Supply fortified staples to fight morbidity, say experts
March 07, 2021
Micronutrients lacking in PDS contents
The Public Distribution System is largely grain-focussed (rice and wheat) and does not provide adequate protein and micronutrients such as Vitamin A and D, according to experts speaking at an event organised here last week.
The Karnataka Health Promotion Trust (KHPT) and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) in collaboration with the Food Safety Division, Kerala, had jointly organised the brainstorming session.
Food certification beneficial
Highlighting the benefits of food fortification and urgent need for its widespread adoption, they noted that many beneficiaries of food programmes are too poor to buy protein-rich foods, leafy vegetables, and fruits that provide micronutrients. Fortification is a proven, cost-effective scientific solution that can be scaled up.