What process involves adding vitamins and minerals to food to enhance its nutritional value?

Fortification is the process of adding vitamins and minerals to food products to improve their nutritional value and help prevent deficiencies in the population. This practice is particularly important for foods that are commonly consumed, as it allows for a significant number of people to receive essential nutrients that might otherwise be lacking in their diet.

Fortification goes beyond enhancing foods that may already contain certain nutrients; it often involves adding those nutrients to foods that typically do not have them or to improve the overall nutritional profile. For instance, adding vitamin D to milk or iodine to table salt are common examples of fortification, aimed at addressing specific health concerns.

Enrichment, while similar, typically refers to the process of restoring nutrients that may have been lost during processing. Supplementation involves taking vitamins and minerals in the form of pills or powders rather than through fortifying foods. Augmentation generally refers to enhancing or increasing something, but it is less specific and not commonly used in the context of food nutrition compared to fortification.