Call to fortify edible oil with Vitamin D

Two out of every five children in Bangladesh suffer from Vitamin D deficiency, while a significant number of women are also increasingly facing this nutritional shortfall, said a research organisation.

PROGGA (Knowledge for Progress), a research and advocacy organisation, has called for the fortification of edible oil with Vitamin D, alongside the existing Vitamin A fortification, said a press release.

The call came during a journalist workshop titled "Safe and Fortified Edible Oil for All: Progress, Barriers, and Way Forward," held on Tuesday at the BIP Conference Room in Dhaka.

Presenting the keynote, Md Hasan Shahriar, head of programmes at PROGGA, highlighted that Vitamin D deficiency can lead not only to rickets and osteoporosis but also increases the risk of non-communicable diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes. 

He further emphasised that Vitamin A deficiency can cause blindness, maternal mortality during pregnancy, and other serious health issues. 

Shahriar pointed out that fortifying edible oils with Vitamins A and D would be a cost-effective and efficient solution, ensuring people can easily obtain these essential nutrients through their daily diet.

During the workshop, it was also noted that despite a directive from the Ministry of Industries to ban the sale of loose soybean oil (effective from July 2022) and palm oil (effective from December 2022), such practices are still widespread. 

Speakers stressed the need for coordinated action from the Ministry of Industries, the Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution (BSTI), the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection (DNCRP), the Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA), and other relevant agencies to ensure the availability of safe, packaged edible oil for consumers.

Additionally, emphasis was placed on improving the packaging of edible oil. Experts explained that exposure to light, particularly sunlight, gradually destroys Vitamin A in oil, leading to a significant loss of its nutritional value. 

Since most edible oils are marketed in non-light-resistant containers, the speakers recommended the use of opaque, light-resistant materials for packaging to preserve oil quality and nutritional content.

The event featured a panel of distinguished discussants, including S. M. Abu Sayed, Deputy Director (CM) of BSTI; Professor Dr. Sohel Reza Choudhury, Head of Epidemiology & Research Department at the National Heart Foundation Hospital & Research Institute (NHF&RI); Mustak Hassan Md. Iftekhar, former Additional Secretary and Consultant at NHF&RI; Abu Ahmed Shamim, Associate Scientist at the James P Grant School of Public Health; Morshed Noman, Acting Editor of Bangladesh First; and ABM Zubair, Executive Director of PROGGA.

Key presentations were delivered by Dr. Rina Rani Paul, Program Manager, Large Scale Food Fortification (LSFF) Country Advocacy Bangladesh at NHF&RI, and Md Hasan Shahriar, Head of Programs at PROGGA.