Fortification
Food Preparation & Nutrition: AQA GCSE, topic 6.2.4
Fortification
Fortification involves adding nutrients to food to improve their nutritional value.
Reasons for fortification
- Replenish nutrients removed during processing.
- Making foods more nutritious (and healthier).
- For marketing purposes, as people may think products are better for them.
Dangers of eating too many fortified foods
- Excessive consumption may cause an individual to have too much of certain minerals in their diet.
Multivitamin supplements
- These supplements can help an individual get all the minerals and vitamins they need if their diet is lacking.
- Certain individuals are more likely to rely on them (e.g. women who are breastfeeding).
- Some people think that they don't really benefit a lot of people.
- Excessive consumption can be harmful.
Fortification Examples
Foods that can be fortified include:
Breakfast cereals
- Can fortify with iron, folic acid and thiamin.
- Lots of people eat cereal. Fortification increases the chances of people getting their recommended nutrient intake.
White flour
- When white flour is made, iron, calcium, thiamin (B1) and niacin (B3) are all removed.
- Manufacturers are legally obliged to put these nutrients back in.
- They are naturally present in wholemeal flour so don't need to be added.
Alternatives to butter
- Alternatives to dairy butter include nut butter and margarine.
- Manufacturers may voluntarily choose to fortify these to contain the same nutrients naturally present in butter - vitamins A and D.
Cholesterol lowering spreads
- Adding plant sterols to some vegetable fat spreads can help individuals with high cholesterol to lower cholesterol.
- Individuals with normal cholesterol will not benefit.
Test yourself on Fortification
What process involves adding nutrients to food to improve their nutritional value?
Why do we fortify foods?
What nutrients are removed when white flour is made?
What can we use to fortify breakfast cereals?