TACLOBAN CITY – The National Food Administration, as part of government’s campaign to improve the health condition of the people by providing foods that are fortified with supplements needed by the body, is asking the people to support the i-Rice program which makes iron fortified rice available in the market through various NFA retail outlets not just in the region but in the entire country.
Iron fortified rice has various nutritional benefits as it prevents anemia, builds healthy red blood cells, boots body systems to fight infection, improves mental and physical development, maintains alertness and endurance, improves productivity, prevents child birth defects and mortality during pregnancy and also good for lactating mothers.
During the media forum “Harampang ha PIA,” where the new regional director of NFA, Director Allan Borja, presented the said rice variety to Tacloban media, he explained that the production of said variety of rice was in relation to Republic Act 8976 or the Philippine Food Fortification Act of 2000 that calls for the mandatory fortification of staples such as rice, flour, cooking oil and refined sugar to address the alarming micro-nutrient deficiency in the country.
The inclusion of iron to rice was a result on studies that lack of said nutrients increases the rates of illness and deaths from infectious diseases and disability such as mental impairment.
Iron is also important element essential for many proteins and enzymes that keeps the body in good shape — it involves proper functioning of liver and helps in improving immune activity by protecting the body against harmful actions of free radicals.
It is also part of the hemoglobin that carries oxygen from lungs to the tissues and carbon dioxide from tissue to the lungs.
Iron deficiency anemia as shown in studies is responsible for 20% of early neonatal mortality and 10% of maternal mortality and also reduces cognitive development and work performance.
As the region is among the areas with high rate of iron deficient populace, the NFA encourages residents in the region to support said campaign as it is beneficial for their body and health especially to lactating mothers.
Although this said rice variety had been available in the public since year 2000, Borja said those publics are not aware of the presence of iron fortified rice in the market.
Lydia Cabanganan, NFA regional quality assurance officer, explained that although the regular NFA rice is mixed with iron fortified rice, she stressed that it does not affect the taste of rice once cook except for the change of color which slightly becomes grayish.
Cabanganan added that said rice is also certified as Halal, an Islamic term designating any object or an action which is permissible to use or engage in according to Islamic law.
She added that the process of rice fortification is a result of careful and extensive studies conducted by Food and Drug Administration of the Department of Health, Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology and the Food and Development Center of the NFA. (Roel Amazona)
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