Families were urged to consider fortified rice to improve nutrient supply

Karnataka Health and Family Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Tuesday urged families to consume fortified rice whenever possible to ensure they get all the required nutrients, boost immunity and stay healthy.

The Minister was speaking at an industry workshop titled ‘Unleashing Market Potential: Advancing Fortified Rise in Karnataka’ here.

Mr. Gundu Rao said, “With the promotion of millets, we have been told to move away from rice and wheat, grains that are very much ingrained in our cuisine. It is good to see the inculcation of fortified rice as it ensures that we get all the required nutrients.”

He suggested that with the rise of civilizational diseases such as diabetes and hypertension, it would be beneficial to include beneficial nutrients in staple foods such as rice.

India consumes around 115 million tons of rice annually, of which about 35 to 40 million tons of rice is fortified 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 system.

However, according to industry players who spoke at the event, only a very small portion of the rice available in the open market is fortified, indicating a huge market potential at present. The fortification process is regulated under Food Safety and Security Authority of India standards to ensure nutrient stability, quality and safety.

Usharani Dandamundi, a food scientist at the Food Safety and Analytical Quality Control Laboratory at CSIR-CFTRI, highlighted how India is facing the problem of nutrient deficiency. Around 60% of Indians faced “hidden hunger”, where they are not getting the necessary nutrients from the food they consume, she noted.

Eating over-polished rice, she noted, contributed to many Indians facing deficiencies in essential nutrients such as iron, vitamin A and B12, which in particular led to many being prone to diabetes. “The consumer prefers polished white rice because it cooks well and tastes better. But a lot of essential nutrients are lost in this process,” Ms. Dandamundi warned.

In addition, she also spoke about CSIR-CFTRI’s role in developing and sharing fortified rice technologies with government organizations and private entities. She explained that the slight yellow color is due to the added vitamins. She also emphasized that fortified rice should not be considered a perfect substitute for a balanced diet.

According to the National Family Health Survey, about 67% of children under five, 59% of adolescent girls and 57% of women of reproductive age are anemic, said Jumbulingappa Hosmani, managing director of Panchamrutha Industries, a Dharward-based miller.

“Essential foods can play a transformative role in improving public health outcomes,” he said. “Goa is now a major consumer of fortified rice while people from many other states are becoming health conscious and looking at fortified rice,” added Mr. Hosmani.

Abhishek Shukla, India Program Manager, Millers for Nutrition, said: “Rice is consumed by millions of families and is therefore one of the most effective means of delivering improved nutrition at scale. Scaling up fortified ingredients in open markets will play a critical role in improving nutrition security.”

Millers for Nutrition is an industry-led global coalition launched in 2023 focused on fighting 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 enrichment, which is the process of adding additional fiber, nutrients and vitamins to the base ingredients.

Published – 29 May 2026 01:09 IST