Final answer:
Nutritional supplements are made through enrichment and fortification processes, which help replace lost nutrients and add lacking ones. Food processing can lead to nutrient losses, and eating refined grains instead of whole grains can increase the risk of certain health conditions. There were instances of price manipulation involving vitamin manufacturers in the late 1990s.
Step-by-step explanation:
Nutritional supplements are made through processes such as enrichment and fortification.
Enrichment refers to the addition of vitamins and minerals lost during processing, while fortification involves adding nutrients that may be lacking in the diet.
Food processing can lead to nutrient losses, for example, high heat can cause vitamin C losses.
Refined grains found in many processed foods have less fiber, vitamins, and minerals compared to whole grains. Eating refined grains instead of whole grains may increase the risk of high cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity.
To compensate for these nutrient losses, fortification or enrichment is necessary.
For example, in the late 1990s, there was an international cartel of vitamin manufacturers that reached agreements on production, pricing, and customer allocation.
The high-priced vitamins were bought by companies like General Mills, Kellogg, Purina Mills, and Proctor and Gamble, which further increased prices. Hoffman-La Roche, one of the firms involved, pleaded guilty and faced penalties for their actions.