title: Vitamin D content in fortified low fat milk in Saudi Arabia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Vitamin D deficiency is common in many countries, including Saudi Arabia. Various population-level preventive measures have been implemented, including milk fortification with vitamin D.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The main objective of the study was to determine vitamin D levels in fortified low fat cow milk on the Saudi Arabian market and to compare it with the label claims.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Academic research center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five milk batches from five major producers were purchased in five replicates from five major retail stores in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. We used a validated liquid chromatography assay to measure vitamin D levels. All samples were producer labeled to contain 400 IU/L (10 ng/mL) vitamin D and were analyzed within the first 40% of their validity period. Intra-batch, inter-batch, and inter-producer variations were determined as a coefficient of variation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Intra-batch, inter-batch and inter-producer variations in vitamin D level.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, mean (SD) measured vitamin D level was 10.2 (1.6) with a range of 7.1-13.9 ng/mL. In 25 of 125 samples (20%), the vitamin D level was outside +/- 20% of the label claim (10.4% under-fortified, 9.6% over fortified). Intra-batch, inter-batch, and intra-producer variations were 1.6 -20.8%, 8.2-20.8%, and 16.1%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Vitamin D content in fortified low fat cow milk on the Riyadh market matches label claim in 85% of the samples of major retailers. Variations from label claim in 15% of the samples are small and may not be clinically important.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study was limited to five major retailers in the Riyadh area and did not examine full-fat or non-fat milk samples.
authors.forename: Syed N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Alvi
authors.forename: Chafica
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: El Tabache
authors.forename: Abdullah
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Ashwall
authors.affiliation: Muhammad M. Hammami Department of Clinical Studies and Empirical Ethics, MBC-03, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, PO Box 3354, Riyadh 11211,, Saudi Arabia, T: 966-11-442-4527, F: 966-11-442-4971, Professor, College of Medicine, Alfaisal University-Riyadh, muhammad@kfshrc.edu.sa ORCID: orcid.org/000-0002-0086-5819.
authors.forename: Muhammad Maher
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Hammami
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004041:Dietary Fats; D005527:Food, Fortified / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008892:Milk / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000592:standards; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D014807:Vitamin D