Lok Sabha Question No. 151 (STARRED), answered on 2017-03-10
Subject: Food Fortification
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Shrirang Appa Barne, DHARMENDRA YADAV

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 151 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 10 TH MARCH, 2017 FOOD FORTIFICATION

## *151. SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE: SHRI DHARMENDRA YADAV:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a)  whether  the  Food  Safety  and  Standards  Authority  of  India  (FSSAI) launched the Food Fortification Resource Centre (FFRC) to promote large sc fortification of food across India and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether there is a critical nutritional gap in the Indian diet in gene as in specific target groups and if so, the reasons therefor;
- (c)  whether  FSSAI  has  fixed  certain  nutritional  benchmarks  to  fortify e nutritional quality of food items used in various social sector programmes so, the details thereof and the monitoring mechanism established in this r
- (d) whether packaged fortified food, which showed remarkable result in tre Severe Acu te Malnutrition (SAM) in Africa, has proved less effective in t conducted in India and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether FSSAI, which is addressing the nutritional gap in the populat through fortification of various foods, has now constituted a scientific 'Food Fortification and Nutrition' to take the programme further and if details thereof?

## ANSWER TH E MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE ( SHRI JAGAT PRAKASH NADDA )

- (a)to ( e):  A statement is laid on the Table of the House

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 151* FOR 10 TH MARCH, 2017

- (a) The Food Fortification Resource Centre (FFRC)  launched by FSSAI aims to promote large scale food fortification across the country through (i) creating a  rallying  point  through  setting  standards  for  fortified  foods  for  commodities; (ii)  monitoring,  testing  and  capacity  building;  (iii)  building  consensus  among stakeholders; (iv) preparing the supply side by providing technical support to food  businesses;  (v)  implementing  fortification  in  government  programmes; and (vi) creating consumer awareness about the benefits of fortification.
- (b) The National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau (NNMB) report (2012), assessed that consumption of vitamins and minerals was lower than the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA), in preschool children and adults.  Factors such as decreased  intake  of  food, poverty leading  to  low  purchasing  power, poor dietary  practices  due  to  lack  of  knowledge  about  importance  of  dietary diversification  and  physiological  needs,  etc.    contribute  to  availability  of  less nutritional diet to Indian population.
- (c) FSSAI,  has  operationalized  Food  Safety  and  Standards  (Fortification  of Food) Regulations,  2016 with effect from October 16, 2016  including standards for fortification of Wheat flour, Maida, Rice, Milk, Oil, Salt, etc. with vitamins and minerals which may also be used under social sector programmes.  The  implementation  of  the  Food  Safety  and  Standards  Act, 2006, primarily rests with State/UT Governments.
- (d)  A  trial  was  conducted  in  India  by  the  Department  of  Biotechnology,  in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to evaluate the impact of three Feeding Regimens which included centrally-produced Ready-to-use Therapeutic foods (RTUF-C), locally-produced  Ready-to-use  Therapeutic  foods  (RTUF-L)  and  a  regimen

using augmented home prepared foods (A-HPF) on the recovery of children from  uncomplicated  Severe  Acute  Malnutrition.  The  outcome  of  the  study showed that the recovery rates overall (all the three sites) was 43% in A-HPE, 48% in RUTF-C and 57% in RUTL-L. (e) FSSAI has constituted a Scientific Panel on Fortified and Enriched Food consisting of 11 members to (i) identify critical nutritional gaps in Indian diet in general population as well as in specific target groups based on diet surveys and  credible  scientific  evidence;  (ii)define  strategies  to  address  nutritional needs of the general population and vulnerable groups; (iii) consider suitability of different food vehicles and  related technological issues for nutrient fortification;  (iv)  prescribe  safe  fortification  levels  in  accordance  with  the Recommended Daily Allowances (RDAs) and Tolerable Upper Limits (TULs) of nutrients; (v) evaluate fortification proposals from industry using modern risk assessment  methods  for  population  in  general  and  vulnerable  groups  in particular; (vi) review and amend Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods) Regulations for fortification and enrichment of different foods from time to  time;  and  (ix)  prescribe  standard  sampling  and  test  methods  for  effective monitoring, surveillance and enforcement of the fortification regulations;

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