enrichment
en-RITCH-muhnt
/ɪnˈrɪtʃmənt/
The process of adding back nutrients that were lost during the processing of food.
Specifically refers to restoration, not just addition.
The story behind the word. From the Old French 'en-' (in/make) and 'riche' (wealthy). In a nutritional sense, we are making the food 'wealthy' again after the processing factory has 'robbed' it of its natural vitamins.
Word relationships
- restoration: 'Restoration' is the general concept; 'enrichment' is the specific regulatory and nutritional term.
- refining: The process of removing 'impurities', which often includes removing nutrients.
Commonly confused with
- fortification: Enrichment is 'putting back'; fortification is 'adding extra'.
Word family
- rich (adj): Abundant in resources or nutrients.
- enrich (verb): To make rich or richer.
Collocations
- nutrient enrichment
- flour enrichment
- mandatory enrichment
Example sentences
- "The enrichment of white flour with B vitamins and iron is required by law in many countries to replace what is lost during milling." Grain processing.
- "Enrichment programs in the 1940s helped eliminate diseases like pellagra that were caused by nutrient-poor processed diets." Historical nutrition.
Memory hook
EN-RICH-ment makes the food RICH in vitamins again. Putting back what was lost.
When not to use
Do not use for adding nutrients that were never present in the original food (that is fortification).
Fun facts
- White rice is almost always enriched because the milling process removes the husk where all the vitamins live.
- The 'Enriched' label on bread was a major victory for nutritionists in the early 20th century.
Related words
Explore more words
supplement, cultured, supplementary, refine, intensify, nurture
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