Fortified Bread Boosts Vitamin D Status

HELSINKI, Finland--Fortification of bread is safe and feasible way of increasing vitamin D status, according to a recent trial investigating the bioavailability of cholecalciferol from fortified bread given to women. The results were published in the Journal of Nutrition (136:123-7, 2006).

In the trial, researchers from the University of Helsinki and the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration studied cholecalciferol stability, the concentration of the added cholecalciferol, and its dispersion and bioavailability in fortified bread. Three batches of fortified low-fiber wheat and high-fiber rye breads were baked; from each batch, three samples of dough and bread were analyzed for their cholecalciferol content.

Then, researchers conducted a single-blind bioavailability study, randomly assigning 41 healthy women--25 to 45 years old with mean serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration 29 nmol/L (range 1245 nmol/L)-- to one of four study groups. Each group consumed fortified wheat bread, fortified rye bread, regular wheat bread (control), or regular wheat bread and a cholecalciferol supplement (vitamin D control) daily for three weeks. The daily dose of vitamin D was 10 µg in all groups except the control group.

Results of the various investigations showed the vitamin D dispersed evenly in the breads and was stable; both fortified breads increased serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration as effectively as the cholecalciferol supplement; and supplementation or fortification did not affect serum intact parathyroid hormone concentration or urinary calcium excretion. The scientists concluded fortified bread is a safe and feasible way to improve vitamin D nutrition.