Question

What is food fortification? Discuss the role of food fortification in improving the socio economic condition of the people. What are the challenges to food fortification in our country?

Answer 1

Approach:

• In intro discuss about basic concept of food fortification.
• In body discuss about the role of food fortification in improving the socio economic condition.
• Discuss about the challenges in food fortification of our country.
• In conclusion provide some measures for improving food fortification in our country.

Fortification is the addition of key vitamins and minerals such as Iron, Iodine, Zinc, Vitamins A & D to staple foods such as rice, wheat, oil, milk and salt to improve their nutritional content. These nutrients may or may not have been originally present in the food before processing or may have been lost during processing.

Role of food fortification:

1. Tackling the issue of hidden hunger: Deficiency of micronutrients or micronutrient malnutrition, also known as hidden hunger, is a serious health risk. As per National Family Health Survey (NFHS-4),58.4 percent of children (6-59 months) are anaemic and 35.7 percent of children under 5 are underweight. So food fortification is a right step toward tackling the issue of hidden hunger in our country.
2. It is an excellent method to improve the health of a large section of the population, all at once. As Nutrients are added to staple foods which are widely consumed through food fortification.
3. It is a safe method of improving nutrition among people. The addition of micronutrients to food does not pose a health risk to people. The quantity added is small and well under the Recommended Daily allowance (RDA) and are well regulated as per prescribed standards for safe consumption.
4. Food Fortification has a high benefit-to-cost ratio. The Copenhagen Consensus estimates that every 1 Rupee spent on fortification results in 9 Rupees in benefits to the economy. It requires an initial investment to purchase both the equipment and the vitamin and mineral premix, but the overall costs of fortification are extremely low. Even when all program costs are passed on to consumers, the price increase is approximately by 1-2%, which is less than the normal price variation.
5. It is a cost-effective intervention and does not require any changes in eating patterns or food habits of people. It is a socio-culturally acceptable way to deliver nutrients to people.

So food fortification is one of the key tools for solving hidden hunger issue and improving the health indicators of the country. It is a key tool for improving the socio economic condition of the people.

Challenges to food fortification in our country:

1. Scalability and availability of fortified food is very less.
2. Poor awareness among people regarding the importance of fortified food. Lack of demand among people for fortified food.
3. Poor capacity of FSSAI in terms of manpower or regulation of fortified food.
4. Quality assurance system regarding fortified food is not well equipped.

Way forward:
Capacity of FSSAI should be improved in terms of manpower or quality assurance. Awareness and availability of fortified should be increased. Promotion of food processing industry is a key initiative towards improving the nutritional value of food or promoting food fortification.