Lok Sabha Question No. 1655 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-27
Subject: Implementation of Fortification Programme
Ministry: CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION
Asked by: Shashi Tharoor

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION DEPARTMENT OF FOOD AND PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1655 TO BE ANSWERED ON 27 TH  JULY, 2022

## IMPLEMENTATION OF FORTIFICATION PROGRAMME

1655.  DR. SHASHI THAROOR:

Will  the  Minister  of  CONSUMER  AFFAIRS,  FOOD  AND  PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION उपभोᲦा मामले , खा᳒ और सावᭅजिनक िवतरण मंᮢी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Ministry  has  implemented  rice,  milk  and  edible  oil fortification programme in India;
- (b) if so, the details of nutritional supplements added in quantity as part of the fortification programme;
- (c) whether there has been an increase in price in Rs./kg or Rs./litre due to the nutritional fortification of the rice, milk and edible oil and if so, the details of the cost borne on the exchequer and citizens, if any;
- (d) whether the  Ministry  has  recorded  data  on  the  number  of  mills,  oil processing  units  and  dairy  processing  units  that  are  currently  providing fortified rice, milk and edible oil respectively and if so, the details thereof; and

(e) whether supplying fortified consumables shall be made mandatory for all mills, milk processing units and oil processing units and if so, whether the  non-complying  units  shall  be  deemed  illegal  and  the  punishment prescribed thereof?

A N S W E R MINISTER OF STATE FOR MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT AND CONSUMER AFFAIRS, FOOD & PUBLIC DISTRIBUTION (SADHVI NIRANJAN JYOTI)

- (a):    Government has approved supply of fortified rice across Government Schemes  like  Targeted  Public  Distribution  System  (TPDS)  and  Other Welfare Schemes (OWS) throughout the country by 2024.

- (b):   The Food Safety Standards (Fortification of Foods) Regulations, 2018 specifies standards of fortification of milk, edible oil, wheat flour, rice and double fortified salt. The details of micronutrients added in fortified rice, fortified milk and fortified edible oil is at Annexure.

(c):   Fortified rice distributed under Government Schemes is available for beneficiaries at the same rate as that of non-fortified rice.

(d):   As reported by FSSAI, a Food Business Operator producing fortified staples has to apply for +F endorsement on FoSCoS portal of FSSAI and get approval.  The  number  of  active  manufacturers,  producing  fortified  rice, milk and edible oil are:

Dairy Processing Units:Milk- 117 Milk Powder- 35

Edible Oil Unit:- 189

Rice Units:- 4530

(e): At present, the fortification of Milk and Oil is voluntary in the country. Every package of fortified food shall carry the words 'fortified with ---------(name  of  the  fortificant)'  and  the  logo,  specified  in  Schedule-  II  of  The Food  Safety  Standards  (Fortification  of  Foods)  Regulations,  2018,  on  its label.  It  may  also  carry  a  tag  line  'Sampoorna  Poshan  Swasth  Jeevan' under the logo.

*****

## ANNEXURE  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PART  (b)  OF  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1655 FOR ANSWER ON 27.07.2022

## Standards for fortified staples

A. Fortified Rice :  when fortified, must contain added Iron, Folic Acid and Vitamin B12 at the levels given in the table below:

| S. No.   | Nutrient                                                                                        | Level of Fortification per Kg   |
|----------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
| 1.       | Iron - (a) Ferric pyrophosphate                                                                 | 28 mg - 42.5 mg*                |
|          | (b) Sodium Iron (III) Ethylene diamine tetra Acetate, Trihydrate (Sodium Feredetate-Na Fe EDTA) | 14 mg - 21.25 mg                |
| 2.       | Folic acid - Folic acid;                                                                        | 75 µg - 125 µg                  |
| 3.       | Vitamin B12- cyanocobalamin or hydroxocobalamin;                                                | 0.75 µg - 1.25 µg               |

In addition, rice may also be fortified with following micronutrients, singly or in combination, at the level given in the table below:

|   S. No. | Nutrient                                                               | Level of Fortification per kg   |
|----------|------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|        1 | Zinc - Zinc Oxide                                                      | 10 mg - 15 mg                   |
|        2 | Vitamin A- RetinylPalmitate;                                           | 500 μg RE - 750 µg RE           |
|        3 | Thiamine (Vitamin B1)- Thiamine hydrochloride, Thiamine mononitrate;   | 1 mg - 1.5 mg                   |
|        4 | Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)- Riboflavin or Riboflavin 5'- phosphate sodium | 1.25 mg - 1.75 mg               |
|        5 | Niacin (Vitamin B3) - Nicotinamide or Nicotinic acid                   | 12.5 mg - 20 mg                 |
|        6 | Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6)-Pyridoxine hydrochloride;                      | 1.5 mg - 2.5 mg                 |

## B. Fortified Milk

|   S. No. | Nutrients         | Level of nutrient per litre of Species identified milk (namely buffalo milk, cow milk, goat milk, sheep milk and camel milk)/ full cream milk/toned milk/double toned milk/skimmed milk/standardized milk)   | Nutrient Source                                              |
|----------|-------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Vitamin A (µg RE) | 270 - 450                                                                                                                                                                                                    | Retinyl acetate or Retinylpalmitate                          |
|        2 | Vitamin D (µg)    | 5-7.5                                                                                                                                                                                                        | *Cholecalciferol or*Ergocalciferol (*Only from Plant source) |

Note: Vitamin A (retinol): 1 IU= 0.3 µg RE (Retinol Equivalent); Vitamin D (Cholecalciferol or Ergocalciferol): 1 IU= 0.025 µg

## C. Fortified Edible Oil

|   S. No. | Nutrients         | Level of nutrient per gram of oil   | Nutrient Source                                              |
|----------|-------------------|-------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Vitamin A (µg RE) | 6-9.9                               | Retinyl acetate or Retinylpalmitate                          |
|        2 | Vitamin D (µg)    | 0.11-0.16                           | *Cholecalciferol or*Ergocalciferol (*Only from Plant source) |

Note: Vitamin A (retinol): 1 IU= 0.3 µg RE (Retinol Equivalent); Vitamin D (Cholecalciferol or Ergocalciferol): 1 IU= 0.025 µg

*****