New standards on food fortification released

Aiming to regulate fortification of food, especially packaged food with essential micronutrients in the country,  Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Sunday released new standards on fortification on food. 

Changing food patterns are seen as one of the leading causes of micronutrient deficiency in the country, Ashish Bahuguna, the Chairman of FSSAI said. Fortification of food is seen as an efficient and economic way of reducing deficiency and counter rising malnutrition in the country. 

Some of the food products that are going to be fortified are wheat flour, rice, oil and milk, among others.

The regulations set the standards for food fortification and encourage the production, manufacture, distribution, sale and consumption of fortified foods. The regulations also provide for specific role of FSSAI in promotion for food fortification and to make fortification mandatory, said Bahuguna on the inaugural day of the national summit on fortification of food here. 

Minister of State for Health, Anupriya Patel said that food fortification is a proven and effective strategy to meet the nutritional needs of a large number of people across various sections of the society, including the poor and underprivileged as well as the vulnerable, such as pregnant women and young 

children. 

“Fortification requires neither changes in existing food patterns, habits nor individual compliance. It is socio-culturally acceptable and does not alter the characteristics of the food. It can be introduced quickly and can produce nutritional benefits for populations in a short period of time. It is safe and cost effective, especially if advantage is taken of the existing technology and delivery platforms,” she added.

The FSSAI has already set standards for fortification of salt with iodine and iron; of vegetable oil and milk with Vitamin A & D; wheat flour and rice with iron, folic acid, zinc, vitamin B12, vitamin A and some other micronutrients. 

Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, Director General, Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR), said that nutrition is a major determinant of health. 

She further added that macro and micro nutrients deficiency will lead to risk factors that may cause various diseases like TB, anaemia, etc. She informed that ICMR has plans to conduct health and nutrition survey to get first hand insights about nutritional values of the food consumed by the people of the country.