Karnataka’s Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Tuesday urged families to consume fortified rice whenever possible to ensure that they get all required nutrients, boost their immunity and stay healthy.

The Minister was speaking at an industry workshop titled “Unlocking market potential: advancing fortified rise in Karnataka” here.

Mr. Gundu Rao said, “With the promotion of millets, we are being told to move away from rice and wheat, the grains that are very much ingrained in our cuisine. It is good to see the inculcation of fortified rice, as it ensures that we get all the required nutrients.”

He suggested that with the rise of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, including beneficial nutrients in staples like rice would be beneficial.

India consumes around 115 million tonnes of rice annually of which some 35 to 40 million tonnes of rice are fortified with Iron, Folic Acid (vitamin B9), and Vitamin B12 and distributed to over 800 million people mainly to pregnant women and malnourished children under the country’s Public Distribution Systems.

However, according to industry players who spoke at the event, only a very small portion of rice available in the open market is fortified currently indicating a huge market potential. The fortification process is regulated under the standards of the Food Safety and Security Authority of India to ensure nutrient stability, quality, and safety.

Usharani Dandamundi, a food scientist at the Department of Food Safety and Analytical Quality Control Laboratory at the CSIR-CFTRI, highlighted how India faces a problem of nutrient insecurity. About 60% of Indians faced “hidden hunger”, where they do not get the required nutrients from the food they consume, she observed.

On consuming overly polished rice, she noted that it has contributed to many Indians facing deficiencies in essential nutrients, such as iron, vitamin A, and B12, which has particularly led to many being susceptible to diabetes. “The consumer prefers polished white rice because it cooks well and tastes better. But in the process, many essential nutrients are lost,” Ms. Dandamundi cautioned.

Additionally, she also spoke on the role of the CSIR-CFTRI in developing and sharing fortified rice technologies with government organisations and private entities. She explained that the slight yellow hue occurs due to the added vitamins. She also stressed that the fortified rice should not be viewed as a perfect replacement for a balanced diet.

Jumbulingappa Hosmani, managing director, Panchamrutha Industries, a Dharward-based miller, said as per National Family Health Survey, approximately 67% of children under five, 59% of adolescent girls and 57% of women of reproductive age are anemic.

“Staple foods can play a transformative role in improving public health outcomes,” he said. “Goa is the lead consumer of fortified rice now, while people from many other States are becoming health conscious and looking at fortified rice,” Mr. Hosmani added.

Abhishek Shukla, country programme manager, India, Millers for Nutrition, said, “Rice is consumed by millions of families and therefore it is one of the most effective vehicles for delivering improved nutrition at scale. Scaling fortified staples in the open markets will play a critical role in advancing nutrition security.”

Millers for Nutrition is an industry-led, global coalition launched in 2023 that focuses on combatting malnutrition through large-scale food fortification in eight countries: India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria and Ethiopia.

Millers for Nutrition is currently working on 180 millers in India including rice, wheat and edible oil fortification, a process of adding additional nutrients and vitamins to a staple.

(With inputs from Anahita Belwariar)