How can food be fortified

It forms an important component of glutathione peroxidase, a well-known antioxidant that counteracts cellular oxidative destruction. Furthermore, it plays an important role in catalyzing the production of the active thyroid hormone [ 93 , 94 ], and it is required to improve human immunity and sperm motility [ 95 ].

Epidemiological studies have indicated that Se deficiency is positively correlated with the incidence of cancer [ 96 ]. Selenium content in foods of plant origin varies with soil selenium content [ 98 ].

The most prevalent selenium fortification is that of the cooking salt, which significantly reduced the prevalence of Keshan disease in China [ 99 ], but there are other foods that can be fortified with selenium, such as yoghurt [ ]. Constipation has a negative impact on the quality of life and is defined as a difficult evacuation accompanied by discomfort and pain, while long-term constipation entails serious health problems. This is due to a decrease in dietary fiber consumption, which is directly proportional to excessive food processing [ ].

Food fibers can be classified as soluble and insoluble fibers. Both types of fiber have many health benefits including maintaining intestinal and overall health integrity, lowering blood cholesterol levels, controlling blood sugar levels, and providing a non-caloric volume that can help weight loss by replacing caloric food components such as fat.

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, dietary fiber is consumed by most adults indicating that fortification of fiber foods might bring health benefits. Alongside the increased fiber intake, products also come with other advantages such as fat replacement, increased water holding capacity, and improved oxidative stability when the fiber source is associated with phenolic antioxidants [ , ], bran bread [ ], and fiber-containing yoghurt [ ]. Proteins belong to a category of biologically active compounds that are essential to life through their specific action.

They are the building blocks for the formation of tissues in the human body cell walls, muscles, blood, hair, internal organs such as the heart and the brain, etc. The essential amino acids are those that the body cannot produce by itself, and thus, they must be secured from food. Nonessential amino acids are amino acids that can be synthesized by the human body from essential acids or by cleavage of proteins [ ]. The quality of plant proteins vs.

An advantage can be found in the addition of a vegetable matrix to meat preparation. This improves the mineral profile of the product and brings a supply of vitamins to the finished product, for example, mushroom sausages, meat products with soy protein isolate, and whey or wheat protein [ , ], but also the fortification of plant products with plant proteins, for example, the fortification of wheat flour with cottonseed, chickpeas, amaranth, quinoa, and lentils [ 12 ].

Essential fatty acids are important nutrients for the human body, especially for maintaining the health of the cardiovascular system.

Western diets exhibit omega-3 fatty acid deficiency, while they also include excessive amounts of omega-6 compared to the diet that human beings have evolved on and which set the foundation for their genetic patterns [ ]. Products fortified with fatty acids in balanced proportions include meat, oil, jelly, various sauces, etc. Based on what is known about the prevalence of individual micronutrient deficiencies, there are generally multiple deficiencies of common micronutrients or in different population groups.

Micronutrient deficiencies are more common in people on a diet low in foods of animal origin and therefore low in iron and bioavailable zinc intake, as well as calcium, retinol vitamin A , vitamin B2 riboflavin , vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 intakes. Grain milling eliminates several nutrients, especially iron and zinc, various B complex vitamins i. People on refined grain diets are at increased risk of deficiency in all these micronutrients.

If fortification is achieved with the addition of different raw or auxiliary materials, the finished product will benefit from multiple fortifications, for example, the fortification of bread or sausages with mushrooms—this product will additionally have the nutritional value for protein and fiber content [ ], while bakery products with the addition of nut paste come with a high intake of lipids, fibers, and minerals [ 12 ].

Most of the products fortified with unprocessed vegetable additions exhibit multiple fortifications. The lentil flour was obtained by grinding the lentils, thus obtaining a fine consistency; then flour mixtures were created according to Figure 1 [ ]. The technological chart for the production of bread fortified with lentil flour, according to [ ].

Several aspects need to be taken into account throughout the technological process of obtaining fortified bakery products. The use of compressed yeast as suspension in water facilitates the even distribution of yeast cells in the dough, thereby contributing to the improvement of product quality.

As such, preparing the compressed yeast involves performing several operations such as suspending, filtering the suspension, and activating the yeast [ , ]. The dosing aims at obtaining the dough with the optimal rheological properties and the appropriate composition of the product. The dosing of the raw materials used for dough preparation is performed taking into account their physical characteristics [ ].

During the kneading process, an amount of air is included in the dough, required to meet its rheological attributes. The physical processes that take place in the dough at its kneading are the mechanical action during the kneading that ensures the water penetration into the flour mass and the temperature increase of the dough [ ].

During the process of kneading itself, wet clumps of flour stick together under the influence of the mechanical kneading action, surface water penetrates deep, proteins become hydrated, the amount of bound water increases, and the dough increases its consistency and gradually acquires its elastic properties [ ]. The fermenting operation is aimed at obtaining a risen dough that would produce suitable well-risen products with the right volume, as well as a porous and elastic core.

Therefore, during this operation, various dough substances are accumulated in the dough, which impart the taste and aroma of bakery products. During dough fermentation, the yeast multiplication process continues, the predominant process being alcoholic fermentation, which releases carbon dioxide, ethyl alcohol, and a small amount of heat [ ].

