Fortification offers a number of strategic advantages, because it is cost effective, builds on existing food processing and delivery systems, and enhances sustainability.
Vitamin A is essential for normal growth. Vitamin A functions in vision cell differentiation, embryonic development, spermatogenesis, the immune response, taste, hearing, appetite, and growth. WHO has a goal of worldwide elimination of vitamin A deficiency and its tragic consequences, including blindness, disease and premature death.
It is well known that vitamin A deficiency contributes to significantly increased risk of death in children. Strategies used to combat vitamin A deficiency include supplementation with vitamin A capsules, promotion of the production and consumption of vitamin A–rich foods, food fortification, and public health measures.
The aims are to add vitamin A to a regularly dietary constituent of the targeted population at a specified level that will correct an existing dietary deficiency without posing significant risks of overdosing those who habitually consume the largest quantity of the fortified product.
Food fortification is a highly effectively strategy to correct underlying low intake of vitamin A and is widely used in developing countries to prevent deficiencies of multiple nutrients.
Vitamin A is routinely added to some foods, including milk and margarine. Some ready-to-eat cereals are also fortified with vitamin A.
Vitamin A fortification of staple foods has made significant stride since eradicating blindness and promoting growth in children in developing countries.
Although fortification can take several years to initiate and longer still to penetrate poor markets and reach sufficient proportions of those at risk, some priority countries have made significant progress.
Vitamin A - Food fortification
