Rice Fortification: Its Potential for Improving Micronutrient Intake and Steps Required for Implementation at Scale

2012 ◽  
Vol 33 (4_suppl3) ◽  
pp. S360-S372 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Beretta Piccoli ◽  
Nils Grede ◽  
Saskia de Pee ◽  
Anusara Singhkumarwong ◽  
Eveline Roks ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effective ◽  
Review Literature ◽  
Micronutrient Deficiencies ◽  
Development Education ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Success Stories ◽  
Polished Rice ◽  
Micronutrient Intake ◽  
Staple Foods ◽  
Rice Milling

Background Micronutrient deficiencies affect over 2 billion people worldwide, with profound implications for health, cognitive development, education, economic development, and productivity. Fortification of staple foods is a cost-effective strategy to increase vitamin and mineral intake among the general population. Rice is consumed by billions of people (> 440 million MT/year) but is as yet rarely fortified. Objective To discuss the untapped opportunity of rice fortification. Methods Review literature and experience with rice fortification and compare to fortification of other staple foods. Results Most technologies used to fortify rice first produce the fortified kernels and then blend them with regular, polished rice. Technologies differ with regard to how nutrients are added to the rice kernels, required investment, production cost, and degree of resemblance to unfortified rice. There are, so far, limited success stories for rice fortification. Some of the main roadblocks appear to be high initial investment and associated cost; lack of government leadership; and consumer hesitation to accept variations in the characteristics of rice, or a higher price, without good understanding of the benefits. Conclusions In countries with a large centralized rice milling industry, starting rice fortification is easier than in countries with many small mills. Countries with large safety nets that supply rice to the poorest, for free or subsidized, have a good channel to reach those most in need. Furthermore, key players from the public and private sectors should establish a coalition to support the use of fortified rice and address some of the barriers to its implementation.

Emerging Nutrition Gaps in a World of Affluence - Micronutrient Intake and Status Globally

2011 ◽  
Vol 81 (4) ◽  
pp. 238-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manfred Eggersdorfer ◽  
Paul Walter
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Old Age ◽  
Molecular Basis ◽  
Health Benefit ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Micronutrient Deficiencies ◽  
New Science ◽  
Health And Nutrition ◽  
Micronutrient Intake

Nutrition is important for human health in all stages of life - from conception to old age. Today we know much more about the molecular basis of nutrition. Most importantly, we have learnt that micronutrients, among other factors, interact with genes, and new science is increasingly providing more tools to clarify this interrelation between health and nutrition. Sufficient intake of vitamins is essential to achieve maximum health benefit. It is well established that in developing countries, millions of people still suffer from micronutrient deficiencies. However, it is far less recognized that we face micronutrient insufficiencies also in developed countries.

scholarly journals Scaling Up Delivery of Biofortified Staple Food Crops Globally: Paths to Nourishing Millions

2021 ◽  
pp. 037957212098250
Author(s):  
Jennifer K. Foley ◽  
Kristina D. Michaux ◽  
Bho Mudyahoto ◽  
Laira Kyazike ◽  
Binu Cherian ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pearl Millet ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Scale Up ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Raw Material ◽  
Micronutrient Deficiencies ◽  
Seed Systems ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
Public And Private Sector

Background: Micronutrient deficiencies affect over one quarter of the world’s population. Biofortification is an evidence-based nutrition strategy that addresses some of the most common and preventable global micronutrient gaps and can help improve the health of millions of people. Since 2013, HarvestPlus and a consortium of collaborators have made impressive progress in the enrichment of staple crops with essential micronutrients through conventional plant breeding. Objective: To review and highlight lessons learned from multiple large-scale delivery strategies used by HarvestPlus to scale up biofortification across different country and crop contexts. Results: India has strong public and private sector pearl millet breeding programs and a robust commercial seed sector. To scale-up pearl millet, HarvestPlus established partnerships with public and private seed companies, which facilitated the rapid commercialization of products and engagement of farmers in delivery activities. In Nigeria, HarvestPlus stimulated the initial acceptance and popularization of vitamin A cassava using a host of creative approaches, including “crowding in” delivery partners, innovative promotional programs, and development of intermediate raw material for industry and novel food products. In Uganda, orange sweet potato (OSP) is a traditional subsistence crop. Due to this, and the lack of formal seed systems and markets, HarvestPlus established a network of partnerships with community-based nongovernmental organizations and vine multipliers to popularize and scale-up delivery of OSP. Conclusions: Impact of biofortification ultimately depends on the development of sustainable markets for biofortified seeds and products. Results illustrate the need for context-specific, innovative solutions to promote widespread adoption.

