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Response to ‘Prenatal exposure to vitamin-D from fortified margarine and milk and body size at age 7 years’

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 70, page 1092 (2016)Cite this article

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We recently published a study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition that explored the association between prenatal exposure to margarine and milk fortification with vitamin D and body size at 7 years.1 Based on official documentation from the Nordic Council of Ministers, the commencement of vitamin D fortification of margarine was in 1961.2 However, we have recently uncovered new evidence that makes this onset date less secure, and suggests that mandatory fortification may have started even before World War II, for both vitamin A and D.3 As this new information questions the onset date of the vitamin D margarine fortification, all information we have discovered confirms that the date of termination of the mandatory margarine fortification with 1.25 μg vitamin D per 100 g margarine was June 1985.4

The voluntary vitamin D fortification of milk was confirmed to commence in 1972,5 however, insecurities have arisen about the termination date in 1976. A similar ministerial order that cancelled the permission to fortify milk in 19766 was also issued in 1974.7 It is unclear which of the two ministerial orders that in reality cancelled the milk fortification.

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References

  1. Jensen CB, Gamborg M, Berentzen TL, Sørensen TIA, Heitmann BL . Prenatal exposure to vitamin-D from fortified margarine and milk and body size at age 7 years. Eur J Clin Nutr 2015; 69: 1169–1175.

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  2. Nordic Council of Ministers Tilsætning af vitaminer og mineraler til levnedsmidler [The addition of vitamins and minerals to foods.]. Nordic Council of Ministers: Copenhagen, Denmark, 1989.

  3. Ministry of Agriculture. Executive order concerning the effect of vitamins in margarine no. 344, 5 December 1961. Act on the manufacture and distribution of margarine no. 229, 28 June 1937. 1961.

  4. Ministry of Food. Executive order on margarine no. 196, 20 May 1985. Act on margarine no. 189, 9 May 1984. 1985.

  5. Ministry for Pollution Control. Executive order amending the Executive order on milk and cream and milk products (drinking milk products) no. 492, 24 November 1972. Act on food no. 174, 28 April 1950. 1972.

  6. Ministry of Agriculture. Executive order on drinking milk products no. 435, 25 August 1976. Act on Food (the Food law) no. 310, 6 June 1973. 1976.

  7. Ministry for Pollution Control. Executive order on food additives and the entry into force of certain provisions on foods of the Act of 6 June 1973, no. 316, 8 August 1973. Act on Food (the Food law) no. 310, 6 June 1973. 1973.

  8. Ministry of Agriculture and Fishing. Executive order amending the Executive order on the effect of vitamins in margarine no. 202, 13 May 1971. Act on the manufacture and distribution of margarine no. 229, 28 June 1937. 1971.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Preventive Medicine, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, The Capital Region, Frederiksberg, Denmark

    C B Jensen, M Stougård, T I A Sørensen & B L Heitmann

Authors
  1. C B Jensen
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  2. M Stougård
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  3. T I A Sørensen
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  4. B L Heitmann
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Correspondence to C B Jensen.

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Jensen, C., Stougård, M., Sørensen, T. et al. Response to ‘Prenatal exposure to vitamin-D from fortified margarine and milk and body size at age 7 years’. Eur J Clin Nutr 70, 1092 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2016.75

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