Because we found out the cause of rickets, and there was an initiative to prevent it. I believe milk was probably chosen because calcium aids in vitamin D absor

Because we found out the cause of rickets, and there was an initiative to prevent it. I believe milk was probably chosen because calcium aids in vitamin D absorption and most Americans see milk as a dietary staple. http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/80/6/1710S.full http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/80/6/1710S.full Most circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D originates from exposure to sunlight; nevertheless, many factors can impair this process, necessitating periodic reliance on dietary sources to maintain adequate serum concentrations. The US and Canadian populations are largely dependent on fortified foods and dietary supplements to meet these needs, because foods naturally rich in vitamin D are limited. Fluid milk and breakfast cereals are the predominant vehicles for vitamin D in the United States, whereas Canada fortifies fluid milk and margarine. Reports of a high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D and its association with increased risks of chronic diseases have raised concerns regarding the adequacy of current intake levels and the safest and most effective way to increase vitamin D intake in the general population and in vulnerable groups. The usual daily intakes of vitamin D from food alone and from food and supplements combined, as estimated from the US third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 1988-1994, show median values above the adequate intake of 5 μg/d for children 6-11 y of age; however, median intakes are generally below the adequate intake for female subjects > 12 y of age and men > 50 y. In Canada, there are no national survey data for estimation of intake. Cross-sectional studies suggest that current US/Canadian fortification practices are not effective in preventing hypovitaminosis D, particularly among vulnerable populations during the winter, whereas supplement use shows more promise. Recent prospective intervention studies with higher vitamin D concentrations provided evidence of safety and efficacy for fortification of specific foods and use of supplements. We also found out about folic acid and how important it is for women to have enough right before she becomes pregnant and in the first couple days/weeks of the developing embryo. This would be before she knows she is pregnant. An adequate supply of folic acid prevents protect against a number of congenital malformations, including neural tube defects which are severe abnormalities of the central nervous system like spina bifida and anencephaly. They result in malformations of the spine, skull, and brain. So we decided to fortify our grain products in an attempt to prevent this. The fortification is mandatory since 1998. http://189.28.128.100/nutricao/docs/ferro/impact_folic_acid_tube_defects.pdf http://189.28.128.100/nutricao/docs/ferro/impact_folic_acid_... Conclusions: A 19% reduction in NTD birth prevalence occurred following folic acid fortification of the US food supply. However, factors other than fortification may have contributed to this decline.