Influences of Pharmaceutical Industry on Prescription Practices in Public and Private Hospitals of Islamabad- Pakistan

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-29
Author(s):  
Ahmed Latif ◽  
Muhammad Siddique Ansari ◽  
Muhammad Ibrahim Ansari ◽  
Rabia Malik ◽  
Abdul Ahad Sohoo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cost Effective ◽  
Public Hospitals ◽  
Capital City ◽  
Pharmaceutical Companies ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Prescription Practices ◽  
Medication Therapy ◽  
Private And Public ◽  
The Times ◽  
Depth Interviews

Background:  To explore the influences of pharmaceutical companies on prescription practices and to find out types of incentives of pharmaceutical companies on medical doctors in private and public hospitals in Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan  Methods: A qualitative exploratory study was conducted in 06 months May-Oct: 2017 in Islamabad (Capital City of Pakistan). Data were collected from doctors and pharmaceuticals representatives through snowballing sampling techniques through open ended questionnaire in which In-depth interviews were taken. In depth interviews were recorded, transcribed and coded. Qualitative sub-component was included to triangulate the data, sub themes and themes were generated. Results: Respondent’s prescription is a basically document in which we suggest minimum effective medication therapy to the patient, that is also cost effective and give maximum treatment to the patient.  Few of the respondents are also agreeing on the point that most of the times patient itself influences to prescribe the particular product. Patient itself influences to prescribe the particular product that is redundant in its treatment regimen. Other respondents stated that prescription is varying from patient to patient and our priority is to give the medicine to the patient which shows good efficacy. Conclusion: Most doctors were maintaining protocol of prescription and using brand name of medicine. Pharmacists were visiting them on regular basis conditionally.

A community-based approach to evaluation of health outcomes and costs for telepsychiatry in a rural population: Preliminary results

2000 ◽  
Vol 6 (1_suppl) ◽  
pp. 155-157 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig Kennedy ◽  
Peter Yellowlees
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Pilot Trial ◽  
Public Mental Health ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Preliminary Results ◽  
The People

A pilot trial was established to support visiting psychiatric services and local public and private practitioners through the use of videoconferencing. The purpose of the trial was to determine whether people in the community received better health-care with telemedicine. A community-based approach was used to evaluate health outcomes, costs, utilization, accessibility, quality and needs for such services in a rural community in Queensland. Over a two-year period data were collected from 124 subjects who met the criteria of having a mental health problem or mental disorder. Nine further subjects refused to participate in the study. Only 32 subjects used videoconferencing to receive mental health services. Preliminary results did not show any significant improvements in wellbeing or quality of life, although the time span was relatively short. However, the results confirmed that the people were no worse off from a consumer or a practitioner perspective from using videoconferencing. Most consumers found that videoconferencing with a psychiatrist moderately or greatly helped them in managing their treatment, with 98% of them preferring to be offered videoconferencing in combination with local services. Overall, videoconferencing is a crucial part of enhancing psychiatry services in rural areas. However, it is not necessarily cost-effective for all consumers, general practitioners, psychiatrists, or the public mental health service.

scholarly journals Food fortification: good to have or need to have?

2004 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 771-777
Author(s):  
A. Verster
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Folic Acid ◽  
Food Fortification ◽  
Micronutrient Deficiencies ◽  
Vicious Cycle ◽  
Child Bearing ◽  
Large Populations ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
Iron And Folic Acid ◽  
Staple Foods

Only very small quantities of vitamins and minerals are needed for human health but deficiencies can have disproportionately large, often life-threatening, effects. Micronutrient deficiencies lead to a vicious cycle of malnutrition and infection in poorly nourished populations. Fortification of staple foods is the cheapest, most efficient and most effective way to supply large populations with essential micronutrients. This paper reviews the case for fortification of flour supplies with iron and folic acid and concludes that it is the best way to provide daily doses of these nutrients to populations in developing countries, especially for women of child-bearing age

Mold Counts and Aspergillus Section Flavi Populations in Rice and Its By-Products from the Philippines

2005 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 120-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
ANTHONY C. SALES ◽  
TAKUMI YOSHIZAWA
Keyword(s):  
Brown Rice ◽  
The Philippines ◽  
Rice Hull ◽  
Aspergillus Section Flavi ◽  
Polished Rice ◽  
Settled Dust ◽  
Rough Rice ◽  
Rice Milling ◽  
By Products ◽  
Aspergillus Section

