Fortification of rice is found to be a cost-effective and complementary strategy to increase vitamin and mineral content in diets with low turnaround time (TAT).
New Delhi: According to experts the use of fortified rice has several health benefits and helps in fighting anaemia, malnutrition and other problems.
Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD), with an aim to popularise and create awareness about the benefit of fortified rice specially in tribal areas, has been coordinating with Gujarat, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Telangana Rajasthan, Kerala. The department has been organising workshops and seminars in the sensitive areas of tribal belts and districts that have population that are vulnerable to Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Anaemia. So far, workshops/seminars have been organised in Valsad in Gujarat, Nandurabar and Nashik in Maharashtra, Kanker in Chhattisgarh and East Singhbhum, Jamshedpur in Jharkhand.
The experts discussed the importance of fortification and how it will boost nutritional requirements of the people of the country. The experts, while participating in seminarsm, have been highlighting its positive impact on public health and its linkages with Haemoglobinopathies. The experts laid emphasis on providing correct information to beneficiaries so that apprehensions can be allayed in time.
In Nandurbar district, a presentation was made on fortified staples and its positive impact on public health, benefits of fortified rice and its linkages with Haemoglobinopathies.
Fortification is the process of adding Fortified Rice Kernels (FRK), containing FSSAI prescribed micronutrients (iron, folic acid, vitamin B12) to normal Rice (custom milled rice) in the ratio of 1:100 (Mixing 1 Kg of FRK with 100 kg custom milled rice).
Fortified rice is nearly identical to traditional rice in aroma, taste, and texture. This process is done in the rice mills at the time of milling of rice.
Rice fortification ecosystem has been enhanced significantly on boarding rice millers, FRK manufacturers, industries and other stakeholders for production and supply of fortified rice to meet the target requirement. There are more than 9000 rice mills in the country which have installed blending infrastructure for production of fortified rice and their cumulative monthly production capacity is around 60 LMT which is increased by more than four times since last year.
Fortification of rice is found to be a cost-effective and complementary strategy to increase vitamin and mineral content in diets with low turnaround time (TAT) and a step towards nutritional security and helps in fighting anaemia and malnutrition in the country. This strategy is implemented in many geographies in the world.