Fortifying food with vitamins and minerals
(Australia only)
Fortifying food with vitamins and minerals is a major area of work for Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ). Food manufacturers may only add vitamins and minerals to food if permissions exist in our food regulations.
The Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council (Food Ministers) has agreed that food manufacturers can add vitamins and minerals to food where there is evidence of a potential health benefit and fortification will not result in harm. This is outlined in the Policy Guideline ‘Fortification of Food with Vitamins and Minerals’, available from the Food Regulation Secretariat Website.
Is there a difference between mandatory fortification and voluntary fortification of foods?
Yes. Mandatory fortification is where food manufacturers are required to add a certain vitamin or mineral to a specified food or foods. These are added in response to a significant public health need, for example, manufacturers must add vitamin D to margarine and thiamin and folic acid to wheat flour used for making bread in Australia.
Voluntary fortification allows food manufacturers to choose what vitamins and minerals they want to add to food, providing they are permitted in the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code). For example many breakfast cereals are fortified with a range of vitamins and minerals.
Where in the Code are the regulations that allow vitamins and minerals to be added to food?
Most of the vitamin and mineral permissions can be found in Standard 1.3.2 - Vitamins and Minerals. There are other standards that also include requirements and permissions for adding vitamins and minerals to specific foods. For example, Standard 2.1.1 – Cereals and Cereal Products requires the addition of thiamin and folic acid to wheat flour for making bread (Australia only) and the replacement of salt with iodised salt in bread. Also Standard 2.4.2 – Edible Oils Spreads requires the addition of vitamin D to margarines and oil spreads (Australia only), and Standard 2.6.4 – Formulated Caffeinated Beverages permits manufacturers to voluntarily add certain vitamins to formulated caffeinated beverages. Standard 2.6.2 permits manufacturers to voluntarily add fluoride to bottled water. Permission to add calcium to chewing gum (<0.2% residual sugars) is contained in Standard 2.10.3 – Chewing Gum.
There are also standards in Part 2.9 of the Code that permit or require vitamins and minerals to be added to ‘Special Purpose Foods’. Examples of these types of foods include infant formula, meal replacements and supplementary foods. The Code is available on the FSANZ website.
How will consumers know if a vitamin or mineral has been added to their food?
Manufacturers must list the added vitamin or mineral on the labels of food containing the vitamin or mineral. Unpackaged food or food that is made and/or packaged at the point of sale is not required to have ingredient label information. This information may be available on request.
Mandatory fortification
Mandatory folic acid fortification
This Australian Government initiative will help to reduce the number of neural tube defects (NTDs) (which are severe birth defects such as spina bifida) in the Australian population by increasing folic acid intakes in women who may become pregnant .
From September 2009, the mandatory fortification Standard requires Australian millers to add folic acid (a form of the B vitamin folate) to wheat flour for bread-making purposes. This means most bread in Australia will contain added folic acid. Flour represented as ‘organic’ is exempt from mandatory fortification.
FSANZ comprehensively assessed the potential health benefits and risks from increasing folic acid consumption across the population. Based on all available scientific evidence, adding folic acid to bread making flour in Australia is safe for the whole population.
We predict mandatory folic acid fortification will reduce the number of NTD affected pregnancies by 14-49 per year in Australia. However, other initiatives for reducing the incidence of NTDs continue to be important. These include encouraging women who may become pregnant to take folic acid supplements and continuing existing voluntary fortification of food.
Consumers will be able to identify foods with added folic acid (may be labelled as folate) by checking the ingredient list on the label of packaged foods. Unpackaged bread and bread that is made and/or packaged at the point of sale will not need ingredient label information, though this may be available on request.
Australian health authorities will be monitoring the effectiveness of the increased levels of folic acid in the food supply. The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has the overall coordinating role for monitoring mandatory fortification. We are continuing to review emerging scientific research on folic acid and public health and safety. Since the mandatory Standard was developed in 2007, no new evidence has emerged that changes our original conclusion that mandatory fortification with folic acid is safe.