Mold counts and Aspergillus section Flavi populations in rice and its by-products from the Philippines were examined. The average mold counts of rough rice, brown rice, and locally produced polished rice were 4.1 × 103, 1.0 × 103, and 1.1 × 103 CFU/g, respectively. Average Aspergillus section Flavi counts of the same samples were 3.0 × 102, 1.1 × 102, and 2.6 × 102 CFU/g, respectively. Twenty-seven percent of mold isolates from rough rice, polished rice, and brown rice were section Flavi spp., 31% of which were toxigenic. No section Flavi isolates were obtained from imported rice samples from Thailand and Vietnam. Aspergillus section Flavi was also isolated from rice hull, rice bran, and settled dust from rice milling operations. Toxigenic isolates of both Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus were present in at least one sample of each type of rice and rice by-product except settled dust. Aflatoxins produced in vitro by the isolates ranged from <1 μg/kg to 6,227 μg/kg. A. flavus isolates produced only B aflatoxins, whereas A. parasiticus isolates produced both B and G aflatoxins. Although total mold counts of Philippine rice and its by-products are within tolerable limits, the establishment of maximum limits in counts of potentially aflatoxigenic species in foods and feeds is important because the mere presence of toxin producers is considered a possible risk factor. The results of this research illustrate the need for strict monitoring of rice during both storage and marketing, especially in warm and humid seasons when infestation and consequent production of aflatoxins by Aspergillus section Flavi is expected.

Food Fortification: A Tool for Fighting Hidden Hunger

1998 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 49-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Nilson ◽  
Jaime Piza
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Economic Development ◽  
Food Fortification ◽  
Micronutrient Deficiencies ◽  
Staple Food ◽  
Industrialized Countries ◽  
Hidden Hunger ◽  
Socio Economic Development ◽  
Staple Foods ◽  
The Impact

This paper reviews the fortification of staple food as a tool to prevent micronutrient deficiencies. The rationale for fortifying salt, wheat flour, milk, and margarine was developed in the 1920s and 1940s, mainly in industrialized countries. At that time, fortification of staple foods was considered by only a few developing countries. Recent research has shown that the prevalences of some deficiencies (clinical and marginal) in some developing countries are higher than expected. Even more important has been the realization that the impact of marginal deficiencies on health and socio-economic development is considerably more important than the impact of clinical deficiencies. Iron, vitamin A, and iodine have gained more attention, but deficiencies of other micronutrients are also relevant. This paper shows that fortification of staple foods to prevent micronutrient deficiencies is effective, easy, fast, safe, and relatively inexpensive.

Smashing myths and delivering value—a repeatable approach to sustainable development

2012 ◽  
Vol 52 (1) ◽  
pp. 189
Author(s):  
Nicholas Fleming ◽  
Susanne Cooper
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Large Range ◽  
Climate Extremes ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Economic Life ◽  
Social Expectations ◽  
Central Question ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
The Common ◽  
Global Communications

Organisations that develop and operate capital assets, including public and private infrastructure, face an increasingly challenging task. A large range of factors needs to be addressed to develop and operate an asset successfully during its economic life. These factors include changing temperature and climate extremes, heightened social expectations, fast global communications that heighten visibility and transparency, new regulations and pricing regimes, and economic values being placed on what were once intangibles (like biodiversity). Leading organisations recognise this as a challenge to design, deliver and operate smarter, more sustainable and cost effective solutions. What is clear is that many organisations are struggling to achieve this. How to bridge the gap between business policies for sustainable development and practice is the central question. The common perceptions prevail that sustainability is ‘just a green issue’, will ‘delay my project’ and cost more. Yet in practice, the opposite is often true. This paper uses real project examples to demonstrate how integrated, smart design processes can simultaneously de-risk assets, save money and deliver better social and environmental outcomes.

scholarly journals Tuberculosis preventive treatment: the next chapter of tuberculosis elimination in India

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (5) ◽  
pp. e001135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patrick K Moonan ◽  
Sreenivas A Nair ◽  
Reshu Agarwal ◽  
Vineet K Chadha ◽  
Puneet K Dewan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Preventive Treatment ◽  
Monitoring And Evaluation ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
Tuberculosis Infection ◽  
Global Knowledge ◽  
Close Collaboration ◽  
Policy And Practice ◽  
Public And Private ◽  
Health Authorities ◽  
Tuberculosis Epidemiology

The End TB Strategy envisions a world free of tuberculosis—zero deaths, disease and suffering due to tuberculosis by 2035. This requires reducing the global tuberculosis incidence from >1250 cases per million people to <100 cases per million people within the next two decades. Expanding testing and treatment of tuberculosis infection is critical to achieving this goal. In high-burden countries, like India, the implementation of tuberculosis preventive treatment (TPT) remains a low priority. In this analysis article, we explore potential challenges and solutions of implementing TPT in India. The next chapter in tuberculosis elimination in India will require cost-effective and sustainable interventions aimed at tuberculosis infection. This will require constant innovation, locally driven solutions to address the diverse and dynamic tuberculosis epidemiology and persistent programme monitoring and evaluation. As new tools, regimens and approaches emerge, midcourse adjustments to policy and practice must be adopted. The development and implementation of new tools and strategies will call for close collaboration between local, national and international partners—both public and private—national health authorities, non-governmental organisations, research community and the diagnostic and pharmaceutical industry. Leading by example, India can contribute to global knowledge through operational research and programmatic implementation for combating tuberculosis infection.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document