Food fortification is the practice of adding essential vitamins and minerals to food during processing to improve its nutritional quality and overall health benefits. It is a safe and cost-effective approach to addressing micronutrient deficiencies, particularly in populations where diets lack essential nutrients due to limited access to diverse food sources or deficiencies in the staple foods themselves.
Impacts of food fortifications:
Recent studies published in the medical journal Lancet show that both anaemia and Vitamin A deficiencies are over diagnosed.
Fortified foods and supplements can pose specific risks for people who are taking prescription medications, including decreased absorption of other micro nutrients, treatment failure, and increased mortality risk.
Undernourishment in India is caused by monotonous cereal-based diets. Adding one or two synthetic chemical vitamins and minerals will not solve the larger problem, and in undernourished populations can lead to toxicity. eg. A 2010 study that showed iron fortification causing gut inflammation and pathogenic gut microbiota profile in undernourished children.
Fortification and enrichment upset nature's packaging. Our body does not absorb individual nutrients added to processed foods as efficiently compared to nutrients naturally occurring.
Supplements added to foods are less bioavailable. Bioavailability refers to the proportion of a nutrient your body is able to absorb and use.
The need of food fortifications
Benefits:
Health
- Nutrition intake: If consumed on a regular and frequent basis, fortified foods will maintain body stores of nutrients more efficiently and more effectively than will intermittently supplement. eg. The biofortified crops have 1.5 to 3 times higher levels of protein. vitamins, minerals and amino acids compared to the traditional varieties.
- It does not alter the characteristics of the food like the taste, aroma or the texture of the food
- Fortification of food with micronutrients is a valid method for reducing micronutrient malnutrition as part of a food-based approach when and where existing food supplies and limited access fail to provide adequate levels of the respective nutrients.
- Fortified foods are also better at lowering the risk of the multiple deficiencies that can result from seasonal deficits in the food supply or a poor-quality diet.
Economic
- This method is cost-effective especially if advantage is taken of the existing technology and delivery platforms. eg. The Copenhagen Consensus estimates that every 1 Rupee spent on fortification results in 9 Rupees in benefits to the economy.
- Even when all program costs are passed on to consumers, the price increase is approximately 1-2%, less than normal price variation.
Policy level
- Change the nutrients or added to staple foods that are widely consumed, this is an excellent method to improve the health of a large section of the population, all at once.
- Fortification does not require any changes in food habits and patterns of people.
- It can be implemented quickly as well as show results in improvement of health in a relatively short period of time.
- It is estimated that through programmes like rice fortification, benefits could reach around 180 million beneficiaries and if extended to the PDS, the fortifying foods could benefit close to 800 million people.
Contradiction
Social:
- A specific fortified foodstuff might not be consumed by all members of a target population. While, everyone in the population is exposed to the increased levels of micronutrients in food, whether they need it or not.
- Infants and young children, who consume relatively small amounts of food are less likely to fulfil their recommended micronutrients from universally fortified staples alone.
- Fortified foods often fail to reach the poorest segments of the general population due to their low purchasing power and an underdeveloped distribution channel.
- While fortified foods contain increased amounts of selected micronutrients, they are not a substitute for a good quality diet that supplies adequate amounts of energy, protein, essential fats and other food constituents required for optimal health.
Economy
- Although more cost-effective than other strategies, there are nevertheless significant costs associated with the food fortification process, which might limit the implementation and effectiveness of food fortification programmes in developing country like India.
- Mandatory fortification would harm the vast informal economy of Indian farmers and food processors including local oil and rice mills, and instead benefit a small group of multinational corporations who will have sway over a Rs.3,000 crore market.
- It is noted that the studies which FSSAI relies on to promote fortification are sponsored by food companies who would benefit from it, leading to conflicts of interest.
Overall, food fortification is a safe and effective way to improve the nutritional quality of the food supply and to prevent micronutrient deficiencies. It is an important public health strategy that can have a significant impact on the health of populations around the world.