CIHR's Institute of Human Development, Child and Youth Health

What They Don't Teach in Home Economics

Curing anemia and improving nutrition with Sprinkles

Packets of Sprinkles in different languages

Finding
At night, a group of researchers slipped into the Hospital for Sick Children kitchen, fired up industrial-sized mixers and started concocting what came to be known as Sprinkles. Sprinkles is a powder packed with iron, vitamins and minerals that can be added to food without changing its taste or appearance. The product is available in a sweetener-sized packet, costs less than a penny to produce and is helping reverse the effects of sub-standard nutrition among children in poor and developing countries.

Impact
Sprinkles has been tested in numerous countries such as Bolivia, India, Ghana and Haiti. In addition to being easy to use, Sprinkles has achieved cure rates for anemia ranging from 49-91%.

Team
Dr. Stanley Zlotkin, at the Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, led the research team.

Funding Partners
CIHR, Health Canada, International Development Research Centre, U.S. Agency for International Development, H. J. Heinz Company Foundation, Genome Canada, Ontario Genomics Institute, National Cancer Institute of Canada, Canadian Cancer Society, Howard Hugues Medical Institute, McLaughlin Centre for Molecular Medicine