Food Fortification and Nutrition Enhancement Strategies in the Agri-food Sector in Support of the Farm-To-Fork Initiative of the European Union

Abstract

This study presents an integrated overview and assessment of  key agri-food interventions  in support of the EU’s Farm-to-Fork strategy, central to reshaping the Common Agricultural Policy  into a comprehensive framework for sustainable, safe, and resilient agri-food systems. These health and nutrition enhancement strategies focus on improving nutrient bioavailability and bioaccessibility through both traditional approaches like fermentation (e.g., soybeans for nutrient-rich tempeh) and modern techniques including food fortification (e.g., milk with vitamin D), biofortification (e.g.,zinc-biofortified rice), functional food development (e.g., probiotic yogurts), and microencapsulation (e.g., encapsulated fish oil in bread against oxidation). These strategies collectively aim to enhance nutritional quality, reduce food loss and waste, and promote environmentally sustainable food production. Interventions were assessed using criteria such as effectiveness, feasibility, sustainability, and cost-efficiency. Stakeholder engagement in these studies included consultations with farmers, food processors, policymakers, and consumer representatives motivated by results that reveal the combination of traditional and innovative techniques reduces nutrient loss by up to 30%, while improving micronutrient delivery efficiency by 25–40%. Thus, the study promotes the use of available techniques in cross-sectorial collaboration leading to nutritional enhancement initiatives systematically integrated into EU food system reform, towards food system resilience and a healthier future generation.