Monica Pradhan

Food is the basis for sustenance of life. Advances in science and technology has been utilised to manufacture diversified foods for rapidly evolving market needs thereby catering nutritive benefits to masses. Food technology transforms or modifies natural food to create value added products with improved product characteristics in terms of quality, safety, shelf life, nutrition and organoleptic attributes.

FAO Estimation
(FAO) estimates about 1 billion people globally are undernourished and about 2 billion people are affected by Vitamin and Mineral Deficiencies (VMD). These are major causes of impaired development, growth retardation and increased susceptibility to infections. While 135 million people globally were acutely food insecure before the onset of COVID-19 pandemic, U.N. World Food Programme speculates an additional 130 million people reeling under acute food insecurity by the year end.
Processed foods are now recognised as vehicles for enhancing nutrition. Improving safety, quality and acceptability of processed food is one of the strategic approaches of the Multi-Sector Nutrition Plan (MSNP II (2018-2022) of the Government of Nepal. This has opened avenues for important nutrition specific interventions like manufacture of probiotic foods and fortified foods. All these, along with technologies for microencapsulating nutrients to be incorporated in processed foods, require an integrated technological approach.
Probiotic Food
Probiotic refers to a supplement of live microbial feed that beneficially affects health by improving the balance of intestinal micro flora. Probiotic bacteria discourage the growth of pathogens by limiting their nutrient availability and adhesion, thereby increasing immunity.
Human probiotic species include Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG), Lactobacillus reuteri, Bifidobacterium longum and Bifidobacteroium lactis. Probiotics provide relief from constipation, antibiotic associated diarrhoea, allergic disorders, inflammatory bowel, ulcerative colitis and tumour. In Nepal, Probiotic Set Yoghurt and Drinking Yoghurt produced by local industries has already created a niche market for itself. Probiotic nature of Lactobacillus can also be found in Chyang or Tongba, an indigenous cereal based fermented Nepalese drink. Probiotic enriched processed food in the global market include drinking yoghurt, whey protein enriched milk, Coconut based drink, fruit juices, ice-cream etc.

Fortified Foods
Micronutrient malnutrition or hidden hunger is a major health issue in many developing countries, where majority do not have access to diversified diet. Two-thirds of global population especially women and children are deficient in at least one micronutrient. Micronutrient fortification is a cost-efficient intervention that can help resolve this problem. Food Fortification is the process of addition of more or more nutrients to food, whether or not it is normally contained in food, for the purpose of preventing or correcting a demonstrated nutrient deficiency within a population. Vitamin A, Iron, Folate and Zinc are most common micronutrient deficiencies globally.
Rice fortification, especially in countries with rice as a staple food can have significant nutritional implications. Enriched rice has been in the Japanese market since 1981. Food fortification in China, the largest rice producer in the world, is market driven by high end health conscious consumers.
This momentum is also socially motivated through advocacies for use of fortified rice in government feeding programs for vulnerable groups. Mandatory fortification of rice has been adopted in Philippines, Costa Rica, Papua and Nicaragua. The United States of America has mandatory standard levels of Thiamine, Niacin, Riboflavin, Folic acid and Iron to be added to enrich rice. Enriched rice has been in the Japanese market since 1981. Fortified rice is sold in China. Rice fortified with Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B12, Folic Acid, Iron and Zinc has been recently approved for open market sales in Bangladesh. Presently, Nepal is on the pathway for rice fortification.
In Nepal, Salt Iodisation at the level of 50-60 ppm is mandatory since 1999 and has played a significant role in phasing out of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD). Similarly, Wheat Flour fortification with Iron (60 ppm, electrolytic elemental form), Folic Acid (1.5 ppm) and Vitamin A (1 ppm) has been initiated since 2011.

Micro-encapsulation
This technology involves entrapping of core materials like food ingredients, enzymes, probiotics etc within coatings to form small microcapsules (1–1000 µm) that are later used for fortifying food or for direct ingestion as food supplements. Microencapsulation protects these entities from moisture, heat or other unfavourable environment that are normally encountered either during food processing or during ingestion. Generally, protein (Gelatin, Casein) and polysaccharide (Gum Arabic and Carboxymethylcellulose, Starches, Dextrin, Alginates) are used to form coating complexes. Microencapsulation is now a widely used technique aimed at targeted delivery of nutrients in body to ensure better bioavailability of nutrients.
While encapsulation of flavours is amongst the largest food applications, probiotics, artificial sweeteners, colourants, preservatives, leavening agents, antioxidants, nutrients, etc. have been successfully encapsulated for commercial use. Encapsulated probiotics are protected against the harsh acidic conditions of stomach and is targeted to be delivered in the intestine.
Encapsulation of n-3 Polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA), which is generally associated with low incidence of CHD (Coronary Heart Disease) and reduced risk of cancer has demonstrated its enhanced shelf life.
Bioavailability of fortified Iron is generally impeded by interactions with tannins, phytates and polyphenols present in food. Furthermore, Iron catalyses oxidative reactions of fatty acids, vitamins and amino acids in food thereby affecting its sensory and nutritive attributes. Microencapsulation of Iron during fortification helps prevent such undesirable reactions.
Similarly, fortified Calcium salts in Soya Milk causes it to eventually coagulate and precipitate. Encapsulated Calcium salts are now used to successfully fortify Soya Milk to levels equivalent to cow’s milk.

Way Ahead
Technologies to preserve, protect and diversify food have positive implications on enhancing food value. Food Technology, a backbone of global processed food industry, has now opened broader avenues for nutritional interventions. There is a paradigm shift from limiting the scope of Food Technology to food production to its broader application for fulfilling national nutritional objectives by utilising emerging technologies.
Every healthy citizen is an asset to the nation. Entrapped in a vicious cycle of poverty, the ongoing COVID 19 pandemic is speculated to worsen the nutritional status of unprivileged strata of the society. Amidst the challenge to ensure good health of vulnerable populations, there is a need to build resilience to nutritional deficiency diseases by creating a symbiotic nexus of Technology, Food and Nutrition. With more avenues being researched today, technological interventions in food processing will certainly go a long way in creating a more enabling environment for nutrition.

(The author is a food technologist and can be contacted at monicakpg@yahoo.com)