The United Nations Office in Myanmar announced on April 24 that immediate action would be taken if World Food Programme (WFP) nutritional biscuits distributed to earthquake victims in Myanmar were found being sold. Following the powerful Sagaing earthquake that struck Myanmar on March 28, the UN and international community provided humanitarian assistance, including WFP nutritional biscuits distributed to earthquake-affected areas. The UN has become aware of social media posts claiming these nutritional biscuits were being sold in Naypyidaw, though they note that no evidence has been found to support these claims yet. The last distribution of nutritional biscuits in Naypyidaw took place on April 1, and the UN emphasized that humanitarian assistance is not for sale and should not be commercialized.
The biscuits distributed by the World Food Programme are not ordinary biscuits but high-energy nutritional supplements. They are rich in energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals, with ingredients including wheat flour, soy flour, sugar, defatted milk powder, vitamins, and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, iodine, folic acid, vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12, and many other nutrients. Adults can consume up to five packets per day depending on hunger levels, but these biscuits should not be given to infants under 6 months old. For children over 6 months, they can be given these biscuits after proper breastfeeding.
These nutritional biscuits are specifically produced for immediate consumption during emergencies like earthquakes, when normal food preparation and purchasing become impossible. They represent a crucial humanitarian aid component designed for rapid deployment in crisis situations. The WFP maintains regular monitoring and will take immediate action if sales are detected. The organization emphasizes that all WFP assistance is always free. For inquiries or reports regarding WFP assistance, people can contact [email protected] or call the WFP assistance hotlines at 09 883 005667, 09 264 819 197, and 09 264 819 094.
