Most of the health issues prevalent today are descendants of poor dietary habits. Lack of well-balanced diet and nutritious food lead to mass health deficiencies. The food which get into our homes via markets lack essential nutrients! Because most of the food items go through various processing at different stages which robs off many key nutrients from them. This results as in micro-nutrient deficiencies around the world. Many adults are not getting enough amount of:

• calcium 
• magnesium 
• dietary fiber
• vitamins A, D, E, and C.

Food fortification is the process which enhance the essential vitamins and minerals at higher levels to improve the nutritional content of food items. The nutrients added back may or may not have existed before the processing. Key vitamins and minerals like Iron, Iodine, Zinc, Vitamin A and Vitamin D are added to the food in the fortification process which does not harm or alter the taste, smell or texture of the food.

Benefits of food fortification:

• Fortification prevent many diseases

• Fortified foods strengthen immune systems

As a process fortification is supported by global organizations such as UNICEF, and the World Health Organization (WHO). This process is done to staple foods as they’re consumed by the people of a particular place or region on a regular basis. This is similarly practiced in other countries as well. In India food items such as milk, wheat, oil, rice and salt are mostly fortified. Milk fortification is only done in a milk plant thus loose milk can not be fortified.  

In Assam, Purabi Dairy has taken the first of its kind initiative of milk as Purabi ‘Smart Milk’. The Smart Milk is fortified with Vitamin A and Vitamin D, is low on fat and good source of protein and calcium. Food fortification is proving to be a good initiative. In the foreseeable future, it is quite feasible to have more food items fortified with essential nutrients.