The purpose of this study was to address the cost-effectiveness and advisability of increasing the level of vitamin C used to fortify selected food aid commodities (wheat-soy blend and corn-soy blend) provided by the US. Agency for International Development (USAID) Office of Food for Peace in the Bureau for Humanitarian Response. In order to address this topic, the Committee on International Nutrition reviewed a proposed pilot program designed to collect and analyze data related to this question and then examined the soundness of the pilot programs scientific and technical design in relation to

• monitoring the presence and stability of vitamin C in the food aid commodities and
• assessing the dietary intake of vitamin C, nutritional status, and health status of recipients.

Based on this review, the committee prepared a brief report Vitamin C in Food Aid Commodities: Initial Review of a Pilot Program (IOM, 1996). For this report, the committee's specific charge was to assess the results of the pilot program; determine the advisability of increasing vitamin C fortification to improve recipients' diet, nutrition, and health; and determine the cost-effectiveness of increased vitamin C fortification of food aid commodities compared with other means of delivering vitamin C.