The Potential of Condiments, Seasonings, and Bouillon Cubes to Deliver Essential Micronutrients in Asia: Scenario Analyses of Iodine and Iron Fortification

Abstract

Micronutrient deficiencies are still highly prevalent in Asia. Fortification of cooking aids, such as condiments (fish and soy sauces), seasonings, and bouillon cubes, may be an additional strategy to improve micronutrient intake. The current study evaluated the potential impact of iodine and iron fortification of cooking aids on micronutrient intake in Asian countries. A systematic literature search was performed to collect consumption data from different countries in Asia. Data from 18 studies in nine Asian countries were included. Scenario analyses were performed using different fortification levels based on regulations and literature. Mean intake of cooking aids ranged from 3.2–15.9 g/day for condiments and 0.4–11.7 g/day for seasonings and bouillon cubes. When replacing salt with iodized salt (30 µg of iodine/g of salt), iodine intake would increase by 13–119 µg/day for soy and fish sauces (9–80% of the Nutrient Reference Value (NRV)), and 5–83 µg/day for bouillon cubes and seasonings (4–56% of the NRV). Fortification with iron 0.5 mg/g food product for condiments or 1 mg/g food product for bouillon cubes and seasonings improved iron intake for soy and fish sauces by 1.6–8.0 mg/day (11–57% of the NRV), and for bouillon cubes and seasonings by 0.4–5.6 mg/day (3–40% of the NRV). These results indicate that, depending on the consumption pattern, fortification of cooking aids can be a suitable strategy to increase intake of micronutrients.

Exploring the Causal Effects of Mineral Metabolism Disorders on Telomere and Mitochondrial DNA: A Bidirectional Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Analysis

“…The regulation of iron homeostasis, encompassing absorption, utilization, storage, and excretion, is a tightly controlled process [58,59]. Iron plays a crucial role in the formation of hemoglobin and myoglobin, which are essential for the transportation of oxygen in the body [60,61]. This function is vital for the maintenance of tissue oxygenation and cellular energy production [62,63].…”

Improving the nutrient quality of foods and beverages using product specific standards for positive nutrients and ingredients will help to increase mean population intakes toward dietary guidelines

“…Although we did not model the impact of the standards for micronutrients for the US population, the potential impact of fortification of bouillons and seasonings with iron and iodine was evaluated in another study based on intake data of different Asian countries. The study showed that fortifying bouillons & seasonings with iron and iodine at levels in line with the PNS can help to increase the intake with approximately 33% of the RDA ( 37 ).…”