Vitamin A stability in triple fortified salt

A triple fortified salt (TFS) containing vitamin A, iron and iodine was produced and studied under two controlled climatic conditions: 40 °C, 60% and 100% relative humidity (RH) for three months. The stability of commercially available vitamin A products and the effect of different iron and iodine compounds on vitamin A stability were investigated. The highest vitamin A stability was observed in premixes made with vitamin A palmitates stabilized in a solid matrix. Our best TFS formulation retained 65 ± 2% of vitamin at 60% RH. The highest retention at 100% RH was 45 ± 1%. The TFS containing vitamin A acetate retained a maximum of 48 ± 5% at 60% RH. Introduction of all three micronutrients into one premix particle resulted in reduced vitamin A retention to ∼10% at 60% RH. Vitamin A was more stable with ferric sodium EDTA than with any other iron compound. The source of iodine did not significantly affect vitamin A retention.     

Iodine stability in salt double-fortified with iron and iodine

Deficiencies in small quantities of micronutrients, especially iodine and iron, severely affect more than a third of the world's population, resulting in serious public health consequences, especially for women and young children. Salt is an ideal carrier of micronutrients. The double fortification of salt with both iodine and iron is an attractive approach to the reduction of both anemia and iodine-deficiency disorders. Because iodine is unstable under the storage conditions found during the manufacturing, distribution, and sale of salt in most developing countries, the effects of packaging materials and environmental conditions on the stability of salt double-fortified with iron and iodine were investigated. Salt was double-fortified with potassium iodide or potassium iodate and with ferrous sulfate or ferrous fumarate. The effects of stabilizers on the stability of iodine and iron were followed by storing the salt under three conditions that represent the extremes of normal distribution and sale for salt in developing countries: room temperature (25 degrees C) with 50%-70% relative humidity, 40 degrees C with 60% relative humidity, and 40 degrees C with 100% relative humidity. The effects of stabilizers, such as sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP), calcium carbonate, calcium silicate, and dextrose were investigated. None of the combinations of iron and iodine compounds was stable at elevated temperatures. Essentially all of the iodine was lost over a period of six months. SHMP effectively slowed down the iodine loss, whereas magnesium chloride, a typical hygroscopic impurity, greatly accelerated this process. Calcium carbonate did not have a sparing effect on iodine, despite contrary indications in the literature. Ferrous sulfate-fortified salts generally turned yellow and developed an unpleasant rusty flavor. Salt fortified with ferrous fumarate and potassium, iodide was reasonably stable and maintained its organoleptic properties, making it more likely to be acceptable to consumers. We confirmed that application of the iodine compounds as solutions resulted in a more even distribution of the iodine throughout the sample. The effect of the packaging materials was overshadowed by the other variables. None of the packaging materials was clearly better than any other. This may have been due to the fact that the polymer bags were not heat sealed, and thus some moisture penetration was possible. The results indicate that with careful control of processing, packaging, and storage conditions, a double-fortified salt could be stabilized for the six-month period required for distribution and consumption. Unfortunately, the processing and storage required are difficult to attain under typical conditions in developing countries.     

Development, Stability, and Sensory Testing of Microcapsules Containing Iron, Iodine, and Vitamin A for Use in Food Fortification

Iodine, vitamin A, and iron deficiencies are important public health problems in developing countries and often coexist in vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women and young children. Food fortification can be a sustainable, cost‐effective strategy to combat these deficiencies. In remote, rural areas of subsistence farming, salt may be 1 of few regularly purchased food items and is therefore likely to be a good food vehicle for fortification. However, fortification of salt is challenging due to the white color and highly reactive impurities, and added micronutrients often cause color changes. Encapsulation may prevent or reduce these reactions. Potassium io‐date, retinyl palmitate, and ferric pyrophosphate were microencapsulated in hydrogenated palm fat by spray cooling. The size and morphology of the sprayed microparticles and losses of iodine and vitamin A during spraying were analyzed. The microcapsules were added to local salt in Morocco. During storage for 6 mo, color change in the triple fortified salt (TFS) was acceptable, and iodine losses were approximately 20% comparable to the iodized salt (IS). Stability of retinyl palmitate was excellent, resulting in losses of only about 12% after 6 mo of storage. Sensory tests were performed with typical Moroccan dishes cooked with either TFS or IS by triangle testing. No sensory difference was detectable, and overall acceptability of the salt was good. Encapsulation by spray cooling produces highly stable microcapsules containing iodine, vitamin A, and iron for salt fortification in Africa. Such capsules may also be used to fortify other dry matrices (for example, sugar, flour).     

