Fortification on the up in Asia

According to a new report from Frost and Sullivan entitled Mineral and Vitamin Food Fortification Market in Southeast Asia, awareness of specific nutrients, and in particular vitamin C, calcium and iron is growing fast.

Research analyst Li Pheng Ooi drew particular attention to fortification programmes in the Philippines and Thailand.

"Such strong government backing is expected to stand the market in good stead from 2006 to 2012,"​ she said.

Her comments come in the same month as a study published in the Journal of Nutrition (vol 135, issue 12), which indicated that rice bred to contain high levels of iron improves the iron status of Filippino women.

A nine-month found that women who ate the rice developed by the Philippines' International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) had iron levels 20 per cent higher than peers who ate traditional rice.

The rice provided 1.7mg of rice - still less than the recommended daily amount and therefore not a panacea for the nation's iron deficiency problem. Nor would it be in direct competition with the growing numbers of fortified foods launching on the market. But lead author Dr Jere Haas said it may be part of the strategy.

Ooi also said: "Recent health scares such as the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and osteoporosis have prompted consumers to place more importance on health. Preventative measures such as consuming fortified foods are becoming increasingly common in many Asian markets. This trend is expected to open up more opportunities and drive market growth."​

Despite these opportunities, some players may be put off from entering the Asian market by the pricing squeeze being applied by Chinese vitamin suppliers, which is having a grave effect on some European businesses.

This month BASF announced that it is ceasing production of vitamin C at the end of this year with the closure of its plant in Denmark. Last week a 20 ton container of vitamin C was selling at just €2.60 per kg.