Pretorius, BeulahSchonfeldt, H.C. (Hettie Carina)2012-05-302012-05-302012Beulah Pretorius & Hettie C. Schönfeldt, Vitamin A content of fortified maize meal and porridge as purchased and consumed in South Africa, Food Research International (2012), doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2011.03.0330963-9969 (print)1873-7145 (online)10.1016/j.foodres.2011.03.033http://hdl.handle.net/2263/19004In 2003 the Department of Health of South Africa embarked on a mandatory fortification programme of maize meal as part of a nutrition programme to alleviate malnutrition. The aim of this study was to determine the vitamin A content in fortified white maize meal and the maize porridge prepared with it as purchased and consumed. The highest mean vitamin A concentration in the maize meal was 261 μgRE/100 g and the lowest mean vitamin A concentration was b19 μgRE/100 g. Pertaining to regulation the final minimum level of vitamin A in fortified maize meal shall not be less than 187.7 μg/100 g (Department of Health, 2003). The average retention of vitamin A in maize porridge as the difference in vitamin A concentration between raw maize meal and cooked porridge was calculated as 39.8%. Although fortification of maize meal can improve the vitamin A intake of the population, it must be regularly monitored and regulate in order to be beneficial. If not then fortification might as well be voluntary.en© 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Notice : this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Food Research International. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Food Research International, 2012, doi: 10.1016/j.foodres.2011.03.033.Maize meal porridgeVitamin A fortificationStaple foodsCorn -- Nutrition -- South AfricaCorn as food -- South AfricaVitamin A in human nutrition -- South AfricaMalnutrition -- South AfricaNutrition -- Requirements -- South AfricaNutrition surveys -- South AfricaPostprint Article