Stability of salt double-fortified with ferrous fumarate and potassium iodate or iodide under storage and distribution conditions in Kenya

The stability of table salt double-fortified with iron as ferrous fumarate, and with iodine as potassium iodide or potassium iodate, has been investigated under actual field conditions of storage and distribution in the coastal and highland regions of Kenya. Seven 200-g sample packets of double-fortified salt in sealed polyethylene bags and a similar packet containing a datalogger for monitoring temperature and humidity were packaged with 21 sample bags of salt from another study into a bundle, which then entered the distribution network from a salt manufacturer's facility to the consumer. Iodine retention values of up to 90% or more were obtained during the three-month study. Double-fortified salt was prepared using ferrous fumarate microencapsulated with a combination of binders and coloring agents and coated with soy stearine, in combination with either iodated salt or salt iodized with potassium iodide microencapsulated with dextrin and coated with soy stearine. Most of the ferrous iron was retained, with less than 17% being oxidized to the ferric state. The polyethylene film overwrap of salt packs in the bundles provided significant protection from ambient humidity. Salt double-fortified with iodine and microencapsulated iron ferrous fumarate premix was generally quite stable, because both iodine and ferrous iron were protected during distribution and retail in typical tropical conditions in Kenya's highlands and humid lowlands.     

Effect of storage conditions on potassium iodide stability in iodised table salt and collagen preparations

To determine the influence of storage conditions on potassium iodide (KI) stability, its traditional carrier – iodised table salt and alternative collagen carriers (i.e. iodinated collagen fibre and collagen hydrolysate) were stored at high (90%) and medium (60%) relative humidity of air. At medium humidity, these carriers were additionally stored at limited and unlimited access of air. The stability of KI was estimated by determining iodine retention during storage. The obtained results showed that the storage of iodised table salt resulted in iodine content decrease. The iodine losses in the salt tended to increase at high humidity or unlimited access of air. However, application of collagen preparations as carriers increased the KI stability, reducing iodine losses during storage and making them independent on the storage conditions.     

Concept of double salt fortification; a tool to curtail micronutrient deficiencies and improve human health status

Fortification of food with micronutrients such as vitamins and minerals is one of the main strategies used to combat micronutrient deficiencies. Fortification in common salt is a fruitful strategy because of the daily consumption of 5–12 g salt per person globally. Therefore double fortification of salt with iodine and iron could be a reasonable approach to prevent both iodine and iron deficiencies. It is reckoned that about two billion people are iodine‐deficient worldwide. Iodine deficiency during pregnancy may affect the health status of both mother and fetus and increase infant mortality. Deficiencies of both these micronutrients during childhood affect somatic growth and cognitive and neurological function. Thyroid metabolism is negatively affected by iron deficiency and reduced effectiveness of iodine prophylaxis in areas of endemic goiter. High prevalence of iron deficiency among children may be reduced by the application of effective iodized salt programs. However, ensuring the stability and bioavailability of both iron and iodine as double‐fortified salt is difficult. Iodine present in iodide or iodate form in dual‐fortified salt is oxidized to free iodine in the presence of ferrous ions and oxygen and consequently loses its characteristics. Moreover, ferrous iron is more bioavailable but is readily oxidized to the less bioavailable ferric form. However, both forms of iron may lead to discoloration of the final product, which can be reduced by providing a physical barrier around the iron. Salt encapsulation is one of the best tools to provide a physical barrier for undesirable reactions and interactions during storage. In this review the concept of dual salt fortification, the impact of fortification on curing various life‐threatening maladies, latest assessments of mineral deficiencies and the choice of fortificants are discussed. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry     

