Report

India’s food regulatory authority removed the warning label from iron-fortified rice after the country’s top research agency and scientific evidence confirmed the rice is safe for people with thalassemia and sickle cell anaemia, the Centre announced on Thursday.

A committee from the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), appointed by the Union Ministry for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, found no evidence that iron-fortified rice is harmful to individuals with these blood disorders.

FSSAI Directive

The announcement came two days after health experts urged the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) to reverse its July 19 directive, which called for removing warning labels from iron-fortified foods for patients with thalassemia and sickle cell anaemia.

The guideline states, “People with thalassemia can consume iron-fortified products under medical supervision, while those with sickle cell anaemia should avoid them.”

In 2023, the Consumer Affairs Ministry explained that a working group, formed by the Department of Food and Public Distribution, found no safety concerns for these individuals based on current evidence. The ministry also clarified that the amount of iron in fortified rice is much lower compared to the iron received through blood transfusions for thalassemia patients undergoing chelation therapy to manage iron overload.

People with sickle cell anaemia likely don’t absorb excess iron because they naturally have higher levels of hepcidin, a hormone that regulates iron absorption.

Source: The Telegraph Online