Hyderabad, July 16
The scientists at the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) here have developed a technology for double fortification of salt with iodine and iron, a feat that can help effectively tackle the problem of anaemia in the country. It took nearly two decades of research for the NIN scientists to develop the formulation and complete the required tests for safety and efficacy. “We have supplied the technology free of cost to some of the leading salt manufacturers. We hope that the iron fortified iodised salt will be available across the country in a couple of months,” the NIN Director Dr B. Sesikeran told The Tribune in an interview.

Impressed by the technology that can boost the measures to tackle malnutrition, the Prime Minister’s Office has decided to promote the Double Fortified Salt (DFS) in the ICDS programmes and public distribution system schemes. All the states have been asked to promote consumption of iron-fortified, iodised salt. With a high prevalence of anaemia in the country, iron-fortified iodised salt could serve as an effective tool to bring down the levels of malnutrition, particularly among adolescent girls, women and children, the director of NIN said. Anaemia is caused by inadequate intake and poor absorption of iron. It can be prevented and cured by promoting consumption of iron-rich foods and iron supplements.

In the absence of adequate iron, the haemoglobin levels will come down, thereby the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood will be adversely affected. This will result in decreased physical and mental growth and scholastic performance. “Iron-deficiency anaemia” (IDA) is a major cause of death of mothers during child birth and also contributes to the births of babies with less than ideal birth weight.

At present, this problem is being tackled through supplementation with iron and folic acid tablets. A better approach would be to provide iron through food. “A major challenge before us while developing the DFS technology was to ensure that iodine levels are not lost because of the presence of iron. So, extensive research was done to inhabitate a stabiliser so that this does not happen,” Sesikeran explained. The formulation, developed by NIN researchers, was subjected to extensive field trials and tested among schoolchildren through the mid-day meal scheme. “By consuming DFS regularly, the iron status of our population will improve in the coming years. The haemoglobin levels of the entire population would also go up gradually,” the Director said. The DFS salt has a shelf life of about one year.