Define Fortification to prevention of iron deficiency anaemia?
Food fortification is one of the alternatives that ensure consumption of the nutrient regularly in daily diet. Fortification is addition of iron to food items that are regularly consumed by at-risk groups of population. However, the food item should be: centrally produced, inexpensive, consumed in uniform quantities daily, and should not alter either the cooking quality of the food item or the taste or colour of the food. At present, of all the food items, salt satisfies these criteria and, hence, could be a suitable vehicle for fortification with iron. Studies conducted at the National Institute of Nutrition clearly indicate the feasibility of fortification of salt as a simple method to prevent and control iron deficiency anaemia. Other food items that are being fortified are wheat flour and breakfast cereals, Infant weaning foods are also fortified with iron, as milk is a poor source of iron. The national nutrition policy recommends implementation of food fortification as a method of control of anaemia. Since iodized salt is already being distributed in different parts of the country, the technology of fortification of salt with both iodine and iron has been successfully developed.