Implementation strategies for improving vitamin D status and increasing vitamin D intake in the UK: current controversies and future perspectives: proceedings of the 2nd Rank Prize Funds Forum on vitamin D.

A multi-disciplinary expert group met to discuss vitamin D deficiency in the UK and strategies for improving population intakes and status. Changes to UK Government advice since the 1st Rank Forum on Vitamin D (2009) were discussed, including rationale for setting a reference nutrient intake (10 µg/d; 400 IU/d) for adults and children (4+ years). Current UK data show inadequate intakes among all age groups and high prevalence of low vitamin D status among specific groups (e.g. pregnant women and adolescent males/females). Evidence of widespread deficiency within some minority ethnic groups, resulting in nutritional rickets (particularly among Black and South Asian infants), raised particular concern. Latest data indicate that UK population vitamin D intakes and status reamain relatively unchanged since Government recommendations changed in 2016. Vitamin D food fortification was discussed as a potential strategy to increase population intakes. Data from dose-response and dietary modelling studies indicate dairy products, bread, hens' eggs and some meats as potential fortification vehicles. Vitamin D3 appears more effective than vitamin D2 for raising serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration, which has implications for choice of fortificant. Other considerations for successful fortification strategies include: (i) need for 'real-world' cost information for use in modelling work; (ii) supportive food legislation; (iii) improved consumer and health professional understanding of vitamin D's importance; (iv) clinical consequences of inadequate vitamin D status and (v) consistent communication of Government advice across health/social care professions, and via the food industry. These areas urgently require further research to enable universal improvement in vitamin D intakes and status in the UK population.

Incorporation of a novel leguminous ingredient into savoury biscuits reduces their starch digestibility: Implications for lowering the Glycaemic Index of cereal products.

Many carbohydrate foods contain starch that is rapidly digested and elicits a high Glycaemic Index. A legume ingredient (PulseON®) rich in Type 1 resistant starch (RS1) was recently developed; however, its potential as a functional ingredient when processed into a food product required assessment. PulseON® was used to replace 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100% of the wheat flour in a savoury biscuit recipe. In vitro starch digestion kinetics of biscuits and water-holding properties of ingredients were assessed. The RS1 in PulseON® did not appear to be structurally compromised during biscuit making. Replacing 50% wheat flour with PulseON® reduced the starch hydrolysis index of biscuits by nearly 60%. This seems to result from the ingredients' impact on water availability for starch gelatinisation. Overall, these findings highlight the potential of using biscuits as a food vehicle for PulseON® to increase consumer intakes of legume protein, dietary fibre, and potentially low glycaemic starch.