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Food fortification is a broader public health strategy which aids to mitigate the burden of one specific nutrient deficiency disease of a particular population. Food Fortification has emerged as one of the most important interventions in addressing the problem of malnutrition, especially in the developing parts of the world including India. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is proactive in enforcing nutrition and food fortification throughout India as it sees a room for improving widespread deficiencies in nutrients. Fortification is especially important in nations such as India where malnutrition and micronutrient deficiency diseases are common due to various socio-economic factors. Enhancing basic foods with vital micronutrients is expected to raise the nutritional status of many Indians, particularly the vulnerable ones at risk of undernourishment.
What Is Food Fortification?
Food fortification or enhancement in nutrition refers to the gradual increase in the nutrients of commonly used foods such as rice, wheat and their flour, oil, milk, salt etc. Nutrition enhancement is the addition of vital nutrients such as iron, zinc, iodine, vitamins A and D, which are not initially available in the staple foods but crucial for the adequate nutrition intake for individuals. These nutrients may not have even been added to the food prior to its manufacture or may have been depleted during the manufacturing process.
Need For Fortification Of Food
Micronutrient deficiency, sometimes referred to as "hidden hunger," poses a major risk to one's health. It is essential to have access to wholesome food, sometimes insufficient intake of a balanced diet, lack of variation in the diet, or scarcity of food results in insufficient intake of micronutrients. Food processing can often result in significant nutritional loss as well. Food fortification is one of the solutions to the said problem. This method promotes nutrition in combination with other methods of supplementation and variety in diet. India has a relatively high rate of micronutrient deficiencies, which can result in anaemia, goitre, night blindness, and other birth defects. These deficiencies are caused by lack of vitamin A, iodine, iron, and folic acid.
Benefits Of Food Fortification
- Due to their common use, staple foods undergo nutritional additions. Hence, this is as excellent in enhancing the health status of a vulnerable section of population as the prevention of micronutrient deficiencies in children and women over positive mouth agonist treatment.
- It is a risk-free way to enhance people's nutrition. People are not in danger of health problems with the addition of micronutrients to meals. The amount provided is minimal, substantially below the Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA), and carefully controlled in accordance with guidelines for safe use.
- It is very low cost and easy to fix, as it does not require any behavioural change or dietary change from the people. This is a method of providing nutrients to people which is culturally and socially normative.
- It does not alter the characteristics of the food like the taste, aroma or the texture of the food.
Fortified Foods Operationalized by FSSAI
Fortified Wheat
The selection of wheat flour as an appropriate fortification vehicle aims to enhance the nutritional status of the general populace. Fortifying wheat flour with iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12 has enormous health benefits. One-third of the recommended daily allowance (RDA) of several important vitamins and minerals will be provided by wheat flour that has been fortified in accordance with FSSAI recommendations. Wheat flour fortification is an easy and affordable method to use.
Fortified Rice
In any nation where rice consumption is high per capita, rice fortification offers a culturally relevant and economically viable solution to the problem of micronutrient degeneration. By adding vitamins and minerals during the post-harvest stage many of which are lost during the milling and polishing process rice can be made more nutritious by fortifying it. Since rice is a staple food for 65% of Indians and reaches the most vulnerable and impoverished population, rice fortification may have the greatest potential to close the gap in the current staple food fortification programs. It also has the highest uptake in government safety net programs.
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Double Fortified Salt
A novel new fortified food product called Double Fortified Salt (DFS) provides people with trace amounts of iron and iodine through their diet. DFS formulations aim to supply around 30 to 60% of the daily dietary iron requirement and 100% of the daily dietary iodine requirement. One sustainable way to address iodine and iron deficiency would be to dual-fortify salt with both minerals.
Image Credit: Freepik
Fortified Milk
High-quality protein, calcium, and fat-soluble vitamins A and D are all abundant in milk. When processing removes milk fat, vitamins A and D are eliminated. Since it is easily accomplished, many nations have made it essential to add back the vitamins that were taken out. Since the nutrients lost during processing are added back, it is referred to as replenishment.
Because of the widespread deficits in the population, milk in India needs to be fortified with both vitamin A and vitamin D.
Fortified Edible Oil
According to the 2011 NSSO report on the Household Consumer Expenditure (HCE) Survey in India, oil consumption is rather high, averaging 20–30g per person per day, and it is consumed by a larger population. Fortifying edible oils and fats with vitamins A and D is a useful way to combat micronutrient deficiency because these vitamins are fat-soluble. Fortified oil is known to supply 25%–30% of the required dietary intakes for vitamins A and D.
People can meet their health requirements in the present with the aid of fortified foods taken in the context of future health. As fortified products become more available and people become more aware of them, the joint fight against malnutrition in India is becoming clearer and may improve the health of all the people.
