Study: Triple-Fortified Rice Found to Improve Nutrient Status in Thai Children

13 Nov 2014 --- Vitamin A deficiency is common worldwide and is a preventable cause of blindness. Thus, the development of successful strategies to increase vitamin A intake in vulnerable populations are needed.

In a recent double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial conducted in Thailand, investigators have determined the efficacy of a triple-fortified (10 mg iron, 9 mg zinc and 1 mg vitamin A/gram) extruded rice product to increase vitamin A status of Thai preschool-aged children.

The children were allocated to consume either unfortified extruded rice or a fortified rice product for 58 days. Average rice consumption was 125 g extruded rice/day, which supplied about 800 μg Vitamin A/day in the fortified group. Vitamin A status was determined, by isotope dilution technique after feeding a single dose of vitamin A (labeled with a stable isotope of carbon), at baseline and again at the end of the study after 2 months of consuming the fortified rice product. 

The investigators found that after consuming the micronutrient-fortified rice product that total body reserves of vitamin A and liver vitamin A concentration significantly increased in the children receiving the vitamin A-fortified extruded rice. 

The mean total body reserves of vitamin A and liver vitamin A increased by about 70% in the children consuming additional vitamin A from the fortified extruded rice. Based on liver vitamin A stores, the investigators estimated that the fraction of children in the experimental group with vitamin A deficiency (defined as a liver vitamin A concentration of <0.07 μmol/gram liver) was 26% at baseline but decreased to 11% following the intervention period. In contrast, no change in vitamin A deficiency prevalence was observed in the placebo group. 

This study is noteworthy because vitamin A deficiency, as well as deficiencies of iron and zinc, are very common worldwide. The effective delivery of important micronutrients in extruded rice provides additional evidence that fortified foods can play an important role in reducing micronutrient deficiencies in different vulnerable populations.