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The Food Safety and Standards Authority India set to mandate fortification of edible oil and milk

Within the next four months, the Food Safety and Standards Authority India (FSSAI) will require large-scale manufacturers and producers to begin fortifying edible oil and milk with vitamins A and D.

In the future, the governmental regulatory body will pursue a mandatory fortification process for wheat, rice, and salt. The fortification of wheat and rice will incorporate iron, folic acid and vitamin B12. Fortified salt will contain increased levels of iodine.

Foods that will be fortified under this new law are required to maintain a range of the specified nutrient that is between 30% and 50% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). These new regulations will not apply to small businesses like farmers selling direct-to-consumer, according to FSSAI Director Inoshi Sharma.

Today in India, the government mandates the fortification of foods served in the country’s public food distribution systems such as schools or governmental food assistance programs. Although this has been the standard for government-provided food since 2018, the private sector has only begun to follow suit and provide fortification to certain products.

Annapurna and Pillsbury both fortify the wheat flour used in consumer packaged goods sold in India, and Daawat does the same for rice. The TATA brand fortifies its salt, and the company Freedom boosts the nutritional profile of its oils.

To encourage the continued expansion of the number of products that are fortified above and beyond the incoming governmental regulations, the FSSAI will begin providing a F+ certification to brands. Qualifying brands that are eligible for an F+ license may also petition the FSSAI for a logo that can be featured on their packaging to alert consumers to the augmented nutritional value in their products.