Food and Public Distribution Secretary, Sudhanshu Pandey E-launched Nafed’s Fortified Rice Bran Oil on Tuesday with an aim to reduce the country’s consumption dependence on imported edible oil.
Speaking on the occasion, Pandey said the initiative by Nafed would provide opportunities for Indian edible oil manufacturers further, and also would give an impetus to the Prime Minister’s Aatmnirbhar Bharat initiative.
In his remarks as the Guest of Honour, on the occasion Arun Singhal, Chief Executive Officer, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) talked about the benefits of rice bran oil and said it was one of the healthiest cooking oils and had numerous benefits like rich in antioxidants, anti-cancerous, anti-aging, and other benefits.
Atish Chandra, Chairman & Managing Director, Food Corporation of India (FCI) also graced the E-launch and outlined various health and lifestyle benefits of rice bran oil and the importance of standardisation of this product in the industry. Recently an MoU has been signed between Nafed and FCI for the production and marketing of fortified rice kernels.
Regarding this initiative, Sanjeev Kumar Chaddha, Nafed MD said, “Nafed aims to support consumers by providing immunity boosting products in the present scenario of COVID-19 pandemic and their busy lifestyles by introducing products aimed at promoting healthy food habits.”
Chadha also mentioned that “this initiative will provide easy access to Nafed branded high quality rice bran oil, which will also give a boost to the indigenous oil manufacturing industry.”
Pankaj Kumar Prasad, Nafed’s Additional Managing Director, concluded the event by highlighting that such initiatives will broaden Nafed’s consumer marketing segment by offering daily essential healthy products at affordable prices.
Rice Bran oil has multiple health benefits, including lowering cholesterol level due to its low trans-fat content and high monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat contents. It also acts as a booster and reduces the risk of cancer due to the high amount of Vitamin E it contains.
This oil is recommended by The American Heart Association and the World Health Organization (WHO) as one of the best substitutes for other edible oils. Rice Bran oil from Nafed will be fortified and it will be ensured that it will contain additional nutrients and vitamins.
According to the FSSAI, fortified oil can help a person fulfil 25-30% of the recommended dietary intake for vitamins A and D. Nafed Fortified Rice Bran Oil will be available at all Nafed Stores and also on various online platforms.