Topic 7 - Food Fortification

Question 1

Rationale for fortification

Answer 1

•Traditionally humans have been nourished
by awide variety of foods from plant, animal, marine and
inorganic sources
– intake was effected by food availability such as the
season or famine or war
•As humans became more community based and
urbanised we changed the food system and began to control
–through farming practices
–food production and manufacture on a large scale

Question 2

Why do we fortify foods?

Answer 2

Specific deficiencies in vitamin and minerals can lead
to:
–Learning disabilities
–Mental retardation
–Low work capacity
–Poor health
–Blindness
–Premature death
Particularly an
issue for
developing
countries
– Vit.A Iodine and Iron represent productivity
losses 5% GDP*

Question 3

Rationale for food fortification

Answer 3

Food processing and preservation methods
can have a profound effect on the nutritional content
of our foods
– some nutrients are sensitive to heat, light, lost in
extraction or fractionation or altered via enzyme
action
• As our nutritional expertise grew our understanding of the potential issues with our changing food supply increased
– food guides developed based on understanding causes of nutritional deficiencies and optimal health

Question 4

Everyone has a right to?

Answer 4

•
Parameters outlined by the American Dietetic
Association in 1976 are still relevant today namely
every person has the right to:
–
optimum nutrition
–
safe foods to promote good nutrition and
resistance to disease
–
make informed choices from available foods and
be protected from misinformation