I would like to share our activity in Bangladesh which can play a very promising role to improve nutritional status of our population.
To address the micronutrient deficiency of zinc which is prevalent in Bangladesh, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) has chosen to enrich rice, which is a staple food in the country. Enriched rice can fit into traditional consumption patterns as it involves limited behaviour change on the part of the consumer and can take advantage of current supply and distribution channels. Taking this into account, GAIN engaged in a series of comprehensive nutrition and market-feasibility studies to assess the effect that particular modifications to the rice value chain would have in improving the nutritional density of rice. Amongst the concepts studied, fortifying rice during the soaking process has shown to have a significant effect on the nutritional quality of rice such that it warrants further investigation and validation. Preliminary market-feasibility research identified several constraints that must be further tested in field and industrial settings. We have already tested this method in an Engelberg mill and now analysing the zinc content of fortified milled rice and by-products. Should the field validation study bear positive results, this particular innovation that uses a new entry point on the rice value chain could have a transformative effect on human nutrition in Bangladesh.
Dear all,
I would like to share our activity in Bangladesh which can play a very promising role to improve nutritional status of our population.
To address the micronutrient deficiency of zinc which is prevalent in Bangladesh, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) has chosen to enrich rice, which is a staple food in the country. Enriched rice can fit into traditional consumption patterns as it involves limited behaviour change on the part of the consumer and can take advantage of current supply and distribution channels. Taking this into account, GAIN engaged in a series of comprehensive nutrition and market-feasibility studies to assess the effect that particular modifications to the rice value chain would have in improving the nutritional density of rice. Amongst the concepts studied, fortifying rice during the soaking process has shown to have a significant effect on the nutritional quality of rice such that it warrants further investigation and validation. Preliminary market-feasibility research identified several constraints that must be further tested in field and industrial settings. We have already tested this method in an Engelberg mill and now analysing the zinc content of fortified milled rice and by-products. Should the field validation study bear positive results, this particular innovation that uses a new entry point on the rice value chain could have a transformative effect on human nutrition in Bangladesh.
Thanks & regards,
Debashish, GAIN