Tag: Wheat fortification

According to the World Health Organization, fortification of staple foods like wheat flour is a cost-effective strategy to improve public health. This practice involves deliberately increasing the content of essential micronutrients, a process that helps prevent nutritional deficiencies on a wide scale.

Prompted by widespread nutritional deficiency diseases like pellagra in the early 20th century, the United States began the process of fortifying wheat and other cereal grains around 1940. This public health initiative was a direct response to a documented need to improve the nutritional status of the population.

Lysine is indeed present in wheat, but numerous studies confirm it is the primary limiting essential amino acid, meaning it is found in insufficient quantities for optimal human nutrition. The limited amount of lysine in wheat affects the overall protein quality and its full biological utilization by the body.

Despite a widespread misconception, wheat crops are not sprayed with folic acid. This practice is part of the food manufacturing process, where the synthetic B vitamin is added to enriched flour to prevent neural tube defects. This critical distinction clarifies how and why this nutrient is included in our diet.