100 T bags of  iron fortified rice set  for Region VI

Some l00 thousand bags of rice  fortified with iron are expected to be shipped in the region to help in the campaign of the government against iron deficiency anemia.

This was revealed by Director Javier Lozada of the National Food Authority (NFA VI) in an interview with the Philippine Information Agency the other day, who said that the shipment is expected early October this year.

The iron fortified rice is mandated under  Republic Act 8976   to address the serious problem on Micronutrient Malnutrition. The micronutrients referred comprise of Vitamin A, Iron and Iodine.

Based on the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) l998 nutrition survey,  three in every ten children (6 months to 5 years) are afflicted with iron deficiency anemia(IDA); four in every ten children ( 6 months to 5 years) have low to deficient Vitamin A levels (VAD); and four in every ten children (6 to l2 years) have iodine deficiency disorders (IDD). Among pregnant women, 22% are suffering from(VAD Disorder) and 5l% from IDA. If  not addressed, micronutrient malnutrition can lead to serious illnesses, irreversible handicaps, mental incapaci ties and even death.

As far as the fortification of rice is concerned, the National Food Authority has taken the initiative to spearhead the fortification of rice with iron.

For the province of Iloilo,  Manager  Heide Jardeleza also told the PIA in an interview that twenty-two thousand (22,000) bags of iron fortified rice is apportioned for the province.

“This is our initial stock to be used during the promotion period, so that during the full implementation of the program in the year 2007, at least the public is already aware of the importance of iron fortified rice to body well being”, Jardeleza said.

As to the taste and sensory characteristics of rice, the studies conducted by the NFA and the Food Development Center and the FNRI revealed that both on laboratory and consumer testing, there is no effect of iron fortification on the taste and sensory characteristics of iron fortified rice both on the raw and cooked fortified rice.(PIA/T.Villavert)