Food fortification is critical for India’s fight against anaemia and micronutrient deficiencies, according to public health and nutrition specialists. Food fortification is rapidly gaining traction as a means of addressing micronutrient deficiency in populations with limited dietary diversity. Foods fortified with iron, vitamin B12, and Folic Acid present a vital window of opportunity to address dietary shortages, particularly in low-income populations, in India, which has a high prevalence of anaemia among women and children.
To meet gaps in micronutrient consumption in the diet, challenges such as lack of nutritional awareness, incorrect cooking and eating practises, limited bioavailability of nutrients, and inability to afford a diversified diet or access food items such as vegetables, fruits, eggs, and milk must be addressed.
“Studies show that micronutrient deficiency is not only closely linked with poor immunity and congenital disorders such as neural tube defects (NTDs), but also cognitive development, school concentration capacities, and work output,” said Dr. Sheila C. Vir, senior nutrition specialist and director, Public Health Nutrition and Development Centre, New Delhi. Food fortification initiatives on a large scale have the potential to enhance the functional health and nutritional condition of communities across India.
Fortified rice kernels that look, taste, and feel like milled rice and are mixed 1:100 with non-fortified rice can be a micronutrient-rich option that meets Indian diet preferences.
The Indian Nutrition Initiative’s director, Dr. R Sankar, stated, “In a case-control study conducted in Gujarat in 2019, researchers discovered that incorporating micronutrient fortified rice into midday meal programmes for eight months reduced anaemia prevalence by 10% and improved cognitive score by 11.3 points among 6-12-year-old school students. Food fortification is an effective preventative technique that helps to enhance micronutrient consumption, according to evidence from worldwide and Indian statistics, including WHO data. Based on the frequency of micronutrient deficiencies, fortification requirements must be adjusted to a country’s situation.”
Dr. Rajesh Kapur, who worked on the technology as an additional secretary-scientist in the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Department of Biotechnology, said, “The technology is simple and has been developed globally, as well as through a collaboration between the Department of Biotechnology and IIT Kharagpur. It is simple to incorporate into the PDS food delivery system, and it benefits small millers as well.”
The government of India’s strategy of providing fortified rice through food safety nets like PDS, Mid-Day Meal Schemes, and ICDS is therefore a step in the right direction. Fortification expenditures, programme management, IEC, monitoring, and evaluation were all covered by the government. Millers can also get low-interest loans from MSME agencies to put up blending units and FRK facilities.
The standards set by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) are based on evidence-based research and extensive consultations with experts in the fields of food, nutrition, and public health. Micronutrient overload is also a distinct risk, considering that only 30-40% of the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) of micronutrients may be added to staples under current guidelines.
“For effective implementation of the programme, the production process of fortified rice kernels (FRK) and the blending process of FRK with normal rice must be done under continuous monitoring, quality assurance and control, and corrective measures to ensure high compliance,” said Dr. H N Mishra, head, Rice Fortification Project, Agricultural & Food Engineering Department, IIT Kharagpur.