This study was performed to investigate patterns of fortified food (FF) consumption and intake of vitamins and minerals from FFs among 577 Korean children (12.4 years of age) who attended elementary or middle school. FFs eaten by children as a snack were surveyed using the food record method during 3 days, including 2 week days and one weekend. As a result, 114 FF items were eaten by the children, and several kinds of nutrients such as vitamin A, D, E, B complex, C, calcium (Ca), iron (Fe), and zinc (Zn) were fortified in these foods. Ca-FFs (65.8%) were most frequently consumed, followed by vitamin C-FFs (33.4%) and vitamin D-FFs (33.3%). The number of FF items in each food group was the most in the milk group (n=24, 21.0%), followed by the beverage group (n=19, 16.7%), and the cookie/bread/cake group (n=17, 14.9%). Fortified nutrients in FFs were in various combinations, but the major combination patterns were Ca, Ca plus vitamins, Ca plus vitamins plus other minerals, and Ca plus other minerals. Daily mean intakes of vitamins and minerals from the FFs were 66-300% more than those of the recommended nutrient intake (RNI ) or adequate intake (AI) for most vitamins and minerals. Daily maximum intakes (95th percentile) of vitamins and minerals from FFs were 1-15 times the RNI or AI for most vitamins and minerals. Vitamin and mineral consumption ratios from each FF group were different according to the kind of fortified nutrient. For example, vitamin C was mostly eaten in fortified beverages (46-54%), and Fe was mostly eaten in fortified cookie/breads/cakes (87%). The above results show that FF consumption varied widely among the children, and that most of the children's foods were fortified with several vitamins and minerals without a common rule; thus, subjects risked over consuming vitamins and minerals by eating FFs. Therefore, practical guideline on FF use for children's optimal nutrition and health should be provided through nutrition education.

Fortified foods are consumed widely in modem society according to increased concern on health oriented foods. This study investigated the patterns of vitamin-and/or mineral-fortified food use among 677 teenage students(13-18 years of age) in Chungnam province and Daejeon city in Korea using questionnaire. More than 63.7% of total subjects consumed more than one package of fortified foods belonged to more than three categories of five categories including sweets/biscuits, ramyons, beverages, milk and dairy products, and breads as a frequency of more than 1-2 times/week during previous three months prior to present survey. Consumption of fortified foods was higher in middle school students than in high school students(p<0.05), and in females than in females(p<0.001). Users of fortified foods took the snacks more often(p<0.001), and they tended to believe more positively that fortification can be helpful in health maintenance than did non-users. Users preferred vitamin C and Ca(calcium) as a fortified nutrient. Major fortified nutrients in fortified foods taken by users were various; vitamin B-complex and Ca from sweets/biscuits, Ca from ramyons, vitamin C and Ca from beverages, Ca and iron from milk and dairy products and breads. These results suggest that fortified foods are used commonly and are influenced by several factors among teenagers. Types of fortified nutrient, in fortified foods taken by subjects, are various and fortification is performed unspecifically. As a consequence both nutrition education and government regulation on fortified foods should be enforced to maximize the benefits and minimize the hazard of their use.