Food Tech Updates

TOO MUCH GOOD FOOD CAN ALSO CAUSE PROBLEM!

2012-02-02T11:25:00.001+05:30

There is an old saying that even "Elixir" can become a poison when consumed in unlimited quantity. Same is true with food also. The root cause of many modern day life style diseases has been attributed to processed foods with high degree of refining where bulk of the health promoting constituents are removed. A diet not balanced in terms of essential nutrients can also be a deterrent to sound health as being seen with many wealthy consumers who eat rich foods but some what unbalanced vis-a-vis one or the other nutrient vital for normal body metabolism. In India Mango is a much liked fruit but it is also rich in sugar and one of the regular observations made by physicians is that many diabetic people land into problem during Mango season because of high sugar levels in the blood caused by too much consumption of Mango. Those counting their calories must be aware of the calories contributed by fruits though these protective foods are recommended by nutrition experts. Same is true with other recommended foods like coarse grains, whole grains etc all of which do contribute to calories and their excess consumption does not help the cause of weight control. Here is an interesting commentary by a discerning observer about the implications of over consumption.

People often make the mistake of thinking that something is good for you just because it's all-natural or organic. Today, I want to focus on a different nutritional blind-spot: quality vs. quantity. Even when a food is good for you, it doesn't necessarily follow that you can eat it in unlimited quantities. Whole grains and fresh fruits are two examples of healthy foods that can easily be over-consumed.

It is true the concepts of Cosmic Index (GI) and Glycemic Load (GL) are excellent to guide consumers regarding the quality of carbohydrate in a diet but ultimately one has to control the quantity consumed to prevent excess calorie build up which can add to the waist line. When it comes to planning a diet for a normally healthy individual and others handicapped by disorders like diabetes, obesity etc different yardsticks need to be used but the basic principle that over delivery of calorie rich foods to any one can be deleterious to both the groups. Moderation and elf-discipline in eating are the corner stones for a normal healthy life.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

THE REAL "FAST" FOOD-GLOBALIZATION OF CATERING

2012-02-01T08:37:00.001+05:30

With major cuisines from China, Mexico, India and other countries becoming universally sought after, the national boundaries are getting blurred more and more and the ease of travel across the globe has further accentuated this trend. Restaurants specialized in the traditional cuisines of many countries are springing up every where in the world and there is no dearth of customers for these joints. The explosive development of Food Truck industry, especially in the US, has taken eating experience to a different level with customers patronizing these mobile food caterers in great numbers. It is in this context one has to appreciate the novel approach to catering by an entrepreneur in London with his offer of the foods prepared in his restaurant any where in the world using a renovated Jet fighter acquired from Iraq. According to the claims made by him the foods are much sought after by many celebrities from many countries and he seems to have developed the necessary skill to deliver these foods in prime condition. Here is a take on this new phenomenon.

"The owner of an Indian restaurant in Britain has bought a fighter jet to deliver his food to celebrity clients across the world.
Rob Abdul, 40, who runs the Cafe Taj restaurant in Gravesend, Kent, bought the now abandoned Iraqi warplane with a pilot friend, and has spent 35,000 pounds ($55,000) restoring it. "One thing you cannot do as a businessman is disappoint your customers. I regularly get requests from around the world," Abdul was quoted as saying by the Daily Express. Abdul has previously sent food from his restaurant to the England cricket team on tour to Australia".

One is curious to know the over head cost incurred in supplying food out side England by air and whether the eventual price tag would not be too high. Probably for celebrities who earn thousands of dollars every minute through their talent, any price tag might not be too high.

Modern food technologies like modified atmosphere packing, freezing, aseptic filling, high pressure processing etc, capable of preserving the quality of food for significantly longer periods, there may not be any technological challenge for the venture. Logistical problems like phyto-sanitary clearance and border controls between countries may still pose some uncertainties, especially under the present security concerns for international travel and freighting. All said, the new initiative deserves to be applauded and it is worth watching the experience of this entrepreneur to guide future developments in this area.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

THE MEGA FOOD CORRUPTION-SQUANDERING PUBLIC MONEY?

2012-01-31T18:18:00.001+05:30

What is the best way to please a citizen whose vote is important in a democracy? Normally answer would be to serve the voters through developmental projects and help to make life easier but in India the political parties with all hues have discovered that populist measures with huge financial commitment from the exchequer are the surest bet! The ever vigilant Election Commission is trying its level best to prevent direct "bribing" of the voters through cash payment, obviously with the ill-gotten black money though those caught are minuscule of the vast amounts deployed during election time. In the US the government makes payment to the tune of billions of dollars to its super rich farmers who in turn fund the election of many law makers there. The not so "brand new" program for mass appeasement through the proposed Food Security Bill which is yet to be enacted into a law has the flavor of a massive corruption in the name of citizen welfare. In stead of identifying and supporting those who are in dire need of food, lacking the necessary purchasing power, here is a government trying to give food grains at literally throw away prices with hope that voters will be grateful to it and support the ruling political party in coming elections. Here is a take on this national folly which can cause irreparable damage to the working morale of the population at large!

'The new Food Security Bill would provide subsidised grain to 75 percent of people in the countryside and half the urban population -- about 810 million -- who cannot afford to eat properly. The extra annual requirement for rice and wheat under the draft law will be at least 45.6 million tonnes -- doubling current levels handed out by the world's second-biggest rice and wheat producer. The food ministry is assuming it will need about 30 percent of total wheat and rice output which tops 180 million tonnes to cover the subsidised food, relying on increased yields and lower wastage to meet demand and keep exports on the agenda".

The investment by its sheer size is astronomical but what is of concern is that such ostentatious spending cannot be considered an investment at all because it is going to be a regular commitment from which no future government will have the courage to backtrack if required. Though it is suggested that this policy will continue till the people are brought out of the poverty cycle, this will be almost like the reservation policy for which the constitution had laid a time limit of twenty years but politicians found it expedient to perpetuate this policy indefinitely for enriching their vote banks. Imagine how effective it would have been if this amount were to be invested on creating permanent assets that will benefit all segments of population. After neglecting agriculture for decades and creating a situation for mass suicides of poor farmers, here comes a policy of appeasing the voters through supply of food grains practically free without bothering to look at the logistics of producing the expanded need under the new Bill. Government's priority ought to have been to modernize the PDS regime making it pilfer proof and delivering the food to the really needy and deserving consumers in "decent" condition. What will be the future of a country where people do not have to work and earn to get their "daily bread" when it is offered on a platter, practically free of cost!

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

THE GALLOPING FOOD COST-HUNGER IN RICH NATIONS?

2012-01-31T12:30:00.001+05:30

Being born in a rich country like the US or in Europe is considered a blessing because of high per capita income enjoyed by the population there. It is true that on PPP basis the citizens might not be as rich as thought to be because of high cost of living experienced there. A note worthy phenomenon which cannot escape notice of a discerning observer is the relatively low cost of the food as part of the family income. While in a country like India an average family in the lower middle class category may be spending almost 50% of the income on purchasing food and groceries, the same works out to less than 10% for a US family. In spite of constant inflation eating away part of the purchasing power of the citizen, the food is considered affordable because of huge subsidies being showered on the farmer community by the government. In spite of the above, recent reports suggest that there are significant pockets of poverty across that country with many families unable to muster even the minimum money required to buy essential foods for meeting the daily nutritional needs. A human tragedy of herculean dimension. Here is a take on this queer phenomenon.

"Food prices have risen in recent years due to growing demand in developing nations and speculative shenanigans in the commodities markets, but food in America is still cheap. As Michael Pollan noted in The New York Review of Books, President Richard Nixon reacted to a spike in food prices in the early 1970s by shifting policy from supporting price stability for farmers to increasing output of a few crops such as corn and soy (this explains why there's corn and soy in everything). As a result of this policy shift and technological gains that have increased productivity per acre, Americans spend less on food as a percentage of their income — slightly less than 10 percent — than at any time in modern history. Hunger persisted, however, because at the same time the cost of housing increased markedly, which left people with less money for food. Thankfully, the cost of housing in Las Vegas decreased with the housing bust. Still, hunger persists, though now it's because people can't find work or their income is swallowed up by medical costs."

The food inflation in many developing countries has witnessed alarming spurts and the condition in these places is not congenial for supporting a decent life style. It is not long ago the Prime Minister of India "lamented" about the sorry conditions in the country where majority of children are suffering from gross malnutrition and under nutrition with insufficient access to foods due to economic factors. It is not a solace that the government economists declare the inflation for the last 4 weeks coming down to below zero, though the food markets tell a different story. The fact is that there is no price stability practically for any food, especially the protective foods like fruits and vegetables and government does not seem to have any clue as to what needs to be done to make them available in plenty at affordable cost. Could it be a cold comfort to people in poor countries to know that there are plenty of cousins feeling the pangs of hunger in rich countries too? In stead of trying to conquer the outer space or amassing nuclear bombs, world must redirect its resources, efforts, energy and focus on eradicating poverty where ever it exists and restore the human dignity.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

"CHAOS'-THY NAME IS GOVERNMENT!

2012-01-31T11:53:00.001+05:30

It is only in India that governments, whether local, regional or federal,come in the way of developing entrepreneurial talents to its full blossom. Though the old "Permit and Licensing" regime was supposed to have been progressively brought down after the bold economic liberalization policy of early nineteen nineties, nothing much seems to have changed at the ground level when it comes to small scale entrepreneurs in the food sector struggling to eke out an existence against the powerful MNCs and big fish already well established with many incentives by the government to increase investment in food industry at "any cost". The corrupt bureaucracy which holds the power strings to make or break an industry through manipulation of rules, obviously has less sympathy for the small players because of the limited capacity of the latter to pay "grease money" for getting what is legitimately due as per constitution. Here is a typical example of what is happening in the country under the very nose of the Prime Minister who rarely sees such things except for expressing his sympathies belatedly through "hollow" words!

The Delhi high court on Monday put DDA and MCD on notice over the absence of a coherent policy for parking and licensing of food catering vans in the city. Justice Hima Kohli pulled up both the agencies for "complete chaos" and wondered why there is no single-window clearance system in place for van owners to obtain required permissions. Giving a day's time to MCD and DDA to come clear, HC noted, "There is complete chaos whenever two agencies are involved. Why isn't there a system in place for parking and licensing of the vans, why can't there be a single-window clearance so that people don't have to go to authorities for clearance," Kohli said, posting the matter for hearing on Tuesday. HC was hearing a plea by a group of van owners who moved the court challenging the "arbitrary and unjust" manner in which they were evicted out by the civic agencies from Dwarka. According to the authorities these vans parked in various sectors of Dwarka were responsible for traffic congestion and caused a parking mess and were therefore shifted. However, the petitioners through advocate Manjit Singh Ahluwalia argued that the civic agencies had no policy to follow with respect to mobile food vans that permitted them to resort to high-handedness.

Catering is a business dominated by micro enterprises which are omnipotent by their presence in every corner of the country and the street vending phenomenon is traditionally accepted by the consumers, especially those coming from the "aam admi" category with low income. Why should the government agencies harass them is a point that must be addressed at the national level. Licensing is an unavoidable feature of safety management system but it must be simple and affordable. How many violations the Delhi Government had detected vis-s-vis food safety during the last 3 years and how many culprits had been brought to book? Wielding power comes with responsibility which is rarely "understood" and if the court finds these babus of dereliction of duty they must be punished severely for failing in their assigned role of facilitating the small scale food business activities. While the above case focuses on Delhi, same is true every where in the country. One can hope that suitable lesson will be learned from the strictures from Supreme Court

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

IS STATE INTERVENTION INEVITABLE FOR PRICE STABILIZATION?

2012-01-30T18:09:00.001+05:30

Communist system of governance depends heavily on government sponsored and managed industrial enterprises to control the market and ensure steady prices for all the daily needs of the citizens. In contrast free market philosophy leaves it to the entrepreneurship and enterprising spirit of the individual citizen to flourish under a competitive market environment, the fittest and the ablest surviving eventually. This is supposed to weed out weak performers and increase the overall efficiency of the economic activity. Spurt in food prices is fraught with social unrest, fostering a feeling of shortages and scarcity which has the potential to even destabilize established regimes. The 2008 food riots in 25 countries across the world are too fresh in the memory of the world and every government makes sure that food inflation is kept to an unavoidable minimum. Chines government, though preaches the Marxist-Leninist communist ideals, it had embraced almost all features of free economy that enabled it to become a strong economic power in the world to day. Now that the food inflation is showing signs of turbulence, government there wants to invest more of state funds in the market to control prices. Here is a take on this recent policy orchestration being propounded by the government.

