Tag: #rice

Fortification of Rice

Fortification is the addition of key vitamins and minerals such as iron, iodine, zinc, Vitamin A & D to staple foods such as rice, milk and salt to improve their nutritional content.

Fortification of rice is a cost-effective and complementary strategy to increase vitamin and mineral content in diets.

According to FSSAI norms, 1 kg fortified rice will contain iron (28 mg-42.5 mg), folic acid (75-125 microgram) and Vitamin B-12 (0.75-1.25 microgram). In addition micronutrients can also be added, singly or in combination, with zinc, Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3 and Vitamin B6.

Need of Food Fortification?

There is high level of malnutrition among children and women in India. A/c to Food Ministry, every second woman in the country is anemic and every third child is stunted.

India ranks 101 among 116 countries in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2021. In 2020 it was positioned 94th.

Rice is one of India’s staple foods, consumed by about two-thirds of the population. Therefore, fortifying rice with micronutrients is an option to supplement the diet of the poor.

Issues with the Fortification of Rice

  • Inconclusive Evidence:
    • Evidence supporting fortification is inconclusive and certainly not adequate before major national policies are rolled out.
  • Hypervitaminosis:
    • According to some studies published in the medical journal Lancet and in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition which show that both anaemia and Vitamin A deficiencies are overdiagnosed, meaning that mandatory fortification could lead to hypervitaminosis ( a condition of abnormally high storage levels of vitamins, which can lead to various symptoms such as over excitement, irritability, or even toxicity ).
  • Toxicity:
    • Adding one or two synthetic chemical vitamins and minerals will not solve the larger problem, and in undernourished populations can lead to toxicity.
    • A 2010 study that showed iron fortification causing gut inflammation and pathogenic gut microbiota profile in undernourished children.
  • Cartelisation:
    • Mandatory fortification would harm the vast informal economy of Indian farmers and food processors including local oil and rice mills, and instead benefit a small group of multinational corporations.
  • Decrease Value of Natural Food:
    • Once iron-fortified rice is sold as the remedy to anaemia, the value and the choice of naturally iron-rich foods like millets, varieties of green leafy vegetables, flesh foods, liver, to name a few, will have been suppressed.

There are different methods to make rice more nutritious post-harvest: Dusting, Coating, Hot or Warm extrusion.

To have a positive health impact, fortified rice needs to have good:

  • Stability during transport and storage
  • Retention during cooking & preparation
  • Consumer acceptability
  • Absorption by the body of the used micronutrients

Benefits of fortification –

  • Ease of use – this is one of the biggest benefits. As a widely used staple food, it is simple to replace standard rice with fortified rice to boost the nutritional profile of a simple diet.
  • Cost – the specific costs of fortified rice depend on several factors, such as the scale of the operation and the blending ratio of fortified to non-fortified kernels.
  • Consistency for consumers – it looks, cooks, and tastes the same as non-fortified rice.
  • Market differentiation for brands – fortified rice can also be customized for specific needs. It presents a solution for health-conscious consumers looking for new ways to reach specific health benefits.
  • Reducing micronutrient deficiencies for governments and schools

Is rice consumed by humans harmful for parrots?

There is a urban legend that goes – “consuming uncooked rice is harmful for a bird and can even lead to it’s death.” Out of fear of causing harm to flocks, people have stopped throwing rice at weddings. If you are a parrot owner who has been believing in this urban legend so far, it is time to get rid of this misconception and include rice to the diet of your feathered buddy! No one is quite sure how this myth emerged but there is no truth to this notion and on the factual side rice can be cosidered a tasty and nutritious dietary staple. The infamous myth of rice killing birds was based upon the faulty assertion that rice upon consumption consumes all the moisture in a bird’s stomach and henceforth expands and causes tearing, ultimately leading to it’s demise. But the fact is rice after soaking up moisture in a bird’s stomach will expand in a way that will lead to a healthy digestion.
However, the question of focus is – what kind of rice is more preferrable? Raw or cooked? Or how much quantity of rice should you feed your pet parrot?
Rice contains protein, Iron, thiamine, niacine and magnesium that promotes optimal physiological function in birds. Rice is also rice in carbs and helps in providing energy to birds. Technically, birds can be fed both raw and cooked rice. While parrots living in the wild habitat are most likely to consume uncooked rice, one can feed their pet parrot cooked rice. Infact, in many cases it has been observed that parrots after getting a taste of soft and starchy flavour of cooked rice have rejected raw rice. Furthermore, birds with small beaks find it difficult to consume and digest uncooked rice. It is extremely important to keep in mind that under no circumstances, one should feed their parrot fried rice since they can be detrimental to their health. Fried rice contains oil, salt and other ingredients which are unhealthy substances for birds. Excess salts can lead to hardening of arteries and cause heart problems that can be fatal for your parrot. Only pure rice without any additives is considered nutritious for birds. While rice is considered healthy, one shouldn’t force it upon their pets if they refuse to consume rice. Just like humans, your pet bird also has his/her own set of preferences. Therefore, it is advisable that you consult your vet before making any changes to your pet’s diet routine.

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