A well-risen product can only be obtained if the dough forms large amounts of gas. Ultimate leavening is the operation where the leavening of the dough reaches the maximum. The gases formed affect the gluten skeleton and thus the porosity of the dough by increasing or decreasing mesh size [ ].

The biochemical processes formed during fermentation are hydrolysis of starch and gluten amylolysis or proteolysis, respectively. The microbiological processes refer to the multiplication of yeasts and their fermentative activity, as well as that of lactic bacteria that make up dough microbiota. Colloidal processes are the continuation of the gluten-forming process and gluten peptization [ ]. Some of the gas present in the dough is lost during modeling, and as a result, the spongy structure of the dough is largely destroyed, the internal surface is reduced, and its specific weight increased [ ].

A significant part of the carbon dioxide accumulated in the dough is eliminated during the division and modeling operations. Therefore, the dough must be subjected to a new fermentation for the restoration of its porous structure. As such, the products rise and the volume develops [ ]. The main goal of the final leavening of the dough is the rise by the accumulation of carbon dioxide that is formed during yeast alcoholic fermentation and conditions the volume and structure of the porosity of products [ ].

Colloidal processes condition the dough to be transformed into the inner crumb and modify the water binding state so that the crumb, although exhibiting a higher moisture than the initial humidity of the dough, appears dry due to thermal hydrophilic modifications.

During coagulation, protein clotting and the gelatinization of starch occur [ ]. After coagulation, proteins become more easily attackable by enzymes, both digestive enzymes and the proteolytic ones in the dough.

The gelatinization of the starch takes place in two stages: granule swelling and gelatinization itself. Swelling occurs due to the penetration of water groups within the starch granule that distances the protein chains.

This is achieved by increasing the kinetic energy of water molecules by heating the dough. The gelatinization is accomplished by breaking the existing H2 bonds between the amylose and amylopectin chains and dispersing these chains between the molecules of water previously penetrated into the granule. Biochemical processes formed during baking are amylolysis and proteolysis.

Microbial processes during baking include alcoholic fermentation and lactic fermentation [ ]. Support along the supply chain and distribution channels, and promotion of awareness and behaviour change communication are needed to ensure success in fortification programmes. When I was working on micronutrient programmes in India I was impressed with the expansion of salt iodisation along the length and breadth of the country.

The programme got a big boost in towns where local refined salt producers and packaging units were involved in discussion and planning, and when they were informed about the importance of iodine for the population. Additionally, informed communities also helped the demand for iodised salt.

Anushree Shiroor. The need for cash in formal markets can be limiting. Poorer populations often use informal markets where they can a use barter and b often buy small amounts of unpackaged or unbranded products, which are hard to regulate whether they are fortified or not. They want it mandated so that every miller incurs equitable costs. They want the government to do what it can to relieve them of import duties on fortification equipment and supplies.

Sarah Zimmerman. Join our community of development professionals and humanitarians. Malnutrition in Tanzania: will food fortification laws work? Read more. Fortifying foods: four lessons for micronutrient distribution.

In countries where there is political commitment to food fortification and where legislation exists to support it, there can often be challenges with effective implementation and monitoring.

Food fortification is ranked one of the highest-return interventions in global development. Food fortification is a proven, sustainable, cost-effective and high-impact solution to address micronutrient deficiencies. Staple foods such as wheat flour, maize flour, rice, oil, pulses and salt, are consumed by most of the global population consistently throughout the year.

They can be fortified with micronutrients, including iron, folic acid, vitamin A, iodine and others, without affecting taste, texture, or colour — and with a negligible cost to the consumer. This inclusive solution reaches nearly the entire population. Mandatory fortification of staple foods with folic acid improves the folate status of women, greatly reducing the risk of giving birth to babies with neural tube defects, should they become pregnant.

Depending upon the in-country fortification standards, Nutrition International promotes fortification of staple foods and condiments, including:. We work to increase policy coherence, scale up fortification, and improve program monitoring.

For example, milk is often fortified with vitamin D, and calcium may be added to fruit juices. An enriched food means that nutrients that were lost during processing are added back in.

Many refined grains are enriched. Wheat flour, for example, may have folic acid, riboflavin, and iron added back in after processing. This is intended to restore its original vitamin levels. Historically, fortifying foods has been widely successful in the United States. Common diseases that are caused by nutrient deficiencies, like rickets and pellagra, have been virtually eliminated.

There are also concerns that fortified and enriched foods may be causing people to get harmful amounts of certain vitamins and minerals. Fortified and enriched foods can be a part of a healthy, nutrient-rich diet. Children are particularly vulnerable to nutrient deficiencies. Fortified and enriched foods are important sources of nutrients for kids, especially for iron, zinc, and B vitamins. Unfortunately, many fortified or enriched foods are heavily processed and packaged.

They often come with high sodium, fat, and sugar content. Many younger children are also at risk of overdosing on some added vitamins, according to a report from the Environmental Working Group EWG. Many children may also exceed daily recommended values by eating a variety of fortified foods throughout the day, or by eating more than one serving.

Nearly half of children ages 2 to 8 get too much zinc, and 13 percent consume too much vitamin A. These overdoses are potentially dangerous. Fortified and enriched foods, especially foods not formulated for children, may not be safe for all children. The EWG recommends that children eat products with no more than 20 to 25 percent of the adult recommended daily value for vitamin A, niacin, and zinc.