Effect of end-user preparation methods on vitamin content of fortified humanitarian food-aid commodities

The effect of cooking on vitamin stability in common fortified food-aid commodities was evaluated: corn–soy blend (CSB), cornmeal (CM), soy-fortified bulgur (SFB), and vegetable oil (VO). Thin CSB porridge, thick CM and SFB porridges, and dumplings fried in VO were prepared using average preparation parameters determined from the data collected in the field. Vitamin levels in pre- and post-cook samples were tested. In CSB thin porridge, vitamins C and E showed cooking losses of 53% and 18%, respectively; thiamin, folic acid, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine HCl, vitamin A, and vitamin B12 showed no significant losses. In CM thick porridge, thiamin, folic acid, riboflavin, and vitamin A showed no significant changes during cooking. In SFB, vitamin A was reduced by 33%, while thiamin, folic acid, and riboflavin showed no significant changes during cooking. In VO that was used to prepare dumplings, vitamin A losses of 6% occurred after one frying cycle. Vitamin A content of the dumplings, however, increased significantly during frying. With the exception of vitamins C and E in CSB and vitamin A in SFB and VO, typical cooking had little effect on vitamin stability.