Market-Driven Food Fortification to Address Dietary Needs

The global economic and health-related burden of micronutrient deficiency is very large. Reducing these deficiencies is one of the main objectives of the Global Nutrition Targets 2025 of the WHO. To address this form of malnutrition, the WHO/FAO has defined fortification as one of the possible public health interventions, and voluntary fortification is one of the possible fortification approaches. Voluntary fortification can contribute to meeting nutritional requirements in targeted and untargeted populations as long as specific food vehicles are used and specific consumer demands are addressed. Fortified foods should be consumed regularly and need to be affordable, safe, and meet consumer preferences. Two types of fortified food groups will illustrate this form of fortification, namely targeted fortification with complementary feeding (or fortified infant cereals), and market-driven mass fortification as achieved with fortified condiments.