Mineral fortification and supplementation

Abstract

Fortification is the process of adding nutrients or non-nutrient bioactive components to edible products (e.g., food, food constituents, or supplements). Fortification can be used to correct or prevent widespread nutrient intake shortfalls and associated deficiencies, to balance the total nutrient profile of a diet, to restore nutrients lost in processing, or to appeal to consumers looking to supplement their diet. Food fortification could be considered as a public health strategy to enhance nutrient intakes of a population. Food fortification is one of the most cost-effective nutrition interventions to tackle Hidden Hunger on a large scale. In high-income countries, food fortification has been in place for almost a century, and has successfully eliminated deficiency diseases such as rickets and pellagra.