Fortify

Fortify is a term often used in the context of nutrition and food science, referring to the process of adding micronutrients (essential trace elements and vitamins) to food. It is a strategy used to address malnutrition, particularly deficiency diseases such as scurvy, beriberi, and pellagra.

History

The concept of fortifying foods has been in practice for centuries. For instance, iodized salt was introduced in the U.S. in the 1920s to combat goiter, a health issue caused by iodine deficiency.

Process

Fortification involves the addition of one or more essential nutrients to a food, irrespective of whether the nutrients were originally in the food before processing or not. It is done to improve the nutritional quality of the food supply and to provide a public health benefit with minimal risk to health.

Types of Fortification

There are three types of fortification defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO):

• Industrial fortification: This involves the addition of micronutrients to foods during processing. Examples include the fortification of flour with folic acid, iron, or Vitamin B12.
• Biofortification: This is the process of increasing the density of vitamins and minerals in a crop through plant breeding, genetic modification, or agronomic practices.
• Home fortification: This is a process where a micronutrient powder, tablet, or liquid is added to food at home.

Benefits and Risks

Fortification has the dual advantage of being able to deliver nutrients to large segments of the population without requiring radical changes in food consumption patterns. However, the process also carries risks such as toxicity from excessive consumption, and potential for exacerbating health disparities if only certain populations have access to fortified foods.

See Also

• Food fortification
• Micronutrient
• Malnutrition
• Deficiency diseases

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