Medindia LOGIN REGISTER
Medindia
Advertisement

Indian Government Promotes Food Fortification to Address Dietary Deficiencies

by Anjali Aryamvally on March 7, 2018 at 11:44 AM
Indian Government Promotes Food Fortification to Address Dietary Deficiencies

The Indian government is encouraging enrichment of food items with micronutrients in order to remove dietary deficiencies among its citizens, said Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Ashwini Kumar Choubey.

"In order to promote fortification as a means to address micro nutrient deficiencies, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has operationalised the draft Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods) Regulations, 2016 in October 2016," he said in a written reply to the Rajya Sabha.

Advertisement


The regulations include provisions regarding standards for fortification of food articles namely wheat flour, rice, milk, edible oil and salt with vitamins and minerals, said the minister to a query on the laws for food fortification in the country.

"At present, all the major oil producers in the country are voluntarily fortifying at least one brand in their product portfolios," he said.

The FSSAI may from time to time mandate fortification of any food article under the regulations on the directions of the Central or the state governments in consultation with stakeholders, he added.
Advertisement

The Women and Child Development Ministry and the Human Resource Development Ministry have advised the use of double fortified salt with iron and iodine, wheat flour with iron, folic acid and vitamin B-12, and edible oil with vitamin A and D under their Integrated Child Development Scheme and Mid-day Meal Scheme.

Under Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on Sales) Regulations, 2011, sale of only iodized salt is permitted for direct human consumption.

Further, Food Safety and Standards (Food Product Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 provide that vanaspati should contain synthetic Vitamin A.

Choubey said FSSAI has established Food Fortification Resource Centre in collaboration with Tata Trusts and various international NGOs working in the field of nutrition as a resource centre to promote large-scale fortification of food and to nudge and facilitate food businesses to adopt fortification as a norm.



Source: IANS
Font : A-A+

Advertisement

Advertisement
Advertisement

Recommended Readings

Latest Indian Health News

India Records High Dengue Fatality Rate in 2023
Dengue claimed a minimum of 5,500 lives across 20 countries, India included, marking a 32 percent increase from 2022 and an 11 percent rise compared to 2019.
BMC's Rs 1,500-Crore 'CM Health At Doorstep' Scheme for Mumbai
The Rs 1,500 crore 'Chief Minister Health at Doorstep' program aims to cut expenses and conduct blood tests for those aged 60+.
WHO Team Probes Mysterious Disease in Bihar
In Bihar, a mysterious ailment named "Langda fever" by locals has emerged, causing patients to recover from fever but struggle to walk due to joint pain.
Tobacco's Devastating Impact on India Revealed
Upon analyzing the years of life lost due to cancer, the team discovered that the four avoidable risk factors led to an annual loss of over 30 million years of life.
Poor Air Quality in Delhi Worsens Asthma Risk
Over the past three to four weeks in Delhi, there has been an increase of 20-30% in patients with recurring cough and upper respiratory tract infections.
View All
This site uses cookies to deliver our services.By using our site, you acknowledge that you have read and understand our Cookie Policy, Privacy Policy, and our Terms of Use  Ok, Got it. Close
×

Indian Government Promotes Food Fortification to Address Dietary Deficiencies Personalised Printable Document (PDF)

Please complete this form and we'll send you a personalised information that is requested

You may use this for your own reference or forward it to your friends.

Please use the information prudently. If you are not a medical doctor please remember to consult your healthcare provider as this information is not a substitute for professional advice.

Name *

Email Address *

Country *

Areas of Interests