Food Fortification Strategies Research Articles

Legal Framework for Food Fortification: Examples from Vietnam and Indonesia

Food fortification is a cost-effective, powerful, and sustainable strategy to combat micronutrient deficiency, with the potential to reach large sections of the population with minimal cost and effort. However, the implementation of food fortification on a systematic and large scale, for instance in national programs, has often been challenging. This paper takes a closer look at food fortification efforts and legislation mechanisms in Vietnam and Indonesia in order to determine specific factors and components in the legal framework that are crucial to the success of fortification programs. Fortification efforts in Indonesia and Vietnam are evaluated using published data as well as unpublished data from detailed evaluation reports, and compared with respect to the specific circumstances, constraints, objectives and results in each country. The legal framework is a crucial factor for the success of food fortification programs, as it shapes to a large extent the implementation of food fortification. The legal framework is instrumental to ensure the quality, safety, availability, cost-effectiveness, and sustainability of food fortification. In the first place, the legal framework should specify the fortificants and fortification levels, as well as the food vehicles and the fortification procedures. In addition, it should ensure the commitment of policy makers and producers to fortification, regulate the costing, describe and ensure information and communication such as product labeling integrate social marketing into the implementation, and provide the means to monitor and enforce fortification. A clear public health objective, together with careful consideration of the choices and restrictions dictated by the specific national environments, will help to develop legal frameworks that optimize the potential success of food fortification strategies. The lessons from these experiences show that a mandatory approach to fortification, with costing, monitoring and enforcement, and social marketing clearly defined and well embedded in the legal framework and in the implementation structures, is the best foundation for an effective, sustainable, and feasible food fortification program.

Comparative Evaluation of Amino Acid Composition and Volatile Organic Compounds of Selected Nigerian Cucurbit Seeds

2 Abstract: Amino acid composition and volatile organic compounds (VOCS) of five Nigerian cucurbits namely: Luffa aegyptiaca (Mill.), Citrullus lanatus (Thunb. Matsum), Cucurbita maxima (Duchesne, ex Lam), Cucumis metuliferus (E.Mey. ex Naudin) and Momordica balsamina (L.) were investigated using Amino acid Analyzer and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The proportion of essential amino acids ranged from 22.75- 30.23 g/100 g protein with the highest content in M. balsamina with 30.23 g/100 g protein and the least in C. lanatus with 22.75 g/100 g protein. High content of leucine was found in C. maxima and M. balsamina with 7.04 and 6.11 g /100 g protein respectively. The GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of thirty-one compounds, the most abundant classes of organic compounds in L. aegyptiaca comprised of esters with 65.17% and Fatty Acids (FA) had 32.62% while hydrocarbons amounted to 29%. In C. lanatus , seve n compounds were identified dominated by FA and hydrocarbons with 91.5 and 7.25% respectively. In C. maxima, ten compounds were identified dominated by FA (52.24%) and hydrocarbons (43.46%). In C. metuliferus, FA had 30.74% while aromatic compounds and alcohol had 9.18 and 0.68%, respectively. Among the five seeds studied, the most abundant compounds identified were linoleic acid methyl ester in L. aegyptiaca with 63.72%. Cis-cis linoleic acid is most abundant in M. balsamina (62.03%) totaling the fatty acid portion to 86.41%. These results suggest the potential of the seeds as a source of amino acids and fatty acids that could be useful in food and feed fortification strategies. The unique VOCS could be useful as biomarkers for delimitation of the studied species.

