FORTIFIED RICE

Prelims Specific Topic

Government efforts in this direction include:

For supply and distribution, the Food Corporation of India and state agencies have already purchased 88.65 LMT (lakh tonnes) of fortified rice.
In 2019, the government approved a three-year, centrally supported pilot scheme for rice fortification that would begin in 2019-2020. The programme is currently being implemented in 15 districts throughout 15 states.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised in his Independence Day speech in 2020 that by 2024, all rice distributed under government programmes will be fortified to combat malnutrition.
Last year, the government increased fortified rice distribution across anganwadis as part of the Integrated Child Development Scheme (now dubbed Saksham anganwadi and Poshan 2.0), as well as a school-based mid-day meal programme (renamed as PM Poshan).

However, public health professionals have expressed reservations about rice fortification as a means of combating malnutrition, arguing that diet diversification is more important.
Many people also believe that iron-fortified rice, together with ongoing government iron-supplementation programmes, can lead to an excessive intake of iron, increasing the risk of diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol.

Malnutrition is prevalent among women and children in the country.
Every second woman in the country is anaemic, and every third child is stunted, according to the Food Ministry.
On the Global Hunger Index, India ranks 94th out of 107 countries and is classified as having “severe hunger” (GHI).
Malnutrition and a lack of key nutrients are important roadblocks in the development of disadvantaged mothers and children.

The practise of adding vitamins and minerals to regularly consumed foods during processing to boost their nutritional value is known as food fortification.
Fortification is defined by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) as “deliberately enhancing the content of critical micronutrients in a food to improve nutritional quality and give public health benefit with little risk to health.”

Rice fortification, according to the Food Ministry, is a cost-effective and complementary technique for increasing vitamin and mineral content in diets.
1 kg fortified rice will contain iron (28 mg-42.5 mg), folic acid (75-125 microgram), and Vitamin B-12, according to FSSAI standards (0.75-1.25 microgram).
In addition, rice can be fortified with micronutrients such as zinc (10 mg-15 mg), Vitamin A (500-750 microgram RE), Vitamin B1 (1 mg-1.5 mg), Vitamin B2 (1.25 mg-1.75 mg), Vitamin B3 (12.5 mg-20 mg), and Vitamin B6 (1.5 mg-2.5 mg) per kilogramme, either separately or in combination.

Because the nutrients are added to commonly consumed staple meals, this is a wonderful way to enhance the health of a broad segment of the population at once.
Fortification is a safe way to improve people’s nutrition. People’s health is not jeopardised by the addition of micronutrients to diet.
It does not necessitate any modifications in people’s eating habits or patterns. It is a socially and culturally appropriate method of nutrient delivery.
It has no effect on the food’s properties, such as taste, texture, or appearance.
It can be adopted rapidly and show effects in terms of improved health in a short amount of time.
This strategy is cost-effective, especially when current technology and distribution platforms are utilised.

Source The Hindu