UPSC Aspirant 2025-26

#UPSC CSE POSTPONED TO be held in October 10

Food fortification is usually regarded as the deliberate addition of one or more micronutrients to particular foods, to increase the intake of these micronutrients to correct or prevent a demonstrated deficiency and provide a health benefit. In October 2016, FSSAI operationalized the Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods) Regulations, 2016 for fortifying staples namely Wheat Flour and Rice (with Iron, Vitamin B12 and Folic Acid), Milk and Edible Oil (with Vitamins A and D) and Double Fortified Salt (with Iodine and Iron) to reduce the high burden of micronutrient malnutrition in India.  The ‘+F’ logo has been notified to identify fortified foods.  Food Safety and Standards (Fortification of Foods) Regulations, 2018 As per these rules: The fortification of staples is not compulsory.  The fortification of the products and use of the +F logo is allowed to FBO only if the enrichment of the food is done according to the standards laid under it. Adding iodine to commercial salt is mandatory in India.  Whenever the food articles standards stated under ‘Food Safety and Standards Regulations’ instructs for adding specific minerals or vitamins as an obligatory demand of that particular standard, the same shall comply, but the +F logo shall not be used.  New standards now provide a minimum and a maxima range for the fortification of staples like wheat flour, maida, rice, salt, vegetable oil, and milk.  The dosage of the micronutrients has been adjusted so that they provide 30 to 50 percent of the daily requirements.

It has become an indispensable tool for gene cloning, the study of gene function and regulation and the production of small amounts of recombinant proteins for analysis and verification. It can be done physically, chemically, and biologically.  In physical methods, the DNA is delivered directly into either the cytoplasm or the nucleus using some kind of physical force. There is no requirement for interaction with the plasma membrane. This avoids involvement with the endosomal pathway and thus limits the amount of damage sustained by the exogenous DNA. These are:  Electroporation: Electroporation is the transfection of cells following their exposure to a pulsed electric field. This causes several nanometer-sized pores to open in the plasma membrane for up to 30 minutes, allowing the uptake of free DNA from the surrounding medium.  Microinjection: The direct microinjection of DNA into the cytoplasm or nuclei of cultured cells is sometimes used as a transfection method. It is highly efficient at the level of individual cells.  Transfection by particle bombardment: Particle bombardment (also known as biolistics or microprojectile transfection) procedure involves coating micrometer-sized gold or tungsten particles with DNA and then accelerating the particles into cells or tissues. A major advantage of this method is that DNA can be delivered to deep cells in tissue slices, and the depth of penetration can be adjusted by changing the applied force.  Transfection by ultrasound: It involves the exposure of cells to a rapidly oscillating probe, such as the tip of a sonicator. The application of ultrasound waves to a dish of cells or a particular tissue results in the formation and collapse of bubbles in the liquid, including the cell membrane, a process known as cavitation. The transient appearance of such cavities allows DNA to cross the membrane into the cytoplasm.  Lipofection and Calcium phosphate Transfection are the chemical methods. 4. Which of the following are the applications of the Polymerase chain reaction? 1. DNA fingerprinting 2. Phylogenic analysis 3. DNA isolation Select the correct option using the codes given below: (a) 1 and 2 only (b) 2 and 3 only (c) 1 and 3 only (d) 1, 2, and 3 Correct Option: (d) Explanation: Polymerase chain reaction Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is a method widely used in molecular biology to rapidly make millions to billions of copies of specific DNA sample allowing scientists to take a very small sample of DNA and amplify it to a large enough amount to study in detail. PCR was invented in 1983 by Kary Mullis. It is fundamental to much of genetic testing including analysis of ancient samples of DNA and identification of infectious agents. Using PCR, copies of very small amounts of DNA sequences are exponentially amplified in a series of cycles of temperature changes. PCR is now a common and often indispensable technique used in medical laboratory and clinical laboratory research for a broad variety of applications including biomedical research and criminal forensics.  Its applications are in DNA isolation, Amplification and quantification of DNA, Medical and diagnostic applications, Infectious disease applications, Forensic applications(eg., in DNA fingerprinting), Research applications (eg. phylogenic analysis, gene mapping), etc. 5. Food fortification refers to the deliberate addition of one or more micronutrients to reduce the burden of micronutrient malnutrition in India. In this context, consider the following statements: 1. Milk, salt and edible oil are the only items that are fortified in India at present. 2. Fortification of staple food is not mandatory as per the Fortification of Food Regulations 2018. 3. Double fortified salt delivers a crucial amount of iodine and vitamin B12. Which of the above statements is/are correct? (a) 1 and 3 only (b) 2 only (c) 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3 Correct Option: (b) Explanation: Food Fortification