DoST Taps Vitamin A, Zinc-fortified Rice in Fight Against Malnutrition

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Posted on Monday, May 16, 2011

by GABRIEL S. MABUTAS

May 16, 2011, 5:53pm

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Science and Technology (DoST) has included in its priority list the development of vitamin A and zinc-fortified rice as part of efforts to address malnutrition.

DoST Secretary Mario Montejo said they would be coming out with such fortified rice on top of the protein-rich food technology developed by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute.

“By next year, we will work on rice fortification with vitamin A and zinc. We presented these solutions to President Aquino, who appreciates these solutions and supports their implementation nationwide. But he wants us to work with the DoH (Department of Health) to validate the efficacy of our solutions. That’s what we are doing now,” he said.

Montejo said one aspect of the hunger problem is the lack of essential micronutrients –iron, vitamin A and zinc – in food. But with present direction of the DoST, Montejo said he is confident they would be able to help solve it.

He said they are now just concentrating on vitamin A and zinc fortification since the effort for iron fortification has already been completed.

With assistance from a Japanese scientist, FNRI experts developed a process to fortify rice with iron that is tasteless and colorless, which makes it acceptable to consumers. Moreover, the iron becomes entrenched in the rice so that it does not strip off easily even when the rice is washed before cooking.

Iron deficiency affects 40-50 percent of children and pregnant women and lactating mothers. Nationally, it affects 19 percent of all Filipinos.

It can lead to anemia, which can make one dizzy, sluggish, and can hamper mental function.

Vitamin A deficiency can cause blindness. Zinc deficiency, on the other hand, results in growth failure, impaired wound healing, impaired sense of taste and smell, and sexual infantilism in teenagers. Overall, zinc deficiency can lead to mental retardation and impaired body defense.