Iron, Copper, and Zinc Transport: Inhibition of Divalent Metal Transporter 1 (DMT1) and Human Copper Transporter 1 (hCTR1) by shRNA

Iron (Fe), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) fulfill various essential biological functions and are vital for all living organisms. They play important roles in oxygen transport, cell growth and differentiation, neurotransmitter synthesis, myelination, and synaptic transmission. Because of their role in many critical functions, they are commonly used in food fortification and supplementation strategies globally. To determine the involvement of divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1) and human copper transporter 1 (hCTR1) on Fe, Cu, and Zn uptake, Caco-2 cells were transfected with four different shRNA plasmids to selectively inhibit DMT1 or hCTR1 transporter expression. Fe and Cu uptake and total Zn content measurements were performed in shRNA-DMT1 and shRNA-hCTR1 cells. Both shRNA-DMT1 and shRNA-hCTR1 cells had lower apical Fe uptake (a decrease of 51% and 41%, respectively), Cu uptake (a decrease of 25.8% and 38.5%, respectively), and Zn content (a decrease of 23.1% and 22.7%, respectively) compared to control cells. These results confirm that DMT1 is involved in active transport of Fe, Cu, and Zn although Zn showed a different relative capacity. These results also show that hCTR1 is able to transport Fe and Zn.

Bioavailability of Micronutrients: Stable Isotope Techniques to Develop Effective Food-Based Strategies to Combat Micronutrient Deficiencies

The prevalence of micronutrient deficiencies, in particular those of iron, vitamin A, iodine, and zinc, is unacceptably high, especially among infants, children, and women of childbearing age in developing countries. Effective food-based strategies to combat these public health problems are therefore urgently needed. As only a fraction of dietary iron, zinc, and provitamin A carotenoids is absorbed and utilized, i.e., bioavailable, access to information on micronutrient bioavailability is crucial in the development of food fortification strategies and interventions based on dietary diversification. Review of literature. This overview highlights the usefulness of stable isotope techniques to assess the bioavailability of nonheme iron and provitamin A carotenoids and the importance of generating data on micronutrient bioavailability to move the agenda forward.

Regular consumption of a complementary food fortified with ascorbic acid and ferrous fumarate or ferric pyrophosphate is as useful as ferrous sulfate in maintaining hemoglobin concentrations >105 g/L in young Bangladeshi children

Background: Non-water-soluble iron compounds have been reported to be less well absorbed than ferrous sulfate in young children, and concern has been raised about their usefulness as food fortificants.Objective: The objective was to evaluate the usefulness of ferrous fumarate and ferric pyrophosphate, compared with ferrous sulfate, in maintaining hemoglobin concentrations >105 g/L in Bangladeshi children.Design: Two hundred thirty-five children aged 7–24 mo (hemoglobin >105 g/L) were randomly assigned in a double-blind study to receive an infant cereal fortified with ferrous fumarate, ferric pyrophosphate, or ferrous sulfate. One serving of cereal (9.3 mg Fe; molar ratio of ascorbic acid to iron of 3:1) was consumed per day, 6 d/wk, for 9 mo. Blood samples were drawn at 4.5 and 9 mo.Results: Raw data were reformatted, and a “time to event” was calculated that corresponded to reaching the following thresholds: hemoglobin <105 g/L, plasma ferritin <12 μg/L, or plasma C-reactive protein >10 mg/L at baseline, 4.5 mo, or 9 mo. Data were censored when children did not reach the threshold or were lost to follow-up. A Kaplan-Meier approach was used to compare the 3 groups. No statistically significant differences were observed for hemoglobin <105 g/L (P = 0.943), plasma ferritin <12 μg/L (P = 0.601), or plasma C-reactive protein >10 mg/L (P = 0.508).Conclusions: Contrary to earlier concerns, these results do not indicate differences in usefulness between water-soluble and non-water-soluble iron compounds in maintaining hemoglobin concentrations and preventing iron deficiency. These data will be important in the development of food-fortification strategies to combat anemia and iron deficiency in highly vulnerable population groups.

Food Fortification Strategy—Preventing Iron Deficiency Anemia: A Review

Iron deficiency anemia (IDA) is a significant challenge in developing countries. It increases the risk of premature delivery and low birth weight. In children, IDA retards growth, impairs cognitive performance, and reduces physical activity. It also accelerates the mortality and morbidity rate in women. The key factors responsible include dietary elevated iron demand, socioeconomic, and disease status. To overcome IDA, disease control measures, dietary diversification, supplementation and iron fortification in food have been adopted. Iron fortification in food is considered a long term and sustainable strategy in the present scenario. For an efficient fortification program, the combination of iron fortificants and food vehicle must be safe, acceptable, and consumed by the target population. Moreover, it should not adversely affect acceptability and stability of the end product.

