Fortified rice yet to gain ground in open market in Karnataka due to low awareness

Bengaluru: Fortified rice, distributed through the public distribution system (PDS), is yet to gain wide acceptance in the open market due to low consumer awareness and limited efforts by manufacturers.

Fortified rice, according to experts, may be key to tackling widespread nutrient deficiencies in India. Stressing the need to expand its availability beyond the public distribution system, these experts at a workshop on ‘Advancing Fortified Rice in Karnataka’, highlighted that fortified grains are still uncommon across the state.

Health and family welfare minister Dinesh Gundu Rao Wednesday said the state govt is open to promoting fortified foods. “Grains like rice and wheat are increasingly being discouraged for being high-carb. Fortification is a way to ensure these grains remain healthy as they are part of our staple food and culture,” he said.

Nutrition experts highlighted the scale of micronutrient deficiencies in India. Usharani Dandamudi, a scientist at Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI Mysuru), said iron, Vitamin B12 and folic acid deficiencies are widespread in India and contribute to issues such as low birth weight, infant mortality and rising pre-diabetes cases. “Most water-soluble vitamins such as B1, B2, B3, B6 and minerals like zinc can be fortified in rice,” she said, adding that polishing removes much of rice’s nutritional value. While brown rice retains nutrients, ensuring consumers drop their preference for polished rice remains difficult because of differences in taste and cooking properties, she noted.

Jambulingappa G Hosmani, director of fortified rice brand, Panchamrutha, said entrepreneurs can set up fortified rice kernel (FRK) manufacturing units to supply rice mills. Launching Panchamrutha Deluxe fortified rice with nine essential vitamins and minerals, he said producing fortified rice “is not rocket science” and requires limited space along with technical know-how and compliance with Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) norms.

According to Abhishek Shukla of Millers for Nutrition (India), India produces around 109 million metric tonnes of rice annually, of which nearly 35 million metric tonnes is currently being fortified for distribution through the PDS. However, he noted malnutrition and nutrient deficiencies are prevalent even among urban populations.

BOX: How Is Fortified Rice Made
Fortified rice is produced using extrusion technology, in which rice flour is blended with a micronutrient premix containing vitamins and minerals to create fortified rice kernels. These kernels are manufactured in an extruder machine using a screw barrel mechanism and are later blended with regular rice in a 1:100 ratio.Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Bakrid wishes, messages and eid 2026