"China will focus on government-invested markets as an important way to stabilize agricultural produce prices and

meet people's basic needs according to a document from the State Council. The document released on Monday said

governments at all levels should increase investment in purchasing or constructing agricultural produce wholesale

markets,farmers' markets and vegetable markets.It is the first State Council document that requires local governments

to purchase and have a stake in agricultural produce wholesale markets, and to clarify the public welfare nature of fresh agricultural produce markets, Dai Zhongjiu, director of the China Vegetable Marketing Association,

told the Economic Information Daily. Beijing is pioneering government-invested markets and is promoting the model

of using reduced stall fees to lower vegetable prices in government-invested markets, said Dai. Beijing plans to hold

stakes in 10 vegetable markets and purchase five vegetable markets in each of the city's districts in the future, said

Zhang Yuxi, the board chairman of Xinfadi, the largest wholesale market in the capital, the Beijing Business Today

reported."The main benefit of involving local governments in running vegetable markets is that it will help the

government control retail sales of vegetables, which will then stabilize prices," said Zhang. "In government-invested

markets, stall fees are easy to control, as the government can just shoulder part of the cost," Li Binglong, a professor

with the China Agricultural University, told the Global Times. It would rely heavily on government investment

while pushing forward the model, Linoted, while the existence of government-invested markets would influence other market operators. "Rising costs in other areas also affect agricultural produce prices,such as labor costs." Linking sales

directly to production has become a common method of reducing overall distribution costs. The State Council

proposals encourage large- scale distribution enterprises to have stable relationships with leading agricultural

enterprises. However, the "hard to sell and expensive to buy" problem is still an outstanding issue across the country.

In October, potatoes sold at four yuan ($0.63) a kilogram in Beijing, while in the Inner Mongolia

Autonomous Region, about 300 kilometers from the capital,the price was just 0.6 yuan a kilogram, with fewer

people buying them, the Beijing Business Today reported earlier".

How far government intervention in the market can control food inflation remains to be seen. It is a cardinal truth that no government managed system in business activities can vie with private players in terms of economic efficiency and lowering of the cost of production or manufacturing. Still since the government in China is not based on democracy, it can indulge in many arbitrary and draconian measures to control the market prices. India, in spite of being a democratic country, has shown how prices can be manipulated by creating monopolies in certain commodities with no competition allowed under a protectionist policy regime. Of course this tendency is slowly becoming less and less with many sectors open to private investment. Still the market environment in India is much more competitive than that in China. One big difference between these two Asian "cousins" is the predominant role of "middle men" in India who connect the farmer to the consumer, gobbling hefty margins in the process and often indulging in hoarding and creating artificial shortages. The Onion fiasco last year was a prime example of the vice like grip middlemen have on the food market in India. The hope by GOI to reduce the marketing muscle power of these middlemen through clearing of FDI in retail may be misplaced if one goes by the experience of other countries which had chosen this route in the past.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

DIOXINS IN FOOD-INDUSTRY VS REGULATORY AGENCIES

2012-01-29T18:43:00.001+05:30

Industry is invariably averse to any strict surveillance against their questionable practices among some of its members and will never agree, if given an option, in making any standards stricter. There are hundreds of instances in the history of food industry during the last hundred years to prove the point that result of any voluntary action for making the food safer and healthy at best is very disappointing! take for instance the current efforts on moderating salt or sugar or fat in processed foods which do not seem to be taking the world any where near a solution to the obesity epidemic that promises to make people sick and morbid progressively! Voluntary action by the processing industry, if really sincere could have reduced the number of unhealthy foods and limited the aggressive commercial promotion significantly but it can only be a Utopian dream with very little chance of success. Here comes the latest instance of industry defiance to an innocuous proposal to curtail presence of the deadly Dioxins in foods in the US.

'Farmers and the food industry are trying to kill a proposed safety standard for dioxins, chemicals that can cause cancer and are widely found in meat, seafood and dairy products. Industry groups say a daily exposure limit for dioxin proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency isn't justified and could unnecessarily scare consumers away from meat and milk products. An individual could ingest more than the proposed daily limit of dioxin in a single meal, the groups say. "The implications of this action are chilling," they said in a recent letter to the White House. "EPA is proposing to create a situation in which most U.S. agricultural products could arbitrarily be classified as unfit for consumption." The proposed standard would not by itself trigger any regulations on farmers or food companies, but the government could later recommend measures, including restrictions on the content of livestock feed, to reduce the amount of dioxins that people could consume. The dioxin limit is the latest health and environmental issue that has pitted the Obama administration against industries who claim they're being subjected to unwarranted, job-stifling rules and regulations. "Dioxin is one of the most notorious and most studied chemicals," said Sonya Lunder, a senior analyst with the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy organization. "The industry is trying to change the definition of what is safe to avoid any further scrutiny."

It is laughable to listen to industry captains that a move like this would "scare" the consumers as if they are blissfully happy with the current range of products offered in the market! Main stream industry players must introspect regarding the progressive inroads made by the organic food industry in food business at their expense and the reasons for the same. The simple answer is lack of trust on the industry to deliver safe and healthy foods to the people. If there are technical reasons to resist such consumer safety restrictions, same much be orchestrated in a more transparent manner, in stead of indulging in shadow boxing and semantics. If one looks at history, all innovations to find alternative options for unsafe practices, take place only when forced to do so under duress! Without waiting for any nod from the industry, restrictions on Dioxin content in foods must be enforced legally. Citizen's life is too precious to be sacrifieced to please the industry!

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

INDUSTRIAL SALT FOR FOOD PROCESSING-THE IMPLICATIONS

2012-01-21T10:54:00.003+05:30

Food safety considerations to day far outweigh other concerns and governments, industry and the consumers are on the edge fearing for the worst any time. Though the situation is no as alarming as being touted around, still it is the duty of all the three stake holders to strive hard to attain perfection as far as possible in this endeavor. against such a background it is understandable that there was a big hue and cry regarding the reported use of industrial grade salt in the manufacture by some processors in Europe with people differing in their perspectives regarding any danger from such a practice, deliberate or otherwise. Here is an interesting commentary on this episode.

Morgunblaðið reports that comparable research indicates that there is hardly any difference between the industrial salt carried by Ölgerðin and salt specifically intended for food production. The salt normally used in food production contains 99.8 percent NaCl and the industrial salt 99.6 percent. The copper content is 0.1 mg/kg in the food salt and 0.4 mg/kg in the industrial salt. According to Codex quality standard, NaCl content must be no less than 97 percent in food grade salt and the copper content is not to exceed 2.0 mg/kg and so both grades are safe to use for food production. The Dutch company Akzo Nobel, which produced the salt for Ölgerðin, responded to an enquiry by MAST stating that the industrial salt does not pose a risk to consumers' health but as not as strict demands are made on its production and storage as food grade salt it shouldn't be used in food products. "This matter is first and foremost about surveillance and we at Ölgerðin understand that," said CEO of Ölgerðin Andri Þór Guðmundsson. "We have carried this salt for 13 years and before that it was carried by others. It is not at all dangerous which is why MAST permitted us to finish the stock," he elaborated. "Even so we are sorry that this happened and we will review all our procedures to prevent it from happening again," Andri Þór concluded.

it must be admitted that food industry has the duty and responsibility to use ingredients that conform to food standards and safety specifications prescribed by the regulatory agencies. Same applies to medicines also where only pharmacopia specified ingredients are only used. These compulsory requirements are based on certain perceptions universally agreed to and any violation, serious or otherwise is difficult to be condoned. Though the violators argue that there is not much difference between food grade and industrial grade salt, the moot question is why then there are two different specifications at all? Food grade salt for example distinctly lays down upper limits for toxic metals like arsenic, Copper, Lead, Cadmium and Mercury but does industrial grade salt has such rigid requirements. Doubtful. Probably if such salts are used accidentally, it must be the duty of the safety agencies to examine the salt for its conformation to Codex standards before declaring that the foods containing it are safe for human consumption.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

THE "NATIONAL SHAME" DECLARATION- THE TRUE AUTHORS!

2012-01-21T10:53:00.002+05:30

Who ever has not listened to the "heart rendering" declaration by the venerable Prime Minister of India stating that child malnutrition and stunted growth of Indian children is a national shame? Probably every patriotic Indian must have hanged his or her head in shame at least for a "minute" after hearing the "confession" of the CEO of a country after being at the helm of affairs continuously for 7 years! An investigative journalist has now brought out the gory details of the alliance behind the fulminations of the PM. It appears that the so called charitable foundation which flashed this news was indeed backed by the muscle of food industry represented by a major bakery goods manufacturer and it is suspected that the intentions are not that honest as to be expected. Though there is nothing wrong in food industry supporting charitable activities beneficial to children, it is the impact created by such programs that will determine the quality of support extended. Here is a take on this issue on which probably the last word has not yet been spoken.

"Here is what I figured out. The report is a continuation of Naandi's malnutrition related past work for which it has had two worthy partners — India's leading biscuit maker Britannia and a high sounding outfit called Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). It is quite an intricate arrangement that links all these organisations — Britannia developed some biscuits to 'fight child malnutrition' with 'technical advice' from GAIN and partnered with Naandi to provide these biscuits to school children in Andhra Pradesh in collaboration with the state government. The success of this three or four-way partnership encouraged Britannia CEO Vinita Bali to set up Britannia Nutrition Foundation with the lofty goal of 'securing every child's right to growth and development through the right to nutrition'. New diva of nutrition? Britannia CEO Vinita Bali. For this contribution to fighting malnutrition through biscuits, cakes and breads her company makes, GAIN nominated her on its Board of Directors. GAIN website is, indeed, an eye opener. It describes Bali as a 'champion of malnutrition'. Going by the accolades showered on her I suppose it is high time the government considers shutting down its National Institute of Nutrition and other agencies and let Bali and her Nutrition Foundation take charge of India's nutrition programmes. After all, she appears to have the magic wand, or shall we say the magic cookie, to banish malnutrition from India. Britannia, according to GAIN, already reaches 176 million Indian children between 3 and 12. Britannia is not alone in the hall of fame. The list of GAIN's partners includes the who's who of the global food industry — Unilever, Pepsi Cola, Coca Cola, Mars, Kraftfood, Ajinomoto, Tetra Pack, Danone, Cargill and so on. Needless to say, they all share GAIN's philosophy of banishing malnutrition through biscuits and sugary syrups. The organisation is also one of the beneficiaries of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. GAIN has been partnering with the Indian government, particularly the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS), our flagship scheme for child nutrition, bringing the 'experience' of its business partners to India. One is left wondering how keen all these convoluted alliances, partnerships and food industryled initiatives are to solve our hunger and malnutrition problems. Are factory-made, ready-to-eat products like fortified biscuits and cookies- manufactured by food giants and bought by governments at the expense of taxpayers' money — the only solution to India's malnourishment problem? Should we let food companies commercialise malnutrition? Is business in the garb of philanthropy or corporate responsibility a good idea for India's malnourished? Do we need to wait for the next report from the likes of Naandi on the solution to the problem which it has portrayed so colourfully in its just released report?"

There are industry baiters galore who suspect every action taken by the industry for some hidden agenda. Before one passes of the above comments by the critic as that of a perpetual "doubter", adequate efforts must be made to get to the real truth and this must be done by the government without further delay. Only help coming in the way with no strings attached and no hidden agenda behind the support must be accepted and the impact of such alliances with the government must be periodically assessed to defuse criticism of favoring one or the other support organizations. National Institute of Nutrition is a pioneering establishment and it must be associated with any survey or study on malnutrition and under nutrition in India.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

ELECTROLYZED WATER -A NEW SANITIZING AGENT-

2012-01-19T10:19:00.002+05:30

Sanitizing food handling areas is assuming more and more importance against the background of increasing bacterial food poisoning episodes occurring in many parts of the world. Good old chlorine is considered the industry standard for sanitization and is widely used by the potable water industry with telling effect. However handling chlorine is fraught with some risks and any alternative should be welcome to the industry. it is against such a background that the new sanitizing agent electrolyzed water (EW) was developed as a green alternative. From the following accounts it is clear that this product may eventually replace chlorine gas as the industry standard, the only limitation being the capital cost and recurring expenses in producing electrolyzed water.

"The process works by passing a low-voltage electrical current through salt water, which separates the water's sodium and chloride ions. The sodium ions are then exposed to a negative electrical charge, which creates sodium hydroxide, commonly known as lye. The chloride ions are exposed to a positive electrical charge, which turns chloride into hypochlorous acid - the active sanitizing ingredient in bleach. The solutions are then stored in two 55-gallon tanks where employees can fill up spray bottles without having to worry about mixing or spilling the product, Fitzgerald said. In the past six months, Massachusetts-based Lynnfield Green Technologies has sold 10 devices, which have been shipped to schools and companies that use the solutions to clean everything from cafeterias to semi-trailer trucks, according to the company's cofounder, Patrick Lucci. Lucci helped enhance the technology while working at Electrolyzer Corp., a Woburn-based start-up, in 2006. In 2009, Ecolab Inc. purchased Electrolyzer Corp. without bringing the technology to market. Lucci, eager to keep the idea alive, started Lynnfield and partnered with PathoSans, a subsidiary of Spraying Systems, a global manufacturer of industrial spray products, to sell PathoSans's version of the device. The solutions are being used throughout the Endicott House, in guestrooms, conference rooms, and the kitchen. Executive chef Eddie Cerrato, one of 50 staff members at the conference center, said he uses the hypochlorous acid cleaner to sanitize everything from meat thermometers to Endicott's freight elevator. "Bleach used to be the disinfectant in every kitchen but it eats into plastic,'' Cerrato said. "This solution is idiot-proof.'' He said rashes and skin problems from working with chemicals have since disappeared. Yen-Con Hung, who studies electrolyzed water's effect on food safety at the University of Georgia's Department of Food Science and Technology, said the water "has a good cleaning effect,'' if it is used according to the direction. "For cutting boards, sodium hydroxide is effective in removing fat and protein,'' Hung said.But Rebecca Sutton, a senior scientist at the Environmental Working Group, said many consumers expect green cleaning products to be evaluated and approved by certification companies such as EcoLogo or Green Seal".

