Biofortification of meat with vitamin D.

Abstract

Abstract Vitamin D deficiency in humans is a major health concern and is very much to the forefront of public health policy, particularly in Europe and northern latitudes where sufficient synthesis of vitamin D through sunlight is limited. Therefore, increased importance of dietary vitamin D intake now applies to these problematic areas. Food sources containing natural vitamin D are limiting and traditional measures such as supplements and exogenous fortification are not effective at a population level as general intakes are low and will only meet the needs of those who consume. Therefore, there is a demand for more effective food-based strategic approaches to increase vitamin D intakes, one of which is biofortification of animal feeds to produce a much wider range of sustainable natural vitamin D-enriched foods. Meat is among the few foods that contain natural occurring vitamin D, which makes it an excellent target food for biofortification. Additionally, meat contains the 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH-D) metabolite, which has been shown to have a quicker absorption and is subsequently more effective at raising serum 25-OH-D in humans in comparison with other vitamin D metabolites. This review will discuss the development of vitamin D bio-fortification of animal diets with different vitamin D sources and their potential to produce vitamin D enriched meat including beef and pork meat. Biofortification of meat could contribute up to 25% of individuals estimated average requirement of vitamin D. Additionally, it will also discuss how vitamin D biofortification of animal diets improves product quality.