Ultra Rice
PATH
Solution Overview & Benefits
Ultra Rice® fortification technology uses an extrusion process to combine rice flour with vitamins and minerals to make rice-shaped grains. The Ultra Rice® kernels are mixed into milled rice at a ratio of 1:100. The finished product looks, tastes, and smells like rice, making it easily integrated into the existing diets of target populations that consume rice as a daily staple.
The technology is ingenious in its ability to protect micronutrients within the manufactured grain. In addition to preventing them from being rinsed away, the Ultra Rice grains preserve sensitive micronutrients from degradation during storage. Currently, there are two formulations of Ultra Rice. One carries vitamin A, and the other can carry iron, thiamin, folic acid, and zinc.
The Ultra Rice technology can be adapted to contain just the nutrients a population needs—and to mimic the look of the local rice. Its versatility allows grains that look like the short-grained rice of China to carry one combination of vitamins and minerals, while grains resembling the longer, thinner rice in Brazil deliver a completely different combination of micronutrients.
History & Development
PATHS's mission is to advance health equity through innovation and partnerships.
Micronutrient deficiencies threaten the health, development, and productivity of millions of people worldwide. According to UNICEF and the Micronutrient Initiative, each year:
- Severe iron deficiency anemia results in the death of more than 60,000 young women during pregnancy and childbirth.
- In the developing world, iron deficiency in 6- to 24-month-olds may impair the mental development of the 40 to 60 percent of children who suffer from it.
- Vitamin A deficiency compromises the immune systems of approximately 40 percent of children under five and causes about 1,000,000 deaths in the developing world.
- Folic acid deficiency is responsible for approximately 200,000 severe birth defects in 80 developing countries.
- Mild to moderate zinc deficiency affects more than a third of people worldwide and compromises growth and immune function in children.
One approach to alleviating malnutrition is fortifying staple foods with micronutrients. On a large scale, food fortification can be cost-effective and sustainable, and it allows people to get more nutritional value from the food they already eat.
To bring fortification to vulnerable rice-consuming communities, PATH developed a manufactured “grain” that can be mixed with rice to provide nutrients the local diet may lack.
Availability
- Publicly available: yes
- Countries where available: Brazil, Columbia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Mali, India, Philippines
- Available online: yes
Similar solutions...
Get in Touch!
Get in touch with us by filling out the form or emailing us at contact@techxlab.org.