Sodium hypochlorite solution in which nascent chlorine is entrapped, is already in use by many and is a house hold beach with considerable popularity. In what way EW is superior is not clear. Standard hypochlorite solutions with 1-12% dilution are already available in the market though presence of alkali in these preparations are known to weaken textile fibers on prolonged contact. EW is not a panacea as being claimed because it is not very stable losing its potency in a few hours of storage. Probably installing an electrolyzer in one's own premises may provide the convenience in producing EW as when necessary for immediate use.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

THE DNA "BARCODE"-A NEW "PEEPING" TECHNOLOGY!

2012-01-19T10:18:00.004+05:30

With sophisticated electronic instruments available to day, detailing the features of any material on earth has become easy and reliable. It was not long ago that personal identification was being done on the basis of photographs but to day biometric measurements have become standard techniques for such tasks widely used world over. The fact that each living species has its own genetic sequence has enabled their identification in a cocktail using the well established DNA printing. This technology has now found a new use in the hands of regulators in detecting adulterants and contaminants in many foods. By compiling a master reference DNA finger prints of all species whether animal based or plant based or microorganism based, it is possible to day to compare the DNA sequence of a particular food material and find out what ingredients are present in it. Here is the fascinating story of DNA Barcode system evolved in Canada that is likely to revolutionize the safety monitoring protocols world over.

"Scientists have discovered a range of new uses for a Canadian technology that can be used to peer into 30,000-year-old permafrost, detect phoney herbal medicines and catch invasive species before they sneak across borders. Researchers from around the world are fingerprinting most of the planet's species by taking samples of their DNA and cataloguing them in a comprehensive reference library.
The DNA creates a so-called barcode that can identify real ingredients in food, quickly analyze water quality and reveal how the environment has changed over millenia. Bob Hanner, a professor at the University of Guelph where the technique was developed, said barcoding gives governments, businesses and people a reliable way of knowing what they're eating, importing and buying.
We have a very powerful tool to identify species in processed products that you wouldn't normally be able to identify using traditional morphological techniques, Hanner said from Guelph, Ont., before heading to an international conference on barcoding in Australia starting Monday. It's a very exciting time. Researchers from dozens of institutions are steadily building the library of barcodes by taking short gene sequences from samples of birds, fish, mammals, insects and other life forms at herbaria, museums and other facilities.
They hope it will one day give them a master list of the world's species that can be used by corporate interests and government agencies for a growing number of applications. Since being developed at Guelph in 2003, the technique has been adopted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a regulatory tool and was used to identify mislabelled cheap fish being sold at American restaurants as more expensive species. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is using barcodes to collaborate with its U.S. counterparts to identify seafood, pest insects and pathogenic fungi. Environment Canada is also using it to measure species diversity in watersheds and identify materials they've confiscated, Hanner said. But Hanner says that as the library grows, so do the ways they can use barcoding.
Scientists in Malaysia who are contributing to the plant barcode library used it to reveal that a herbal medicine didn't contain the ingredient it promised would treat malaria and diabetes. Others found weeds in herbal teas".

Such efforts to establish reliable monitoring technology should not be left to any one country but must be based on collective efforts and cooperative endeavor. An agency like WHO or FAO must step in to take this program further for common benefit of all countries. Setting up of regional reference DNA libraries and networking them globally can be expected to bring down food poisoning episodes dramatically in coming years. Besides this will also help in settling trade disputes regarding food quality among the exporting and importing countries.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

VACCINES FOR MEAT ANIMALS-AWAITING COMMERCIALIZATION

2012-01-18T08:26:00.005+05:30

Meat industry is notorious for its vulnerability to dangers from deadly pathogens like Salmonella, virulent E.coli and others. Even if the sanitation regime that is required to keep the carcass free from microbial contamination is scrupulously deployed, the chances of cross contamination is still possible. If at all any sector of food processing faces high risk during its operations, it is the meat industry. Repeated pleas to allow low doses of gamma irradiation for maintaining freedom from pathogens have not yet been heard sympathetically and the risk factor remains as high as ever even to day. Against such a bleak background comes the news about development of vaccines that can be used for protecting animals till slaughter from the dangerous vectors. It is an interesting development that must please the industry to no end. Here is the take on this issue.

"Imperfect" but potentially effective technologies to control foodborne pathogens in beef pre-harvest are now available to government and industry, according to experts at a Nov. 9 meeting on pre-harvest pathogen control convened by the FSIS, the Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service, and the Agricultural Research Service. But can they be usefully implemented? A number of vaccine technologies have demonstrated a significant impact in reducing levels of E. coli 0157 and Salmonella bacteria detected in bovine feces pre-harvest, said Guy Loneragan, PhD, professor of food safety and public health at Texas Tech University in Lubbock, who presented the opening address at the meeting. For example, Epitopix/Pfizer Animal Health's SRP vaccine has shown a 40% to 60% reduction in Salmonella levels in feces in various commercial studies—and even more in so-called "high shedders." "These technologies have repeatable and predictable, if imperfect, efficacy. Even given that imperfect efficacy, if we have broad adoption of these technologies, we can have quite a meaningful public health impact. But how can we develop an environment that fosters their adoption?" The burden cannot be placed solely on producers, Dr. Loneragan said. "We have to find ways to pull these technologies through the system, not just at the packing plant level but at the retail level as well. Retailers need to develop a coordinated plan with packers, suppliers, and producers to share the costs and rewards of these technologies." At the meeting, industry representatives and other experts also suggested that more open testing of the vaccines in the marketplace is needed—and called for the FDA and USDA to expand licensure. "Right now, we have one vaccine that's conditionally licensed," said Dr. Loneragan. "But the conditional license comes with real barriers to adoption, such as a 60-day slaughter withdrawal. If there were a full license for these vaccines, sponsors could do studies that could show support for a shorter withdrawal period, which is much more practical. There has to be a mechanism by which the vaccines can move forward to full licensing and the industry can look at them in a more open and complete way."

One of the drawbacks cited against the vaccines is that they are not 100% effective, the degree of protection being in the range of 40-60%
which raises doubts about their overall impact under field conditions. Besides the conditional approval given to them stipulates that animals cannot be slaughtered for at least 60 days which naturally can put some burden to the industry in maintaining large stocks for long periods. If this work is carried forward there is good possibility that a multi-valent vaccine may emerge eventually that can take care of most predominant pathogens which are causing sleepless nights to the meat industry. In stead of leaving every thing to the industry to near the burden, Government agencies must play an effective supporting role in expediting such developments which will have far reaching benefits to the consumers.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

"SMART" APPLIANCES FOR SMART HOMES-THE NEW DEVELOPMENTS

2012-01-18T08:26:00.004+05:30

With the advent of many electronic appliances, the life has become more easy for the present generation and the old day home making practices are becoming a part of history. Microwave oven, food processor, Refrigerator and freezer, baking gadgets, bread makers, dish washers, washing machines and many others have reduced the time spent in the kitchen by the modern day house wife to a few minutes, leaving lot of leisure time for spending on professional and family matters. New developments in electronic gadgetry as being reported are taking the concept of kitchen management to a much higher level with more controls and reliability. Here is a report on the new appliances being offered by a leading player as unveiled in an international exhibition.

"LG has differentiated its smart appliances with its advanced and highly complementary technologies. These four core technologies – the Linear Compressor, the Inverter Direct Drive™, the Infrared Grill and the KOMPRESSOR® – enable superior performance. At the same time, Smart ThinQ™ technologies – Smart Manager, Smart Diagnosis™, Smart Access, Smart Adapt and Smart Grid – bring smart savings and enhanced convenience to consumers. Technology enthusiasts will notice that LG's Smart ThinQ™ technologies have evolved considerably since their introduction at CES 2011. For example, LG's smart refrigerators and smart washing machines are now connected to Smart TVs and smartphones, which enables convenient monitoring of the operational status of the two appliances*.

Though these developments are creating a flutter among the home makers, it may not be quiet affordable to many middle income families due to high price tag, especially during the first couple of years. A pertinent question that is raised often when "labor sparing" technologies become accepted standards is whether moving in this direction is really desirable, especially for a population adopting more and more sedentary life styles, considered responsible for many health disorders among citizens living in industrialized countries. Cooking and serving food to the family is a prerogative enjoyed by the female head of the family and if the thrill of making a good dish is lost because of the increasing role of appliances what could be its repercussions on the society? Will the emotional linkage between husband and wife or between the mother and children forged through food, already weak because of the intrusion of these gadgets, be further weakened? These are questions for which there is no ready answer.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

MULTI AGENCIES VS SINGLE AGENCY FOR FOOD SAFETY ENFORCEMENT

2012-01-17T18:24:00.002+05:30

One of the prime claims of achievement, made by the Ministry of Food Processing Industry, GOI was that it was instrumental in creating the food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) by integrating various central agencies dealing with this subject in different ministries. It is another matter that the "Authority" lacks real authority to enforce discipline in the food market, the fraudsters and adulterators still ruling the roost! It is very true that, for any organization to show its efficiency, it requires some time and the food industry seems to be optimistic that FSSAI would be able to show results soon. Whether the recent FSSAI surveys across the country that highlighted the prevalence of wide scale adulteration in milk and other foods, (already well known?) is a forerunner of more deterrent actions in future remains to be seen. Diagnosing a disease is a different ball game compared to surgical intervention to remove the malaise detected. According to international reports the much heralded FDA, USDA inspection system for meat and animal products and supervising agency for imported foods are likely to be merged, hoping for more effective safety compliance by the industry. There appears to be critics as well as supporters for the new proposal and here is a take on this new development.

"FSIS regulates by inspection and enforcement. Their daily presence in nearly every single meat and poultry plant in this country is mandated by law and funded by Congress. They can shutter a plant simply by having the inspectors not show up for work. FDA regulates by education and writing Good Manufacturing Practices and suggesting policies to follow when producing food. Foods like sprouts, cantaloupe, peanut butter and shell eggs come to mind. And FDA inspection is either by a state entity, a third-party auditor paid by the company or themselves when an outbreak is recognized. The FDA has no mandate in inspection or audit frequency, and very little in funding to do so. And therefore they very rarely inspect or audit unless a disaster mandates it. This is not to say one agency is better than the other. They are very different entities, and the laws that they follow are very different also. To blend them into one might be like mixing oil and water".

People are always apprehensive about mergers creating monopoly and power centers not responsive to their problems and same fear is influencing the views on the proposed merger also. One need not agree with the critic above that the new mega dispensation would be worse than the fragmented players controlling food safety administration. As long as the new agency created is answerable to the elected body and if adequate built-in protection is provided for preventing hegemonic tendencies, there is no reason why the integrated system cannot work more efficiently than several independent agencies under different departments.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

INDIAN ETHNIC FOODS IN AMERICA-QUALITY RECOGNITION

2012-01-17T10:18:00.002+05:30

This Blogger has been crying hoarse for the last 3 decades to no avail regarding the neglect of Indian ethnic foods by food scientists in the universities as well as specialized food research institutions. The yeoman work carried out during fifties and sixties of the last millennium on products like Idli, Vada, Dosa etc to develop ready mixes served admirably to popularize these foods with younger generation and nuclear families but further progress was not perceptible as most younger scientists considered working on western foods like biscuits and others more appealing to further their career. If to day only Gulab Jamun and Rosagolla are available with long shelf life while all others are perishable within a matter of few days, no one is to be blamed but the native scientists for their total neglect of these products. Recent reports of CFTRI Mysore developing suitable packaging technology to preserve products like Laddu, Bombay Halwa, Carrot Halwa, Doodhi Halwa etc are most welcome, hopefully heralding a renaissance of this sector. It is highly satisfying to see a foreign company based in the US getting international quality certification for about 3 dozen products based on Indian cuisines which are popular in that country. Here are details about the accomplishments of this pioneer.

"Deep Foods, the leading producer of restaurant quality frozen Indian cuisine, announces its vegetarian and vegan qualification by the prestigious American Vegetarian Association™ (AVA). As part of their commitment to producing only the highest quality Indian cuisine, Deep Foods is pleased to take this next step forward in achieving nationally recognized vegetarian and vegan food certification.
The AVA was created to promote the interests and concerns of individuals and organizations involved in the preservation, propagation, and distribution of vegetarian ideas and products. The primary goal of the AVA is to provide a widely recognized certification program that will enable vegetarian-minded people to make accurate food choices, being certain they can be confident in their selection and that of the manufacturer's claims. "As consumers become more and more health conscious, it's our responsibility to offer a diverse range of restaurant quality Indian cuisine that is 100% safe for vegetarians and vegans, and for those with allergies," said Mike Ryan, VP Marketing, Deep Foods. "For that reason, Deep Foods is proud to manufacture products that are AVA vegetarian and vegan certified." The AVA-certified logo will be clearly displayed on a total of 35 Deep Foods products, denoting either vegetarian or vegan certification. The Deep Foods product line offers 19 vegetarian and 16 vegan options".

