Nearly two thirds of the world's population suffers from iron deficiency. The primary cause of these and other types of micronutrient malnutrition is inadequate dietary intake. The resulting fortified product has the same taste and texture as regular rice.
Plans are already underway for trials in Brazil, Indonesia, and the Philippines.
Rice is a staple for more than half of the world's population, and vitamin A, iron, and other micronutrient deficiencies in children are most common in countries where people's primary food source is rice. Previous attempts to spray fortificants on rice grains have not been successful. Broken rice is ground into flour, converted to dough, mixed with fortificants and a binding matrix, extruded, and dried. The highly fortified kernels are later added to normal rice at ratios appropriate to local patterns of food consumption. Home Bringing innovations in health and learning to the global community.