Sundar Health Salt is the first of its kind in the world wherein the iron is in chelated form and Vitamin A and other micronutrients work in synergy to provide best bio-absorption of all the micronutrients. 10gm of salt (an average individual consumption) per day would provide the daily requirements of the micronutrients. The salt is white in colour and clinical studies have shown that the micronutrients are extremely stable during storage and cooking and highly bioavailable. Generally the salt does not alter the colour of the cooked food and other organoleptic properties. The micronutrients in the salt are stable for more than 10 months.

Multiple micronutrient deficiencies exist in many parts of the world, especially in developing countries like India. Salt is an ideal carrier of multiple micronutrients because it is consumed universally and in about the same quantities by everyone. Currently, salt is fortified with only one micronutrient namely iodine. Research is ongoing on double fortified salt containing iron and iodine and even triple fortified salt containing iron iodine and vitamin A but till date nobody has successfully manufactured and clinically tested a multiple micronutrient fortified salt except us.

The stability of the different micronutrients in the harsh environment of salt is extremely difficult. For example iron needs an acidic environment for its best stability and bioavailability where as iodine is extremely unstable in an acidic environment and is stable only in an alkaline pH. Vitamin A is also extremely unstable in an acidic environment. The stability of iodine and vitamin A has been achieved by us by microencapsulating them individually in an environment best suited for their stability so that it is prevented from attack from iron or the harsh environment of salt. Vitamin B12 is also coated with substances that mask the colour of the vitamin which is magenta in colour and further encapsulated. Similarly folic acid which is yellow in colour is coated with colour masking substances and further encapsulated. The micronutrients in the multiple micronutrient fortified salt are extremely stable during storage and cooking and bioavailable as seen in clinical trials data which has been published in peer reviewed journals.

The multiple micronutrient fortified salt is one of the best ways to deliver multiple micronutrients to the segment of the population that suffer from micronutrient malnourishment. For this delivery system to be successful, the micronutrients have to be stable during storage and during cooking and also not discolour the food during cooking or impart any different taste to the food during or after cooking. Normally, it is iron which discolours the food during cooking or imparts a colour to the salt itself during storage. Ferrous sulphate, the iron source, has been chelated with more than one chelating agents, and biopromotars have also been added which enhance the bioavailability of the iron by maintaining the iron in an acidic environment. This chelated iron used in the multiple micronutrient fortified salt is extremely bioavailable and does not impart any colour to the salt during storage or the food when used during cooking.