ABSTRACT
Malnutrition, unbalanced diet, special nutrient requirement at specifi c life periods or some gastrointestinal diseases can cause nutrient defi ciencies, which in turn could lead to different diseases. Nutrient defi ciencies could have diverse origins and they are widespread through the world, resulting in important health and economic consequences in developing and industrialized countries. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that over two billion people are defi cient in essential vitamins and minerals, and the worst situation is detected in infants, young children, pregnant and lactating due to their special physiological needs.