Food manufacturers in the US are fortunate in that they have well managed Indian stores, spread across that country with frozen and refrigerated display facilities with high capacity while the cold chain infrastructure is one of the best in the world. It is amazing that there are at least 100 Indian origin processed products made in or imported into the country which can vet the appetite of any food connoisseur

while in its land of origin one cannot even see 10% of these items! These products represent almost all major ethnic segments in the south as well as north providing a wide choice for US settled families. With such certification facilities available at least for vegetarian items, the clientele for Indian foods can be expected to expand very significantly among local population.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

THE "NATURAL" MANTRA-A CRITIC'S ADVICE FOR GOOD HEALTH

2012-01-16T07:59:00.002+05:30

What is the right formula to maintain a reasonably decent health for many ordinary citizens who are caught between the "deep sea and the devil" when it comes to choose the right food? Is too much dependence on products churned out by the process industry really bad? Are processed foods addictive? These are some of the issues that bother the common man in his day to day fight to stave of diseases and health disorders. Here is a list of suggestions by a concerned critic who finds fault with many food industry products in the market and one may take it or leave it!

"The Pringles saying "once you pop you can't stop" couldn't be more factual. In fact, these foods are made to be habit forming! With their high fructose corn syrup, sugar and chemicals who could resist them? And as for diet coke, don't even get me started. I once cut out all sodas and lost 20 pounds—and my weight gain was mostly attributed to diet coke. Diet coke is proven to increase caloric intake….it signals your body to crave more carbs than you really need! It's truly the Devil's drink. If you're a constant consumer of these detrimental foods…don't feel bad! You're not the only one. Everyone has the propensity to become addicted, but everyone also has the capability to break the vicious cycle. I did. I went seven months without sugar/bread/dairy and felt like a million bucks. Eating healthy doesn't have to be boring and it doesn't have to be expensive. I am here as a testament to say that I felt better than ever on this healthy lifestyle change and spent less. Did you know that these chemically enhanced foods can really break down your immunity? If you're not getting the healthy fruits, veggies, and protein you need you're not only going to be lacking in key "happy" chemicals (aka, dopamine, serotonin, etc…), but you'll also probably suffer from a weakened immune system! I am not supporting you radically switch your entire diet to organic, (because I know some organic foods are no different than regular ones) however; there is something to be said about buying organic fruits and veggies if you're going to eat their skin. I challenge you to try organic celery up against their pesticide alternative and tell me if you don't taste a difference. The lack of chemicals is refreshing. The pesticides are a huge reason why many people don't want to eat their veggies! The taste is noticeable when comparing. The positives for healthy eating outweigh the negatives. Webmd.com says that foods rich in antioxidants can really stave off colds and other illnesses that could plague you down the road. You can get your Beta-carotene and other carotenoids from foods such as: Apricots, asparagus, beets, broccoli, cantaloupe, carrots, corn, green peppers, kale, mangoes, turnip and collard greens, nectarines, peaches, pink grapefruit, pumpkin, squash, spinach, sweet potato, tangerines, tomatoes, and watermelon. Your Vitamin C from: Berries, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cantaloupe, cauliflower, grapefruit, honeydew, kale, kiwi, mangoes, nectarines, orange, papaya, red, green or yellow peppers, snow peas, sweet potato, strawberries, and tomatoes. And your Vitamin E from: Broccoli, carrots, chard, mustard and turnip greens, mangoes, nuts, papaya, pumpkin, red peppers, spinach, and sunflower seeds. Webmd goes on to talk about other foods you can find that provide the same immunity boosting power: Zinc: Found in oysters, red meat, poultry, beans, nuts, seafood, whole grains, fortified cereals, and dairy products. Selenium: Found in Brazil nuts, tuna, beef, poultry and fortified breads, and other grain products. My recommendation is that if you have a hankering for sweets or starchy foods try alternative ways to satiate those cravings. Here are some of my top replacement foods/sweeteners and drinks that kick my sweet tooth in the bud:"

One thing must be understood by every consumer when it comes to food selection and that is the compulsion of modern life in depending on factory processed products. But restricting the intake of such foods and opting for more healthy home cooked foods can always pay rich dividend in terms of good health. The expert recommendation that basing the diet on as many diverse foods as possible reflects the fact that mutual supplementation from different food components in a diet guarantees freedom from health related crisis in life. The new MyPlate icon of the US government says the same in a graphic mode for easy understanding

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

A VISION DOCUMENT!-WILL IT REMAIN AS A DOCUMENT ONLY?

2012-01-16T07:56:00.002+05:30

Aiming for the moon is never a crime but doing nothing to make even an attempt or doing the same shoddily is definitely some thing to be frowned upon. This statement is very relevant when one looks at the Vision Document 2015 prepared and released for public consumption by the Ministry for Food Processing Industry (MFPI) of Government of India (GOI) recently. It has become a fashion for the babus in GOI to write voluminous reports to boast of their achievements and project their future plans from time to time. In the absence of an accountability system that can pull them up for non-performance or under-performance, they get away with practically nothing to show, except more promises, in their progress card. Latest to arrive is the new projections of performance for the next three years in "promoting" food processing in the country. It is intriguing as to why such a document is prepared for a short period of 3 years because only long term targets are normally projected in any vision document. Here is a take on this new pompous report whatever it is worth for!

"Government has prepared Vision Document 2015 for food processing sector. It envisages tripling the size of the processed food sector by increasing the level of processing of perishables from 6% to 20%, value addition from 20% to 35% and share in global food trade from 1.5% to 3% by the year 2015. To realize the targets set for the growth of the food processing sector, 11th Plan Schemes have been restructured with appropriate management/implementation arrangements in Public Private Partnership mode, with strong project implementation capabilities. The core elements of the strategy are better project selection, development and implementation, decentralized cluster based development, particularly for creation of infrastructure and fostering linkages to retail outlets, industry led capacity building and upgradation of standards, integrated food law and science based food standards. During the 11th Plan period out of 30 Mega Food Park projects, Ministry of Food Processing Industries has already approved 15 projects and is in process of approving remaining 15 Mega Food Parks. CCEA approval for the 15 Mega Food Parks has already been obtained and EOI has been issued for inviting proposals. As against 30 Cold Chain projects envisaged for the 11th Plan period, Ministry has approved 10 integrated Cold Chain project out of which 8 have started commercial operation in terms of value addition, reduction in wastage and enhancement in farmer's income. In the second phase, 39 projects of integrated Cold Chain have been approved. In case of Modernization of Abattoir, 10 projects have been approved. Under the scheme for Technology Upgradation/ Establishment/ Modernization of Food Processing Industries, a total of 2532 units have been assisted. Under the scheme of Quality Assurance 22 Food Testing Labs have been assisted and 14 units under HACCP/ ISO certification have been assisted. Under the Human Resource Development Scheme, assistance has been provided to 33 units, 140 Food Processing Training Centre (FPTC) and 805 Entrepreneurship Development Programmes (EDP) for creation of infrastructure facilities. Under the Institutional Strengthening, the NIFTEM, IICPT, IGPB and NMPPB have been established to give further impetus to the development of food processing sector".

One wonders whether any body in the GOI has made any effort to evaluate the past promises made and the extent of fulfilling them before allowing the Ministry to make further tall claims. While inspired reports and glossy publications from the GOI and friendly media praise the past developments in this sector, for a dispassionate observer nothing much has changed in the food processing sector during the last two decades of existence of this specialized Ministry set up with lot of hope. While the setting up of the "paper tiger" FSSAI is touted as a big achievement, the ground reality is that this has happened in spite of the working of MFPI. The statistics doled out in the so called vision document lacks credibility if ground realities are seen with most small scale food industries languishing in the country while the unorganized sector is thriving, churning out sub-standard foods with practically no help or guidance forthcoming from GOI. The progress, if at all any, is due to major branded products coming out from the stables of multinationals and domestic giants who any way do not need government prop!.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

RAIL FOODS AT PETROL BUNKS? IRCTC'S NEW STRATEGY

2012-01-13T17:09:00.002+05:30

It is a "startling" news of the New Year that the railway catering specialist IRCTC is mulling over extending its arm beyond the trains and the platforms of Indian Railways seeking greener pastures so that it can justify its existence. Railway Board, whether in its wisdom or recklessness, took over catering services in the trains from IRCTC purportedly on account of persistent complaints from the traveling public regarding indifferent quality of foods served by the latter in some of the prestigious trains. Whether this move has satisfied the passengers is a moot question as they have no option but to eat whatever is offered by whoever has the licenses to do it. But IRCTC with a large infrastructure and personnel with experience in catering is left with no choice but to seek to diversify its activities beyond the trains and the stations. The news of IRCTC planning to establish food outlets in petrol bunks, Malls and other public places is welcome in one way that it is utilizing its experience to justify its existence as a viable entity in the public sector. Here is the take on this new development.

"After complaints related to poor quality food being served to passengers began pouring in, the Indian Railways (IR) took over from the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Ltd (IRCTC) the job of arranging food on its long-distance trains. Unfazed by the move, the IRCTC, a Miniratna company in its bid to recover the losses it suffered, will now be trying its hand at opening food stalls, multi-cuisine cafeterias and food courts at petrol pumps and outside shopping malls in the city. To do so, IRCTC had hired professionals from the catering and hotel industry to check out whether the idea of serving food beyond railway stations and platforms is feasible or not. At present, the IRCTC is on the lookout for spaces for inaugurating food courts and cafeterias at different locations all across the city. "We have already signed a memorandum of understanding with Hindustan Petroleum for setting up our cafeterias at their petrol pumps. These outlets will be operational after April," said an IRCTC official, requesting anonymity. Sources added that the IRCTC is looking forward to similar tie-ups with other petroleum giants, such as Bharat Petroleum and Indian Oil, and have initiated talks for the same. Apart from petrol pumps, IRCTC is also exploring the option of starting food stalls outside multiplexes, shopping complexes and malls, and is keen on hiring contractors who can provide it with regional delicacies. Currently, IRCTC runs a food stall at BARC and at Loni in Pune district".

One disturbing question about this decision is whether the bad publicity IRCTC gained in railway catering will strain its credibility as a standard operator vying with established food chains. The biggest problem that was troubling IRCTC was the rigid bureaucratic management style and government connections that hampered its style of functioning. However with less constraints in public catering area and no pressure of time IRCTC has the potential to perform better, though government controlled businesses invariably languish for many obvious reasons. One can only wish the organization better luck for its venture out side Indian trains and railway stations!

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

THE "ACID TEST" FOR MILK PURITY-INDIAN WOES!

2012-01-13T17:03:00.003+05:30

India

is a great country, it is an economic power and it is a top agri-horticultural produce raising country. True at a macrolevel but at the disaggregated level India is a country no better than any sub-Saharan African country with poverty, malnutrition, under nutrition, hunger, child mortality and other vital parameters making the society at large a just surviving category. Look at the recent report by no less than an Authority, FSSAI at Delhi overseeing food safety management in the country which claimed that most Indians are drinking adulterated and unsafe Milk! This statement is touted around shamelessly as a great service by this very agency which is supposed to protect the citizens from such malicious foods! There is no word as to what it is going to do next after re-discovering a "truth" which was known all over the world. Probably more surveys and more wastage of public funds. That the adulteration and fraudulent industry that churn out such dangerous foods does not spare even children who are supposed to take milk regularly for their early stage development is a sad commentary on the seriousness of purpose on the part of the government.

"A national survey on milk adulteration in 2011 has found almost 69 per cent samples failing the quality test and have found with adulteration of water and skimmed milk powder, besides also detergents. The survey, conducted by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India to ascertain the quality of milk and find adulteration types, found all the milk samples taken from Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Daman and Diu, Jharkhand, Orissa, West Bengal and Mizoram failed the quality test. Testing of milk samples from Bihar, Jharkhand, Orissa and West Bengal also found non-conforming due to the presence of detergents. Over eight per cent of samples tested were found containing detergents. Presence of sodium chloride was detected in a milk sample taken in Assam, while two samples taken in Nagaland saw presence of Neutralizers, six samples in Mizoram and a sample in Tripura saw presence of SNF and Skim Milk Powder. The study indicates that addition of water to milk is the most common adulterant, which not only reduces the nutritional value of milk but contaminated water may also pose a health risk. The survey also shows that powdered milk is reconstituted to meet the demand of milk supply. The second highest parameter of non conformity was the Skim Milk Powder (SMP) in 548 samples (44.69%) which includes presence of glucose in 477 samples and Glucose is added to milk probably to enhance SNF. The study also indicated the presence of detergent in 103 samples (8.4%)".

An issue of great concern is whether same applies to other foods including staples. Edible oil products price of which has breached the three figure mark in the retail market in recent days is a "fraudster's delight" because of the margin of profit that can be gained for adulterating the cooking oils which are used in the preparation of many ethnic foods. Similarly pulses which also command high prices are another attractive commodity vying for the attention of food adulteration industry, assured of high margins. The moot question is why not money hungry people with high entrepreneurial talents should not use these avenues for amassing their wealth with practically no risk at all because the safety enforcement authorities rarely punish a culprit even for deadly crimes under the food safety laws of the country.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

CAN GLOBAL FOOD "GIANTS" HELP REDUCE POVERTY IN THE THIRD WORLD?

