Pointing out that the State witnessed high rates of malnutrition among pregnant women and children, Food Safety Commissioner A.R. Ajayakumar says food fortification has been gaining prominence.
He was addressing the media during a briefing organised by Karnataka Health Promotion Trust (KHPT), supported by the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), in collaboration with Food Safety Commissionerate, Kerala, to spread awareness on the benefits of food fortification and the urgent need for its widespread adoption.
Schemes
Mr. Ajayakumar pointed out that the government and food manufacturers had implemented different schemes and projects to drive the addition of micro-nutrients into food.
As a public health policy, this would go a long way to help to reduce dietary deficiencies in India, he said.
In food fortification, micro-nutrients, i.e., vitamins and minerals such as Folic acid, Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D, were added to staple foods like rice, wheat flour, milk and edible oils.
Poor learning abilities
Deficiency of micronutrients would result in poor cognitive and learning abilities in children, lower productivity, increased morbidity and mortality and lower immune responses.
India was home to an estimated third of the world’s micronutrient deficient individuals, he said.
Around 70% of the Indian population received less than half of the recommended daily nutritional intake, Mr. Ajayakumar added.