A multicenter community study on the efficacy of double-fortified salt

BACKGROUND: Iron and iodine deficiencies affect more than 30% of the world's population. Typical Indian diets contain adequate amounts of iron, but the bioavailability is poor. This serious limiting factor is caused by low intake of meat products rich in heme iron and intake of phytates in staple foods in the Indian diet, which inhibits iron absorption. OBJECTIVE: To test the stability of double-fortified salt (DFS) during storage and to assess its efficacy in improving the iron and iodine status of the communities. METHODS: The stability of both iodized salt and DFS during storage for a 2-year period was determined. The bioefficacy of DFS was assessed in communities covering three states of the country for a period of 1 year. This was a multicenter, single-blind trial covering seven clusters. The experimental group used DFS and the control group used iodized salt. The salts were used in all meals prepared for family members, but determination of hemoglobin by the cyanmethemoglobin method was performed in only two or three members per family, and not in children under 10 years of age (n = 393 and 436 in the experimental and control groups, respectively). The family size was usually four or five, with a male: female ratio of 1:1, consisting of two parents with two or three children. Hemoglobin was measured at baseline, 6 months (midpoint), and 12 months (endpoint). Urinary iodine was measured in only one cluster at baseline and endpoint. All the participants were dewormed at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. RESULTS: The iron and iodine in the DFS were stable during storage for 2 years. Over a period of 1 year, there was an increase of 1.98 g/dL of hemoglobin in the experimental group and 0.77 g/dL of hemoglobin in the control group; the latter increase may have been due to deworming. The median urinary iodine changed from 200 microg/dL at baseline to 205 microg/dL at the end of the study in the experimental group and from 225 microg/dL to 220 microg/dL in the control group. There was a statistically significant (p < .05) improvement in the median urinary iodine status of subjects who were iodine deficient (urinary iodine < 100 microg/L) in both the experimental and the control groups, a result showing that DFS was as efficient as iodized salt in increasing urinary iodine from a deficient to sufficient status. There was a statistically significant increase (p < .05) in hemoglobin in all seven clusters in the experimental group compared with the control. CONCLUSIONS: The iron and iodine in the DFS are stable in storage for 2 years. The DFS has proved beneficial in the delivery of bioavailable iron and iodine.     

Combating iodine and iron deficiencies through the double fortification of fish sauce,mixed fish sauce,and salt brine

Two iodine and seven iron compounds were tested for use in the fortification of pure fish sauce, mixed fish sauce, and salt brine for cooking as a means to combat iodine and iron deficiencies. Ferrous sulfate, sodium iron ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, ferric ammonium citrate, and ferrous lactate were combined with potassium iodide with no effect on sensory quality. Product shelf-life testing revealed that no iron or iodine losses occurred during a three-month storage period. Although the color of most products darkened, the color was not significantly different from that of nonfortified products after two to three months. Sensory home-use tests revealed that the fortified products were acceptable to highly acceptable, with only 1.2% to 8.2% of the dishes cooked using the fortified products being reported as discolored. The cost of fortification was minimal, at 0.13 to 2.73 baht per bottle (750 ml) (42 baht = US$1). Consequently, these products show a potential for inclusion in national programs for the prevention of micronutrient deficiencies in Asian countries where fish sauce and its products are routinely consumed.     

