When said fortified foods, what people think at first is that we are talking about preserved food. Well, that’s not entirely correct.

Food fortification can be used to increase the micronutrient content of foods or to replace nutrients lost in food processing, thus playing a valuable role in preventing dietary deficiencies.

The fortification was initiated in the United States in 1924 when iodine was voluntarily added to salt to reduce the incidence of endemic goitre. As a result, it did I decreased significantly. The FDA established its Food Fortification Policy in 1980. It was guided by 6 basic principles:

1. The nutrient intake without fortification is below the desirable content for a significant portion of the population.
2. The food fortified is consumed in quantities that would contribute to the total intake of the nutrients.
3. The additional nutrient intake resulting from fortification is unlikely to create an imbalance of essential nutrients.
4. The nutrient added is stable under proper conditions of storage and use.
5. The nutrient is physiologically available from the food to which it is being added.
6. There is reasonable assurance that it will not result in potentially toxic intakes.

Annamrita Foundation, keeping in mind the above-mentioned guidelines ensures the utmost quality of these fortified products whenever being used. An FSSAI certified kitchen, we keep a sure check on the nutritional and hygienic value of the food. The mid-day meals provided to our children are well made using the best quality of fortified products making no compromise with the nourishment we provide to our children.

The foundation is very concerned with the health of the school children, for it is the only meal for most of these school children. The poor school children strive even for a square meal of the day. Therefore iodine fortification, Iron fortification and other fortifications to the meals are planned in an ingenious way so that the meals do not lose their flavour and nutrition. Iron fortification through flour, iodine fortification through salt etc and other micronutrient fortifications with due advice from nutritional experts in planning.

A more recent fortification strategy has been the addition of folic acid to flour, primarily in an attempt to reduce neural tube defects. And another one being iron added as an element in the form of non-haem iron for its use in the body can be improved.

Fortification is successful primarily because it does not require consumers to change their behaviours. Governments and industries, however, need to make systematic changes to maximize fortification’s health benefits. FFI helps county leaders promote, plan, implement, and monitor sustainable grain fortification programs.

After all, what’s better than more nutrients!