Food Fortification

Question 1

Explain what Food Fortification is

Answer 1

Food fortification is deliberately increasing the content of one or more micronutrients (i.e vitamins and minerals) in a food or condiment to improve the nutritional quality of the food supply and provide a public health benefit with minimal risk to health

Question 2

Give 5 examples of food that can be fortified

Answer 2

Flour

Margarine

Sugar

Salt

Rice

Dairy - milk, cheese

Oil

Question 3

Advantages of food fortification

Answer 3

Reduction in:

Vitamin A deficiency

Iron deficiency

Anaemia, and iron deficiency among women and children

Goiter

Neural tube defect (NTDs) among children

Improved serum folate among women of reproductive age

Question 4

Give 3 factors that affect the effectiveness of food fortification

Answer 4

Prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies

Population affected

Dietary composition

National regulations

Available infrastructure

Capacities for food processing and production systems

Question 5

Name the 3 types of food fortification

Answer 5

Biofortification

Commercial/industrial Fortification

Home Fortification

Question 6

Explain what Commercial/Industrial Fortification is and give an example

Answer 6

Food fortification that adds trace amounts of micronutrients to foods during processing. Can be mandatory (regulated by government) or voluntary (still governed by government limits)

Example: Salt iodization most common method

Question 7

What foods are mandatory to have fortification done under large-scale fortification and what are they fortified with\?

Answer 7

Wheat flour - fortified with folic acid

Oil - fortified with vitamin A

Milk - fortified with Vitamin A and D in some countries: iron, folic acid or calcium

Sugar - fortified with Vitamin A

Question 8

Explain what Biofortification is and give an example

Answer 8

Process of increasing the micronutrient content of a food crop through selective breeding, genetic modification, or the use of enriched fertilizers

Example: Plants can translocate minerals from the soil to the edible portion of the crop

Question 9

Explain what home fortification is an give an example

Answer 9

The addition of powders containing vitamins and minerals to semi-solid foods immediately before consumption

Examples: Cocoa Powder/Sugar in a milkshake

Question 10

Name 3 vitamin/minerals that foods can be fortified with?

Answer 10

Calcium Carbonate

Iron

Thiamine (Vitamin B1)

Niacin (Vitamin B3)

Question 11

Give the advantage of adding folic acid to flour

Answer 11

Prevents brain and spinal cord conditions in foetuses - Neural tube defects (NTDs)

Question 12

Explain what Goiter is and how it is caused

Answer 12

A lump or swelling at the front of the neck caused by a swollen thyroid

Cause: lack of iodine in the diet

Question 13

Do plant-based alternatives which are labelled ‘organic’ contain fortified Vitamin and minerals and why or why not

Answer 13

No

Would go against regulations

Question 14

What percentage of calcium per 100g must pant-abed alternatives contain

Answer 14

15%