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Recently, the group of scientists and activists has written to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to abort the plan to make synthetic/chemical fortification of foods mandatory in India.
Background
- In January 2021, the FSSAI had issued a draft regulation for mandatory fortification of edible oil and milk with Vitamin A and D.
- The FSSAI has also outlined its plan to make rice fortification mandatory from 2024 with Vitamin B12, Iron, and Folic Acid in India.
Recent Issues Highlighted
- Irreversible infrastructural and market shifts:
- Mandatory fortification will lead to irreversible infrastructural and market shifts, including consolidation of corporate power.
- It would harm the vast informal economy of Indian farmers and food processors including local oil and rice mills.
- Serious economic impacts:
- The FSSAI decision will have serious economic impacts on consumers and informal players such as small-time rice millers, cold-press oil mills, farmers and local enterprises who will not be able to make the heavy investments required.
- It would benefit a small group of multinational corporations who will have sway over a ?3,000 crore market.
- Harms the health of consumers:
- Dietary diversity and higher protein consumption are key to solving undernutrition in India, rather than adding a few synthetic micronutrients which could harm the health of consumers.
- Adding one or two synthetic chemical vitamins and minerals will not solve the larger problem, and in undernourished populations can lead to toxicity, including gut inflammation
- Both anaemia and Vitamin A deficiencies are overdiagnosed, meaning that mandatory fortification could lead to hypervitaminosis.
- Dietary diversity and higher protein consumption are key to solving undernutrition in India, rather than adding a few synthetic micronutrients which could harm the health of consumers.
- Conflicts of interest:
- Many of the studies which FSSAI relies on to promote fortification are sponsored by food companies that would benefit from it, leading to conflicts of interest.
- Evidence supporting fortification is inconclusive and certainly not adequate before major national policies are rolled out.
About Food fortification
- Food fortification is defined as the practice of adding vitamins and minerals to commonly consumed foods during processing to increase their nutritional value.
- It is a proven, safe and cost-effective strategy for improving diets and for the prevention and control of micronutrient deficiencies.
- In 2018, FSSAI had notified standards of fortification for five staple product categories — milk, edible oil, rice, flour and salt.
- It has also launched the ‘F+’ logo to be displayed on labels of fortified food products for easy identification by consumers.
- Steps in this direction : The government is implementing a pilot programme across 15 States for iron fortified rice under the public distribution system (PDS), following which, it is likely to decide on extending the programme nationwide.
Advantages
- Eliminate malnutrition and nutritional deficiencies.
- Provides extra nutrition at affordable costs.
- Safe: Fortification is a safe method of improving nutrition among people. The addition of micronutrients to food does not pose a health risk to people.
- Socio-culturally acceptable way: It does not require any changes in the food habits and patterns of people. It is a socio-culturally acceptable way to deliver nutrients to people.
- It can be implemented quickly as well as show results in improvement of health in a relatively short period of time.
- Cost-effective: Food fortification is a cost-effective strategy to improve the nutrition status of populations and it is associated with high economic benefits.
- It requires an initial investment to purchase both the equipment and the vitamin and mineral premix, but overall costs of fortification are extremely low.
Disadvantages
- Low coverage :Only a handful of nutrients are added in the process of fortification.
- Other nutritional deficiencies remain untreated by the process.
- Fail to reach the poorest segments of society : Many times, fortified food products fail to reach the poorest segments of society, who are among the worst section affected with nutritional deficiencies.
- Low purchasing power and a weak distribution channel are responsible for this problem.
- Fortified foods could lead to a nutritional overdose.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
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