2001 AACC Annual Meeting Charlotte, North Carolina October 14-18, 2001 Charlotte Convention Center

Deficiencies in micronutrients such as iodine, iron, zinc, folic acid and vitamin A - are widespread affecting more than a third of the world's population. In their absence, individuals and families suffer serious consequences including learning disabilities, impaired work capacity, illness and death. These deficiencies can be prevented and even eliminated if small quantities of the micronutrients are consumed by populations on a continuous and ongoing basis. The fortification of commonly eaten staple and processed foods with essential micronutrients could play an important role to meet the needs of large populations. In developed countries where there is a high dependence on processed foods and industries are automated, food fortification has played a major role in the health of the populations over the last 40 years and several nutritional deficiencies have been eliminated. In developing countries too, there exist several opportunities for single and multiple fortification of several commonly eaten foods that include a range of cereals and cereal products. As the food processing sector expands in the developing world, it will play an increasingly critical and complex role. Food enrichment offers a unique opportunity for the industry to simultaneously expand its market and profitability while playing a key role in improving the physical, social and economic well-being of the nation.