Widespread poor vitamin D status in all age and gender groups in the United States (USA) and Canada
increases the need for new food sources. Currently
∼60% of the intake of vitamin D from foods is from fortified
foods in these countries. Those groups in greatest need are consuming significantly lower amounts
of commonly fortified foods such as milk. Both countries allow voluntary vitamin D fortification of some
other foods, although in Canada this practice is only done on a case-by-case basis. Novel approaches
to vitamin D fortification of food in both countries now include “bio-addition” in which food staples are
fortified through the addition of another vitamin D-rich food to animal feed during production, or manipulation
of food post-harvest or pre-processing. These bio-addition approaches provide a wider range of
foods containing vitamin D, and thus appeal to differing preferences, cultures and possibly economic status.
An example is the post-harvest exposure of edible mushrooms to ultraviolet light. However, further
research into safety and efficacy of bio-addition needs to be established in different target populations.
This article is part of a Special Issue entitled ‘Vitamin D Workshop