the strategic approach to fight undernourishment and ensure food security Food and health are garnering increasing attention especially since 2020. Customer awareness and education is playing a huge role on what is put on the shelves by the food industry and how it is processed. The need for clean labels, fresh ingredients and immunity-boosting products is escalating. Bridging provision of nutritious and clean foods is the key to strengthening food security. Here is where food fortification plays a huge role. Food fortification is the process of adding essential micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, trace elements) to food to make up for the nutrients that are absent or not present in significant amounts keeping in mind that the risk to one’s health is minimal. However, the focus is now shifting to one of the most clean food-based strategies that springs off but differs from conventional food fortification, known as food-to-food fortification (FtFF). What is food-to-food fortification? According to Kruger et al., food-to-food fortification is the addition of micronutrients-dense food(s) to a recipe (household level) or food formulation (food industry level) or the replacement of micronutrient- poor/antinutrient-rich ingredients, to substantially increase the amount of bioavailable micronutrients(s), with the aim of improving the micronutrient status of populations where the intake of bioavailable micronutrients is inadequate. In simpler words, taking an already micronutrient dense food and adding it to a staple food (vehicle) will provide a final product with highly bioavailable nutrient rich food. It is different from conventional fortification. In conventional fortification, the addition of a particular ingredient or a premix of micronutrients results in the increase in micronutrient content and bioavailability. However, in FtFF, the micronutrients are added via a food naturally rich in that micronutrient. There are certain substances in these fortifiers such as organic acids that act as natural enhancers in elevating the bioavailability of the micronutrient of interest. Food-to-food fortification offers benefits and constraints which need to be well understood before integrating it into any strategy. For any additional information and insights, please do not hesitate to reach out to Raphaelle using this email address info@inewtrition.com

1. Food-to-Food
Fortification
Raphaëlle O’Connor, Ph.D.
info@inewtrition.com
A strategic approach to fight undernourishment and ensure food security.

2. Food Insecurity

3. → 890 million by 2030
→ 2020 increased the
numbers between
83-132 million
Max Roser and Hannah Ritchie (2013) - "Hunger and Undernourishment". Published online at OurWorldInData.org.
Retrieved from: 'https://ourworldindata.org/hunger-and-undernourishment' [Online Resource]
Undernourishment is a Big Issue

4. There is a Real Need For:
NUTRITIOUS FOOD CLEAN FOOD SUSTAINABLE FOOD

5. • Addition of
micronutrients-dense
food(s) to a recipe
(household level) or food
formulation (food industry
level)
Method
• Substantially increases
the amount of
bioavailable
micronutrients(s)
End Product • Improves micronutrient
status of populations
where the intake of
bioavailable
micronutrients is
inadequate.
Wider Reach
Bridge The Gap With Food-to-Food
Fortification

6. Conventional
Fortification
Addition of a particular ingredient or a premix
of micronutrients results in the increase in
micronutrient content and bioavailability
Taking an already micronutrient dense food and
adding it to a staple food (vehicle) will
provide a final product
with highly bioavailable nutrient rich food.
Food-to
Food Fortification

7. Zobo drink (made with
Hibiscus) fortified with turmeric-
Vitamin C, Iron and Zinc increase
PRACTICE 1
Food-to-Food Fortification in Practice

8. PRACTICE 2
Starch based foods fortified with
Moringa leaves- Vitamin A increase
Food-to-Food Fortification in Practice

9. Food-to-Food Fortification in Practice
Wheat bran fortified with cassava
leaves and eggshells- Iron
increase
PRACTICE 3

10. Benefits of Food-to-Food Fortification
Primarily happens
through fruits and
vegetables
Additional nutrients
present in that
plant fortificant are
also provided
Staples sources
(vehicles) are widely
available, ensure
food security
Small development
window
Formulation meets
less challenges in
comparison to
transgenic changes
No specialized
equipment required
to utilize strategy
Production is easy to
carry out
Fortificant is
distributed
homogeneously
within the vehicle
By-products that
could go to waste
make
good fortificants

11. Constraints of Food-to-Food Fortification
Sensory changes Pigmentation issues Consumer acceptability
Natural inhibitors in
the vehicle
or fortificant that reduce
bioavailability of
the micronutrients
Variation
in fortificants due to
genotypic differences
or cultivation/harvest
practices
Possible
contamination issues

12. Promising Fortificants
TOMATO PEEL PUMPKIN
POWDER
MORINGA
LEAVES
MANGO/OTHER
FRUITS

13. Power of Food Tech Strategies
Fight food-waste
1
Fight hunger
2
Fight
undernourishment
3

14. What does
success look like
to you?
info@inewtrition.com

15. [1] Kruger, J., Taylor, J. R., Ferruzzi, M. G., & Debelo, H. (2020). What is food‐to‐food
fortification? A working definition and framework for evaluation of efficiency and
implementation of best practices. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and
Food Safety, 19(6), 3618-3658.
[2] Idowu-Adebayo, F., Toohey, M. J., Fogliano, V., & Linnemann, A. R. (2021).
Enriching street-vended zobo (Hibiscus sabdariffa) drink with turmeric (Curcuma
longa) to increase its health-supporting properties. Food & Function.
References