LARGE-SCALE PRODUCTION OF IRON FORTIFIED SALT

A new process that can produce iron fortified salt (IFS) on a large scale (3-4 metric tons/h) has been developed for the first time in India in a salt factory at Ramanathapuram, Tamil Nadu State. In this process, common salt is mixed with 0.5% each of ferrous sulphate and sodium hexametaphosphate in a ribbon blender. The dry mixing is superior to the other method based on spraying of a solution of ferrous sulphate, monosodium orthophosphate and sodium acid sulphite over common salt. The spray-mixing method encountered operational problems on account of stickiness of the components and it also requires additional equipment such as dryer. The need for this is eliminated in the dry mixing process. Also, the product obtained by the spray-mixing process developed yellow colour on storage. IFS obtained by the dry-mixing process remained colourless during prolonged storage at ambient temperatures. Iron distribution in the IFS was also found to be uniform. Various food items prepared using the IFS of dry-mixing process were indistinguishable from those containing unfortified salt in colour, taste, flavour or texture. The IFS conforms to the standards of the PFA Rules.