Fortification of Rice : an effective way to combat anemia
Recently, the pilot project of rice fortification in India has reduced the cases of anemia.
- According to a United Nations report, a pilot project for rice fortification in India has shown a significant reduction in the prevalence of anemia among school children.
- Four comprehensive pilot projects were launched in different parts of the country. Of these, three were related to the school mid-day meal and one was related to the Integrated Child Development Scheme.
- After seeing the success and feasibility of pilot projects, in 2021 the government announced that from 2024 all rice distributed through food-based social assistance programs would be fortified.
- Fortification is the artificial addition of one or more micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) to foods or supplements. This is done to improve the nutritional quality of the food supply.
- Food fortification is regulated under the Food Safety and Standards (Food Fortification) Regulations, 2018.
- Under rice fortification, micronutrients like iron, vitamin B12 and folic acid are added to rice to increase its nutrient content.
Benefits of Rice Fortification
- This helps in reducing malnutrition and anemia in a cost-effective manner. It is worth noting that due to malnutrition, the ability of people to do productive work decreases, and cases of disease and death increase. This causes a loss of at least Rs 77,000 crore to India every year.
- It is helpful in preventing cretinism (dwarfism and mental retardation), goiter, thyrotoxicosis, brain damage etc. Apart from these, it improves the health of the fetus and the newborn.
Rice Fortification in India –
- Various technologies such as dusting, coating and extrusion are available for the addition of micronutrients to common edible rice.
- Rice in India is fortified using extrusion technology. In this technique, milled rice is pulverized and mixed with a premix containing vitamins and minerals.
Source – The Economic Times
