TRELOAR PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT INTERNATIONAL  INC. 

CALCIUM FORTIFICATION OF FOODS

One of the hot topics of interest to the Food Industry today is the fortification of additional food product categories. Manufacturers would like to add vitamins and minerals to more food products in order to attract the attention of today’s health conscious consumers. Which new food product categories should be permitted for added nutrients? Which nutrients? What are the appropriate levels for efficacy? What are safe maximum levels? These are a few of the issues which must be addressed before decisions can be made regarding further fortification. We will discuss a number of nutrients currently attracting the attention of consumers and food processors in future issues of FOCUS.

Why Focus on Calcium?

We have chosen Calcium for this issue as it has been identified by the food industry as top priority for review by Health Canada. Calcium fortification has generated a lot of interest throughout the food industry. It has been reported that new products claiming "added/high calcium" were up 67% in 1996. At the IFT 1997 Annual Food Expo, several "High-Calcium Ingredients" will be on display. These ingredients are designed to help food technologists find new ways to develop food products with calcium-related benefits.

Why Do We Need Calcium?

Calcium contributes toward bone and teeth formation, muscle contraction, blood clotting, healthy nerve function, enzyme activation, membrane transport and hormone function. Research has shown that most people are not consuming sufficient calcium.

How Much Calcium Do We Need?

Calcium is naturally available from many foods including milk, vegetables and egg yolk. The primary source of calcium, based on the average eating patterns of Canadians of all age groups, is from milk and related products. The current recommendations in Canada’s Food Guide are based on the Recommended Nutrient Intakes for Canadians. Two to four servings daily of milk products are recommended for adults. The recommended daily intakes (RDI) of Calcium are 1100 mg for persons 2 years of age and older and 500 mg for infants and children under 2 years old.

The determination of the adult requirement for calcium was a difficult task due to the capacity of the body to adapt to a range of calcium intakes. Also, calcium is a nutrient with potential adverse side effects (e.g., kidney stones). Further, the relationship between calcium intake and bone diseases, such as osteoporosis, is complex and not fully understood. There is ongoing debate about the relative value of dairy products compared to calcium supplements as a source of calcium. All of these factors complicate the review of calcium fortification of additional food product categories.

What are the Current Options?

The Canadian Food and Drug Regulations currently allow the addition of calcium to the following food product categories:

Nutritional supplements

Meal replacements

Formulated liquid diets

Infant cereal products

Infant formulas

Foods represented for use in
a very low energy diet

Egg products

Products simulating whole egg

Flour

The Food Directorate of Health Canada is currently estimating the upper safe levels of calcium intake under the Nutritional Risk Assessment Framework. The next step will be to consult with interested parties as to how the addition of calcium to foods could be expanded. Health Canada is considering permitting greater flexibility regarding the addition of calcium to foods, while ensuring that public health needs are met and protecting the population from excessive and imbalanced intakes.

References:

Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating 1992

Food Technology Vol. 51, No. 4, April 1997

Health Canada: Calcium Fortification of Foods, June 1996

Nutrition Recommendations, Health Canada, 1990

Prepared Foods, Mid-April 1997