Punjab govt issues advisory on milk fortification

CHANDIGARH

CHANDIGARH

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Amid high prevalence of vitamin A and D deficiency in state’s population, the Punjab government has issued an advisory to all milk processing plants on milk fortification as per the Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods) Regulations, 2016, said Tandarust Mission director KS Pannu.

Pannu said food fortification was a scientifically proven, cost-effective, scalable and sustainable global intervention to address the issue of micronutrient deficiencies. In October 2016, FSSAI operationalised the Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods) Regulations, 2016, for fortifying many staples, including milk, to reduce the high burden of micronutrient malnutrition in the country.

In a statement, the Tandarust Mission director said the “+F” logo had also been notified to identify fortified foods. As per the provisions of Schedule-I of the Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods) Regulations, 2016, it has been advised that milk (toned, double toned, skimmed milk or standardised milk) should be fortified with micronutrients , at the level of Vitamin A 270 μg RE - 450 μg RE and Vitamin D 5 μg -7.5 μg.

“Since population in Punjab is suffering from acute deficiency of vitamin D and A, milk fortification is required essentially to address such micronutrient deficiencies. Therefore, all milk processing plants in the state selling packaged liquid milk have been requested to start the fortification of milk,” he added. He said that all the food safety officers were also directed to bring the matter to the notice of all milk processing plants engaged in sale of packaged liquid milk to public. Punjab has 50 milk plants with maximum being 14 in Amritsar district, followed by 8 in Ludhiana.