Organized By

Nutrition Security - Implementable Potential

Food StrategySeptember29-30, 2011

New Delhi

Food is fundamental and essential to all living organisms, including man. Good food leads to good nutrition and good nutrition to good health. Food production is governed by individualistic efforts of the farmers and by the policies of the state regulating the inputs and price of the commodity. India, basically a nation of vegetarians derives major components of its calories through staple foods.

India continues to suffer from the onslaughts of malnutrition even today. Vast populations with Micronutrient deficiencies in India are unable to achieve their full mental and physical potential due to stunted growth, low physical work capacity, reduced IQ and lower resistance to infection. Almost over 75% of children in India are affected with one or more micronutrient deficiencies. Elimination of these deficiencies is essential not only to improve health but also for sustained economic growth and national development. Food and Nutrition Security are essential for Survival and Development. Dietary diversification, supplementation and fortification are the strategies to mitigate the nutritional deficiencies. Food fortification is a more cost-effective and sustainable solution. It plays a major role in improving the diet and meeting the micronutrient needs of the population. Success in food fortification requires active collaboration between several sectors including the scientific community, government agencies, private industry, consumer groups and international organizations. The scientific community has identified the problems of micronutrient malnutrition and possible solutions including enrichment of foods.

Food industries have a predominant role in all the strategies. India's food processing industry has attracted considerable domestic and international attention because of the growing market size and huge potential for expansion. Described by the government as 'Sunrise sector', the food processing industry has received sizeable foreign direct investment, evidence of growing investor interest. The Government is also in process of implementing National Food Security Bill to ensure food and nutrition for all. Many of the states in India are now implementing and encouraging Fortification in various essential food items. Food fortification simply stated is the process of adding micronutrients (essential trace elements and vitamins) to food. It can be purely a commercial choice to provide extra nutrients in a food either as business initiatives, or in conformance to meet the public health policy requirements or to fulfill nutrition and health aware consumer demand or as a social responsibility. All this finally leads to improve the nutritional status of population and reduce numbers of people with dietary deficiencies in a population. Diets that lack variety can be deficient in certain nutrients. Sometimes the staple foods of a region can lack particular nutrients due to the soil of a region, or because of the inherent inadequacy of the diet. Addition of micronutrients to staples and condiments can prevent large-scale deficiency diseases in these cases.

The reasons for supplementing food fall into three categories:• additives which repair a deficit to "normal" levels • additives which appear to enhance a food • supplements taken in addition to the normal diet

Food supplements - There are several main groups of food supplements:• Vitamins and co-vitamins • Essential minerals • Essential fatty acids • Essential amino acids • Phyto-nutrients • Enzymes

The Indian Food industry is currently facing opportunities as well as challenges created by the ongoing economic developments and food inflation. Moreover, changing life styles in urban and rural India are changing the business approach. With consumer preferences undergoing tremendous changes, Food industries are literally on their toes suiting the product rollouts to the dynamic consumer preferences. Meeting the demands for quality and healthy food of the fast paced consumer lifestyles leads to an increasing demand for nutritious food products and mostly in their daily diets. There has also been a noticeable shift towards natural and healthy food products comprising of vitamins, whole grains and fibers. An extreme price pressure is another feature of the daily dietary food elements in all parts of India. Whereas there is a huge need to develop the knowledge of consumers and create demand for fortified food products. Salt Iodization is an example of food fortification which is into existence from a very long time in India but still it has not been implemented in major parts of India where it is required the most.

Two-day Seminar on “Implementable Potential Food Strategies for Meeting Nutrition Security Needs in India” is being organized with the main objective to sensitize policy makers from the relevant ministries both at the National and State levels, regulatory authorities, leading experts of the subject, research institutions and other stakeholders including associations and various NGOs on the need and importance of food fortification in bringing down the distressing level of anemia and to discuss the strategies required to mainstream fortified food into the key food-based programmes of the Government of India like the PDS, ICDS and Mid-day Meal and the food products manufacture by industry for the market . The two-day seminar will surely accelerate the implementation of strategies for Nutrition security needs among the policymakers and other stakeholders. During these two days seminar, many relevant topics will be discussed like Nutrition Scenario in India including dietary trends, Present strategies, their impact and status, Potential Strategies and challenges to meet nutrition security needs, Status of Staple foods fortification and technological issues: Oil, Sugar, Flour; RTE Foods; Complementary foods, Evidence based Science of fortification, Meeting barriers and challenges of staple food fortification, Supplementation strategies, Dietary Diversification – its potential in short term and medium term, Importance of Creating Partnerships, Change management in nutrition programs, Role of Social marketing and communications in promoting nutrition programs, Role of NGOs in meeting nutrition security needs, Future lies in fortifying cereals and foods etc.

