What is the main goal of food fortification?

The primary goal of food fortification is to prevent nutrient deficiencies and support overall health. This process involves adding essential vitamins and minerals to food products to ensure that populations, especially those at risk for deficiencies, receive adequate nutrition. Fortification helps address dietary gaps and can significantly contribute to improving public health outcomes by reducing the prevalence of conditions related to nutrient deficiencies, such as anemia from iron deficiency or scurvy from a lack of vitamin C.

While enhancing taste and flavor, increasing shelf life, and reducing calorie content are important considerations in food production and consumer preferences, they do not align with the fundamental purpose of fortification. Fortification is specifically targeted toward improving the nutritional quality of food and combating the adverse effects of lacking essential nutrients in the diet.