Nestle unveils new, improved Cerelac with More Iron

KUALA LUMPUR: Research has shown that 1 in 3 children under the age of 5 in Malaysia are anaemic mainly due to iron deficiency, which is causing some public health concern. Responding to the need for more nutrients in children’s everyday diet, Nestle has officially launched its new CERELAC ® infant cereal with More Iron to play a leading role.

The new CERELAC ® infant cereal, fortified with 25% more iron, contains BL Bifidus probiotics with a combination of vitamin A and C that help reduce the risk of Iron Deficiency Anaemia, while delivering a nutritious meal for young children.

Recent studies have revealed startling micronutrient deficiencies, which could potentially hinder the growth and development of young children. A child may look healthy, but micronutrient deficiency strikes at the core of your health and vitality.

The new product formulation reflects Nestlé’s commitment to help bridge a critical and growing nutrition gap among young children today. High in nutrients, the New Improved CERELAC ® with More Iron is made of fresh natural ingredients, with its core ingredient, rice, sourced directly from the rice fields of Kedah’s Nestlé Paddy Club®.

Launched in 2012, The Nestlé Paddy Club® is a contract farming initiative whereby Nestlé Malaysia works with farmers in Kedah to employ sustainable, innovative, and environment- friendly rice growing methods to grow paddy, which is then used in Nestlé infant cereals. This meaningful initiative not only helps improve the monthly income of farmers, it has also resulted in increased yields above 6.4MT per hectares. This is significantly higher than the national average. Through this programme, farmers are able to adopt more innovative environmental practices, while producing high quality, safe and traceable rice.

Ms. Mary Easaw, chief dietitian at the National Heart Institute ( Institut Jantung Negara), remarked that after 6 months, the baby’s nutrient needs increases. Breast milk need to be supplement with nutrient rich homemade weaning foods. This is the time to introduce a variety of nutrient rich foods such as grains, protein namely fish, lean chicken, meat, fruits and vegetables in the diet. By doing so, you can prevent anemia and other nutrient deficiency symptoms and ensure their body growth and brain development.

For more information, please log on to http://www.nestlejuniorclub. com .