Special Edition: Powered up and packing nutritional punch

IFIC consumer findings suggest industry could profit by fortifying healthful products

By Kacey Culliney

- Last updated on GMT

IFIC senior vice president of nutrition and food safety: '…It’s about being judicious and really evaluating what products would be best for fortification'
IFIC senior vice president of nutrition and food safety: '…It’s about being judicious and really evaluating what products would be best for fortification'

Related tags Nutrition Us

Manufacturers could profit by fortifying products with innate healthy properties, because consumers expect and accept fortification from them, research findings from the International Food Information Council (IFIC) suggest.

More than 50% of US consumers consider fortified foods more worthwhile than regular foods, according to IFIC’s 2013 functional foods survey, and only one in ten consider such products less worthwhile.

Marianne Smith-Edge, senior vice president of nutrition and food safety at IFIC, said there was therefore a place for fortification but said manufacturers had to consider consumer needs and expectations carefully.

“Consumers are more likely to accept it when they think it’s already healthy or already has healthful benefits – it has a true health halo, I guess,” ​she told BakeryandSnacks.com.

“…It’s about being judicious and really evaluating what products would be best for fortification. We have to look at what works, but also it’s about being able to look at foods that are also overall well-accepted; already have a good nutrient profile; and are already nutrient-dense.”

The European Consumer Organisation (BEUC) recently called out industry for adding vitamins and minerals into unhealthy, fatty products​.

Cereal, bars and morning foods

Asked what products in the bakery, snack and cereal category were best-placed for fortification, she said morning foods.

children_eating_cereal

“Perhaps it’s what we’re used to - cereal and cereal bars have been a staple for a long time and we know that it’s been a source of fortification for years. It’s a convenient item, it’s accepted, it tastes good and it’s relatively economical. So fortification in these products is just top of mind, routine and considered part of the overall diet,”​ she said.

Fortification in these morning products would continue to provide opportunity for manufacturers, she said, but products beyond this segment couldn’t be ruled out - "they just have to fit the profile of what consumers expect and accept”.

Natural nutrition versus fortification

Smith-Edge said fortified products appealed most to consumers concerned about not getting enough nutrients and healthful foods.

She said that while regular consumers were happy to seek out naturally-occurring nutrition for themselves, when it came to products for their children, they were tied between choosing naturally occurring or fortified.

Senior_woman_baby_family_jpeg

IFIC’s 2013 survey showed more than half considered both natural and fortified as a preferred source of nutrition.

“We don’t know exactly why but an educated opinion would be that we know children and definitely older adults have additional nutritional needs. So therefore, if I was a mum shopping for myself I’m not as concerned but I know that foods with fortification can be extremely beneficial for my child.”

For older adults, she said there may also be barriers to getting nutrients naturally like loss of appetite or disease states that made fortified products appealing.

Plugging nutrient shortfalls

Smith-Edge said industry should look to plug nutrient shortfalls in the population. Recommendations from the US 2015 Dietary Guidelines, for example, suggested gaps in vitamin A C, D and E, as well as calcium and iron.

“I think you need to be judicious in looking at what products and food actually may be of benefit to the overall public health…The reality is, when there’s a food source and a nutrient gap we need to ask: ‘do we have an adequate supply?’ and ‘how can we take those foods and fortify them to close the gaps?’ especially for areas of the population like children and older consumers.”

However, she said manufacturers had to be mindful not to “over-fortify” – ​doing it in a way that improved the overall health of the public.

Related news

Related products

show more

GET GREEN FASTER: Low-CI Dextrose/Glucose Syrups

GET GREEN FASTER: Low-CI Dextrose/Glucose Syrups

Content provided by Green Plains Inc. | 01-Mar-2024 | Data Sheet

Elevate your products with Green Plains’ premium, low carbon-intensity corn syrups. Drop-in replacements with an up to 40% lower carbon footprint than...

Efficacy of OLESSENCE™ B Liquid Natural Flavouring

Efficacy of OLESSENCE™ B Liquid Natural Flavouring

Content provided by Kemin Food Technologies | 26-Feb-2024 | Case Study

The main challenge with baked goods today is the prevention of oxidative rancidity with natural alternatives while maintaining the quality, freshness,...

Bun quality issues? Let us help

Bun quality issues? Let us help

Content provided by Corbion | 03-Jan-2024 | Insight Guide

Most bakeries occasionally struggle with bun quality, from low product volume to crust issues and grain/cell problems. The good news is that most bun quality...

Related suppliers

1 comment

Don't Forget Choline...

Posted by Tom Druke,

One additional thing to consider is that the rise of 'on-the-go' breakfast alternatives such as bars is impacting nutritional intake patterns. Fewer eggs are being consumed at breakfast, a significant reduction in one major source of dietary choline. According to the most recent NHANES data, 90% of people aren't getting enough choline.

With limited availability in the diet, there appears to be a fairly good argument for why choline ought to be in the consideration set for food fortification.

Report abuse

Follow us

Products

View more

Webinars