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FortificationAn Effective Means of

Addressing Micronutrient Malnutrition

Mr. Satendra Aggarwal, COO – Ruchi Soya Industries Ltd

• Micronutrients are dietary components (vitamins and

minerals) which though required by the body in small

amounts, are vital to development, disease prevention,

and well being. Micronutrients are not produced in the

body and must be derived from the diet.

• Micronutrient deficiency conditions are widespread

among 2 billion people in developing and in developed

countries.

• These are silent epidemics of vitamin and mineral

deficiencies affecting people of all genders and ages, as

well as certain risk groups.

• They not only cause specific diseases, but they act as

exacerbating factors in infectious and chronic diseases,

greatly impacting morbidity, mortality, and quality of life.

What are Micronutrients ?

Micro-

nutrients

Vitamins

Minerals

Organic Acids

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Iron

2 billion at risk

• Iron deficiency, anemia, reduced learning and work capacity, increased maternal and infant mortality, low birth weight.

• Iron is an essential mineral critical for motor and cognitive development.

• Children and pregnant women are especially vulnerable to the consequences of iron deficiency.

Iodine

2 billion at risk

• Goiter, hypothyroidism, iodine deficiency disorders, increased risk of stillbirth, birth defects infant mortality, cognitive impairment.

• Iodine is an essential trace element that is vital for normal growth and development.

• Around 60% of the iodine in the human body is stored in the thyroid gland.

• The health benefits of iodine play a very important role in the normal functioning of the thyroid gland, which secretes thyroid hormones that control the base metabolic rate of the body.

Impact of Micronutrients

Vitamin A

254 million preschool children

• Night blindness, xerophthalmia, increased risk of mortality in children and pregnant women.

• Vitamin A is an important nutrient. Retinal and retinol are referred as preformed Vitamin A.

• It helps in increasing the body’s immunity to fight infections and keeps your eyes and skin, moist.

Vitamin D

Widespread in all age groups

• Rickets, osteomalacia, osteoporosis, colo rectal cancer.

• Vitamin D or calciferol is a fat soluble vitamin.

• It is also called a steroid vitamin which increases the metabolism and absorption of calcium and phosphorus.

Impact of Micronutrients

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• Micronutrient malnutrition has been a persistent problem in India.

• The intake of micronutrients in daily diet is far from satisfactory and 70% of the Indian Population

consumers less than 50% RDA.

• The loss due to micronutrient deficiency costs India 1 percent of its GDP. (This amounts to a loss of Rs.

27,720 crore per annum in terms of productivity, illness, increased health care costs and death)

• Every day, more than 6,000 children below the age of five die in India.

• 50% of above deaths are because of malnutrition-mainly the lack of Vitamin A, iron, iodine, zinc and folic

acid.

• About 57% of preschoolers and their mothers have subclinical Vitamin A deficiency.

• Anemia prevalence among children under five years is 69% and among women it is over 55% in a

recently concluded national study.

The consequences of micronutrient malnutrition are unacceptably high morbidity and mortality.

Source: Micronutrient Malnutrition in India: Let Us Say “No” to it Now

Micronutrients Malnutrition in India

• Food fortification refers to the addition of micronutrients to processed foods. This strategy can lead to

relatively rapid improvements in the micronutrient status of a population, and at a very reasonable cost.

• Since the benefits are potentially large, food fortification can be a very cost-effective public health

intervention.

• However, an obvious requirement is that the fortified food(s) needs to be consumed in adequate amounts

by a large proportion of the target individuals in a population.

• It is also necessary to have access to, and to use, fortificants that are well absorbed yet do not affect the

sensory properties of foods.

• Fortification of food with micronutrients is a valid technology 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 in the diet.

Source: Guidelines on food fortification with micronutrients Edited by Lindsay Allen, Bruno de Benoist,

Omar Dary and Richard Hurrell

Fortification and its Importance

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Cereals and cereal based products – Iodine, Iron Milk and Milk products – Vit

A & Vit D

Fats and oils – Vit A & Vit D

Atta or Wheat Flour/ Soya Flour – Iron, Folic Acid, Vit B12

Infant formulas – Folic acid

Salt – Iodine Beverages & Fruit juices -Calcium

Fortified Foods

• Tie-up with GAIN - MOU between RSIL and CECOEDECON, Indore and IHMR, Jaipur

in 2014 for vitamin A&D fortification. Both the above agencies are providing Vitamin A

& D pre mix to RSIL.

• RSIL is fortifying Nutrela, Mahakosh & Sunrich refined oil nationally since 2014

• RSIL has incorporated GAIN fortification logo on all Mahakosh Soya refined oil packs

from 2014

• RSIL is also communicating the vitamin in its brands and its importance to the

consumers using national mass media – TV/Radio/Press/Outdoor & POP.

Ruchi Soya Industries Limited - Fortification

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Ruchi Soya Industries – Fortified Products

• RSIL has been enriching refined edible oils with Vitamin A & D at 7.5% of RDA per serving.

• Through our wide distribution network, we distribute across the length and breadth of the

country – 5000+ Distributors & 700000+ outlets.

• RSIL brands have helped reduce vitamin deficiency in estimated 12 Mn + families per

month through vitamin fortified refined oils.

• By 2018, we plan to reach out to more than 15 Mn families every month with our vitamin

fortified edible oils.

• There is a huge opportunity to reach out to an additional 15 Mn families through Ruchi

Gold (India’s largest selling Palm edible oil brand) that caters to the bottom of the SEC

pyramid.

• RSIL strongly appeals for continued support on the same terms of Premix availability. RSIL

will bear the cost of processing / capital equipment / advertising & promotional costs.

Way Forward……..

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Thank You