'Consume rice flour to build healthy nation'

by H. A. W. Hewawasam Kandy special cor.

The Director General of Agriculture Kamal Mankotte said that in this era of development the people should change their food habits to build a healthy nation. The urban and plantation sector are heavy consumers of wheat flour.

He was addressing a workshop held at the Genetic Plant Research Centre, Gannoruwa to promote production of rice based bread and other value added food items.

He said, as a nation we have to discourage the people's consumption of bread made of wheat flour. Instead they should be encouraged to use bread made of rice flour with wheat flower up to a certain proportion ie. about 40 percent of wheat flour.

The DG said wheat flour is injurious to health and causes diabetes and other digestinal complications. A percentage of calorie and nutritional value of flour is just a minimal when compared to that of rice flour.

He said the Government has a big role to have this work implemented. This is a national issue. All the State and State Authority canteens are advised to use rice flour based products. As an example to draw public concern even the Parliament canteen should have rice based bread, he said.

Dr. Rohith Prasanna of the University of Peradeniya said wheat flour doesn't have any neutrious value, but just fills up one's stomach.