Fortification of foods: Vitamin-D in flour

<p>Ramanjeet Singh Toor, Simran Kaur and Surabhi Sharma</p>

Fortification of foods: Vitamin-D in flour

Ramanjeet Singh Toor, Simran Kaur and Surabhi Sharma

Chandigarh University, Punjab

: J Food Nutr Disor

Abstract

India has different climatic zones. India receives abundance of sunshine but still the population is facing the problem of vitamin-D deficiency of about 70% to 90%. The daily intake of Vitamin-D is recommended at 400-800 IU (10- 20 micrograms). Due to modernization and hectic lifestyle, people are not able to get their daily Vitamin-D intake directly from the sunlight. That’s why fortification is strategy to overcome this big problem. The two compounds of Vitamin-D are Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) and Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol). Whereas, you can get cholecalciferol only from sunlight, ergocalciferol can be administered medically. Vitamin-D has several important functions (such as absorption of calcium, phosphorus and facilitating normal immune system function, bone strengthening etc). A program has been developed to overcome the problem of deficiency of vitamin-D by its fortification in staple food. Wheat flour and Rice were identified as primary and secondary fortification vehicles for the universal consumption in population groups most at risk of vitamin. The research is conducted after using 10mg vitamin-D per 100g of wheat flour. Its result was astonishing and deficiency of vitamin-D decreased from 93% to 50%.