I present hereunder a case study (our experience) “Iron‑Enriched Fish Powder Improved Haemoglobin Levels in Adolescent Girls of West Jaintia Hills District of Meghalaya, India” carried out by Asha Kurukkan Kunnath, Suseela Mathew, Mukteswar Prasad Mothadaka and Ravishankar Chandragiri Nagaraja Rao, published in Biol Trace Elem Res 200, 2017–2024 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12011-021-02820-0.
The efficacy of sodium iron EDTA (NaFeEDTA) salt-enriched fish powder in addressing iron deficiency in adolescent anaemic girls was assessed in a 60-day randomised double-blinded, controlled intervention trial involving 123 girls age ranging from 10 to 19 years in three villages of West Jaintia Hills District of State of Meghalaya in India using soup made out of sodium iron EDTA (NaFeEDTA)-enriched fish powder (250 mg/100 g). The influence of the iron-enriched powder on blood haemoglobin levels and serum iron was determined. The work also analysed the food consumed by the subjects during the study period and it was found that there were no significant differences between the iron-enriched and control groups. The results indicated that the girls predominantly consumed cereals with little fruits, vegetables and meat. On an average, 100 ml of soup prepared out of 10 g of fish powder per day was consumed that theoretically provided about 25 mg of iron each day. Following intervention, all the participants in the group that consumed soup made out of NaFeEDTA-enriched fish powder had significantly higher haemoglobin levels and serum iron and a lower prevalence of anaemia than the control group. The effects of NaFeEDTA salt-enriched fish powder were statistically significant and it can be inferred that NaFeEDTA-enriched fish powder was highly effective in controlling iron deficiency and reducing the prevalence of iron-deficiency anaemia among the adolescent girls
From right to food perspective the major impediment is lack and access to nutritive food especially in hinterland areas. For instance, the low cost fish available in coastal areas, but the transportation from these areas (West Coast of India) to North Eastern states makes the cost prohibitive due to 1. Long distance transportation 2. Perishable nature of fish 3. Availability (supply) of fish on continuous basis for the reasons of dwindling catches in natural marine sources, impact of climate changes on fish resources, increase in expenditures harvesting efforts in turn increase in cost of fish. COVID-19 played a significant role as in post COVID period cost of all food items increased significantly
One of the best ways to improve the right to food condition is 1. Employment of rural and low cost technological interventions in storing glut production of various foods and development value added products to suit local needs. This can result in minimizing the staggering losses, enhanced utilization and availability food in off seasons.
Concerted efforts are in need to make sure the food is acceptable to the needy
Dr. Mukteswar Mothadaka