Conference Theme

Day 10900 - 0930 Orientation0930 - 1100 Session I: Nutritional Status and Strategies for Improving Human and Economic Development

• Current nutritional scenario in India and its consequences ( Macro and Micro Malnutrition )• National Nutrition Policy and Government Program Strategies • Present Strategies impact for combating micronutrient malnutrition in India and Gaps • Food Fortification – an economic development perspective • Farms and Foods for the solution of nutritional problems.

1100 - 1115 Tea

1115 - 1300 Technical Session II: Nutrition improvement – Feasibility, Challenges and Opportunities • Dietary Diversification–its role and strategies (The micronutrient composition of local foods, both raw and

cooked with special emphasis on identifying micronutrient-rich traditional foods.)• Supplementation – its role and strategic review • Food Fortification Works - Scientific evidence • Legislation and Regulation of Fortified Foods to address micronutrient malnutrition– need of the day • Food Fortification status in different states of India.

1300 - 1400 Lunch

1400 - 1700 Technical Session III: Vehicles for Food Fortification and Technologies to Support them including tea break• Fortification Status, Technologies and Choice of vehicle

› Flour › Oil › Milk › Salt › Innovative products; eg, Dal Analogue• Technical and background on commercial fortification

› Premixes › Equipment › Processing › Economy • Bioavailability of micronutrients and its relevance in micronutrient selection • Relevance of Quality Control and Quality Assurance of fortification programs • Monitoring and evaluation of fortification programs – demonstrating commitment • Strategy marketing and Social marketing of fortified foods

Day 2 0900 - 1300 Technical Session IV: Government Feeding Programs and Partnering Role of Industry including tea break ·

• Status and Scope of Feeding Programs:› Public Distribution Program › Mid Day Meal Program › ICDS › Other welfare Programs of governments.

• Capacity building of grass root level workers for improved management in nutrition programme, including monitoring and evaluation , to improve access to quality of applied nutrition counselling and care, including, health/nutrition promotion.

• Public and Private Partnership : A Case study: Centralized Kitchen• Innovative approach and food/nutrition research

› Government-led strategies › Industry-led Strategies› Community-Based Strategies › Enhanced/Fortified Food Recipes

• Mandatory or Voluntary Fortification – pros and cons

1300 - 1400 Lunch

1400 - 1530 Technical Session V: Strengthened public private partnership, including community participation • Managing change in nutrition programs for better performance • Social marketing and communication for behavioral changes • Role of Civil society in improving nutrition • Strengthening Partnerships in Food Fortification Programs • Future of food fortification in India • Monitoring and surveillance - population based approach

1530 - 1600 Valedictory SessionWhat did we learn? Recommendations Presentation of certificates.Hi-Tea

Conference Agenda

1. Strategies for nutrition improvement for consumers; 2. Selection of micronutrients and Fortified Food product formulation to ensure products meet the nutritional requirements

of target groups while retaining broad-based commercial appeal and conforming to food safety standards; 3. Consolidate international best practices in food fortification; 4. Success stories and discussions on fortified foods including studies on local production; assess market demand for

fortified foods;5. Guidelines on local food fortification production and quality control; 6. Advise on shelf-life and stability testing; and 7. To develop strategies for preservation and processing of foods;8. To develop social marketing and communication needs of fortified foods.

Participants would Learn

Registration DetailsEarly Bird : Before August 31, 2011 : Rs. 1,500/- (US$ 75)

Note : Registration Fee includes 10.3% service taxGroup Discount : 10% on fee (for 3 or more participants from same organization)

Please send the amount through Demand Draft / Local Cheque in favour of Assocom-India Pvt. Ltd. payable at New Delhi.

CommunicationAssocom-India Pvt. Ltd.#601, DDA Building, District Centre, Plot No. 4, Laxmi Nagar, Vikas Marg, Delhi - 110092.Telephone: +91-11-47675216 (50 Lines) Fax: +91-11-47675201 / 06Email: email@assocom-india.com Website: www.assocom-india.com

Name(s) & Designation(s) :

Company Name & Address :

City

Telephone : Mobile: Fax :

Email: Website:

#601, DDA Building, District Centre, Laxmi Nagar, Vikas Marg, Delhi - 110092.Tel: +91-11-47675216 (50 Lines) Fax: +91-11-47675201 / 06Email: email@assocom-india.com Website: www.assocom-india.com

Organized ByRegistration Form

Cheque No: Demand Draft: Date: (DD/MM/YYYY)

Drawee Bank: Amount:

Credit Card Number: Expiry Date:

Bank Name: CVV2 / CVC2

Credit Card Type: VISA MASTER AMEX DINERS CARD

Name on Card: Signature of Card Holder:

Please send your

to “Assocom-India Pvt. Ltd.”

Payment Details

Nutrition Security - Implementable Potential

Food StrategySeptember29-30, 2011

New Delhi