Rice fortification with Iron to address incidences of Anaemia

India has developed the requisite technology for the fortification rice with iron to address the incidences of Anaemia in the country
New Delhi: The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) through R&D support to Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kharagpur has developed the requisite technology on the fortification with Iron for addressing the incidence of anaemia. This involves production of Iron fortified rice premix through extrusion process using broken rice kernels. This iron fortified rice kernel premix matches with the normal rice kernel in shape and size, and when mixed with normal rice in the ratio of 1:100 provides 50 percent of recommended daily allowance (RDA) of Iron. This technology can also be used to fortify rice with other micro nutrients, as well. The incremental cost of fortification has been estimated by IIT-Kharagpur to be upto 80 paise per kg of rice.
As per the Minister of State for Science and Technology, Mr Y S Chowdhary, the number of steps taken by Government to take forward the rice fortification model to all parts of the country to deal with nutritional deficiency among the women and children.
A Pilot Scale Unit with a capacity of 100 kg/hr/shift has been commissioned at IIT-Kharagpur. The technology is ready for demonstration and transfer to prospective entrepreneurs. The same can be commercialized. However, for introduction in the Govt programmes such as Mid-day Meal Scheme and ICDS to address micro nutrient deficiencies in children, DBT would be willing to set up pilot scale production unit in States who would be interested. Accordingly,
Accordingly, an MoU could be executed between DBT and the respective State Government Departments. This technology was also deliberated in the “National Summit on Fortification of Food” which was an Inter Ministerial meeting convened by FSSAI on 16th and 17th October, 2016, which was attended by State and Central Government officials, Industry representatives and academia. Further, DBT’s proposal on the above issue has also been shortlisted in the Inter State Council Secretariat for the Eastern Zonal States – Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, West Bengal under their social outreach programme.

55,000 bags of adulterated chilli powder seized

In the biggest seizures of its kind, a special joint task force of Agricultural Market Committee, Guntur, Vigilance, Food safety officers have seized 55,000 bags of adulterated chilli powder stacked in cold storages across the district.

With the large scale seizures, the reputation of famed Guntur chilli powder is in tatters and the chilli exports could take a hit.AMC Chairman Mannam Subba Rao said that the raids have revealed that low quality chilli powder laced with dangerous chemical extracts is being supplied for mass public consumption.

A vigilance probe earlier brought some shocking facts about the chilli trade in Guntur. Local traders have been found to be colluding with those manufacturing low quality chilli powder made by crushing stems of low quality chilli used as an additive in furnaces in China.

This powder is again mixed with dangerous chemical extract made of low quality, discoloured chillis, red oxide and cooking oil. Further investigations revealed that the powder is made at a unit in Khammam. The powder known in local parlance as “Chineese powder,” is being exported to China for use as a additive in furnaces.

“This adulterated chilli powder could prove fatal for those consuming it. This chilli powder is being repacked and supplied to hostels and hotels etc. We have seized 77 samples in raids so far and basing on the test results, we will take further action,’’ Mr. Subba Rao said.

Putting health foods under scanner

Medical history analysis of a patient being treated at the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in the city for a rare neuromuscular disorder pointed fingers at a natural health food the individual had consumed for extended time.

As manufacturer’s data of substance was not available, the treating physician was forced to seek testing of the substance, indicating the need for enforcing newly introduced food safety guidelines.

Food safety experts say demands for testing are on the rise, concomitant with the growth of the nutraceutical industry which was pegged at an estimated at $ 2.8 billion in India by Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry and is expected to touch $ 6.1 billion. Nutraceuticals include dietary supplements, beverages like energy drinks and functional foods like fortified foods.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) published its revised guidelines for proprietary foods, which includes nutraceuticals. The guidelines placed the onus of responsibility for food safety on manufacturer but lack of vigilance and monitoring system helps manufacturers get away, says Dinesh Kumar, president of Indian Pharmacological Association and Senior Scientist at the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN).

Pharmacological vigilance

“In the past five years, efforts have been stepped up to popularise pharmacological vigilance. However, adverse events from herbal and health foods have been beyond question as in many cases the labels with information on constituents are simply not available on the product. Therefore, the need for nutraceutical vigilance,” Dr. Kumar says.

According to Dr. Kumar, substances tested in the past have contained components, including vitamins and minerals, far exceeding required doses. He added that such foods, prescribed popularly for obesity and other lifestyle disorders besides improving general living, are now also being linked to disorders being reported from across the country with unexplained causes.

To enforce the newly formulated guidelines, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare designated NIN has set up a monitoring centre for nutraceutical safety assessment under the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India.

Awareness programme

The institute will soon take up awareness programmes to convey to its consumers and physicians that they can report adverse events and suspicions at the institute. This in turn, is aimed at developing a database of such events that will help develop guidelines for safe use of such products.