Vitamin D fortification in lebanese bread: Impact on sensory attributes, consumer perception and public acceptance

Background: Lebanese bread plays a significant role in the Lebanese diet and presents a promising opportunity for fortification with vitamin D. However, there is currently no evidence of such fortification being implemented. This study was conducted to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of the Lebanese population toward vitamin D-fortified bread and to evaluate the impact of vitamin D on the sensory characteristics of bread. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed on respondents (n = 300) who were randomly selected from different age groups and different districts in Lebanon via an online questionnaire from May to June 2022. For the fortification of the bread dough, a premix containing 100,000 IU/ml vitamin D3 (New Bridge Pharmaceuticals) was used. Three different concentrations of vitamin D were used, starting with 1000 IU/50 g, 1250 IU/50 g, and 1500 IU/50 g of bread. The dough samples were baked at 600 degrees C. The samples produced were stored inside nylon bags in a refrigerator. A pilot study was conducted for bread tasting and sample evaluation. Statistical analysis was carried out via the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (version 21.0) for Windows SPSS, Inc. Figures were created using Origin Lab Software. Results: A total of 300 respondents (188 females, 112 males) answered the questionnaire, with a mean age ranging from 20 to 30 years. Nearly half of them (48.3 %) had either vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency, and their daily vitamin D intake ranged between 0 and 7 mu g/day. With respect to knowledge of vitamin D, 88.6 % correctly identified sunlight as the main source of vitamin D, and 73 % were aware that vitamin D preserves bone health. Half of the respondents (51.75 %) had daily sunlight exposure, and 82.6 % consumed bread on a daily basis. Those interested in increasing their vitamin D intake constituted 97.6 % of the respondents. With respect to their willingness to consume vitamin D-fortified bread, only 39 % of the participants reported that they would consume it. A considerable proportion (63.5 %) did not know whether fortification with vitamin D can affect bread shelf-life, taste, or texture. For the evaluation of the sensory properties of the bread, the panelists reported that the overall acceptability reached 62.26 %. No significant correlation was detected between vitamin D content and bread sensory characteristics (p value >0.05). Conclusions: The findings of this pioneering study reveal that the concept of fortifying Lebanese bread with vitamin D was positively received by respondents, marking a significant step forward in the use of this staple food as a novel vehicle to increase vitamin D intake in the Lebanese population. As the first study of its kind, it underscores the importance of integrating bread backing with fortification strategies to achieve broader acceptance. Future research should build on this foundation by investigating the impact of fortification on the sensory attributes of bread, as well as conducting detailed physiochemical analyses to determine the retention of vitamin D after baking, fermentation, and storage.