2012-01-13T10:49:00.002+05:30

The 21st century is expected to be dominated by the poor and famished farmers of the third world because many global food processors need precious raw materials for their manufacturing programs which cannot be met entirely from their patrons in the wealthy nations. While country to country exports do involve many developing countries which are strong in some agricultural produce, the new initiative by some of the internationally strong branded products manufacturing companies to tie up with farmers and farmer organizations for direct access on a long term is a welcome development. Whether it is due to supply compulsions or genuine desire on the part of these MNCs to help the farmers of the third world countries is immaterial as long the latter is benefited. Many developing countries in Asia, Africa and South America are expected to benefit from the new perception on the part of the big food industry players. One can only hope that the new relationship will be of longer duration based on mutual respect and appreciation rather than the old colonial mindset.

"While governments and non-profits have a critical role to play in reducing poverty and hunger around the world, it is becoming clear that the global food and beverage companies may have an even stronger hand to play. The sector is powerful and highly concentrated with a just a few companies controlling thousands of brands around the world. Nestle, once a mere chocolate company, is now the world's largest food and beverage company with 6000 brands including coffee (Nescafe), breakfast cereals (Cheerios), and nutrition bars (PowerBar). Kraft Foods sells snacks in 170 countries, including brands such as Nabisco and Cadbury. PepsiCo is now a larger "food" company than a "beverage" company with global brands like Frito-Lay and Quaker Oats. These global companies are buying the ingredients (corn, rice, wheat, cocoa, etc.) for food products on an enormous scale, but not from small farmers in the developing world who make up the majority of the world's poor. They turn, instead, to farmers in Australia, South Africa or the U.S. -- rather than their counterparts in Ethiopia, Haiti or South Sudan. Thus, poor farmers lack dependable buyers that could give them fair prices and a consistent market, helping them and their families out of poverty. Given that subsistence farmers comprise 70 percent of the world's poor, improving their income is our best strategy for reducing global poverty".

The new trend in leasing of land in the third world countries for agricultural activities is like a double edged sword that can be dangerous or beneficial depending on the conditions of lease. While using the land in third world countries exclusively for 100% export may attract criticism if the local population is starved of food, it can be a boon in raising the land productivity to unimaginable levels by using modern techniques of cultivation. The contract system of engaging farmers to raise particular crops for dedicated use by the industry giants on a long term basis can be another route for boosting farmer incomes in the lessee country besides receiving high quality inputs and training for producing crops of particular specifications required by the manufacturers. It is imperative for western nations that they engage the developing countries in genuine partnership through mutually beneficial organizational linkages on a long term basis.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

CARE FOR CONSUMERS OR PERISH! CATERING SECTOR BEWARE!

2012-01-13T10:24:00.002+05:30

What lies ahead for the catering sector in India? Though scanty reports on the present status of this sector do indicate a booming business, this trend need not last for long if one goes by the experience of this sector in other countries. Having higher income in hand may drive customers in hordes to restaurants but such a situation also raises aspirational goals, shifts the goal posts and induces frustration among the patrons. In India one of the sectors of business that is doing extremely well is catering business and the margin of profit is growing exponentially with steep increase in prices of their offerings, forcing some of the lower middle income group of population to shy away from "eating out" option more and more, though it might not have affected others with unlimited disposable income at their disposal. The trend being foreseen in the US may not be too relevant to India but still it is a pointer to the likely happenings in the coming days for which Indian catering sector must be prepared if not to day but in the not too distant a future.

"Agents can head off this scenario and build a strong consultative relationship with their restaurant customers by asking key questions at renewal time. Here are some of the trends that could put restaurants at risk and the questions agents should ask their restaurant customers :
    1. Mobility. Has the restaurant added new services, such as delivery of meals using hired drivers with their own cars?
    2. Branch out businesses. Has the restaurant started a new line of business, such as catering?
    3. Trendy foods. Has the restaurant introduced new menu offerings as part of the strategy for attracting more customers, such as locally sourced foods, an emphasis on organic ingredients or assurances about non-allergenic ingredients?
    4. Additional payment methods. Is the restaurant accepting new methods of payment, such as online credit charges or smartphone purchasing?
Armed with the answers to these kinds of questions, you can offer your customers a menu of options that go beyond the coverage required for an on-site restaurant operation. Insurance carriers with experience in the food services industry can work closely with you to make sure your customers have the right "ingredients" in their policies."

Discussing about the prices customers have to pay at an ordinary restaurant which have practically doubled in the last three years in the name of inflation, it should not be forgotten that there is a "Lakshman Rekha" or a point of no return as far as the customers are concerned. Probably catering sector is under an illusion that all people in the country have plenty of money to squander like the young IT professionals or the much pampered government employees, corrupt as well as honest. India is still an affordable country where it is possible to get a full and decent meal in a functional restaurant at a price less than Rs 20 while most restaurants have hiked up the same to Rs 50 and beyond. Any restaurant in a city with tolerable hygiene and minimum ambiance will cost a family of four at least Rs 250 but imagine how many families can afford this if such restaurants are to be visited at least once in a week! Restaurant associations must ponder over this fact and unless there is a genuine attempt to rationalize prices they may have to face the wrath of the people in the form of reduced patronage and infrequent visits to their establishments. One of the reasons for the street vendors to become darlings of the people and make them reputed landmarks in may towns and cities in India and for the steep popularity of the Food Truck phenomenon in the US is precisely the fact that the organized restaurants are pricing themselves out of the minds of common man! Beware of this trend!

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

OMEGA-3 OIL AND PROBIOTICS THROUGH MILK-A NEW DEVELOPMENT

2012-01-12T05:33:00.002+05:30

Probiotics and Omega-3 fatty acids are currently the hot favorites of health food industry and during the last few years several products have been launched containing one of these nutrient ingredients. While probiotics are invariably added to yogurt type of products, Omega-3 oils are used to fortify juices and other processed foods. Probiotics are basically Lactobacillus cultures which are stabilized before incorporation and act in the intestine once ingested enriching the gut microbial colony for imparting some of the beneficial attributes associated with them. However the major constraint with such products is their limited shelf life. Similarly Omega-3 oils, mostly derived from some fish varieties, do have trace aroma of fish still lingering, deterring its use by consumers averse to fish. New technology now being developed in Australia attempts to overcome the above problems and open up vast opportunities to the industry to turn out increasing varieties of food containing these nutrients with no adverse effect on the native texture or aroma. Here is a take on this latest innovation.

"Adding probiotics to manufactured dairy and juice products can improve digestion and general gut health, and boost the immune system. However, such products are not currently possible, as milk and juice products with probiotics go sour within days. "And even though existing food products fortified with fish-based omega-3 oils only have small amounts added, a residual smell and taste is common. "The key advantage of Progel ingredients is that they don't affect the quality, texture, taste or smell of the product, and products containing Progel encapsulated actives may provide sufficient levels of active nutrients to provide a beneficial source of probiotics and omega-3 to consumers," Professor Bhandari said. "Probiotic and omega-3 juice products made possible by the Progel technology also include calcium, so they would offer many of the health benefits of calcium, probiotics and omega-3 to consumers who do not regularly consume milk and yogurt or oily fish."

It is true that there are serious questions regarding the true health benefits of preparations containing probiotics in yogurts and almost all claims have been rejected by the EU authorities for lack of adequate scientific evidence. Similarly inclusion of Omega-3 oils in processed foods may raise some issues regarding its necessity and efficacy. More than the actual content of Omega-3 fatty acids, there is some evidence that it is the ratio of Omega-3 to Omega-6 fatty acids that is more crucial than the absolute content of either of them. The stand that those who do not take yogurt or fish are prone to serious diseases is based on faulty premise as there are millions of consumers who do not consume either of them and still live without any health handicaps. But in the relentless pursuit of "value addition" in food processing, it may be important for the industry to come up with such products which may help their bottom line. Probably these fortified products might be more beneficial to those consumers suffering from deficiency diseases rather than normal ones consuming a mixed diet.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

FOOD IMPORTS-LOGICAL REFORMS

2012-01-11T08:16:00.002+05:30

Who wants controls any way on what is going on uncontrolled or ill-controlled for ages? Naturally it is the human tendency to do things with as much secrecy as possible, especially when they are not done properly. The food industry world over are under a siege unable to convince the consumers regarding their sincerity and honesty and invariably controls and regulations need to be put in place to protect the welfare of the citizens. Latest "unhappiness" on the part of the food industry in India comes from a feeble attempt being made by the FSSAI, the apex body supposed to ensure consumer safety to tighten the labeling rules for imported foods to make them more transparent. Here is a take on this new irritant between the enforcers and the industry.

"As for FSSAI, going by its website, under the new norms, the body has specified for 'Date of Manufacture' to be given in date, month and year format on sticker in addition to the 'Date of Manufacture' in Julian format already present in the labels along with the rectifiable labelling requirements viz. name and address of the importer and vegetarian, non-vegetarian logo. As for batch number, the body specifies, "Consignments without prefix such as Lot number/ Lot/Code/Number Code/Batch Number/Batch or any other distinguishing prefix as per FSSR, 2011, shall be accepted subject to the condition that the authorised officer, FSSAI, will verify from the relevant documents from the manufacturer/exporter of the source country and satisfy himself that the numbers/alphabets combination of numbers/alphabets present in the labels are a valid batch number/lot number/code number of that particular consignment." While FSSAI has given three months time beginning December 15, 2011, for food importers to get the minor labelling defects rectified, food importers are not happy with the whole procedure".

India has become a breeding ground for adulterated, sub-standard and unsafe foods with the state infrastructure for enforcing national standards for various foods in a pathetic condition. Recent revelations that many established "Made in India" brands of foods, being "Faked in China" are flooding the markets in many countries including in some of the border states within the country is shocking and humiliating, reflecting the "toothless" nature of Indian food laws. Added to this a survey of milk in Delhi market by the very same FSSAI which has shown that more than 70% of milk samples tested were sub-standard though it was not determined whether they were also unsafe. Imported foods from where ever they are coming must have regulatory standards on par with India made counterparts and the importers have no business to cringe on this issue. No self respecting government can shirk its responsibility to wards its citizens by diluting the standards to satisfy the industry.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

IS FOOD TECHNOLOGY A WEAPON FOR GLOBAL DOMINANCE? -MAY BE!

2012-01-11T07:47:00.002+05:30

Technology is the driving force for achieving prosperity and power among the comity of nations and when it comes to food technology it can make any country prosperous if rightly used. In fact abundance of food can turn people into workforce with high productivity and innovation capability. Take the case of America, considered the richest nation on earth, measured by any yardstick. If its armed forces can deter potential adversaries from any part of the world from hostile action, its food production base is of such size that no other country can ever come near to its pre-eminent position. It is said that foods wasted by the American population every day can support the food needs of the entire world and that is the magnitude of its prowess. The free economy has promoted competition spurring innovations which further lead to more capacity building. Here is a commentary by a dispassionate observer regarding the food "power' of this country which makes interesting reading.

"Food technology is the foundation of any country's prosperity. Not coincidentally, the United States is both the most prosperous country in the world and its biggest food producer. Today, it's the biggest per-capita exporter of food by nearly double—the next country on the list, France, produces only about half as much. In fact, the American food system has created so much abundance that it literally wastes more food than many countries produce. Americans actually throw away about half the food that is harvested for them. By the numbers, American consumers spend a trillion dollars a year on food, which is roughly split between supermarkets and restaurants. About half of that restaurant amount—a quarter of a trillion dollars—is spent on fast food. It should be no surprise that Americans have some of the highest caloric intake on the planet, as this map illustrates. It should similarly not be a surprise that many of the world's biggest companies are American food producers. Pepsi, Kraft, Coca-Cola, Tyson Foods and McDonald's are Fortune 500 companies that form the backbone of an industry that is worth nearly $5 trillion dollars, or around 10% of global economic output. With so much money at stake and the competition between producers so fierce, there is constant pressure to innovate. Whether it's creating new and better food products or distributing, transporting, packaging and selling them more efficiently, technology is at the heart of everything we eat. It indeed manifests itself in ways we hardly notice thanks to the passage of time. Consider that in 1965 it took around an hour to prepare a meal. By the mid-nineties, thanks to processing, packaging and new cooking technology such as the microwave and better ovens, that preparation time was shaved in half. That means more time to get on with being prosperous.Some would point out that all of this excess has resulted in an obesity epidemic in the United States, but that's only partially true. The World Health Organization identifies a sedentary lifestyle—also known as lack of exercise—as a major cause of obesity, so it's not all the burgers' fault. Even still, as with all technologies, food advances have solved many problems and introduced new ones. One final aspect of food technology, which I explore in my book, Sex, Bombs and Burgers, is its use by the United States as a weapon, figuratively speaking. The biggest driver of war, terrorism and conflict is poverty, which is usually found in places that don't have enough food or where it isn't distributed properly. By eliminating hunger, countries also eliminate the main motivating factor for why people enlist in conflicts. A happy and well-fed populace is a largely peaceful populace'.

Another view of America's food power is that a substantial population in many parts of the world is suffering from hunger, malnutrition, under nutrition, diseases and poverty because of the concentration of resources in this country. Every policy involving food orchestrated in the US has its own ripple effect on the food situation in many countries. The Gasohol policy requiring blending of gasoline with ethanol diverted valuable food corn into alcohol production affecting global corn prices. The gigantic agricultural subsidies showered on rich farmers of the US made the farmers in the third world poorer and poorer because of distorted farm produce prices in the global market. There are many other instances when American domestic policies hurt the food situation elsewhere in the world. While strong food technology can definitely empower weak nations to achieve unimaginable heights, the burden of inputs will cost them very heavily unless supported by liberal economic aid. America must work towards this goal in the interest of peace on this planet.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

PRESERVED "DESI" FOODS-THE "MEISHERI" MAGIC!

