Healthcare

<p style="text-align: justify;">Iron deficiency anaemia is still regarded as a severe public health concern. Various strategies are getting deployed by stakeholders to address this problem. One most commonly followed, and universally accepted approach is large-scale food fortification (LSFF).&nbsp;</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Commonly consumed staples like rice, salt, wheat, and maize flours have proved to be the best vehicles for delivery of essential micronutrients like Iron, Vitamin A, Folic Acid and Vitamin B12.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">These micronutrients are &nbsp;added to staples on a mandatory/voluntary basis. Several sources of iron forms are being used in these fortification projects. However, not all of them have shown to be effective.&nbsp;</p><h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Reasons and Challenges Associated with Iron Fortification</span></h3><p style="text-align: justify;">There are many challenges to iron fortification. However, the most common one is the incompatibility of nutrient forms.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Iron fortification has its associated challenges, which include discoloration and organoleptic changes. Encapsulation of iron compounds for food fortification has the potential to help overcome several significant challenges in iron fortification of foods.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">Water-soluble iron compounds often cause adverse organoleptic changes in foods. Encapsulation of these compounds has greatly improved their stability in the final food matrix.&nbsp;</p><h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Encapsulation can provide a wide range of functionality to iron powders such as :</span></h3><ul><li style="text-align: justify;">Protecting it from air oxidation and moisture.</li><li style="text-align: justify;">Controlling its release</li><li style="text-align: justify;">Enhancing shelf life without using preservatives</li><li style="text-align: justify;">Masking smell or taste</li></ul><p>&nbsp;</p><p><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><em>This article was contributed by our expert Pankaj Nemade.</em></span></p><h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Frequently Asked Questions Answered by Pankaj Nemade</span></h3><h2><span style="font-size: 12pt;">1. What is the importance of food fortification?</span></h2><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">It is the process of adding minerals and various vitamins to common staple foods at the time of processing to increase their nutritional value. This strategy helps in improving diets and prevents micronutrient deficiencies in the general public.</span></p><h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">2. What is encapsulation in food processing?</span></h2><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Iron fortification has its associated challenges, which include discoloration and organoleptic changes. Encapsulation of iron compounds for food fortification has the potential to help overcome several significant challenges in the iron fortification of foods.&nbsp;</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p>