Micronutrient Fortification in Foods and Soy Milk, Plant Based Milk Substitute, as a Candidate Vehicle

Abstract

Background: Food fortification is an effective intervention strategy to combat micronutrient malnutrition, hidden hunger, and improvement of public health and nutritional status. Choice of a cost-effective, widely consumed, compatible, and stable candidate vehicle is essential for a successful fortification. Objective: This comprehensive review discusses the aspects of food fortification along with the suitability of soy milk, plant based milk substitute as a candidate vehicle for fortification. Methods: Literature mining was done in food research journals, Pubmed, Scopus for collection of adopted fortification strategies and preferred vehicles for fortification. Results: Soy milk is a popular health beverage, globally consumed and preferred amongst lacto-vegetarians and especially those with bovine milk allergy and lactose intolerance. This plant-based milk alternative is enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acids, phytoestrogens, and isoflavones along with different macro-and micronutrients. As a candidate vehicle, soy milk offers the advantage of incorporating a wide range of fortificants, is widely consumed, stable, and is compatible with fortificants. Conclusion: Successful implementation of the fortification strategy and its global scale-up need to overcome different scientific and technological hurdles, socio-economic, ethical, and political barriers as well as legislative issues. Public-private, multi-stake holder and global partnerships, boosting of small-scale food industries, and developing tie-ups with large scale industries, promoting public awareness about the need of fortification are other necessary requisites.