2012-01-10T17:22:00.002+05:30

Dehydration was the main process once upon a time to preserve many food materials, especially fruits, vegetables and nuts. Sun drying was the cheapest mode while large dehydration plants also were working for commercial drying purposes. Sun dried fruits made in different countries which include raisins, dates, plums, apricots etc are marketed world wide attracting very high prices. Sun drying is also the frequently used process for preparing dry fish in coastal areas. However dehydration as a food processing technology lost its utilitarian value after the advent of more efficient technologies like canning, refrigeration, freezing, aseptic packing, irradiation, etc and it is more or less confined to tropical and temperate fruits only. Freeze drying where drying takes place at sub-zero temperatures is supposed to give a finished product with superior quality and some foods are processed to a limited extent using this process. High capital investment, high cost of processing and subtle changes in texture during the drying process make this technology less preferred by the industry. Against such a background comes the news about the development of a drying technology by an IIT trained entrepreneur at Mumbai which is claimed to give superior quality finished products and it is interesting to read the news to have a hang of it.

"More than 3,000 mothers like Prithi, from across Mumbai, come to Meisheri to send food to loved ones abroad. What sets Meisheri's service apart from other "heat and serve" products is that the food retains its nutritional value, flavour and taste and there are no preservatives added. The service is so customised that Meisheri often has mothers show him exactly how much their sons and daughters eat at each meal so that he can tailor the food packets accordingly and avoid wastage. The idea was seeded when a friend complained to Meisheri about how her daughter had lost six kilos after going to study in the US. "I thought that it was important for our children to be well-fed when they are studying," he explains. And so the first "meal pack" was born. He has since dehydrated all kinds of dishes: from khichdi, biriyani (and its raita accompaniment), gajar ka halwa to idli and rajma. His busiest month is August, just before the students depart for their fall academic semester".

Though the entrepreneur has not revealed the secret of the process, it is known to be based on slow drying with a cold air which ensures that the product is not exposed to drastic temperatures which can destroy the texture and some of the thermally unstable nutrients. Though this entrepreneur has been hawking this technology for the last two decades, there doe not appear to be any industrial plant working any where using the same. The fact that he has been catering to families around Mumbai tells its own story viz the plant design is limited to a few kilogram processing capacity. Some years ago this process was considered highly suitable for drying of many herbs which contain heat labile active constituents but why this has not taken of in a big way, considering its advantages, is not clear. The credibility and viability of any new technology can be proved only when it is used for manufacturing commercial volumes and products marketed successfully.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

THE PARADOX OF SAFETY VS REALITY!-AMMONIATED BEEF

2012-01-10T05:19:00.002+05:30

The latest controversy centering around Ammonia treated Beef in the US offers a lesson to all involved in food processing and marketing. While lot has been written and spoken about food safety, a phenomenon just emerging indicates that consumer does not consider the safety standards by the government as gospel truth. While use of Ammonia to "disinfect" meat products to achieve freedom from pathogens like virulent E.coli, Salmonella etc is a perfectly legal practice, consumer does not seem to think so as reflected by the increasing reluctance on the part of major industry players to use these materials in their finished products. It was not so long ago that same thing happened with BPA containing plastics and their use by the industry though BPA has not yet been found to be harmful. These instances go to show that consumer is really the king when it comes to "disciplining" the food industry! Here is a report on the issue concerning progressive unpopularity of Ammoniated Beef in the US.

"If you don't want bacteria in your food you have to treat it," he added. "This is a good ingredient and a very effective intervention. It's almost like some thing's been taken out of the arsenal that shouldn't have. And as a food safety guy, that bothers me." As many in the meat industry have pointed out, ammonium hydroxide is only one of many processing aids or "safe and sustainable ingredients" approved by the government's Food Safety and Inspection Service to reduce and eliminate pathogens on raw meat products. FSIS has a 52-page list of approved chemicals companies can use to treat raw meat, poultry, and egg products -- many of them can be used without any labeling on the package because they are technically considered a process and not an ingredient. "If consumers and restaurants are up in arms about the use of ammonia and can potentially drive a company out of business by their actions, I can only wonder what they are going to do when they look at the other chemicals in use to try and protect us from foodborne illnesses, chemicals like liquid chlorine and lactic acid just to name a couple," said Raymond. "There are just certain unpleasant realities of how meat is processed in this country. Those of us with farm backgrounds maybe can accept them a little more readily than someone who has led a life sheltered from these realities." The tension between widely used food safety interventions and concern about chemicals in food will surely continue. Recent polling, sponsored by the food industry, suggests consumer confidence in food safety is slipping. At the same time, surveys reveal consumers consistently list chemical and pesticide use in food production as a top concern. "All new food safety technologies must get through the ultimate filter - and that is consumer acceptance," notes Caroline Smith DeWaal, food safety director at the Center for Science in the Public Interest. "Just like irradiation, a potentially life-saving technology to kill pathogens in meat can still face rejection by consumers, who are anxious to provide the best food for their families. The rise in demand for organic and local foods shows that consumers often go outside pure safety considerations to evaluating where and how the food was produced."

Another perplexing question that will haunt the industry is what is the next process aid that is going to be ostracized by the consumer based on information and perceptions that need not necessarily be true. One must recall the fate of gamma irradiation process which was safety cleared globally long ago but the technology is still languishing for want of takers among the industry because of a strong perception that consumer would not patronize irradiated food products due to its perceived association with radioactivity! At a time when more and more people are moving towards organic foods, the addition or deployment of chemicals during the processing stage will turn away consumers genuinely concerned about their health as well as that of their families. The powerful lobby of activists campaigning against food additives and process aids will have a profound effect on the psyche of the consumer which does not bode well for the industry and it has to see the writing on the wall and prepare for massive changes in the present processing practices to satisfy their restive constituency in the coming years.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

STROKE AND DIET-THE LINKAGE IS STILL NEBULOUS!

2012-01-09T04:27:00.002+05:30

Cerebral stroke is one of the most feared events in the life of an active human being as the victim suffers immense mental and physical discomfort due to complete or partial immobilization caused by paralysis. Though a well disciplined life with regular and balanced eating habits can considerably reduce the chance of a stroke, no one is in a position to day, however eminent he or she may be, to precisely pinpoint what is a safe diet and what are the foods that should be taken to keep a person absolutely healthy. From observational studies it is often said that chocolates, fish, fruits and vegetables and some other foods, if taken regularly could pre-empt the risk of stroke while salt, meat and vitamin B-complex can enhance the risk. However there is no scientific evidence generated through clinical trials with human beings to confirm or deny such prevailing notions. Here are some interesting snippets on this topic viewed from the lens of a neuro surgeon.

"Prof Hankey said little was known about which individual nutrients and foods affected stroke risk because there was a lack of reliable evidence from randomised clinical trials. Many of the findings had instead been based on observational studies. Of the few randomised trials that had been carried out, scientists had found that antioxidant vitamins, B vitamins and calcium did not lower the risk of stroke and could actually increase the chance of heart attack and death. Prof Hankey said more research was needed to understand the role certain foods had in causing strokes so governments could develop strategies to prevent what has become one of the biggest killers in developed countries. In the meantime, he believed governments should develop policies aimed at reducing how much salt people eat and the levels of obesity - the two main nutritional threats to a person's chance of having a stroke. 'While we have seen a reduction in incidence of stroke and mortality in the past 20 to 30 years due to better control of blood pressure and smoking we are seeing a deceleration in that decline,' Prof Hankey told AAP. 'We are seeing the emergence of the beginning of a trend to increases in stroke incidence because all our kids are overweight and not exercising and we seeing strokes in young people as diabetes and metabolic syndrome take over.' High blood pressure, smoking and high cholesterol are among the major known risk factors for stroke".

All said and done the basic truth, regarding the need to restrict food intake to just satisfy the energy need of the body, still rules the roost. Excess eating over and above the body needs will definitely precipitate health disorders which can be life threatening in many cases. The causative factors for stroke are blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, diabetes and smoking and as long as these are controlled there may not be any fear from stroke. But the million dollar question is how to keep these factors under check? Simple answer is to adopt the correct daily diet and develop good dietary habit during the entire life span.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

A "DESI" FAST FOOD CHAIN IN INDIA-WILL IT SUCCEED?

2012-01-09T04:25:00.002+05:30

Exciting days are ahead in the fast food chain sector in India with the announcement by Reliance group to enter into this business. As a truly Indian organization Reliance can be expected to know what Indian consumer wants and accordingly tailor make the offerings to suit local palate. However the "pardesi" food chains which have already established their foot prints in India are not going to present the leadership in this sector on a platter without a fight. If the new "desi" food chain is going to imitate the menu and models of the existing players the going can be expected to be tough. Late entry may also cause problems in securing strategic locations in many urban areas besides them being very expensive calling for high investment. One of the shining examples of success in chain restaurants in India is that of Cafe Coffee Day which has established itself as a major player with standardized menu, excellent quality coffee and high class ambiance. If Reliance can adopt the same strategy and carve out a separate and distinct identity for its food offerings, probably there can be reasonable chance of success. Here is a take on this new development.

'Reliance Industries became India's biggest company by fueling the subcontinent's cars and homes with oil and gas. But for its next venture, the $50 billion conglomerate has its sights set on another kind of energy altogether: fast food. According to The Economic Times, Reliance, which is headed by multibillionaire Mukesh Ambani, is gearing up to launch a new chain of fast food restaurants for Indian consumers within the next year. Reliance Industries has recruited Rishi Negi, the COO of movie theater company Fame Indian and a former Pizza Hut India executive, to develop and run the new fast food brand. Sources close to Reliance have said that the chain's style of food has yet to be determined. But the business model is said to be based on companies like McDonald's, with a standardized menu and hopes of national domination. Sources have said that delivery will be a key part of the chain's revenue model. The Indian fast food sector has been growing quickly over the past few years. But India, as compared to China and Russia, whose industries have also experienced rapid expansion, has been relatively slower to warm up to international fast food chains. For example, Yum Brands, the owner of KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut has been hugely successful in China for more than a decade, but just launched an independent Indian division a few weeks ago. But if the Indian fast food market is in some ways an unusually difficult one, Reliance's new entrant will also have some unusual advantages. The chain will be a subsidiary of Reliance Retail, which has already become a major player in Indian consumer goods since its founding in 2006, and so knows the market well".

It is true that Reliance, through its retail arm, has an established resource base that can serve to feed the food business but the fact remains that in spite of 5-6 years presence in the retail market, it has not been able to achieve even 5% of its targeted business so far raising troubling questions regarding the ability of this group in successful diversification. Earlier fiasco in retail petrol business is still fresh in memory and one can only hope this time the new venture will become landmarks across the country with pan-India foot print and a distinct aura of its own.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

A REGISTRY FOR FOOD SAFETY PERSONNEL-USEFUL FOR INDUSTRY

2012-01-07T11:36:00.002+05:30

With the establishment of World Trade Organization (WTO) the world is becoming a global village with national borders becoming increasingly irrelevant. International food trade calls for mutual confidence among the importing and exporting countries and lately there appears to be cracks developing in the fabric of global food business due to stresses and strains caused by increasing episodes of food poisoning reported from different parts of the world. There are well established quality, safety and management standards for the food manufacturing industry to follow and if strictly complied with there should not have any reservation regarding a free trade regime beneficial to all. Unfortunately these are breached accidentally, willingly or by natural causes and when this happens, the confidence in the system is shaken. Key to maintaining vigil on safety is the competence of personnel manning different facets of manufacture and the recent initiatives in this direction through global alliance efforts are most welcome. The certification programs carried out world wide will go a long way in augmenting the personnel pool for serving the food industry. Here are some facts about this initiative.

"The National Registry of Food Safety Professionals (NRFSP) has become the first and only food safety manager certification program to be accredited by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) based on the ANSI/ISO/IEC 17024 standard for conformity – general requirement for bodies operating certification of persons. The ISO/IEC standard is globally regarded as the standard for organizations operating certification programs and providing assurance that the certified body meets the requirements of the certification. NRFSP maintains its existing CFP accreditation and has added the more rigorous accreditation to support, among others, multinational food organizations seeking a food manager certification that has multi-jurisdictional acceptance. "We're extremely proud of this accreditation," said Lawrence Lynch, president of NRFSP. "It establishes a new benchmark in food safety assessment and represents our commitment to help retail food service organizations around the world in their role to protect the public against foodborne illness and comply with increasing government regulations and mounting public concerns regarding food safety." NRFSP helps thousands of restaurant and food service organizations uphold essential food safety personnel standards through its certification programs. NRFSP's relationship with UK-based Chartered Institute of Environmental Health will further expand the organization's reach into the global food safety network. NRFSP has partnered with Pearson VUE and will use that company's computer-based testing centers to deliver the NFRSP ISO-accredited certification exams around the world. Food safety manager certification helps ensure a safer dining environment and mitigates the risk of outbreaks of foodborne illness, which offers significant protection and peace of mind to the public and any food service organization. Increased public scrutiny from both government agencies and the general public following mass media coverage of several severe outbreaks of foodborne illness has elevated expectations of food service organizations to take a more proactive approach to their responsibility to protect the food supply chain. The expectations reach from the farm where food is grown to the retail establishments where it is sold. "With massive foodborne illness outbreaks grabbing headlines around the world and a growing public mandate for accountability, the conditions are right to establish a global standard for food safety manager certification," Lynch added. "Food safety is a high-stakes situation and by collaborating with Pearson VUE, we'll be able to leverage its technology to deliver better exams."

