Explain the difference between fortification and enrichment of foods.

• A. Fortification adds nutrients to foods during processing; enrichment adds nutrients back to refined grains that were lost.
• B. Fortification removes nutrients; enrichment adds artificial colors.
• C. Fortification and enrichment are the same.
• D. Enrichment adds nutrients during processing and fortification adds nutrients back to refined grains.

Answer: (A)

Fortification involves adding nutrients to foods during processing, often introducing nutrients that weren’t originally present to improve the diet of the population. Enrichment, on the other hand, adds nutrients back to foods that were lost during processing—especially refined grains—to bring them closer to their original nutrient profile. For example, iodized salt is fortified, and white flour is enriched with vitamins and minerals such as thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, iron, and folic acid. This explanation matches the correct idea: fortification adds nutrients during processing, while enrichment restores nutrients lost in processing. The other options mix up these processes or introduce false claims (like removing nutrients or adding colors).