Let’s pick a nutritious drink product and on that drink is some nutritional claim that states it has a shelf value of two years since you probably know the claim on food value from the label that is stuck on it. After those years, do you think that the product still needs to contain 100% of the vitamin C level?

Vitamin deterioration When the drink product was manufactured it contained 100% of vitamin C and after the two year has gone, it does not mean that it only contain half that level of vitamin C. What it means is that the manufacturer had to put an overage of that vitamin in the product because the vitamins will deteriorate over a period of time. Most of the time, the temperature the higher rate of deterioration, and the longer it is stored means something too.

The most sensitive vitamin is Vitamin C. The government does routinely inspect the food manufacturing companies with products that have this problem. It is the job of the food companies and food scientist to add an overage of vitamins and minerals when the product is formulated. The product will then be protected during the shelf life.

200% of vitamins in the product So if they want the product to contain 100% of vitamin C after 2 years, then they have to put 200% of vitamins in the product, because of the deterioration that takes place. 2 years later it will have lost half of its value, and contain the claimed amount.

There are food companies that have documentation on all food products that they have manufactured. The exact deterioration rate on all their products, and therefore they can predict the deterioration rate of new and similar products is another thing they know about. In other words, a new nutritional beverage formula can actually be based on the level of a know products nutrition values.

Some vitamin questions You may find yourself asking “Can I trust that the food I buy from the store has the nutrition value that it claims?” “Can I feel sure that my body gets all the vitamins it must have to function?” Some may say that it is better to be safe than it is to be sorry!