Estimation of Safe Maximum Levels of Vitamins and Minerals to Foods

ABSTRACT

The voluntary addition of vitamins and minerals to the appropriate foods may help reduce the risks associated with low intakes of these micronutrients, yet the potential of excessive intake, particularly for persons consuming very large amount of foods needs to be addressed. Using the Flynn's model to estimate the level of each vitamins and minerals that can be added safely to foods, maximum levels of fortification to conventional foods per 100 kcal portion were estimated. Critical factors in the Flynn's model included tolerable upper intake level (UL), each micronutrient intake at the 95th percentile, the proportion of fortified foods in the diets of individuals, the proportion of foods to which micronutrients could be practically added, and a range of estimates for fractions of foods which might be actually fortified in each nutrient. Food vehicles included all foods except for fresh foods and alcoholic beverages, in general. With fortification of 50% of all potentially fortifiable foods, micrornutrients could be added safely to foods at levels per 100 kcal 1) >100% Recommended Intake (RI) for vitamin B12, 2) 1,200% RI for vitamin B1 and niacin, 3) 1,000% RI for vitamins B2 and B6, 4) 400% RI for vitamin E, 5) 30% RI for calcium, 6) 20% RI for folic acid, iron and zinc, 7) 10% RI for manganese, 8) no fortification for magnesium, phosphorous and vitamin A, and 8) further consideration of vitamin D, copper and selenium due to insufficient evidence. Results of this study suggests a wide range of vitamins and minerals that can be added safely to foods in current diets of Koreans.