• Fortification is fast becoming an option for food and beverage brands looking to enhance the health benefits of their products. But could this actually have the opposite effect?
From vitamin D-fortified cereals to CBD-infused soft drinks, brands are investing heavily in enriching their products, creating so-called functional foods and beverages.
Currently, there is no universally accepted definition of the terms functional foods or beverages. However, functional foods and beverages are widely accepted as those enriched with functional nutrients, in addition to the basic nutritional value of the product, to provide multiple health benefits. These nutrients include amino acids, vitamins, minerals, proteins, fatty acids, as well as pre- and probiotics.
And they are proving extremely profitable, with the global functional food and beverage market currently valued at over $281 billion. Moreover, appropriate The report of Statista, that number is expected to grow to over half a trillion by 2028.
The pandemic has increased awareness of health and nutrition, with many consumers looking for healthier food options. This has also been fueled by growing concerns about gut health, as understanding the gut microbiome and its impact on immunity has become a priority. According to studies carried out by Mintel over the past ten years, the number of patents and applications related to probiotic foods and beverages has grown exponentially.
New research suggests that fortification may have unintended effects
Researchers at Japan's Toho University have found evidence to suggest that fortification of food and drink leads to overconsumption of certain nutrients, known as overeating.
The Toho University School of Medicine team, led by Professor Keiko Asakura and Assistant Professor Minami Sugimoto, studied how fortified foods and dietary supplements contribute to overall nutrient intake.
However, the results of the study were far from alarming. In fact, the data showed that a high proportion of study participants met the levels of adequate intake set by the nutritional reference standards, concluding that fortified foods and dietary supplements contributed to the adequate intake of certain nutrients among their users. But the research team expressed concern that 2 percent of study participants were at risk of excessive levels of vitamin B6.
According to the UK's National Heath Service (NHS), taking 200mg or more of vitamin B6 a day can lead to a loss of sensation in the arms and legs, known as peripheral neuropathy. In most cases, this condition improves once B6 levels return to safe levels, but symptoms may persist in people who have taken large amounts of vitamin B6 for more than a few months, and in some cases, the effect may be permanent.
Will the fortification process remain in trend?
Despite recent evidence, it is unlikely that food and drink manufacturers will stop fortifying their products or that consumers will stop buying them.
This is reinforced by the fact that many consumers are actively looking to supplement their diets, choosing fortified products as an easy and convenient way to achieve this.
And most companies in the functional food market are constantly launching new products to attract and satisfy consumer needs, improving their sales and capturing a larger market share. But brands may want to discern how necessary it is to fortify foods and beverages with B6, a nutrient that occurs naturally in a wide range of foods, including meat, eggs, fish, legumes, nuts and seeds.
And on the other hand, the bigger global concern revolves around malnutrition, even among people who consume enough calories. Thus, food and beverage fortification will remain, but may evolve, as industry and consumers better understand healthy levels of nutrients.
Article Source: Contribution of fortified foods and dietary supplements to total nutrient intakes and their adequacy in Japanese adults ( Contribution of Fortified Foods and Dietary Supplements to Total Nutrient Intake and Their Adequacy in Japanese Adults ) authors: Prof: Minami Sugimoto, Keiko Asakura, Nana Shinozaki, Kentaro Murakami, Shizuko Masayasu & Satoshi Sasaki
Article written by Gabriela Dan, Editor-in-Chief Arta Albă
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