Families urged to consider fortified rice to improve nutrient supply
Karnataka Health and Family Welfare Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Tuesday urged families to consume fortified rice as much as possible to ensure they get all the necessary nutrients, boost their immunity and stay healthy.
The minister was speaking at an industry workshop titled “Unlocking market potential: Advancing empowered rise in Karnataka” here.
Mr. Gundu Rao said, “With the promotion of millets, we are being told to move away from rice and wheat, which are ingrained grains in our cuisine. It is good to see the infusion of fortified rice as it ensures we get all the necessary nutrients.”
He suggested that with lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and hypertension on the rise, beneficial nutrients in staple foods such as rice could be beneficial.
India consumes approximately 115 million tonnes of rice annually, of which approximately 35 to 40 million tonnes is enriched with Iron, Folic Acid (vitamin B9) and Vitamin B12 and distributed to more than 800 million people, especially pregnant women and malnourished children, under the country’s Public Distribution Systems.
However, according to industry players who spoke at the event, only a tiny fraction of the rice available on the open market is fortified, indicating a huge market potential at present. The fortification process is regulated as per the standards of the Food Safety and Security Authority of India to ensure nutritional stability, quality and safety.
Usharani Dandamundi, food scientist at CSIR-CFTRI Department of Food Safety and Analytical Quality Control Laboratory, highlighted how India is facing a problem of food insecurity. He observed that nearly 60 per cent of Indians face “hidden hunger”, where they do not get essential nutrients from the food they consume.
He noted that excessive consumption of polished rice contributes to many Indians facing deficiencies in essential nutrients such as iron, vitamin A and B12, making many particularly susceptible to diabetes. “Consumers prefer polished white rice because it cooks better and tastes better. But many essential nutrients are lost in the process,” warned Ms Dandamundi.
He also spoke about CSIR-CFTRI’s role in developing and sharing reinforced rice technologies with government agencies and private organizations. He explained that there was a slight yellow color due to the added vitamins. He also emphasized that fortified rice should not be viewed as a perfect substitute for a balanced diet.
Jumbulingappa Hosmani, managing director of Panchamrutha Industries, a Dharward-based miller, said that according to the National Family Health Survey, nearly 67% of children under five years of age, 59% of adolescent girls and 57% of women of reproductive age are anemic.
“Staple foods can play a transformative role in improving public health outcomes,” he said. “While Goa is now the leading consumer of fortified rice, people from many other States are becoming health conscious and preferring fortified rice,” Mr. Hosmani added.
“Rice is consumed by millions of families and is therefore one of the most effective tools for delivering improved nutrition at scale. Scaling up fortified staples in open markets will play a critical role in advancing nutrition security,” said Abhishek Shukla, country program manager, Millers for Nutrition India.
Millers for Nutrition is an industry-led global coalition founded in 2023 focused on combating malnutrition through large-scale food fortification in eight countries (India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Tanzania, Kenya, Nigeria and Ethiopia).
Millers for Nutrition is currently working on 180 food grains in India, including rice, wheat and edible oil supplement; This is the process of adding additional fiber, nutrients, and vitamins to a staple food.
It was published – 29 May 2026 01:09 IST
