Nutritional Transformation Needed in India

India must shift from food security to nutritional security. Child undernutrition remains high even as diets and incomes change. The path forward is a sustainable, nutrient-rich food system where functional foods and smart proteins help close protein and micronutrient gaps without worsening environmental stress. Nutritional Transformation Needed in India.

Functional Foods

Functional foods are enriched or fortified foods designed to promote health or prevent disease. For example, vitamin-enriched rice, omega-3-fortified milk, probiotic yoghurt, and similar products go beyond basic nutrition.

Supporting technologies: They rely on advanced technologies such as nutrigenomics (nutrition-gene interaction), bio-fortification, bioprocessing, and 3D food printing. Together, these innovations improve nutrient absorption and help in targeted delivery of vitamins and minerals within the body.

Smart Proteins

Smart proteins are biotechnologically produced proteins that reduce dependence on livestock. They include:

• Plant-based proteins extracted from legumes and cereals.
• Fermentation-derived proteins produced through microbial systems.
• Cultivated meat, grown from animal cells in bioreactors.
  These are designed to mimic animal-based foods while lowering the environmental footprint.

Need for Functional Foods in India:

1. High Undernutrition: Despite being a major food producer, India faces high rates of child stunting (35.5% under 5) and underweight (32.1% under 5) as per NFHS-5. Widespread anemia (57% of women of reproductive age) is also a major issue.
2. Double burden: Rising obesity and non-communicable diseases alongside undernutrition.
3. Food Insecurity: Factors like climate change and rising food costs exacerbate food access issues, with the Global Hunger Index ranking India at 105 out of 127 in 2024.
4. Diet transition & urban stressors: Rapid urbanisation, air pollution links to diabetes risk, and convenience diets increase the need for fibre-rich, antioxidant, low-GI, and cardioprotective foods.
5. Sustainability Challenge: India needs climate-resilient nutrition pathways because livestock supply chains contribute ~14.5% of global GHG emissions, so diversifying toward smart proteins and biofortified crops is required to meet health goals without overshooting environmental limits.
6. Economic loss: World Bank analyses estimate 2–3% of GDP losses in countries like India due to malnutrition, which means investments in fortification, biofortification, and better diets yield high productivity returns.
7. Policy Imperative: Building a climate-conscious, resilient, and nutrient-rich food system is crucial for India’s long-term development goals and aligns with initiatives such as Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) and Viksit Bharat 2047.

Current Status of Functional Foods

National Progress and Policy Support

• India recognizes functional foods and smart proteins under its Biotechnology for Economy, Environment, and Employment (BioE3) Policy.
  • The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council (BIRAC) are promoting R&D and funding biomanufacturing hubs.

Research and Industrial Developments

• Bio-fortified crops: Zinc-enriched rice (IIRR, Hyderabad) and iron-rich pearl millet (ICRISAT).
• Private sector participation: Companies like Tata Consumer Products, ITC, and Marico have invested in fortified staples and health-focused food products.
• Smart protein ecosystem: Over 70 brands offer around 377 plant-based or fermentation-derived products.
  Startups such as GoodDot, Blue Tribe Foods, and Evo Foods lead the plant-based meat segment, while Zydus Lifesciences has entered fermentation-based proteins through a ₹4.5 crore DBT-supported grant for cultivated meat research.

Global Comparison

• Japan pioneered functional food regulation in the 1980s.
• Singapore approved the first sale of cultivated chicken in 2020.
• China and the EU are investing heavily in alternative protein production as part of their food security and “Farm to Fork” strategies.
  These examples underline the growing international momentum that India must match.

Major Concerns Related to Functional Foods in India

1. Regulatory clarity and standards: FSSAI has not yet issued definitive guidance for cultivated meat or precision-fermented proteins. Without clear definitions, safety evaluation, and labelling, mislabelled or unverified products could reach consumers.
2. Infrastructure gaps: India lacks large-scale fermentation capacity, quality certification, and consumer testing infrastructure necessary to scale reliably.
3. Innovation and Skill Gaps: Transitioning to biomanufacturing demands large-scale workforce upskilling. Without it, innovation may concentrate among a few corporations, excluding small farmers and startups.
4. Public Perception Challenges: Many consumers remain skeptical about “lab-made” food. Overcoming this perception requires transparent communication and trust-building through accurate labeling and awareness campaigns.
5. Uneven Access and Affordability: Functional foods currently remain urban-focused and premium-priced, which could widen the nutritional divide if not scaled inclusively.

Way Forward

1. Need strong regulatory framework: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) must develop clear definitions, safety evaluation procedures, and labeling norms for functional and smart protein foods. This framework should align with global standards while promoting indigenous innovation.
2. Strengthening Inter-Ministerial Coordination: Close cooperation among DBT, FSSAI, MoHFW, and Ministry of Agriculture is essential to ensure policy coherence and effective implementation of the BioE3 vision.
3. Building Biomanufacturing Infrastructure: Public-private partnerships should focus on setting up fermentation and bioprocessing facilities, quality testing labs, and R&D hubs to accelerate commercialization.
4. Capacity Building and Workforce Training: Developing a skilled biotechnology workforce is critical. Training programs under BioE3 can empower youth and scientists to innovate in processing, smart packaging, and food safety technologies.
5. Inclusion and integration: Linking farmers with new value chains through climate-smart crops such as millets, sorghum, and legumes can create rural employment while ensuring environmental sustainability.
6. Public awareness: Transparent communication campaigns should highlight health and sustainability benefits of functional foods, promoting wider acceptance and informed choices.

Conclusion

India stands at a pivotal moment: address malnutrition while building a sustainable food system. Functional foods and smart proteins can upgrade daily diets, ease environmental pressure, and improve productivity. With BioE3, DBT/BIRAC support, robust FSSAI standards, biofoundries, and farmer and consumer inclusion, India can secure nutritional security, catalyse jobs and innovation, and build a resilient, climate-conscious food future.

Question for practice:

Discuss why India needs functional foods and smart proteins, and the key measures to scale them responsibly.

Source: The Hindu