Published on: November 10, 2025

DOES INDIA NEED NUTRITIONAL TRANSFORMATION?

DOES INDIA NEED NUTRITIONAL TRANSFORMATION?

 Introduction

India’s relationship with food is evolving from focusing solely on quantity to prioritizing quality and health. The next phase in this journey — nutritional transformation — involves the adoption of functional foods and smart proteins to ensure health, sustainability, and food security for its population.

What Are Functional Foods?

  • Definition: Functional foods are those enriched with additional nutrients that go beyond basic nutrition to promote health and prevent disease.
    Example: Vitamin-enriched rice, omega-3 fortified milk, probiotic yogurt, etc.

  • Technologies Involved:

    • Nutrigenomics: Studies how nutrition interacts with human genes.

    • Bio-fortification: Enhancing the nutrient content of crops (e.g., zinc-rich rice).

    • 3D Food Printing: Customizing nutrient combinations.

    • Bioprocessing: Using enzymes or microorganisms to improve nutrient absorption.

What Are Smart Proteins?

  • Definition: Smart proteins are sustainable alternatives to animal-based proteins, produced using biotechnology.

  • Types of Smart Proteins:

    • Plant-based Proteins: Extracted from legumes, cereals, or oilseeds to mimic animal meat or dairy.

    • Fermentation-derived Proteins: Produced using microbial systems (yeast, bacteria, fungi).

    • Cultivated Meat: Grown from animal cells in bioreactors, eliminating the need for slaughter.

Why Does India Need Nutritional Transformation?

a) Addressing Malnutrition

  • Over one-third of Indian children are stunted, and micronutrient deficiencies remain widespread.

  • Despite improved food availability, nutritional inequality persists between urban and rural regions.

b) From Food Security to Nutritional Security

  • India’s focus must shift from providing enough calories to ensuring nutrient-rich food — proteins, vitamins, and antioxidants — that promote holistic well-being.

c) Balancing Sustainability

  • Traditional meat and dairy production strain land, water, and energy resources.

  • Smart proteins offer a low-emission, resource-efficient solution to meet growing protein demands.

India’s Current Progress

a) Policy Support

  • Functional foods and smart proteins are part of India’s BioE3 (Biotechnology for Economy, Environment, and Employment) policy.

  • The Department of Biotechnology (DBT) and BIRAC fund R&D in these domains.

b) Scientific Initiatives

  • Development of zinc-enriched rice (IIRR, Hyderabad) and iron-rich pearl millet (ICRISAT).

  • The Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) received ₹4.5 crore from DBT to research cultivated meat.

c) Industry Participation

  • Companies like Tata Consumer Products, ITC, and Marico invest in fortified foods.

  • Over 70 startups such as GoodDot, Blue Tribe Foods, and Evo Foods are active in smart protein products.

d) Regulatory Gaps

  • The FSSAI lacks clear guidelines on novel foods like cultivated meat or precision-fermented proteins.

  • Regulatory ambiguity could slow innovation and consumer adoption.

Global Experience

  • Japan (1980s): Pioneered the concept and regulation of functional foods.

  • Singapore (2020): Became the first country to approve commercial sale of cultivated chicken.

  • China: Prioritizes alternative proteins for food security.

  • European Union: Promotes sustainable protein production under its Farm to Fork strategy.

Way Forward for India

a) Strengthening Regulation

  • The FSSAI should create a national framework defining, evaluating, and labelling novel foods to ensure safety and consumer confidence.

b) Building Public Trust

  • Transparent communication, consumer education, and credible certification systems are key to overcoming scepticism toward “lab-grown” or “synthetic” foods.

c) Policy Coordination

  • Inter-ministerial coordination (Agriculture, Health, Science & Technology) is vital for cohesive policy implementation.

d) Capacity Building

  • Upskilling agricultural and biotech workforce will ensure employment continuity in new industries.

  • Encouraging public-private partnerships (PPP) can accelerate infrastructure development and local technology innovation.

e) Farmer and Consumer Inclusion

  • Farmers should be integrated into value chains for smart protein crops and bio-fortified agriculture.

  • Nutrition literacy campaigns can ensure widespread acceptance of functional foods.

Economic and Social Potential

  • The global plant-based food market is projected to reach $85–$240 billion by 2030.

  • India can emerge as a global supplier and innovation hub, creating thousands of jobs across agriculture, manufacturing, logistics, and biotechnology.

Conclusion

India’s journey from food security to nutritional security is essential for sustainable development. Functional foods and smart proteins represent the next frontier in achieving health, sustainability, and economic growth. However, to realize this vision, India must create a robust regulatory ecosystem, promote scientific innovation, and build public trust.