Tuesday, January 24, 2012

History of food fortification in North America

Fortification of food with micronutrients has a long history in improving the diet of populations. The food fortification of foods began in the early 1900s as a result of the discovery of the vitamin deficiency diseases pellagra, scurvy, rickets, goiter and beriberi.

In the United States, as in most parts of the world, fortification of food was initiated as a systematic approach to correct identified nutrient deficiencies in the population.

Table salt and milk were the first foods fortified. In 1924 iodine was first added to salt in a voluntary basis in a attempt to address the prevalent health problem of goiter in the United States. It is the first US food fortification program.

Canada has a distinguished history of effectively using food fortification to combat nutritional deficiencies and to improve the nutritional quality of the food supply.

For example the mandatory fortification of fluid milk with vitamin D or the iodization of salt which have virtually eliminated childhood rickets and goiter respectively.

Prior to 1936 only milk and salt were approved for fortification.

Mandatory requirements for flour fortification became effective in 1943 after the US government published its first Recommend Dietary Allowances. These requirements were the outcome of a National Nutritional Conference for Defense convened by President Roosevelt in 1941, to explore why so many military recruits were in poor health.

In January 1998, the United States introduced mandatory folic acid fortification of flour as well as a number of other grain based foods including cornmeal, rice, pasta and breakfast cereal.
History of food fortification in North America

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