(P06-053-25) Importance of Application-Specific Testing for Vitamin A in Food Fortification

Objectives: Vitamin A deficiency (VAD) is a significant challenge in low- and middle-income countries. Food fortification is an established method to address global micronutrient deficiencies, including vitamin A. However, vitamin A degrades when exposed to heat, moisture, oxygen, and UV radiation, limiting the nutritional benefits of vitamin A-fortified foods. It is therefore important to test vitamin A products in foods to confirm the nutrient is reaching consumers and having the intended public health impact. This work evaluates a commercial dry vitamin A product stored in three food vehicles to investigate how stability varies with application.

Methods: Commercial dry vitamin A products with 250,000 IU/g potency were incorporated into wheat flour, a multiple-micronutrient premix, and two types of bouillon cubes. Flour was stored in woven bags and in open tubes without packaging. Premix was stored in sealed aluminum bags. Both types of fortified bouillon cubes were stored in open tubes without packaging. All samples were stored at 40°C/75% RH, a storage condition that reflects the climate condition of many countries with VAD. Vitamin A was measured over time and compared to the initial results.

Results: Recovery varied by condition after 2 months of storage at 40°C/75% RH. For one vitamin A product tested, recovery was 69% in packaged and 28% in unpackaged flour, 81% in packaged premix, and 72% and 77% depending on bouillon cube variety. Additional vitamin A products tested also measured stability differences across food vehicles.

Conclusions: Stability of a commercial vitamin A product was impacted by food vehicle and storage conditions. These results demonstrate the need for application-specific testing in developing a product for food fortification, rather than extrapolating results from one food to others. Application-specific testing can help ensure compliance with food regulations and help deliver the intended amount of vitamin A to consumers, thereby having a greater public health impact.

Funding Sources: This publication is based on research funded in part by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The findings and conclusions contained within are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect positions or policies of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.