SUSTAIN in connection with SUSTAIN’s Micronutrient Assessment Project which found that fortified U.S. PL 480 commodities do not deliver consistent levels of vitamin A to aid recipients in developing countries.
• Sponsored a participant from the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (Department of Food Science and Radiation Processing) to attend the 1998 IFT meeting. The participant was able to gain valuable knowledge on topical issues in food science and technology, which could be used in her research activities and shared with colleagues in Ghana.
• Organized and held an annual meeting for more than 100 SUSTAIN volunteers. The meeting provided attendees a chance to share information and contacts as well as an opportunity for SUSTAIN staff to personally interact with current volunteers and disseminate information to potential volunteers.

San Pedro Sula, Honduras (February 1998). Food Safety Workshops: Part II: Food Plant Sanitation and Good Manufacturing Practices
Two workshops were offered by SUSTAIN volunteers from Silliker Laboratories Group, Inc. in collaboration with two local organizations: FIDE (Foundation for Investment and Development of Exports) and AgriBio Tek Laboratories. The workshops trained key personnel from food processing companies in the principles of sanitation and hygiene in food plants. This, the second workshop in the food safety series, addressed Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and sanitation and hygiene in the food plant. Topics included microbiology of the food plant, hygienic consideration of equipment and facility design, employee practices and food plant sanitation, pest control, and quality control. The workshops attracted over 80 participants, including Honduran food industry technicians, quality assurance managers, and government regulators.

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