Folic acid stability in the presence of various formulation components including iron compounds in fortified extruded Ultra Rice® over prolonged storage at 40 °C and 60% relative humidity (RH)

Ultra Rice^®, a reconstituted rice product made by extrusion, has been successfully formulated for the fortification of market rice with vitamin A, iron and vitamin B₁. As folic acid deficiency is a major health problem in areas targeted by Ultra Rice^® technology, including India, Colombia and Brazil, it seems logical to incorporate folic acid into the existing formulation. The effects of various iron compounds on the storage stability of folic acid were studied. Four commercial ferric pyrophosphate compounds were chosen as iron sources and were added at different concentrations. A food‐grade whitener (TiO₂) was also tested for its effects on folic acid stability and product colour. Folic acid was generally stable in the prepared rice formulations under high temperature and humidity (40 °C, 60%RH) – with the best sample retaining 95% and >75% of folic acid after 3 and 9 months of storage, respectively. The work demonstrated that folic acid fortification of rice through Ultra Rice^® technology is technically feasible.     

Iodine stability in iodized salt dual fortified with microencapsulated ferrous fumarate made by an extrusion-based encapsulation process

The development of a novel, extrusion-based process for making microencapsulated ferrous fumarate for salt double fortification has been reported earlier. This paper focuses on the results of a one-year storage test, specifically the stability of both iodine and ferrous iron in the double fortified salt (DFS) samples prepared using optimal formulations of the iron premix. The study was devised to test the effectiveness of the encapsulation system in the prevention of interaction between ferrous fumarate and iodine, and preservation of the iodine in iodized salt. The results confirmed that direct iodine–iron interaction occurred in the DFS samples when the iron compound was added without proper coating. However, when an appropriately encapsulated iron premix was used, the interaction could be completely prevented. The extrusion-based process has proven to be an effective approach to producing a stable, bioavailable iron premix, suitable for incorporation into iodized salt for combating iodine and iron deficiencies.     

特殊医学用途母乳营养补充剂的稳定性分析

通过长期实验和加速实验相结合,考察特殊医学用途母乳营养补充剂在货架期内的营养素稳定性,同时研究了母乳营养补充剂中营养素在温度、湿度、光线的影响下随时间变化的规律。结果显示：在长期和加速实验过程中,维生素仅烟酸有轻微的衰减,矿物质仅碘、锌和铁发生一定程度的衰减,其他营养素表现出了较高的稳定性。高温环境下,维生素E和维生素C发生一定程度的衰减,光照环境下,维生素A和维生素K1衰减较明显,高湿环境下,产品吸湿增重明显。该研究为今后母乳营养补充剂的稳定性研究和货架期储存条件提供借鉴。     

Dual Fortification of Salt with Iodine and Encapsulated Iron Compounds: Stability and Acceptability Testing in Morocco and Côte d'Ivoire

ABSTRACT: The stability of local salt dual fortified with iodine and 19 iron compounds (encapsulated compared to nonencapsulated sulfate, fumarate, pyrophosphate, and elemental iron) was tested in Morocco and Côte d'Ivoire. Color and iodine content were measured after storage for 1, 2, 4, and 6 mo. Color acceptability was judged by standardized interviews. For most compounds, encapsulation did not protect against adverse sensory changes and iodine losses. However, 2 forms of ferric pyrophosphate, 1 small particle size (approximately 2.5 μm) and 1 micronized (approximately 0.5 μm), performed well and be useful in salt fortification. Improvements in current encapsulation techniques are needed to allow encapsulated iron to be used in salt fortification.     

Analysis of vitamins A,E and C,iron and selenium contents in infant milk-based powdered formula during full shelf-life

The stability of vitamins A, E and C, and the iron and selenium content were determined in two types of long chain-polyunsaturated fatty acid (LC-PUFA) supplemented milk-based powdered infant formulas (IF), during an 18-month storage period at 25 and 40 °C. The first type (IF-A) was supplemented with vitamin A as retinol acetate. The second type (IF-B) was supplemented with vitamin A as retinol palmitate. Both types were also supplemented with vitamin E as α-tocopherol acetate and with vitamin C as ascorbic acid. The two formulas studied had higher vitamin A (140% and 139%), vitamin E (109% and 198%) and vitamin C (167% and 118%), but lower iron (65.0% and 65.3%) and selenium (72.9% and 79.4%) than the amounts declared on the label. As expected, all the studied vitamins showed decreases during storage, and these decreases were higher in formulas stored at 40 °C. The losses of vitamin A at 40 °C after 18 months of storage were 27.5% in IF-A and 29% in IF-B, while vitamin E losses under the same conditions were 23.1% and 28.1%, and vitamin C losses under the same conditions were 28.4% and 48.6%. All these losses justify the over-fortification of the aforementioned vitamins in these LC-PUFA supplemented IFs. Iron and selenium content remained unchanged throughout storage.     

