Centre issues specifications for Fortified Rice Kernels
- Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) under Ministry of Consumer Afffairs uniform specifications for Fortified Rice Kernels (FRK) for grade A & Common Rice.
- 1% of FRK (w/w) should be blended with normal rice stock.
- The Uniform specifications has been issued for Central Pool procurement for the ensuing Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2020-21.
Fortification
- Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), that sets standards for food items in the country, defines the fortification as “deliberately increasing the content of essential micronutrients in a food so as to improve the nutritional quality of food and to provide public health benefit with minimal risk to health”.
Rice Fortification norm
- According to the FSSAI norms, 1 kg fortified rice shall contain:
- Iron (28mg-42.5mg)
- Folic acid (75-125 microgram) and
- Vitamin B-12 (0.75-1.25 microgram).
- In addition, rice may also be fortified with micronutrients, singly or in combination, at the level – Zinc(10mg-15mg), Vitamin A (500-750 microgram RE), Vitamin B1 (1mg-1.5mg), Vitamin B2 (1.25mg-1.75mg), Vitamin B3 (12.5mg-20mg) and Vitamin B6 (1.5mg-2.5mg) per Kg.
Fortified rice kernels
- These are either coated rice kernels or extruded rice-shaped kernels prepared with a mix of vitamins and minerals.
- Sometimes a powdery blend of nutrients is dusted onto unfortified rice, but this is only useful in countries where consumers do not wash rice before cooking it.