What is food fortification?
Food fortification, also known as enrichment, is the process of adding essential micronutrients, such as vitamins and minerals, to food. It can be carried out by food manufacturers or by governments as a public health policy, aiming to reduce the number of people with dietary deficiencies within a population.
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) define fortification as “the practice of deliberately increasing the content of an essential micronutrient in a food, to improve the nutritional quality of the food supply and to provide a public health benefit with minimal risk to health”.
Commonly fortified foods include salt (with iodine), flour (with folic acid and iron), and milk (with vitamin D). The main purpose of food fortification is to prevent nutritional deficiencies such as anemia (iron deficiency), rickets (vitamin D deficiency), and goiter (iodine deficiency). However, it’s important to implement food fortification carefully to avoid potential risks such as nutrient toxicity.
Multiple Choice Questions on Food Fortification
1. What is food fortification?
- A. Adding extra nutrients to food
- B. Removing nutrients from food
- C. Cooking food at high temperatures
- D. None of the above
2. Which nutrient is commonly added to salt as a part of food fortification?
- A. Iron
- B. Iodine
- C. Vitamin C
- D. Protein
3. What is the main purpose of food fortification?
- A. To improve taste
- B. To increase shelf life
- C. To prevent nutrient deficiencies
- D. To make food cheaper
4. Which of the following foods is often fortified with Vitamin D?
- A. Salt
- B. Milk
- C. Bread
- D. Rice
5. True or False: Food fortification can help reduce the prevalence of anemia.
- A. True
- B. False
6. Which organization recommends food fortification as a strategy to reduce micronutrient malnutrition?
- A. World Health Organization
- B. Food and Drug Administration
- C. United Nations Children’s Fund
- D. All of the above
7. Which of the following is a potential risk of food fortification?
- A. Nutrient overdose
- B. Food spoilage
- C. Increased food prices
- D. All of the above
8. Which vitamin is often added to cereals during fortification?
- A. Vitamin A
- B. Vitamin B
- C. Vitamin C
- D. Vitamin D
9. True or False: Food fortification is a mandatory process for all food products.
- A. True
- B. False
10. Which mineral is often added to flour during fortification?
- A. Iron
- B. Calcium
- C. Potassium
- D. Zinc
11. What is the difference between food fortification and enrichment?
- A. There is no difference
- B. Fortification adds nutrients not originally present, enrichment replaces nutrients lost during processing
- C. Enrichment adds nutrients not originally present, fortification replaces nutrients lost during processing
- D. Fortification is mandatory, enrichment is optional
12. Which of the following is not a commonly fortified food?
- A. Salt
- B. Milk
- C. Fresh fruits
- D. Cereal
13. True or False: Overconsumption of fortified foods can lead to nutrient toxicity.
- A. True
- B. False
14. Which of the following nutrients is not commonly used in food fortification?
- A. Vitamin A
- B. Iron
- C. Iodine
- D. Fiber
15. What is biofortification?
- A. Adding nutrients to food after harvesting
- B. Increasing the nutrient content of food crops through agricultural practices
- C. Removing nutrients from food
- D. None of the above
16. What is the main difference between food fortification and food supplementation?
- A. There is no difference
- B. Fortification involves adding nutrients to food, supplementation involves taking nutrient pills
- C. Supplementation involves adding nutrients to food, fortification involves taking nutrient pills
- D. Fortification is mandatory, supplementation is optional
17. Which of the following is a benefit of food fortification?
- A. It can help reduce nutrient deficiencies in populations
- B. It makes food taste better
- C. It makes food last longer
- D. It makes food easier to cook
18. True or False: All countries have mandatory food fortification laws.
- A. True
- B. False
19. Which of the following foods is not typically fortified?
- A. Salt
- B. Milk
- C. Fresh vegetables
- D. Cereal
20. What is the term for adding nutrients to food at levels higher than those found in the original food?
- A. Food enrichment
- B. Food supplementation
- C. Overnutrition
- D. Food fortification
21. Which of the following is not a commonly fortified nutrient?
- A. Vitamin A
- B. Iron
- C. Iodine
- D. Vitamin K
22. True or False: Food fortification can help address malnutrition.
- A. True
- B. False
23. Which of the following is a challenge of food fortification?
- A. Ensuring the right amount of nutrient is added
- B. Making sure the nutrient is evenly distributed in the food
- C. Ensuring the nutrient remains stable during cooking
- D. All of the above
24. Which of the following foods is often fortified with folic acid?
- A. Salt
- B. Milk
- C. Bread
- D. Rice
25. True or False: Food fortification is a modern concept.
- A. True
- B. False
26. Which of the following is not a method of food fortification?
- A. Adding nutrients to the soil where crops are grown
- B. Adding nutrients directly to food
- C. Adding nutrients to animal feed
- D. Replacing nutrients lost during food processing
27. Which of the following is a risk of food fortification?
- A. Nutrient overdose
- B. Food spoilage
- C. Increased food prices
- D. All of the above
28. True or False: Food fortification can lead to nutrient imbalances.
- A. True
- B. False
29. Which of the following nutrients is often added to rice during fortification?
- A. Vitamin A
- B. Iron
- C. Iodine
- D. Zinc
30. What is the term for adding nutrients to food at levels that match those found in the original food?
- A. Food enrichment
- B. Food supplementation
- C. Overnutrition
- D. Food fortification
Answers:
1-A, 2-B, 3-C, 4-B, 5-A, 6-D, 7-A, 8-B, 9-B, 10-A, 11-B, 12-C, 13-A, 14-D, 15-B, 16-B, 17-A, 18-B, 19-C, 20-D, 21-D, 22-A, 23-D, 24-C, 25-B, 26-A, 27-A, 28-A, 29-B, 30-A
References:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_fortification
- https://www.who.int/health-topics/food-fortification