Awareness-Cum -training program on Food Fortification and Eat Right initiatives held at Bhaderwah for ICDS POSHAN organised by Food Safety DFCO Doda*
BY ABID PAMPORI
Doda::Food Fortification or enrichment is the process of adding Micronutrients to Food and is being carried out by Govt.as a public Health policy which aim at to reduce various numbers of dietary deficiencies within a population.
Regarding the elementary issue of malnutrition and dietary defiency in General public particularly in Children ,today on 08th February 2023 in compliance to the directions of Shakeel ul Rehman, Commissioner FDA j&k the workshop on Food Fortification was organised at Bhaderwah venued Thakur villa to impart awareness-training to the Frontliners of ICDS POSHAH,FBO's ,Stakeholders and the locals at Bhaderwah. During this workshop more than 100 Anganwari workers and Superviosers of ICDS,Food Bussiness Operators,Stakeholders locals and public took participation and during the Hours of the workshop sh.Taraq Ahmad Butt Assistant Commissioner Food Safety DFCO Doda made deliberations on Food Fortification and Eat Right initiatives at length and at broad spectrum including demonstrations of the products of Fortified Food and its usages with health benefits.The Enforcement Officers Sh .Farook Ahmad Shekh and Sh.Mohd.Amin Khan both delivered the lectures on Food Fortification and instructions the trainees to implement the Govt.policy in the their projects in Angawri Centres to prevent large scale malnutrition and slide down the Anaemia graph which is still prevalent in children.
Sh.Taraq Ahmad Butt Assistant Commissioner Food Safety DFCO Doda expressed that under Aegis of FSSAI, Commionerte FDA j&k and full support of District Administration Doda such Worshops are being and shall be organized accross the District with max.coverage to ICDS POHAN and Mid Day Meals incharges ,Asha workers as well as to the Food Bussiness Operators and public in General to provide fortified Food to the children and to the Consumers to decrease the the incidences of nutrient deficiencies .Eat Right initiatives were explored to counteract the undernutrion and Nutrition deficiency conditions particularly Anaemia so to make the Anemaukt Bharat mission Sccessful .During the training program it was highlighted that Fortification is a practice of increasing contents one or more micronutrients (vitamins or minerals)in Food products to improve nutritional value as well as qaulity of the Food and provide public health benefits with minimal Risk to Health. It was ascertained that Food Fortification is an evidence based contributionto the prevention ,reduction and control of micronutrients deficiencies especially found in children, pregnant women,lactating mother's and the beneficiaries of social protection programes.In addition to the micronutrients deficiencies Govt. polices and implementation programs for Fortification need to consider an alignment with the objective to reduce diet -related non communicable diseases .
Besides,Regarding the 05 Fortified food products including Salt,Milk,oil ,Rice and Flour were explained & point by point and live demonstrations of the products was made on the spot to the participants.
About Eat Right initiatives the Slogans like Awao Kam karen thora Teel cheeni aur Namak as well as the themes like Eat Right Eat Healthy and Eat Fortified were enlightened throughly .
Overall, mass level Awareness program was conducted and a day long training program was imparted to the participants.