Fortification was initiated in the United States in 1924, when iodine was voluntarily added to salt to reduce the incidence of endemic goiter.
Food fortification can take several forms. It is possible to fortify foods that are widely consumed by the general population (mass fortification), to fortify foods designed for specific population subgroups, such as complementary foods for young children or rations for displaced populations (targeted fortification) and/or to allow food manufacturers to voluntarily fortify foods available in the market place (market-driven fortification).
• Mass fortification
• Targeted fortification
• Bio Fortification (i.e., breeding crops to increase their nutritional value –conventional selective breeding and modern genetic modification)
• Synthetic Biology (i.e., addition of probiotic bacteria to foods)
• Commercial and Industrial Fortification i.e. flour, rice, oils (common cooking foods).
• Home Fortification (e.g., vitamin D drops)
Mass fortification refers to the addition of micronutrients to foods commonly consumed by the general public (such as cereals and condiments), which is instigated, mandated and regulated by the government sector.
In targeted food fortification programs, foods aimed at specific subgroups of the population are fortified, thereby increasing the intake of that particular group rather than that of the population as a whole.
The term biofortification refers to the increase of the micronutrient concentration in the edible part of the plant and can be achieved both by using fertilizers and by stimulating the absorption of these minerals in the plant. The biofortification of staple foods, i.e., the breeding and genetic modification of plants so as to improve their nutrient content and/or absorption.
Microbial biofortification involves using probiotic bacteria (mostly lactic acid bacteria), which ferment to produce β -carotene either in the foods eaten or directly in the human intestine.
Biofortification provides a feasible means of reaching malnourished rural populations who may have limited access to commercially marketed fortified foods and supplements.
Commercial and industrial fortification involves fortifying commercially available products such as flour, rice, cooking oils, sauces, butter etc. with micronutrients and the process occurs during manufacturing. The term “market-driven fortification” is applied to situations whereby a food manufacturer takes a business-oriented initiative to add specific amounts of one or more micronutrients to processed foods.
In home fortification, foods can be distributed widely and cheaply. Home fortification consists of supplying deficient populations with micronutrients in packages or tablets that can be added when cooking/ consuming meals at home (basically a merger of supplements and fortification).
Methods of food fortification
