Baking & Snack - March 2023 - 51

FORMULATION
Fortification & Enrichment
Baked goods may hold the key to providing critical nutrients to those in need.
by Donna Berry
M
Malnutrition comes in varied forms, including undernutrition,
overweight/obesity and poor diet, according
to The World Health Organization. Undernutrition is
visible through wasting, stunting and underweight individuals.
While those who are overweight may appear to
be well-fed, the poor quality of their diets means they
aren't getting enough vitamins, minerals and nutrients.
Even consumers who pride themselves on having a wellbalanced
diet may have nutrition gaps. That's where the
food industry may assist through the fortification of everyday
foods, in particular, bakery products.
" Baked goods have been villainized in the recent
past amid low-carb and keto trends, but the Food and
Drug Administration's (FDA) proposed definition of the
term 'healthy' could help shift this mindset, " said Mary
Thomas, senior research and development manager,
Lesaffre. " The new definition considers how all the various
food groups - including grains - work together
in a healthy diet. The creation of an official 'healthy'
claim and potential for a symbol that could be used on
packaging - a visual indicator of legitimacy and quality
for consumers - will lead many brands to reformulate
products to meet the new definition. "
Fortification can be a part of these reformulation efforts.
Baked goods are well-suited for fortification because
they, in one form or another, are staples in most
US households.
" Getting added nutritive benefits from foods already
being regularly consumed is a win-win for consumers
and for brands that want to differentiate, " Ms. Thomas
said. " For example, a pan bread with an 'excellent source
of calcium' claim on pack will stand out from other
packaged breads that don't offer added value. "
The sunshine vitamin
Vitamin D is another attention-grabber on the shelf. It
can be made by the body when the skin is exposed to
the sun's ultraviolet B rays, but sunscreen prevents this
process. Inherent dietary sources of vitamin D include
fatty fish, egg yolks and certain mushrooms, although
most people are not consuming enough of these on
a regular basis.
In fact,
the Dietary Guidelines for
Americans 2020-2025 stated that more than 90% of
Americans do not take in enough vitamin D.
It's no wonder that about six in 10 consumers (59%)
want to add more vitamin D to their diet, according to
The Hartman Group's 2021 " Health & Wellness " Report.
Consumers may soon be able to turn to baked goods
to meet that need as a result of the FDA amending its
food additive regulations. They allow the use of increased
levels of vitamin D³ as a nutritional supplement
in breakfast cereal and grain-based bars, such as breakfast
bars, granola bars and rice cereal bars, according to
the Jan. 5 issue of the Federal Register.
The action comes in response to a petition filed by
the Kellogg Company, Battle Creek, Mich., on June 25,
2019. Vitamin D³ now may be included at levels up to
560 international units (IU) per 100 grams in breakfast
cereal and up to 400 IU per 100 grams in grain-based
nutrition bars.
" Kellogg fortified cereals and milk have long been a
delicious and affordable way to get vitamin D, " said Nigel
Hughes, senior vice president, global research and development
and innovation at Kellogg. " Now, everyday
foods like cereal and grain-based bars can go even further
toward helping people access and consume vitamin
D. "
The company stated it is committed to addressing
hidden hunger, or micronutrient deficiencies, through
both inherent sources and fortification. It believes there's
opportunity to help improve public health through food.
Bakers take note. This is an opportunity to
differentiate.
A cornucopia of nutrients
Bakers can increase the nutritional aspects of their products
in many ways. One approach is to directly fortify
through the addition of isolated vitamins and minerals.
Formulators can also add ingredients that are inherently
concentrated sources of vitamins and minerals.
That's what Kellogg is doing with its new Pure Organic
Crackers made with Cheese and Veggies. This betterfor-you
cracker is a good source (10% daily value) of
vitamin D thanks to the addition of mushroom powder.
www.bakingbusiness.com / March 2023 Baking & Snack 51
With the right
fortification, a 6-inch
sandwich roll can
provide glass-of-milk
levels of calcium.
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Baking & Snack - March 2023

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