A Mumbai girl’s concept note about increasing nutrition intake among children, published by an American university, resulted in the 21-year-old creating a nutrition bar which is now sold in South Mumbai schools. Called Gudness, the bar has 14mg iron and is sufficient to meet the daily nutrition requirement of adults. It costs Rs10 each and over 7,000 bars have already been sold in South Mumbai schools in just two months.
Rajvi Mehta, a thalassemia minor, joined Brown University in the US, in 2009 to study biochemistry. She later wrote a concept note, ‘Let’s Well Be Red’, about combating anaemia and increasing the haemoglobin level among children, which was published in a Brown University publication. It won her the Swearer International Service Fellowship from the university in 2010.
Mehta flew to Mumbai as part of the fellowship and launched a pilot study along with the Family Planning Association of India and the Nargis Dutt Charitable Trust. Tests conducted among 1,500 women and children revealed that the kids were severely deficient in iron. “That’s when I thought of creating Gudness which would be rich in iron,” Mehta told DNA.
She went about the task meticulously, seeking professional help from nutritionists to pack the bar with iron and experts to make it palatable for children. She also set up a not-for-profit firm to manufacture the bar. The bars were later distributed in South Mumbai schools “We conducted awareness camps in different schools where thousands of students tasted Gudness. Over 87% loved the bar and wanted to eat it,” Mehta said.
Gudness is made up of half-baked nachni (30%), jaggery, black and white sesame seeds, flax seeds and vanilla. An adult needs 10mg iron per day while a menstruating female needs 15mg iron daily, according to the World Health Organisation.
Mehta’s article inspired fellow student, Carlota Pereda Serras from Spain, to join the project in 2011. Serras found the problem stemmed from iron-deficient food that the children consumed daily.
Dr Ashok Rathod, head of paediatric department, Sir JJ Group of hospitals, said the bar would help children combat anaemia and increase their haemoglobin level. Nita Row, coordinator, Bombay International School, also praised Mehta’s efforts. “We got a great response from our students and parents. The demand for Gudness among students is going up,” she said.
