HYDERABAD: The recent INFUSE Summit (Nutrition and Food Innovations for Integrated Solutions and Empowerment) held at NIN Hyderabad focused on innovative technologies in the food and nutrition sector. As many as 10 startups showcased AI-powered nutrition and dietary assessment tools, while others developed mobile apps and devices that detect anemia, diabetes, hypertension, and other non-communicable diseases in a non-invasive manner. Most of these startups are collaborating with the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN) to further develop their solutions.Supporting frontline workersANMOL Didi is a WhatsApp-based tool for ANM, ASHA and Anganwadi workers that acts as a digital assistant. It allows frontline workers to ask questions, access government schemes, perform scenario-based queries, take quizzes, and watch short skills-focused videos. “We chose WhatsApp because it makes the tool easy to use without the need to install or update an app. It helps workers reach simple, practical nutrition messages to women and children in rural areas,” said co-founder Keshava Sahani. ANMOL is currently being piloted in Madhya Pradesh with over 200,000 health workers and aims to be integrated into the state program and scaled up further. The tool will be tailored to state-specific health guidelines and could be adapted to other states in the coming months. NIN will now help integrate the Indian Dietary Guidelines into the app.Non-invasive anemia detectionSEWA Rural has launched an app that tests for anemia without a blood test. The AI model uses images of the conjunctiva, tongue, and nail bed, as well as fingertip signals, to predict hemoglobin levels. “This approach is particularly useful in rural areas where blood testing is difficult,” said Dr. Kaushal Jesarpura. The app, currently in the prototype stage, focuses on collecting high-quality data to improve accuracy. The NIN supports validation to ensure reliability and has the potential to make anemia screening faster and more accessible in underserved communities.Make healthier choices easyThe TruthIn app helps consumers make informed food choices by providing a composite health score for products based on nutrients, additives, and excess sugar, salt, and fat. Users can scan barcodes or search for products to gain instant nutritional insights, filter by allergies or dietary preferences, and post missing products to a crowdsourced database. “This app is India-specific, free and uses India’s RDA guidelines. We also provide brands, retailers and regulators with a centralized intelligence system to understand product sales and nutrition trends,” said Dr. Aman Sheikh, co-founder and CMO of NatFirst. The founders plan to partner with NIN to verify data and support research.personalized nutritionAshoka University's SmartDiet India has developed a comprehensive dietary ecosystem that combines a database of recipes and food labels with tools for nutrient analysis and personalized recommendations. “We measured ingredients, accounted for cooking methods and portion sizes, and accurately calculated nutrients for our 3,000-student campus. The system includes a mobile app, web interface and photo-based food recognition,” said Professor Geeta Trilok Kumar. It currently covers 1,500 recipes, 1,000 labels, and 500 meal images, and continues to grow.Early detection of health risksVitalis is a portable, non-invasive device that provides early detection of anemia, diabetes, hypertension, and other health risks. “It measures heart rate, blood pressure, hemoglobin, blood sugar levels and breathing rate. Unlike smartwatches, it is suitable for families and offices and does not require individual adjustments. The infant version also does not require a blood sample,” Asif Care said. After three years of research, Vitalis is nearing market launch, with clinical trials and approvals underway by NIN and ICMR.
