• Syed N Alvi, Chafica El Tabache, Abdullah Al-Ashwall, and Muhammad Maher Hammami.
• 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.
• Ann Saudi Med. 2016 Sep 1; 36 (5): 325327325-327.

BackgroundVitamin D deficiency is common in many countries, including Saudi Arabia. Various population-level preventive measures have been implemented, including milk fortification with vitamin D.ObjectivesThe 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.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingAcademic research center.Materials And MethodsFive 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.Main Outcome MeasuresIntra-batch, inter-batch and inter-producer variations in vitamin D level.ResultsOverall, 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.ConclusionsVitamin 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.LimitationsThis study was limited to five major retailers in the Riyadh area and did not examine full-fat or non-fat milk samples.

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