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Regulations on food fortification in India
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Wednesday, 15 December, 2021, 12 : 00 PM [IST]
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Sushama P S & Mukul Sain
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As per Copenhagen Consensus (2008), fortification with micronutrients is ranked as one of the top three international development priorities by a consortium of economists. Fortification continues to be a promising, scientifically proven, and cost-effective food-based strategy to overcome micronutrient deficiency, especially amongst women and children.
Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), being the food regulatory body in India, defines fortification as deliberately increasing the content of essential micronutrients in food to improve the nutritional quality of food and provide public health benefit with minimum risk to health.
Under Section 92 of the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act 2006, FSSAI is granted the power to make regulations. The regulations for food fortification came into force on August 2, 2018 called the Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods) Regulations 2018, thereby bringing all operational standards concerned to it under one umbrella.
It might seem that this food-based strategy is a novel idea in India concerning its recent instigate, but its history dates back to 1953 when the fortification of Vanaspati hydrogenated edible oil with vitamin A & D; and iodisation of salt in 1962 was mandated for the implementation of National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Control Programme.
FSSAI has established the Food Fortification Resource Centre (FFRC), to promote food fortification as a supplementary strategy on a large scale. It acts as a resource hub and collaborates with numerous stakeholders to help with the execution of Ministry of Women and Child Development and Ministry of Human Resource Development directives.
Initially, in 2018 fortification standards were notified for five Staples - Salt with iodine or iodine and iron in combination, Vegetable oil and milk with Vitamin A & D, Flours (Atta and Maida), and Rice when fortified, with iron, folic acid and Vitamin B-12 in combination and the optional addition of- Zinc, Vitamin B1, B2, B3, B6 singly or in combination. Heme iron is not permitted to be added as a source of iron. Later on, with the advent of three amendments to this regulation in 2020 and 2021, standards for Milk powder similar to Fortified milk; Multigrain Atta similar to Fortified Atta; and certain Processed food products like Cereal products (Breakfast cereals, Pasta, and Noodles), Bakery wares (bread, biscuits, rusks, and buns) with iron, folic acid, and Vitamin B-12, and fruit juices with Vitamin C has also been included.
Further, it is notified that the raw materials in fortified processed food may contain fortified staples and/or be fortified with the permissible level of micronutrients and additives specified under the Food Safety and Standards (Food Product Standards) Food Additives) Regulation 2011. However, fortification of Vanaspati and processed food products that are high in fat, salt, and sugar are excluded from the ambit of this regulation. In addition, Food Business Operators (FBOs), need to provide an undertaking concerning quality assurance twice a year.
Moreover, it does not limit the FBOs from adding nutrients to the food other than those mentioned; it can be done under the Proprietary food category in quantities not exceeding one RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance), of the respective micronutrient.
With the exception of public systems like Integrated Child Development Service, Mid Day Meal Scheme, and Public Distribution System, food fortification is not mandatory; it remains a voluntary choice for the FBOs. But when one claims it to be fortified, it is necessary to comply with the standards prescribed in addition to that to protect the interest of the consumers.
Unlike traditional salts like rock salt/ pink salt/black salt, as per the provisions of Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restriction on sales), iodization of common (white) salt remains a mandate; and also for those products where the addition of certain micronutrients is specified as a mandatory requirement under FSS regulations.
In January 2021, FSSAI proposed mandates on fortifying edible oil and milk with vitamin A and D. Moreover, fortification of rice with iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12 has been announced to be made mandatory in all social safety net schemes by 2024 to address the issue of anemia. Globally, several countries like Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, the Philippines, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, and the USA have already mandated rice fortification.
For effective implementation of this strategy, consumer education is required. The regulation has mandated the inclusion of a consumer education component, +F logo along with the words fortified with (name of the fortificant) and under that may also carry a tag line Sampoorna Poshan SwasthJ eevan, on food packaging to identify such food in the market. Iodized salt is, however, exempted from such labeling requirements.
Likewise, as per the recent amendment in force from August 27, 2021. Foods fortified with iron shall carry an additional declaration on the pack ‘People with Thalassemia may take under medical supervision, and persons with Sickle Cell Anaemia are advised not to consume iron-fortified food products’. It shall also comply with Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labeling) Regulations 2011. Health claims can be made on fortified food articles for various added micronutrients as per Schedule IV of Food Safety and Standards (Advertising and Claims) Regulation 2018.
The regulation also addresses the concerns of vegetarians by permitting the use of only plant-based fortificant; it specifically states that the source of Vitamin D is solely from plants.
The dosages added to the staples shall be expressed in metric units and are hereby fine-tuned to provide only 30-50% of one’s daily requirement to avoid adverse effects. For the purpose of compliance and analysis, the tolerance limit of minus 10% of the declared total value may be allowed, provided that the maximum limit of added micronutrients is met.
As per the FFRC brochure (April 2020), 80 brands of fortified wheat flour, 55 of fortified milk, 12 brands of fortified wheat flour, 2 of fortified rice, 8 brands of double fortified salt are available in the open market with +F endorsement. Some available Indian brands in the category of Fortified wheat flour includes Pillsbury, Golden Harvest; Double Fortified Salt –Ankur, Sungold Plus, Patanjali Salt; Fortified Rice –Daawat Sehat Mogra, Lohitha; Fortified Milk-, Milma, Nandini, Vijaya, G-Fresh, and Edible oil includes Cargill, Gold winner, Kamani, Mother Dairy-Dhara, Adani-Wimar Fortune, Patanjali.
Effective implementation of this regulation, with regular review and monitoring of the standards, maintenance of proper supply and demand of such foods, and the micronutrient profiling of the population, will have positive implications in society and aid to achieve the target of Kuposhan Mukt Bharat by 2022.
(Sushama belongs to Dairy Chemistry Division, ICAR-NDRI, Karnal. Sain belongs to Dairy Engineering Division, ICAR-NDRI, Karnal. They can be reached at mukulsain95@gmail.com)
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