Food iron absorption and its importance for the design of food fortification strategies.

Food iron absorption and its importance for the design of food fortification strategies.

Iron deficiency and iron fortified foods—a review

Iron is a mineral that is necessary for producing red blood cells and for redox processes. Iron deficiency is considered to be the commonest worldwide nutritional deficiency and affects approximately 20% of the world population. Lack of iron may lead to unusual tiredness, shortness of breath, a decrease in physical performance, and learning problems in children and adults, and may increase your chance of getting an infection. This deficiency is partly induced by plant-based diets, containing low levels of poorly bio-available iron. The most effective technological approaches to combat iron deficiency in developing countries include supplementation targeted to high risk groups combined with a program of food fortification and dietary strategies designed to maximize the bio-availability of both the added and the intrinsic food iron. In this paper, different aspects related to iron-fortified foods is reviewed. These include used iron compounds, considering its bioavailability and organoleptic problems, food vehicles and possible interactions.

Food-Fortification Program in Morocco

The Kingdom of Morocco launched the flour and oil fortification stage of its National Micronutrient Program in December 2000. The vitamin A (oil) and iron (flour) fortification components of the program are based on the 1994 and 1996 national and regional surveys, which showed that 38% and 40.6% of children under five years of age, respectively, were iron and vitamin A deficient. Morocco is following the example of many countries that fortify their salt with iodine and flour with iron, folate, and/or B vitamins. In addition, it is innovative in including vitamin A–fortified oil in its pioneering fortification program, the first in North Africa. This paper concerns the advocacy and consensus-building components in support of iron, vitamin B, and folatefortified flour and for vitamin A–fortified oil (iodized salt began in 1996). As part of its efforts to implement a sustainable food-fortification strategy, the Ministry of Health has already launched a series of activities. The selection of flour and oil to fortify is based on food-consumption patterns. Hydrogenated cooking oil was identified as a good vehicle for fortification because it is centrally processed and over 90% of households use it daily for a variety of cooking purposes. Oil is an excellent fortification vehicle for vitamin A because it is a fat-soluble vitamin. Flour was identified as a good vehicle for iron fortification because 95% of households use it as the main ingredient in bread. The entire population consumes centrally processed flour, even households that also use homemade flour. This is because about one million metric tons of centrally processed flour are subsidized by the Government, at a savings of at least 50% compared with nonsubsidized flour. One innovation of the program is to launch fortification for the general public at the beginning of Ramadan, a month-long religious period, when oil and flour consumption increase significantly.

4 Effect of iron-deficiency anaemia on cognitive skills in infancy and childhood

Animal experimentation has shown that early iron deficiency irreversibly affects brain iron content and distribution, resulting in neutransmitter and behavioural alterations. Even though extrapolation of animal data is often misleading, iron-deficiency anaemia has been consistently shown to be associated with psychomotor delays in infancy. The areas most involved are language and body balance. In these infants iron therapy, in most cases was not sufficient to reverse psychological effects even after complete correction of haematological measures. These findings may imply that the impact of iron-deficiency anaemia during infancy may be associated with irreversible adverse effects on cognitive performance. Careful follow-up studies of these infants at 5-6 years of age has shown that cognitive disadvantages persist, now assessed with a comprehensive set of psychological tests that reliably predict future competence. Thus, if once anaemia ensues, even timely and adequate iron therapy seems to be ineffective in reversing these behavioural and cognitive disadvantages; the only practical way to approach this problem is by prevention of iron deficiency in infancy. Health authorities, having been shown that treatment of iron deficiency anaemia is already too late to reverse potential deficits, should strive to prevent iron deficiency with adequate food fortification strategies or by supplementing targeted population groups.