2009 Health Award Laureate
PATH: Ultra Rice
| Laureate Country: United States |
| Project Countries: India, Brazil, Colombia |
| Website: www.path.org |
PATH's Ultra Rice technology, a "manufactured rice grain" typically blended with traditional rice at a 1:100 ratio, brings the benefits of food fortification to nutritionally vulnerable rice-consuming regions of the developing world.
Micronutrient malnutrition threatens the health, cognitive development, and productivity of billions of people worldwide. It is characterized by a lack of nutrients in the diet-like iron, which is critically needed for children to learn and grow.
Ultra Rice, made from rice flour fortified with micronutrients, such as iron, zinc, folic acid, and Vitamin A, can be customized to address the deficiencies common to the regions where it is consumed. The fortified rice grains are manufactured using pasta-making equipment and resemble the shape and appearance of locally grown rice. Iron-rich Ultra Rice is currently being introduced into a school lunch program in India, reaching about 60,000 children per day. Similar introductions in Brazil and Colombia are planned for early 2010.
Ultra Rice is a registered trademark of Bon Dente International, Inc. in the United States.
