It would mean adding key vitamins and minerals to staple foods
In the wake of guidelines issued by FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India), the Food Safety Commissioner of Karnataka has directed manufacturers in the State to fortify all food products.
The commissioner, who met representatives of bulk manufacturers of wheat flour and edible oil on June 3, discussed the cost effectiveness and benefits of fortifying staple foods for consumers and manufacturers.
Fortification is the addition of key vitamins and minerals such as iron, iodine, zinc, and vitamin A and D to staple foods such as rice, milk and salt to improve their nutritional content. These nutrients may or may not have been originally present in the food before processing.
Representatives of Krishna Flour Mills, Sri Venugopal Flour Mills, Karnataka Oil Seeds Federation, Mother Dairy (KMF), Nilgiri Dairy Farm Pvt. Ltd., Pankaj Dairy Farm, Sri Krishna milk dairy farm, Britannia Industries, Variar Bakery, Jwalamala Agro Foods Pvt. Ltd., Sumathi Agro Industries, and Heritage Foods participated in the meeting.
India has a high burden of micronutrient deficiencies. While 70% of pre-school children suffer from anaemia caused by Iron deficiency, 57% have subclinical vitamin A deficiency. Neural Tube Defects are the most common congenital malformation with an incidence that varies between 0.5-8/1,000 births.
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