Evaluating food fortification options: general principles revisited with folic acid.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES. This article uses folic acid as an example to illustrate some of the complex issues and general principles that emerge when evaluating fortification of the food supply as one possible means to address a public health recommendation. METHODS. Distributions of current daily folate intakes from conventional foods and dietary supplements were estimated. Intakes that might result from fortification of cereal-grain products and ready-to-eat cereals at various levels for eight age-gender groups were also estimated by using the US Department of Agriculture's 1987-1988 Nationwide Food Consumption Survey. RESULTS. The results illustrate that fortification of the US food supply tends to increase folate intakes of consumers at the high end of the intake distribution curves in the general population to a greater extent than it affects consumers at the low end of the intake distribution curves in the target population. CONCLUSIONS. The effectiveness of food fortification options for a target population and the safety for the general population impose conflicting challenges that must be considered concurrently when making decisions about fortifying the US food supply.

Methylation variation atIGF2differentially methylated regions and maternal folic acid use before and during pregnancy

“…8 Since then, reported median folate intake among women of child-bearing age has increased to >450 μg/d with approximately 75% contributed by FA from fortified foods, supplements or both. 9,10 Currently, a little over 50% of pregnant women report daily FA supplementation in the periconceptional period and another 35% report starting intake in the prenatal period. 11 Reports following this increase in FA intake, link lower risk of involuntary abortion, 12 pre-eclampsia, 13 gestational hypertension 14 and other congenital abnormalities 15 to FA intake.…”

Otimização Da Determinação De Ácido Fólico Em Leites Enriquecidos Através Da Análise De Superfície De Resposta

“…Acredita-se que a deficiência de AF possa acarretar desde malformações congênitas no feto (espina bífida, encefalocelece, fenda palatina e hidrocefalia) até doenças cardiácas [2,4,5,6,10,13,14,15,16,18].…”

Avaliação das condições experimentais de CLAE na determinação de ácido fólico em leites enriquecidos

“…

O enriquecimento de alimentos com ácido fólico (AF) tem sido incentivado na última década devido, principalmente, a trabalhos que demonstraram uma possível relação da vitamina com as doenças que acometem o tubo neural do feto, isto é, as malformações congênitas, que podem ser ocasionadas pela carência de ácido fólico na alimentação de gestantes [3,7,8,9,11,17,24]. Os produtos escolhidos para o enriquecimento com ácido fólico nos EUA são principalmente os cereais matinais, as farinhas e o macarrão, entre outros [2,25].

…”