fortification
for-ti-fi-KAY-shun
/ˌfɔːtɪfɪˈkeɪʃn/
The addition of vitamins and minerals to foods to improve their nutritional value.
In a culinary/science context, it’s about nutrients. In a military context, it’s about building walls and defenses.
The story behind the word. From the Latin 'fortis' (strong) and 'facere' (to make). Just as a castle is fortified with walls to make it strong against attack, food is fortified with vitamins to make the body strong against disease.
Word relationships
- enrichment: Enrichment usually means adding back nutrients lost during processing; fortification means adding nutrients that weren't there to begin with.
- depletion: The reduction in the number or quantity of something, like nutrients in soil.
Commonly confused with
- supplementation: Supplementation is taking pills/capsules; fortification is adding nutrients directly to the food supply (like flour or milk).
Word family
- fortify (verb): To add nutrients to food; to strengthen.
Collocations
- food fortification
- biofortification
- mandatory fortification
- fortification program
Example sentences
- "The mandatory fortification of salt with iodine has nearly eliminated goiters in many countries." Public health policy.
- "The cereal box listed the various vitamins added during the fortification process." Food labeling.
Memory hook
Fortification: Making a 'Fort' inside your food to protect your health. Fortify = Make strong.
When not to use
Don't use it to describe simply cooking food; it implies a deliberate industrial or scientific addition.
Fun facts
- Milk is often fortified with Vitamin D because the body needs Vitamin D to absorb the calcium naturally found in milk.
Related words
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