2019 – Posted in: Daily News – Tags: Food safety, government school, karnataka, mid-day meal, National Institute of Nutrition

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF NUTRITION

For: Preliminary & Mains
Topic covers: NIN findings in Karnataka’s schools, Akshya Patra foundation, NIN – its objectives and mandates

News Flash

The National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) stands by its findings certifying mid-day meals without onion and garlic provided by the Akshaya Patra Foundation (APF) in Karnataka schools as compliant with nutritional norms laid down by the State government.

Issue

In January, 2019, the Karnataka government had asked NIN to assess APF meals for nutritional compliance, food safety, taste and diversity of meals following objections by the Karnataka State Food Commission as well as activists that absence of onion and garlic from meals made the food unpalatable and resulted in children consuming less quantity of food.

Akshaya Patra Foundation

The Akshaya Patra Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation headquartered in Bengaluru, India.
The foundation aim to eliminate classroom hunger by implementing the Mid-Day Meal Scheme in the government schools and government-aided schools.
Akshaya Patra also aims at countering malnutrition and supporting the right to education of socio-economically disadvantaged children.
Currently, Akshaya Patra has 43 kitchens spread across 12 states in India, a result of the successful partnership with the Government of India, various State Governments and generous supporters.
Today, Akshaya Patra is the world’s largest (not-for-profit run) Mid-Day Meal Programme serving wholesome food every school day to over 1.76 million children from 15,024 schools across 12 states in India.

National Institute of Nutrition, Hyderabad

National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) was founded by Sir Robert McCarrison in the year 1918 as ‘Beri-Beri’ Enquiry Unit at the Pasteur Institute, Coonoor, Tamil Nadu.
Within a short span of seven years, this unit blossomed into a “Deficiency Disease Enquiry” and later in 1928, emerged as full-fledged “Nutrition Research Laboratories” (NRL).
It was shifted to Hyderabad in 1958 and in 1969, it was renamed as National Institute of Nutrition (NIN).

Objectives

To identify various dietary and nutrition problems prevalent among different segments of the population in the country.
To continuously monitor diet and nutrition situation of the country.
To evolve effective methods of management and prevention of nutritional problems.
To conduct operational research connected with planning and implementation of national nutrition programmes.
To dovetail nutrition research with other health programmes of the government.
Human resource development in the field of nutrition.
To disseminate nutrition information.
To advise governments and other organisations on issues relating to nutrition

Mandate of NIN

Periodic Assessment of Nutrient intakes, Health and Nutrition status of the population for optimal health, and assist the Government and regulatory bodies in policy making
Establishment of Dietary Reference Intake values, Recommended Dietary allowances, Dietary guidelines for Indian population; and assessment of Nutrient Composition of Foods
Identify various nutrition deficiency disorders prevalent among different segments of the population
Conduct operational research for planning and implementation of National Nutrition Programmes in the country
Conduct surveys and study the risk factors of NCDs through multidisciplinary research
Conduct innovative basic science Research on nutrient interactions, requirements, responses etc
Identify and study food and environmental safety challenges for providing scientific input for policy and regulation.
Development of human resource in nutrition and also provide evidence-based nutrition knowledge to the community

Source: The Hindu

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