Tag: Fortified vs enriched

According to the World Health Organization, large-scale food enrichment and fortification are cost-effective public health interventions that combat widespread micronutrient deficiencies. This practice is particularly common with refined grain products, but which food is enriched, and what exactly does that process entail?

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), food enrichment is the process of adding back nutrients to foods that were lost during processing. This practice is common in products made from processed grains, such as white flour, which loses key vitamins and minerals during milling.

Historically, enriched and fortified foods were introduced in the 1930s and 1940s to combat widespread nutrient deficiencies, particularly in countries like the US. This practice ensures that nutrients lost during processing are added back into products, which is what it means if a food product is enriched.

Introduced in the 1930s and 1940s to combat nutrient deficiencies, enriched food refers to items where essential vitamins and minerals are added back after being lost during processing. The practice became a crucial public health strategy, particularly for staple products like flour and grains.