Food safety advocacy groups are proposing the rejection of warning labels from food items that could have been fortified with iron, in a FSSAI draft notification issued on September 18. Such labels now inform people living with certain diseases such as Thalassemia and sickle cell anemia of the dangers of consuming foods fortified with Iron. There are fears that this change may very well endanger the lives of some of the most susceptible groups who are advised against taking iron in any quantity.
Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Anaemia Health Risk
Currently, most iron-fortified food products bear the following warning messages, “Thalassemia patients they may take with doctors permission, Sickle Cell Anaemia patients are advised not to take iron-fortified food products.” Rare diseases such as thalassemia and sickle cell anemia are diseases which when treated with excessive doses of iron could worsen the results. The parliamentarians’ proposed amendment to delete these warning labels has upset patient advocacy groups because such persons may come across a List of iron-fortified products and take them inadvertently.
Call for Reconsideration
Concerned citizen and patient advocacy groups have called on the FSSAI to recall its draft notification to better. They support labeling where consumers of commodities that are restricted for people with certain medical conditions can make informed decisions given the level of iron content in the product. These groups have argued that failure to have warning labels can complicate matters and make it extremely difficult for patients to avoid foods that are likely detrimental to their health.
Ensuring Safe Consumption
Opposing voices claim that any food product: and especially those enriched with iron should be labeled accordingly. It assists in preventing those with limited health to have to struggle with what they can eat or abstain from eating so that they may avoid deteriorating health further.
