Hexagon Nutrition has launched VIT A+, a stable vitamin A palmitate formulation designed for large-scale food fortification across Africa.
Previously known as PFH-VAP, the formulation was developed by Particles for Humanity and is designed to protect vitamin A from degradation during storage, distribution and cooking in hot and humid conditions.
VIT A+ can be incorporated into existing fortification processes for food products including bouillon, wheat flour and sugar, without requiring new manufacturing equipment or infrastructure.
This could help food manufacturers improve the amount of vitamin A that remains available to consumers following production and preparation.
The launch follows commercial-scale process validation and manufacturing transfer to Hexagon Nutrition in India.
According to the companies, each commercial-scale batch of VIT A+ can provide enough material to fortify approximately 600 million servings of food.
The technology builds on research published in Food Science & Nutrition last year.
In stability testing using bouillon cubes, PFH-VAP-fortified products retained more than three times as much vitamin A as a commercial comparator after 12 months of storage under high-temperature and high-humidity conditions.
For Hexagon Nutrition, the launch expands its existing focus on micronutrient premixes and large-scale food fortification.
The company's 2025-26 strategy identifies developing highly stable vitamin forms as a key innovation priority, while also targeting greater penetration of commercial food fortification and expansion across African markets.
Hexagon says VIT A+ will be commercialised and distributed across Africa in collaboration with food manufacturers, fortification stakeholders and development partners.
The launch highlights the importance of micronutrient stability alongside fortification levels: improving the resilience of sensitive vitamins during manufacturing, storage and cooking could help manufacturers deliver more consistent nutrient levels through established food fortification systems.
