The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
- FSSAI has constituted a Scientific Panel on “Food Fortification and Nutrition”
- This will take the program of food fortification further
- The panel will recommend strategies to address nutritional needs of general population and vulnerable groups by identifying critical nutritional gaps in the diet
- It will also addressregulatory and related technological issues, review proposals from industry using modern risk assessment methods, and prescribe standard sampling and test methods for effective monitoring, surveillance and enforcement of the relevant regulations
- FSSAI has also unveiled a Logo for fortified foods which may be used by food businesses
About FSSAI
- It is the nodal authority for protecting and promoting public health by regulating and supervising food
- It is statutory authority
- Has been established under Food Safety and Standards Act 2006
- The HQ is at New Delhi
- FSSAI has earlier brought out Draft Regulations for fortified food – Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Food) Regulations, 2016 – which were operationalised at the National Summit on Food Fortification held in mid-October, 2016.
About food fortification
- It is the process of addition of vitamins and minerals (iron, iodine, folic acid, vitamin etc) to staple foods to improve the nutritional content thereby addressing the nutritional gap.
- Food Fortification has significant role in reducing Micronutrient deficiency related disorders
- The ‘Group of Secretaries on Education & Health regarding food fortification’ has recommended the following
- Double Fortification of Salt with Iodine & Iron
- Fortification of Refined Oil and Milk with Vitamin-A & D
- Fortification of Rice with Iron & Folic Acid
- Proposal to introduce Fortified Food items in Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) Scheme, Mid Day Meal (MDM) & Public Distribution System (PDS) in a phased manner
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