By: Sameer Lone
Srinagar: The Jammu and Kashmir government has chosen a ‘Fortified Milky Way’ to address the health related issues among people especially the issue of increasing malnutrition and increasing cases of anemic women.
As per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), the percentage of anemia is very high among women and children including children up to the age of 5 years in India, and the situation is further grim in J&K.
In order to tackle the increasing malnutrition, three milk processing units including operating from IGC, Lassipora Pulwama have initiated the process for fortification of milk with vitamin A and D, with the assistance of FSSAI and Food & Drugs Administration,” officials told Precious Kashmir.
Commissioner Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) said the need for fortification of rice, wheat flour, oil and milk with various micronutrients such as vitamin A and D, vitamin B complex, iron and iodine would to a large extent address various health related issues like anemia and malnutrition.
Furthermore, a similar training has been initiated for the Food Business Operators engaged in processing and manufacturing of milk and milk products with regard to food fortification.
According to the FDA Commissioner interactive sessions have been held with the ground officers and officials of Food and Civil Supplies & Consumer Affairs, Social Welfare, School Education and Health Departments besides Food Business Operators engaged in manufacturing/processing of milk and milk products, rice and wheat flour.
The representatives of various milk processing units were given training about fortification of milk with Vitamin A and D, said an official.
“The fortification will help provide 15-30 percent of the daily requirement for these Vitamins. The milk fortification is a safe and cost effective method for adding nutrients to milk which is consumed by all people and its consumption by children is reasonably high,” he said.
Vitamin A and D that are added to milk help to improve the body’s immunity against infections, improve vision and help to make the bones strong, he added.