What is Food fortification?
Food fortification is the practice of adding essential vitamins and minerals to commonly consumed foods during processing to improve their nutritional value and address micronutrient deficiencies within a population. It’s a cost-effective and sustainable approach to public health, particularly in regions where people struggle to access diverse and nutritious diets.
What nutrients are added? Micronutrients like iron, iodine, vitamin A, and zinc are commonly added, as deficiencies in these are widespread.
What foods are fortified? Staple foods like flour, rice, milk, oil, and salt are often chosen because they reach a large portion of the population.
How is it done? Micronutrients are carefully added during food processing to ensure they are evenly distributed and remain stable.
Examples of fortified foods:
Flour: Enriched with iron, folic acid, and B vitamins
Rice: Fortified with iron and vitamin A
Milk: Fortified with vitamin D and calcium
Oil: Fortified with vitamin A
Salt: Iodized salt is a common example of fortified salt