If there is uniformity in the training program content likelihood of any misinterpretation or unnecessary wrangling over quality may not happen ensuring unhindered business deals across national borders. Probably the FSSAI in India must consider exposing the safety management personnel who are expected to shoulder the burden of safety monitoring in the country through a bilateral and continuous arrangement. India needs at least 10000 personnel on the ground to manage food safety vigilance program for the next 5 years.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

HOSTEL FOODS-NEW QUALITY MANAGEMENT MOVES

2012-01-06T09:03:00.002+05:30

Lately lot of unrest and agitations are reported from university campuses across India because of the perceived low quality of foods prepared and served in these institutions. Any one who has gone through the university education system can understand the turmoil going on in the minds of students who yearn for good foods with diverse tastes which help them to focus on studies. Typically university canteens are run by contractors for different periods and invariably they try to run the show with least cost and maximum profit. One is reminded of the cattle feed industry which has computerized programs to arrive at "least cost" formulations based on the nutritive formula and market prices of various ingredients that go into animal feeds. But the university canteen contractors are forgetting that students cannot be expected to be passive and have the capacity to discern taste with their own preferences. In stead of cost as the basis food preparations, it is advisable to try and use as diverse ingredients as possible with varying taste profiles so that "food monotony" never sets in. There are hundreds of ethnic food preparations in the country liked universally by Indians and those with most acceptable ones must be chosen for forming the menu. The experiment by the Punjab University in forming an inspection group involving students will go a long way in addressing this latest Campus irritant.

'A significant decision by Punjab University to form a students' food inspection committee to check quality of hostel food has got a thumbs up from pupil. From issuing first warning in case of poor quality of food to eventually imposing fine and subsequently recommending termination of contract of the mess contractor, the committee would have power to do it all. A team of four students and a teacher, comprising one member of student council and three others from various boys and girls' hostels and a warden, will conduct inspections. The decision has come from the PU authorities in a bid to pacify the students' unrest over the hiked prices of hostel food. "The committee of four students and a teacher can conduct surprise raids in all hostels at any time to check the hygiene and quality of food. In case the committee finds something serious, they can issue a warning, on the second chance a fine can be issued," said Amrik Singh Ahluwalia, PU dean Student Welfare. He added that on the recommendation of this committee, the contract of the mess in charge who repeatedly fail to keep up cleanliness or maintain quality of food will be terminated. Common students, on the other, hand are a happy lot and insist on sincere implementation of the decision by PU authorities. "The price hike issue has been a political eyewash by student leaders. The onus of ensuring the quality of food falls on PU. Only if the common students are made a part of the team with sincerity will improvement take place," said Vikas Sharma, a student of boys' hostel 4 on PU campus".

Having said the above one has to appreciate the predicament of a sincere and honest canteen contractor who has to satisfy the palates of students coming from different parts of the country with widely divergent taste preferences. This is where the contractor has to show ingenuity and imagination. Probably this calls for some "trial and error" experiments at the initial stages during the beginning of each year to have a better comprehension regarding the "likes and dislikes" of the students who are going to be the "masters" for a few months in deciding the menu matters. One area where students committee can do well is to ensure there is cleanliness and raw materials used are of desired quality. At least this will help to avoid diseases and health adversities caused by the canteen food.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

EAST EUROPE-COMING OUT OF ISOLATION

2012-01-05T11:19:00.002+05:30

Most East European countries which were called satellite countries of the erstwhile USSR before 1990 are emerging out of darkness vis-a-vis human development and the EU is trying to integrate them into a larger community with common ideals and aspirations. In the food front also gross deficiencies are observed because of decades of isolation due to the "protectionist" and inward looking policies of Russia. Present efforts by the EU to upgrade the institutions and professional base in some of these countries is praise worthy though the driving force may be the desire to protect the Euro Citizens from food dangers from across the borders. Here is a take on this new development.

'Despite the existence of highly skilled individuals and institutions in Russia, Ukraine, Armenia and Belarus (RUAB), their participation in EU Framework Programmes (FP) is low. This is mainly due to lack of knowledge about the food quality and safety sector and inexperience in submission proposals. Therefore, there is a great need for relevant education in RUAB countries and for raising awareness in Europe of skilled partners in these countries that could potentially participate in EU FPs. With that in mind, the EU 'East European Co-operation Network for International Joint Training in FP6/FP7 Food Quality and Safety for EU-Russia-Ukraine-Armenia-Belarus (R-U-A-B) Countries' (INJOY AND TRAIN) project focused to improve the food sector in RUAB countries. The consortium created a network of researchers and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in these countries and trained them in the legislative environment of EU framework plans. Additionally, extensive know-how on submission procedures was provided to assist future participation in EU FPs. Through the development of a website, the consortium disseminated information regarding the human and institutional potential of these countries in the food sector. One of the fundamental activities of the consortium was to directly inform food operators and the agriculture and biotechnology sectors about food quality and safety in order to enhance the food quality standards in these countries".

Though these countries have been geographically contiguous to the more prosperous West European nations, there is a wide disparity in their living standards as they were poor enough to buy the luxuries that characterize the population of their more affluent neighbors.

Now that efforts like the training programs cited above are initiated, it is a question of time before they are able to catch up with other countries in the continent. Probably it is in the interest of the hard pressed EU countries to give a helping hand to uplift their neighbors and make the quality of food safety activities on par with that of their own. India which is a slow giant to wake up to the modern global needs of food safety regime can also try to link up with the EU for similar programs for rapid upgrade of its safety vigilance and assessment infrastructure which can improve its credentials as a country which values quality and safety for both its own citizens as well as for the global community.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

AVOIDING THE LABEL TRAP- A CRITIC'S SUGGESTION

2012-01-04T10:03:00.002+05:30

Labeling "tricks" by the food processing industry in different forms rake in billions of dollars from the unsuspecting consumers every year with the latter hardly aware of the fraud perpetuated on him. Here is an interesting compilation by an informed critic with some past experience. Probably this will help the consumer in choosing non-controversial products with transparent labels.

"After overindulging during the holidays, many of us have resolved to eat a healthier diet in the new year. But doing so means choosing the right foods, and too often misleading food labels prompt us to purchase items that we think are good for us but really aren't. Here are 10 common labeling tricks to be aware of as you beef up your diet in 2012".

Claims on labels are not strictly controlled in may parts of the world and invariably such claims are not based on any studies by those who print many of such outlandish claims to mislead and confuse the consumer. Industry feels that if Safety Management Agencies can enforce printing of negative attributes like allergy, trans fats, cholesterol etc it should be allowed to make claims made by genuine scientists published in recognized international scientific journals. Well this is a controversial area and a consensus needs to be evolved regarding the mechanism that will govern printing of universally accepted positive claims for any product.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

OXYGEN BARRIER FILMS FROM WHEY-NEW DEVELOPMENTS

2012-01-04T09:48:00.002+05:30

Use of petrochemicals, derived from fossil fuels for making packaging materials is well established and food and pharmaceutical industries need massive quantities of plastic films to create multilayer packaging materials with functional properties that protect the contents from oxygen, moisture and tainted flavors. Sustainable packaging materials have received world-wide attention because of the exhaustible nature of the sources of petroleum hydrocarbons besides their non-destructibility for hundreds of years posing environmental hazards. Against such a background the recent claims regarding development of an alternative to Ethyl Vinyl Alcohol (EVOH) derived from petrochemicals and used extensively as an oxygen barrier layer in laminates, from whey is a welcome news. Here is a take on this new exciting development.

"The German Society for Packaging Market Research (Gesellschaft für Verpackungsmarktforschung mbH) estimates that more than 640 square kilometres of composite materials employing EVOH as an oxygen barrier layer will be produced and used in Germany in 2014 - enough to completely cover Lake Constance. There is therefore a strong impetus to develop a sustainable packaging material which is both economical to produce and environmentally friendly. Researchers working on the EU's ''Wheylayer'' project have been using whey protein instead of petrochemical-based polymers. The natural ingredients in the whey extend the shelf life of food products, and the whey protein layer is biodegradable. The results of the research are promising. ''We've managed to develop a whey protein formulation that can be used as the raw material for a film barrier layer. And we have also developed an economically viable process which can be used to produce the multifunctional films on an industrial scale,'' says Markus Schmid from the Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging IVV in Freising. But how is it even possible to make a barrier layer from whey? The researchers from the IVV began by purifying sweet whey and sour whey and producing high purity whey protein isolates. They tested a range of different modification methods in order to obtain suitable proteins with outstanding film-forming properties. To enable these proteins to withstand the mechanical loads involved, they were subsequently mixed with differing concentrations of various softeners and other additives, which were also biobased".

While developments like this are welcome, what is not kept in mind is about their impact on other industry. If whey is going to be sucked into the packaging industry, what happens to its present extensive use in food industry for a variety of applications?. Will this create a demand explosion leading to uncontrolled escalation of the price of whey and its derivatives? A situation similar to that exists in Ethanol industry where diversion of corn from food use to production of Gasohol did upset the food market with higher cost for corn denying millions of poor people access to this staple food in many African countries. If whey proteins become a packaging industry standard, the food processing industry is likely to feel the pressure in the long run, though it will give a boost to the fortunes of Dairy industry. Of course innovative development work is bound to come up with whey protein substitutes also eventually being obtained from plant sources.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

FOOD SAFETY "MALPRACTICES"-WHO SAID FARMER IS NOT INTELLIGENT?

2012-01-03T17:50:00.002+05:30

Pesticides mean different things to different players in the food chain. Application of pesticides is considered vital to increase the yield from the agricultural land though there are restrictions regarding the type that can be used and the quantity that is safe. Similarly storage and distribution industry needs separate pesticides for grain preservation and prevent damage from different types of stored pests. As far as the consumer is concerned he abhors pesticides in his food because of the grave risk, short as well as long term, to his health by consuming foods containing these potentially harmful chemicals. Birth of organic food industry owes its origin to this consumer apprehension which the main stream industry can only ignore at its peril. An interesting report from Nepal reveals how cunning and ruthless farmers can be when it comes to their own safety. Here is a take on this new revelation.

"With the increase in population, there is increasing pressure on the agricultural sector to produce more food in less time to feed the growing number of hungry stomachs. To meet the escalating demand, most farmers are using harmful pesticides to the extent that they themselves cannot comprehend. Previous studies on pesticide residues have shown that a total of more than thousand different food commodities during 1995-2004 were found to have various pesticide residues. This is the reason why Nepal frequently faces quality and safety related problems in the export of honey, tea etc. to European countries due to the beyond-the- normal pesticide residue level. Lack of knowledge is one thing but many farmers and traders, who know their practices are unsafe, or even illegal, still continue to follow them and this is guided by a principle called 'the love of money'. According to the research carried out by Food Organization and Agriculture(FAO), many farmers admitted that they produce separate vegetables without the use of excessive chemicals only for their own consumption and they do not even feed pesticide used plant residues to their animals because they fear for their lives but shamelessly not for their fellow human beings".

The above bitter truth prevails in India also as reflected by a report which says only 30% of the milk produced come from animals while the rest is created by the enterprising dairy "entrepreneurs" from pond water, detergent and other inedible materials which are obtained practically free! One wonders whether these criminal "innovators" will feed their children with this milk? Undoubtedly no. The prevailing belief that farmers are innocent people with no education needs revision if the above wide spread practices as reported are true and probably they have the last laugh when it comes to matching their wits with that of the consumer!

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

"MICROMANAGING" DIETARY GUIDELINES-IS IT THE BUSINESS OF THE LEGISLATURE?

2012-01-03T16:32:00.002+05:30

Are the policy makers really so much concerned about the nutrition and health of the citizens who elect them to make laws that ensure their welfare? If one goes by the action of many governments during the last three decades it is very difficult to answer the question as positive. Every one knows that business and commercial interests far outweigh any other considerations when it comes to taking decisions on policies that affect the citizen. Why is that Genetically Modified foods have conquered more than 80% of US market while almost all other countries in the world have banned their use in food products? Because the GM lobby has seen to it through its money power to influence every elected representative who mold the policies to toe its line. Latest instance is regarding the use of Potato in school lunch program in the US where Senate had to intervene to protect the interest of the Potato farmers when sound nutrition considerations require the amount of this starchy vegetable to be reduced. Here is a take on this interesting development.

"In January this year, the USDA proposed new nutrition standards for school meals based on the IOM report. These included the IOM's recommendation of no more than one cup a week of starchy vegetables. Please note: the proposal does not call for elimination of starchy vegetables. It calls for a limit of two servings a week (one cup is two servings). What's wrong with that? Plenty, according to the potato industry, which stands to sell fewer products to the government and could not care less about spreading the wealth around to other vegetable producers. Potato lobbyists went to work (apparently the sweet corn, lima bean, and pea industries do not have the money to pay for high-priced lobbying talent). The Potato Council held a press conference hosted by Senators from potato-growing states. The result? The U.S. Senate added an amendment to the 2012 agriculture spending bill blocking the USDA from "setting any maximum limits on the serving of vegetables in school meal programs." Mind you, I like potatoes. They are thoroughly delicious when cooked well, have supported entire civilizations, and certainly can contribute to healthful diets. Two servings a week seems quite reasonable. So does encouraging consumption of other vegetables as well. But what's at stake here goes way beyond the choice of one vegetable over another. At issue is Senate micromanagement of nutrition standards under pressure from food industry lobbyists".

