What is Food fortification?
- Food fortification or enrichment is the process of adding micronutrients i.e. essential trace elements and vitamins into the food.
- It is an integrated approach to prevent micronutrient deficiencies and complements other approaches to improve health and nutrition.
- Food fortification does not require changes in existing food habits and patterns nor individual compliance.
- It does not alter characteristics of food and is socio-culturally acceptable.
- It can be introduced quickly and can produce nutritional benefits and improve health of people in a short period of time.
- It also safe and cost effective.
- This enrichment process has proven as an effective strategy to meet the nutritional needs of a large number of people across various sections of the society, including the poor and underprivileged, pregnant women and young children.
What is present status of food fortification in India?
- The FSSAI has formulated a ‘Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods) Regulations, 2016’, a comprehensive regulation on fortification of foods in the country.
- These regulations set standard guidelines for food fortification and encourage the production, manufacture, distribution, sale and consumption of fortified foods.
- They also assign specific role of FSSAI in promotion for food fortification and to make fortification mandatory.