14/10/2024
WHY FORTIFIED FOOD IS SO IMPORTANT?
Fortified Food Brief Article
Objectives:
1.Understand the concept of fortified foods.
2.Differentiate between mandatory and voluntary food fortification practices.
3.Identify common examples of fortified foods and their role in public health.
4.Understand the benefits of fortified foods for specific populations like children, older adults, and those with dietary restrictions.
5.Acknowledge the potential limits and risks of consuming fortified foods.
INTRODUCTION:
Fortified foods are foods with nutrients added to them. This can help boost their nutritional value and benefit your health.
Fortified foods have added vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients. Micronutrients are necessary for many important body functions. Your body can’t make its own micronutrients. They need to come from your diet.
Fortification refers to the process of adding essential vitamins and minerals to foods.
The main goal of fortification is to improve the nutritional quality of the food supply and reduce the prevalence of dietary deficiencies. Fortified foods can be an essential tool in public health, especially in populations with limited access to a varied diet.
Types of Food Fortification:
• Mandatory Fortification: Required by law, often to address widespread nutrient deficiencies. An example is adding folic acid to wheat flour.
• Voluntary Fortification: Carried out by food manufacturers based on market demand or health trends. An example is adding vitamin D to certain breakfast cereals.
Common Fortified Foods
• Milk fortified with vitamin D
• Cereals enriched with iron and B vitamins
• Salt iodized to prevent thyroid disorders
• Orange juice fortified with calcium
Practical Example:
In a small town, there is a high prevalence of children suffering from rickets due to a lack of vitamin D in their diet. To combat this, the local government introduces a new program to fortify milk with vitamin D and provides it to schools at a reduced cost. Over time, the incidence of rickets decreases as more children gain access to fortified milk, improving their overall bone health.
Benefits and Impact:
1-Fortified foods provide a budget-friendly alternative to costly nutrient-rich options, like fish. Products such as fortified eggs and milk offer similar nutrients, like omega-3s, at a lower cost.
2-Fortified foods help meet dietary needs by providing essential nutrients that may be missing due to dietary restrictions, such as being vegetarian, lactose-intolerant, or having food allergies.
3-Fortified foods support older adults by maintaining healthy vitamin and mineral levels, promoting strong bones, aiding digestion, and preventing heart issues as nutrient absorption declines with age.
4-other benefits:
Reduced incidence of goiter through iodized salt·
Decreased neural tube defects with folic acid fortification.
Improved bone health due to vitamin D-fortified dairy products.
Limits of Fortified Foods
1-Added to unhealthy foods. Just because a food product is fortified doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Fortified foods are often high in sugars, fats, sodium, and other ingredients that can lead to problems like obesity.
2-Risk of vitamin overdose. You might get too many vitamins and minerals in your diet.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):
1-Which of the following is NOT a common nutrient used in food fortification? a) Vitamin D b) Iron c) Caffeine d) Folic acid.
2-Which of the following is a potential challenge of food fortification? a) Increased food spoilage b) Risk of over-fortification c) Decreased food flavor d) Higher production costs
3-The addition of which nutrient to flour has been credited with reducing the incidence of pellagra? a) Thiamine (B1) b) Riboflavin (B2) c) Niacin (B3) d) Pyridoxine (B6)
Further Reading Resources:
1-Harvard School of Public Health: Fortification of Foods and Public Health.
2-Fortified Foods: Definition, Benefits, and Limits (webmd.com).
3-Fortified Foods: Benefits and Risks (healthline.com).
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