Folic acid fortification of double fortified salt

Oluwasegun Modupe,Levente L Diosady,Juveria Siddiqui,Akhila Jonnalagadda

doi:10.1038/s41598-021-93194-9

Abstract

The addition of folic acid to Double Fortified Salt (with iron and iodine) aims to simultaneously ameliorate three major micronutrient deficiencies in vulnerable populations. To make Triple Fortified Salt, we added folic acid to the iodine solution (first method) and the iron premix (second method) that are used to fortify salt with iron and iodine. When added through the solution, sodium carbonate was needed to dissolve folic acid and to adjust pH. Alternately, folic acid was added either to the iron core or sandwiched between the core and TiO2 layer of the iron premix. Folic acid and iodine were stable in all cases, retaining more than 70% of the added micronutrients after six months at 45 °C/60–70% relative hu. Adding folic acid to the premix's iron core is preferred as folic acid retention was slightly higher, and the added folic acid did not impact the salt's colour. The additional cost for adding the micronutrients to salt is about 27¢/person per year. Folic acid in the fortified salt made with the preferred method was stable in cooking and did not affect selected cooked foods' sensory properties. The technology is a cost-effective approach for simultaneously combating iron, iodine, and folic acid deficiencies.

Highlights

The addition of folic acid to Double Fortified Salt aims to simultaneously ameliorate three major micronutrient deficiencies in vulnerable populations
In the process described by Li et al.[15] for the double fortification of salt, iodine as a solution of potassium iodate was sprayed onto the salt, and iron was added as extruded and microencapsulated ferrous fumarate
In a first step to making salt fortified with folic acid, a solution of folic acid and iodine was added to salt[22]

Summary

Introduction

The addition of folic acid to Double Fortified Salt (with iron and iodine) aims to simultaneously ameliorate three major micronutrient deficiencies in vulnerable populations. With the technology developed at the University of Toronto for the double fortification of salt with iron and iodine, ferrous fumarate, as the iron source, was added to salt as an extruded and microencapsulated particle that matches the size and colour of salt; a solution of potassium iodate, the iodine source, was sprayed unto the s alt[15]. This technology provides two potential paths for which folic acid can be added to salt—either through the extruded iron microcapsule or the iodine spray solution. It was crucial to investigate how these constituents of Double Fortified Salt would affect folic acid stability and, establish how folic acid is best added to salt

Methods

Results

Conclusion