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The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has launched an innovative initiative called ForTrace (Fortified Rice Traceability) to digitally trace and monitor the rice fortification process nationwide. This is an extensive portal that ties all the stakeholders along the supply chain for fortified rice together including manufacturers, suppliers, and regulatory agencies.
This approach along the fortified rice supply chain is not only more transparent but also strengthens the quality control procedures. By providing step-by-step tracking of making goods, use of raw materials, and selling, the FoRTrace platform greatly helps a national standard of food safety and care for public ͏health.
ForTrace Function
Monitoring of the manufacture of fortified rice kernels (FRK) starts in production plants, continues with their addition to ordinary rice, and ends with the distribution. Production volumes, distribution patterns, and quality factors are all carefully documented by the system.
With a lot of government initiatives, like the Public Distribution System (PDS), Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) and Mid-Day Meal (MDM) programs, this strong tracking system makes sure that fortified rice meets the needed rules and gets to its right people.
Benefits Of Stakeholder Engagement
Everyone involved in rice fortification now has a single platform due to the seamless connection of the FoRTrace site with the FSSAI's Food Safety Compliance System (FoSCoS). Manufacturers, suppliers, and regulatory agencies may communicate and share data more effectively because of this connectivity.
This includes integrating lab test report availability through FSSAI's INFoLNet portal and setting up several sub-users for manufacturers to provide data.
Quality Check
Preparation of food, particularly preparation of fortified products or food that is supposed to help eliminate nutritional deficiencies should be properly under quality control. For producers of premixes and fortified rice kernels (FRK), the FoRTrace site requires strict compliance with quality control procedures. This involves keeping a daily record of sales, production, and raw material consumption.
The site makes sure that just good items are sent to the consumers by pushing makers to share lab test results for every batch made. It also helps to bring compliance with the FSSAI safety standards, which prevents the chances of contamination or adulteration during the process.
Impact On Public Health
The FoRTrace portal's launch is in line with larger public health campaigns to address the widespread nutritional deficiencies in India. When it comes to protecting vulnerable populations from conditions like iron deficiency anemia and iodine deficiency diseases, fortified rice is crucial. By ensuring that fortified rice is manufactured under strict quality controls and traceable, the FoRTrace portal makes an important contribution to these public health objectives. When producers are manufacturing they are encouraged to prioritise quality, and customers are given information about what they are eating.
