Abstract
Iron fortification is an effective strategy that can be implemented to ensure supply and intake of iron for the public at large. Even though iron-fortified foods are widely available in the Sri Lankan market, the quantification of iron in those foods is not under the regulations of the food authorities in Sri Lanka. Therefore, this study aims to quantify the concentration of iron in selected iron-fortified foods available in the local market and determine their contribution to the recommended daily allowances (RDA) per serving. The iron content in most popular powdered milk, biscuits, and breakfast cereals among the children of 15-16 years in Horana Divisional Secretariat was analyzed using atomic absorption spectroscopy, and its contribution to RDA was calculated. The average iron values of iron-fortified milk powder (IFMP), iron-fortified biscuit (IFB), and iron-fortified breakfast cereals (IFBC) were found to be 18.08 ± 9.53, 7.88 ± 0.07, and 17.78 ± 7.47 mg/100 g, respectively. The average estimated daily intake (EDI) per serving of IFMP, IFB, and IFBC was 3.61 ± 1.75, 2.13 ± 0.06, and 5.60 ± 1.45 mg, respectively. The highest contribution to the RDA can be obtained by a single serving of IFBC. Only less than half of the tested products have compatible iron levels with their labeled information. Iron-fortified foods which were studied have a high amount of iron, and they can make from 5% to 35% contribution to RDAs in young children, adolescents, and adults even by a single serving.
Highlights
Fortification of food with micronutrients has been practiced for several years to restore the micronutrient loss during food processing and storage [1]
According to the USDA guidelines, adolescents between 14 and 18 years of age require the highest recommended daily allowance (RDA) values [12]. e most important concern for the 15- to 16-year age group is to prepare for the General Ordinary Examination which is conducted to select the students for further education in Sri Lanka. e prevalence of iron deficiency in the school children of 10–18 years in Western Province, Sri Lanka, was 22.3% [13], which can directly affect their academic performance
B, D, and E were the commonly consumed iron-fortified milk powder (IFMP) among girls, and consumption levels were 27.8%, 2.8%, and 2.8%, respectively. e most commonly consumed non-IFMP was brand F with a consumption rate of 25.0% among boys and 11.1% among girls. erefore, brand F was used as the control to perform the brandwise comparison among selected milk powders
Summary
Fortification of food with micronutrients has been practiced for several years to restore the micronutrient loss during food processing and storage [1]. Food fortification means deliberately increasing the content of one or more essential nutrients in a food to improve the nutritional quality of food and to provide public health benefits [4, 5]. It is often regarded as the most cost-effective and long-term approach to reduce iron deficiency [6, 7]. Iron fortification of infant formulas showed a correlation with fall in the prevalence of anaemia in children aged under 5 years in the United States. Iron fortification has caused a dramatic reduction in iron deficiency throughout the world [9]
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