The fortification of food

In countries where existing food supplies and or limited access fail to provide adequate levels of these nutrients in the diet, food fortification is a promising approach.

Food fortification is the intentional addition of one or more micronutrients (vitamin and minerals) to processed foods to increase people’s intake of the micronutrients and provide a health benefits.

Food fortification is important alternatives which complement food based approaches to satisfy the nutritional needs of people in developing and developed countries.

The benefits of food fortification
*Correcting or preventing nutrient deficiencies in the population or specific population
*Replacement compensates for losses during production
*Standardized the nutrient content of specific products
*Achieve nutritional equivalence of substitute foods
*Ensure appropriate nutrient content of special purpose foods

Food fortification has more likely played an important role in the decline of deficiency diseases, e.g. niacin fortification of flour and bread in the elimination of pellagra, iodine fortification of salt in the decline of goiter and vitamin D fortification of margarine and milk in the disappearance of rickets.

Fortification of what are known as ready-to-eat breakfast cereal, though not designed initially to combat any specific disease, has also made a major contribution to nutritional health for many.

The fortification of food

Fortification, Restoration and Enrichment of Foods

Fortification, Restoration and Enrichment of Foods
Nutrient may be added to foods by restoration or fortification. Restoration is the replacement of nutrients lost during processing to levels similar to those present in the original products.

It can be used to help prevent nutritional inadequacies in certain segments of the population.

Fortification in the addition to food of nutrients which were, originally not present in the food or which were present in nutritionally insignificant amounts.

It can be used to help correct nutritional deficiencies in specific population segments.

Enrichment, a term often used interchangeably with fortification, is the addition of nutrients to achieve concentration specified in standards of identity.
Fortification, Restoration and Enrichment of Foods