Lessons from successful micronutrient programs. Part III: program impact

Micronutrient-deficiency control programs have been greatly extended at the national level in the last 10 to 15 years. However, rigorous evaluations of these are scarce, so that conclusions on impact are tentative and based mainly on indirect evidence. The coverage of vitamin A capsule distribution programs has exceeded 70% in most study countries. In countries implementing national iodized salt programs, the coverage reaches 60% to 90% of households with adequately iodized salt. Of the three micronutrients, coverage of iron tablet supplementation is the least well documented due to inadequate program monitoring systems and population survey data. Supplementation of preschool children 6 to 59 months of age with vitamin A capsules has plausibly contributed to the reduction in clinical vitamin A deficiency and its near-elimination in many countries. The impact of vitamin A capsule supplementation on children's biochemical vitamin A status (serum retinol) in national programs may be less. National data on salt iodization show a consistent relation to reduced prevalence of iodine-deficiency disorder symptoms (goiter); the rates of cretinism and other results of iodine deficiency are almost certainly falling too. The evaluation of the impact of salt iodization programs on biochemical iodine status is limited by a lack of data. Although trials have demonstrated the efficacy of iron supplementation in reducing the prevalence of anemia, the interpretation of national-level data is not so clear. Given the substantial financial and technical commitment required to implement national micronutrient-deficiency control programs, it is vital that investment enable the evaluation of the impact of these programs. It is becoming increasingly important to collect data on subclinical deficiency (e.g., biochemical data) to assess program impact.     

Urinary iodine concentration of pregnant women and female adolescents as an indicator of excessive iodine intake in Sri Lanka

BACKGROUND: Mild deficiencies and excesses of iodine have deleterious effects in both females and males. The iodine status of the population after implementation of the universal salt iodization program in Sri Lanka is not known. OBJECTIVE: This cross-sectional study was carried out to assess the iodine status of pregnant women and female adolescents, with urinary iodine concentration used as the measure of outcome. METHODS: The participants were 100 women in the first trimester of pregnancy and 99 female adolescents in Kuliyapitiya, Kurunegala District, North-Western Province, Sri Lanka. The urinary iodine concentration was measured in a casual urine sample from each subject. The iodate contents of salt samples collected from households of the adolescents participating in the study were also measured. RESULTS: The median urinary iodine concentration of 185.0 microg/L and the prevalence of values under 50 microg/L of only 1% among the pregnant women indicate adequate iodine intake and optimal iodine nutrition. The median urinary iodine concentration (213.1 microg/L) among female adolescents indicates a more than adequate iodine intake and a risk of iodine-induced hyperthyroidism. Approximately 8% and 4% of the adolescents and pregnant women, respectively, had urinary iodine concentrations in the range of mild iodine deficiency (51 to 100 microg/L). More than half of the adolescents (56%) and 39% of the pregnant women had urinary iodine concentrations higher than optimal. The median iodine content in salt samples was 12.7 ppm. Only 20.2% of the samples were adequately iodized, and 10.1% of the samples had very high iodine levels. CONCLUSIONS: Female adolescents and pregnant women had no iodine deficiency, but a considerable proportion of them, especially female adolescents, were at risk for iodine-induced hyperthyroidism. There is thus a need for proper monitoring of the salt iodization program to achieve acceptable iodine status.     