We are is working with government and other health agencies to inform the public about mandatory folic acid fortification. The FSANZ website has information for the following groups:
Background scientific information on the development of the mandatory folic acid fortification Standard can be found in Proposal P295 – Consideration of mandatory fortification with folic acid.
The New Zealand Government has deferred the implementation of mandatory folic acid fortification in New Zealand until 2012. Further information is available at http://www.nzfsa.govt.nz
Mandatory iodine fortification
Mandatory iodine fortification of bread will help address iodine deficiency across much of the Australian and New Zealand population, and prevent it from becoming more serious in the future. Iodine is especially important for the unborn baby
From October 2009, most bread in Australia and New Zealand will contain added iodine (from iodised salt). The Standard requires the replacement of non-iodised salt with iodised salt in bread; however bread represented as ‘organic’ is exempt, consistent with the mandatory folic acid fortification Standard.
In considering mandatory fortification of food with iodine, FSANZ comprehensively assessed the potential health benefits and risks of increasing iodine intakes across the population. Based on all available scientific evidence, replacing salt in bread with iodised salt in Australia and New Zealand is safe for the whole population.
Mandatory iodine fortification will provide sufficient amounts of iodine to most people. However, it will not meet the increased requirements of many pregnant and breastfeeding women who may require an iodine supplement. Women should seek advice from their doctor or health professional regarding their individual dietary needs. Also, women with a thyroid condition or iodine sensitivity should check with their doctor before taking an iodine supplement.
We are working with government and other health agencies to inform the public about mandatory iodine fortification. The FSANZ’s Communication Strategy for mandatory folic acid and iodine fortification includes key messages to help ensure consistent information is distributed. Fact sheets on mandatory iodine fortification and iodine sensitivities are also available.
As with the mandatory folic acid fortification Standard, we will work with government and state and territory jurisdictions to monitor nationally the effects of mandatory iodine fortification.
Further information on the development of the mandatory iodine fortification standard is available in Proposals P230 - Iodine fortification and P1003 – Mandatory iodine fortification for Australia.Mandatory iodine fortification of bread will help address iodine deficiency across much of the Australian and New Zealand population, and prevent it from becoming more serious in the future. Iodine is especially important for the unborn baby
Voluntary fortification
Calcium in Chewing Gum Containing No More Than 0.2% Residual Sugars
The Code has been amended to permit the voluntary addition of calcium to chewing gum containing no more than 0.2% residual sugars.
This permission was recommended by FSANZ on the basis that calcium fortified chewing gum:
- has the potential to assist in addressing inadequate calcium intakes among Australian and New Zealand consumers of calcium-fortified chewing gum;
- may provide consumers with a short-term dental benefit;
- does not raise any safety concerns for consumers of calcium-fortified chewing gum or the general population.
Further information on the development of this voluntary fortification standard is available in Application A577 – Addition of calcium to sugar-free chewing gum.
Voluntary Addition of Fluoride to Bottle (Packaged) Water
The Code has been amended to permit the voluntary addition of fluoride to bottle (packaged) water.
This permission was recommended by FSANZ on the basis that packaged water with added fluoride:
- is nutritionally equivalent to fluoridated tap water and provides consumers with a choice of bottled water; and
- does not raise any public health or safety concerns for consumers of packaged water with added fluoride or the general population.
Manufacturers will be required to clearly label bottled water to indicate that fluoride has been added. This information will enable consumers to make an informed choice when buying packaged water. It also ensures that those consumers who choose not to drink fluoridated packaged water can continue to do so.
FSANZ has prepared a fact sheet on the voluntary addition of fluoride to packaged water which is available on the FSANZ website.
Further information on the development of this voluntary fortification standard is available in Application A588 – Voluntary Addition of Fluoride to Packaged Water.