World Food Prize has been awarded to nutrition expert for her innovative work on fish. Dr Shakuntala Thilsted, 71, received coveted prize for pioneering new methods of raising fish that are rich in nutrients. She also successfully campaigned to incorporate fish into the diets of people in developing countries. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken commended Dr Thilsted on her work. He said she "figured out how these nutrient-rich small fish can be raised locally and inexpensively". He added that, "millions of low-income families...are eating small fish regularly, dried and fresh, in everything from chutneys to porridge". He said: " key nutrients in fish will protect children for lifetime."
The World Food Prize was created by Nobel Peace Prize laureate in 1986. He wanted to recognise scientists who improved quality and availability of food. The recipient of award receives $250,000 prize. Dr Thilsted grew up on Caribbean island of Trinidad. She fully appreciated nutritional value of fish in improving our health. She went on to conduct research on malnutrition and fish diets in Bangladesh in 1980s. She said: "I was able to assess nutritional composition of small fish species and realized that they were extremely rich in multiple vitamins and minerals." She hopes her award will inspire more women in developing countries to continue her research.