Empowering a tea-plantation community to improve its micronutrient health

This project was designed to convince and empower management and plantation workers to improve their own nutritional health status and productivity. Plantations are generally bypassed by the government's primary health-care system. A nine-month intervention with iron (60 mg of elemental iron) and vitamin A supplementation and iodized salt was performed on the Balanoor Plantations in India. Of the women tea pickers, 99% (n = 334) received the supplements and bought the iodized salt from the plantation ration shop. Their mean hemoglobin level rose significantly from 11.0 to 11.9 g/dl. The women pickers gave the supplements to their families as well as themselves. The results were the same whether iron was given once or twice a week. The mean hemoglobin level of the women pickers rose significantly from 11.1 to 12.0 g/dl with the twice-weekly dose and from 10.9 to 11.8 g/dl with the weekly dose. The prevalence of clinical signs of vitamin A deficiency in the entire plantation population (about 2,500) was reduced significantly (from 19% to 4%), as was iodine deficiency (from 17% to 7%). Common health problems decreased from 88% to 54%. The number of patients referred to larger hospitals decreased significantly from 116 to 86. Absenteeism was not affected.     

Stability of iodine in salt fortified with iodine and iron

BACKGROUND: Determining the stability of iodine in fortified salt can be difficult under certain conditions. Current methods are sometimes unreliable in the presence of iron. OBJECTIVE: To test the new method to more accurately estimate iodine content in double-fortified salt (DFS) fortified with iodine and iron by using orthophosphoric acid instead of sulfuric acid in the titration procedure. METHODS: A double-blind, placebo-controlled study was carried out on DFS and iodized salt produced by the dry-mixing method. DFS and iodized salt were packed and sealed in color-coded, 0.5-kg, low-density polyethylene pouches, and 25 of these pouches were further packed and sealed in color-coded, double-lined, high-density polyethylene bags and transported by road in closed, light-protected containers to the International Council for the Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (ICCIDD), Delhi; the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad; and the Orissa Unit of the National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau (NNMB), Bhubaneswar. The iodine content of DFS and iodized salt stored under normal room conditions in these places was measured by the modified method every month on the same prescribed dates during the first 6 months and also after 15 months. The iodine content of DFS and iodized salt stored under simulated household conditions was also measured in the first 3 months. RESULTS: After the color code was broken at the end of the study, it was found that the DFS and iodized salt stored at Bhubaneswar, Delhi, and Hyderabad retained more or less the same initial iodine content (30-40 ppm) during the first 6 months, and the stability was not affected after 15 months. The proportion of salt samples having more than 30 ppm iodine was 100% in DFS and iodized salt throughout the study period. Daily opening and closing of salt pouches under simulated household conditions did not result in any iodine loss. CONCLUSIONS: The DFS and iodized salt prepared by the dry-mixing method and stored at normal room conditions had excellent iodine stability for more than 1 year.     

Carotenoids,but Not Vitamin A,Improve Iron Uptake and Ferritin Synthesis by Caco‐2 Cells from Ferrous Fumarate and NaFe‐EDTA

Due to the high prevalence of iron and vitamin A deficiencies and to the controversy about the role of vitamin A and carotenoids in iron absorption, the objectives of this study were to evaluate the following: (1) the effect of a molar excess of vitamin A as well as the role of tannic acid on iron uptake by Caco‐2 cells; (2) iron uptake and ferritin synthesis in presence of carotenoids without pro‐vitamin A activity: lycopene, lutein, and zeaxantin; and (3) iron uptake and ferritin synthesis from ferrous fumarate and NaFe‐EDTA. Cells were incubated 1 h at 37 °C in PBS pH 5.5, containing ⁵⁹Fe and different iron compounds. Vitamin A, ferrous fumarate, β‐carotene, lycopene, lutein, zeaxantin, and tannic acid were added to evaluate uptake. Ferritin synthesis was measured 24 h after uptake experiments. Vitamin A had no effect on iron uptake by Caco‐2 cells, and was significantly lower from NaFe‐EDTA than from ferrous fumarate (15.2 ± 2.5 compared with 52.5 ± 8.3 pmol Fe/mg cell protein, respectively). Carotenoids increase uptake up to 50% from fumarate and up to 300% from NaFe‐EDTA, since absorption from this compound is low when administered alone. We conclude the following: (1) There was no effect of vitamin A on iron uptake and ferritin synthesis by Caco‐2cells. (2) Carotenoids significantly increased iron uptake from ferrous fumarate and NaFe‐EDTA, and were capable of partially overcoming the inhibition produced by tannic acid. (3) Iron uptake by Caco‐2 cell from NaFe‐EDTA was significantly lower compared to other iron compounds, although carotenoids increased and tannic acid inhibited iron uptake comparably to ferrous fumarate.     

