Survey of Vitamin Content of Fortified Milk

Abstract

This paper summarizes work done by 4 different laboratories on the vitamin content of milk. Riboflavin, vitamin A, and vitamin D were assayed in whole, 2%, and skim milks that had been fortified. In general, the adherence to label claim decreased with decreasing fat content. This may be due to methods and stage of vitamin addition prior to processing

Vitamin D content and variability in fluid milks from a US Department of Agriculture nationwide sampling to update values in the National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference

“…Whereas the goal of this USDA study was to update the milk vitamin D values in SR, not to monitor compliance, the results do suggest some trends and appear to support conclusions of previous researchers who reported high variability and low vitamin D content in some samples of retail milk (Tanner et al, 1988;Faulkner et Murphy et al, 2001). However, the instances of low fortification in the sampling reported here appear to be less frequent than in the previous studies.…”

“…Nine different points exist at which vitamin D might be added in the processing of milk, including widely divergent locations such as the raw milk tanker and the homogenizer (Hicks et al, 1996). In one method vitamin D is added in a lipid soluble form before separation of the cream, which could explain underfortification or the absence of vitamin D in low fat and skim milk and overfortification in higher fat products, as suggested previously by other researchers (Tanner et al, 1988). In the Pasteurized Milk Ordinance the FDA provided guidance, but not a requirement, on the process for fortification of milk, suggesting that vitamin D be added with a metering system after separation of the fat and before homogenization (FDA, 2007).…”

“…Previous studies show a consistent history of variability in the vitamin D content of retail milk. In 1988, Tanner et al (1988 analyzed skim, 2%, and whole milk as well as high fat whipping cream and half-and-half. In general, vitamin D in low fat milk was less than the label value, and it was concluded that in some cases the vitamin may have been added to the raw milk before processing, resulting in underfortification of lower fat products and overfortification of higher fat products.…”

Prevalence of Vitamin D Insufficiency in Canada and the United States: Importance to Health Status and Efficacy of Current Food Fortification and Dietary Supplement Use

“…The strong association between vitamin D insuf ciency and risk of chronic diseases [4][5][6][7][8] should raise concern about the current mechanisms in place to prevent low circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D, namely the voluntary forti cation of milk. Past [25][26][27] and recent surveys 28 examining compliance with vitamin D forti cation regulations in the United States and Canada indicate a large percent of the samples are out of compliance, with the majority of these being underforti ed. It is evident from these recent studies that strategies to improve food forti cation may help the general population achieve adequate vitamin D status during the winter; however, it will not correct the problem in those groups at greatest risk--the dark skinned and elderly.…”

Hypovitaminosis D Among Healthy Children in the United States

“…18 Reports of underfortified milk have been published. [19][20][21][22] Infant formulas also exhibit wide variability in vitamin D content. 23 Vitamin D is a unique nutrient because it can be synthesized endogenously.…”