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Prevention of folate deficiency by food fortification


N Colman
R Green
K Stevens
J Metz

Abstract

The antimegaloblastic effect of cooked folic acid-fortified maize meal was tested by feeding the meal to 5 lactating patients with folate-deficient megaloblastic anaemia. The dose of folic acid in the meal before cooking varied from 100 to 500 µg daily. One patient who received 100 µg daily had a suboptimal haematological response. Meal containing 300 µg and 500 µg daily produced optimal haematological response in all 4 patients so treated, and there was no secondary reticulocyte response in the 2 patients subsequently given pharmacological doses of folic acid. It is concluded that the fortified meal after cooking is an effective antimegaloblastic agent.

S. Afr. Med. J., 48, 1795 (1974).

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eISSN: 2078-5135
print ISSN: 0256-9574