Key properties of iodine‐, iron‐ and zinc‐ fortified fish cracker: effects of ambient shelf storage on iodine retention and quality indicators

Multi‐micronutrient (MN)‐fortified fish cracker could be used as a means to improve iodine, iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) status. We evaluated iodine stability as well as the quality and sensory properties of MN‐fortified fish cracker, at the fortification levels of 5.3 mg per 100 g for Fe and Zn and 260 μg per 100 g for iodine in the dough. On average, the overall retention of iodine after processing and storage for 4 months was ~65%. Fortification with KIO₃ + ZnO, or KIO₃ + ZnO + ferrous fumarate, significantly increased the loss of iodine during processing. The Fe compounds tended to promote iodine instability during storage and contributed to thiobarbituric reactive substances. Fortification did not affect linear expansion of the cracker. Triple‐fortified fish cracker with KIO₃, ferric pyrophosphate and ZnO exhibited both high iodine retention (92.7% for steaming + drying and 72.7% for storage) in the tropical conditions (30 ± 1 °C, 80 ± 5% R.H.) and achieved overall desirable sensory scores. Thus, such fortification of fish cracker might successfully supplement iodine, zinc and iron, while at the same time contributing to the palatability of cracker.     

Nutrient addition to corn masa flour: effect on corn flour stability, nutrient loss, and acceptability of fortified corn tortillas

BACKGROUND: Iron, zinc, and vitamin B complex are among the most prevalent nutritional deficiencies in Mexico, with iron deficiency being the leading cause of anemia. Mexico has the highest per capita consumption of corn in the world, consumed mainly as tortilla. Thus, corn flour for making tortillas has been suggested as an effective strategy to overcome malnutrition in developing countries such as Mexico where corn is a staple food. The stability of micronutrients added to food is an important factor for the success of fortification programs. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the stability of corn flour fortified with micronutrients, and to measure the effect of micronutrient fortification on the sensory quality and stability of the fortificants in fresh and stored tortilla. METHODS: A commercially homogenized nonfortified corn flour (NCFC) produced from degermed white corn was fortified with a premix containing iron, zinc, thiamin, and riboflavin. Changes in thiamin, riboflavin, iron, and zinc content in fortified corn flour (FCF) and nonfortified corn flour (NFCF) during storage were investigated. Vitamin B1 and B2 content was determined by fluorescence spectroscopy while iron and zinc content was analyzed by atomic absorption. RESULTS: Thiamin content in FCF and NFCF showed a significant (p < .05) decrease (24% and 37%, respectively) after 90 days of storage. Riboflavin losses of 18% and 22% were observed for FCF and NFCF, respectively. FCF retained over 90% of iron, while zinc content remained constant. Losses of thiamin (27 to 39%) and riboflavin (37%) were produced during the process to convert corn masa flour into tortillas. CONCLUSIONS: Storage time slightly affected the stability of riboflavin and thiamin in FCF while the cooking process produced considerable losses of both vitamins. Tortillas made from FCF were well accepted by Mexican adults. We conclude that the addition of vitamins and minerals in the forms and quantities used in this study do not modify the shelf-life of corn flour, and neither do they cause sensorial changes in tortillas made from FCF.