If national policies are determined by such special interest lobbyist, what will be condition of the citizen who trusts the government to protect his interests? Imagine GOI succumbing to pressure from egg lobby in India and pass a decree that every midday school meal program should have one egg each per beneficiary! Or what if a decision is taken that bread must be used for such programs compulsorily? It is a travesty of justice that recommendations of technical bodies vested with power to evolve citizen friendly guidelines are side lined purely for favoring the industry lobby. Consumer activists and Social NGOs must raise their voice against such tendencies, visible more and more these days.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

GLORIFYING GLUTEN-WHERE IS THE SCIENCE?

2012-01-03T16:11:00.002+05:30

The recent report that gluten plays an important role in keeping away depression is interesting and this has been said in relation to the feelings among those restrained by gluten allergy and celiac disease. But a larger question is whether same holds good for people not eating wheat and wheat products regularly and there are millions whose diet is based predominantly on rice, maize and other coarse grains and cassava. From quality angle wheat proteins are not considered high because of the deficiency of the essential amino acid Lysine but as a part of the staple diet wheat may cause symptoms like craving which after all cannot be correlated to gluten as there are many other constituents in wheat besides gluten. However considering that the study was limited to women suffering from celiac disease the findings cannot be generalized. Here is a take on this interesting study.

"The next time when you plan to skip that Arrabbiata pasta at your favourite restaurant, think again. A new US based study says that having to follow a restrictive diet that limits the consumption of foods like bread and pasta has been shown to cause depression, disordered eating and impaired quality of life in women suffering from celiac disease. The new report that delves into the psychiatric impacts of leading a gluten-free lifestyle showed these results after a widespread research. In a study published in the December issue of Chronic Illness, researchers from Penn State University, Syracuse University and Drexel University analysed the online answers of 177 women who suffer from celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder triggered by gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley and rye-based products. Symptoms of the illness include abdominal pain, constipation, decreased appetite, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
In their study, researchers found that women who adhered to strict gluten-free diets also reported higher rates of stress, depression, and body image issues compared to the general population. Where their study falls short, researchers say, is understanding what comes first: disordered eating or depression. Not only does celiac disease impose a slew of dietary restrictions, the illness also increases "psychosocial distress," said study co-author Josh Smyth of Penn State. "Going out to eat with friends or to a holiday potluck is a much different experience for these people because they have to be vigilant and monitor their diets," he said in a statement. "They may feel that they are a burden on a host or hostess. In many cases the only treatment option they are given is to manage their diets."
The results of their study could also have implications for other dietary illnesses like food allergies, diabetes and Crohn's disease."

Psychologically depriving one of a food taken regularly during early stage of growth in life can be expected to create a feeling of uneasiness at least for a few days though this is not some thing that cannot be changed. Thus those used to a rice based diet usually feel miserable when rice is denied for a few days and same is true with people wedded to regular diets based on different staples. Why denial of wheat creates symptoms like diarrhea, abdominal pain or any other physical discomfort is not understandable. There are millions of diabetics in the world suffering from sugar intolerance but due to diet management and efficient drug therapy all of them lead a normal life. With thousands of products being developed and marketed containing no gluten but without the consumer being aware of its absence unless the labels are perused, there should be no cause for gluten allergic people to feel "depressed".

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

MEGA DREAMS GOING SOUR?-WHO IS TO BE BLAMED?

2012-01-03T07:40:00.002+05:30

It is rare that a government admits that any of its program is not doing well in spite of massive budgetary provisions made under grandiose plans with little realism. The so called "Mega Food Park" plans envisaged setting up specialized industrial estates with high quality infrastructure for entrepreneurs to move in with minimum hassle so that considerable time is saved in chasing the various agencies to get the required permission and support. Alas, the program seems to have fallen flat in the absence of any determination and perseverance at the ground level by those vested with the task. Here is a take on this issue.

"Your ministry has admitted to non-functionality of most of the mega food parks barring two or three. Will investment still go into this project? Projects like mega food parks are infrastructural projects which take time. There were land related issues which delayed execution. However, we are receiving a lot of interest from the industry. The government has now approved 30 mega food parks. The plan is to have one mega food park in each state and if the proposal is good enough we can even have two parks subject to the availability of space".

Many countries like Singapore, China and others have used this concept very effectively to boost production of value added food products, especially for exports, India seems to have found a way to "fritter" away this opportunity by the heavy bureaucratic muddle associated with government schemes. Imagine how effective and convenient it would be for a spirited entrepreneur to be housed in such a Food Park with common facilities for power, water, waste disposal, quality assessment, storage, marketing and global communication. Unless there is a priority and deep commitment such mega schemes cannot be expected to succeed no matter how much hype is generated!

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

FOOD SAFETY MANAGEMENT-THE "FSSAI WAY"

2012-01-02T20:14:00.002+05:30

Here is a take on the subject of food safety management as it exists now, coming directly from a senior official of the FSSAI. It is sad that even after years of talking, planning, thinking, discussing and loud proclamations, there is only a "Law" on paper and nothing much has been done to create even the rudimentary infrastructure to monitor the quality and safety of foods marketed by thousands of processing units in the organized and unorganized sectors leaving the fate of the citizens in the hands of food adulterators and fraudsters! Why even the greatest rogue nation on this earth the Communist China has seen the weak surveillance system prevailing in the country and flooded the Indian market with "Made in India" versions of many reputed Indian food brands after duplicating them in their country!

"There are around 72 food testing labs in the country but most of them don't have either the equipments or technical persons who can conduct the validation of food additives in the food industry. In view of the requirement to meet standards of FSSAI, there is a great need to develop and / or upgrade food testing laboratories and few steps have been taken towards the same. At least, 125 NABL-accredited food testing laboratories for chemical and microbial testing have been proposed in the FSSAI meeting. Each lab will cater to five districts. In addition to setting up the new labs, the FSSAI will focus on upgrading these existing labs to capacitate them to testing all parameters. These labs would be brought up to a level where they were able to obtain the NABL certification".

No matter what it costs GOI must give priority to ensuring safety of foods and this can be achieved only if adequate infrastructure, resources and trained personnel are deployed with least compromise. There must be specialized legal food courts to summarily punish food adulterators and fraudsters with no mercy, if necessary by awarding capital punishment to serious crimes. Why not an Indian Food Safety Service (IFSS) cadre, similar to other administrative services, created to deal with food related issues on an all India basis? It is time that the ornamental FSSAI is scrapped altogether and an agency similar to FDA of the US is set up with real "teeth", run by truly qualified technical experts, to confront "head on" the food safety problems of this nation? Sooner this is done better it will be for the country.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

TENDER COCONUT WATER-COCONUT BOARD'S CLAIM FOR PRESERVATION

2011-12-31T09:47:00.001+05:30

A claim has recently been made by the Kochi based Coconut Board of Agriculture Ministry, GOI about the successful development of a technology for preservation of tender coconut water with the technical help of Defense Food Research Laboratory, Mysore. While it is difficult to vouch safe for the acceptability of the packed product to genuine connoisseurs of this natural beverage at this point of time based on available information, a cursory look at the process indicates that it is just a beverage based coconut water with added sugar and other functional additives. Coconut water and sugarcane juice happen to be two natural beverages notorious for their vulnerability to high temperature due to formation of Maillard reaction chemical artifacts imparting jaggery like flavor to the final product. Aseptic filling technology which is based on high temperature and very short time heat exposure can be a real option to get a product as natural as possible. Probably the jury is still out about the USP of the new technology and on may have to wait and see how far the new product will represent the original quality of coconut water.

"The Coconut Development Board (CDB) in collaboration with Defence Food Research Laboratory (DFRL), Mysore, has developed the technology for packaging tender coconut water in pouches and aluminum cans. The process technology is now made available to entrepreneurs at a total lumpsum transfer fee of Rs 3 lakh. The processing and packaging of tender coconut water with a capacity of 10,000 tender nuts per day involves an investment ranging from Rs 35 to Rs 40 lakh covering plant, machinery and working capital with a direct employment potential of 30 personnel. The profitability after taking into account the prevailing prices of finished product works out to be around 20 per cent with a payback period of 3 years, according to CDB. Coconut water of 6-7 month stage is first filtered through pressure filters and then mixed with the desired proportion of additives plus sugar and concentrated to the appropriate level. The water is then packed in pouches / cans and retorted in an autoclave, after which it is cooled in a stream of cold water. It helps to retain the flavour of the tender coconut water in pouches or cans for three months at room temperature and for six months under refrigerated conditions".

It is not that coconut water cannot be marketed without quality deterioration as there are a few processors who have already introduced the product in its original "container', viz the natural form without breaking the sterility of the product. This product format enables the content to be held in high quality till it reaches the consumer. One of the most difficult parts of any process in manufacturing coconut water is to "extract" it from the tender coconut which is based on manual labor and lack of uniform quality in terms of sweetness and flavor makes it inevitable to standardize the composition using added water and sugar which may adversely affect the final product quality. Nonetheless such processed products can still be marketed as a beverage with mild flavor. One of the controversies surrounding coconut water concerns the claims being made by some manufacturers in countries like the US that it is highly nutritious and healthy for which there does not exist any valid scientific evidence.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

TACKLING FOOD POISONING MENACE-A NEW TYPE OF INITIATIVE

2011-12-30T17:02:00.002+05:30

It is said that prevention is better than cure and there cannot be a more articulate statement than this when it comes to managing food safety. In a country like the US where market recalls of suspected tainted foods are taking place with a sickening regularity, the latest action by the food safety agency there recently in forming a grand alliance of various stake holders in this critical area has not come a day sooner. The era when industry had to bother about the quality specifications to be adhered to within their manufacturing premises for ensuring safety of the products before releasing into the market, has gone and a whole gamut of safety protocols have come up that needs to be followed scrupulously. The new alliance among the safety agency, industry, academia and others involved can be expected to be a powerful management tool for reducing food poisoning episodes significantly if not eliminated altogether. Here is a take on this important initiative worth emulating in other countries also.

"The alliance is composed of members from the FDA, local and state food protection agencies, the food industry, and academia. It is funded by a one-year, $1 million grant to the IIT IFSH, a nationally-recognized leader in food safety. The alliance will: * develop standardized hazard analysis and preventive controls training and distance education modules for food industry and regulatory personnel; * design and deliver a state-of-the-art distance learning training portal at the IIT IFSH Moffett Campus in Bedford Park, Ill.; * develop "train-the-trainer" materials and student education delivery systems * create a technical assistance network for small- and medium-sized food companies; * develop commodity/industry sector-specific guidelines for preventive controls; * assess knowledge gaps and research needs for further enhancement of preventive control measures; and * identify and prioritize the need for, and compile, critical limits for widely used preventive controls. The food safety alliance is modeled on previous alliances for seafood and fresh produce developed by the FDA and groups representing academia, industry, and government. The Seafood HACCP Alliance was created in 1994, and the Produce Safety Alliance in 2010".

Universities where food science courses are organized are repositories of vast knowledge while their non-involvement with the manufacturing sector makes them singularly ineffective in channelizing their knowledge to the potential users. In India, for example there are at least two dozen academic bodies in different parts of the country imparting "theoretical" knowledge or transferring the "bookish material" to the students who are supposed to man the industry once they come out of these teaching shops! In general it can be safely said that many of these training institutions lack adequately experienced teaching personnel and proper "hands on facilities" to get acquainted with modern technological developments. Absence of even a rudimentary industry-University linkage makes the training program largely irrelevant to the needs of the industry. No wonder that not even 5% of the food industry can boast of a qualified food technologist in their payroll. It is time this situation is changed drastically to bring industry, University and the enforcement agencies together without further loss of time.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

FOOD IS THY MEDICINE!-THE CHERRY JUICE FOR BETTER SLEEP

2011-12-29T14:55:00.002+05:30

Have any difficulty in sleeping lately? If new findings by scientists are to be believed, drinking a glass of cherry juice at bedtime can help in getting quality sleeping. Though the precise mechanism by which this positive effect is achieved not known, it is surmised that cherry juice significantly increases melatonin levels in the body which in turn improves the quality and duration of sleep. Though the results were based on human subjects of mall size, the cherry juice effect is still significant. Participants who drank cherry juice for a week experienced significant increase in their urinary melatonin (15% to 16%) than those who consumed the placebo drink samples. Actigraphy measurements of participants who consumed the cherry juice saw an increase of around 15 minutes to the time spent in bed, 25 minutes in their total sleep time and a 5% to 6% increase in their "sleep efficiency," a global measure of sleep quality. Cherry juice drinkers reported less daytime napping time compared to their normal sleeping habits before the study and the napping times of the placebo group. Whether the results are really over whelming is a debatable point and will need further studies. Here is a report on this new finding.

"A study published in the European Journal of Nutrition suggested tart cherry juice is an effective natural sleep aid and insomnia remedy. An international team of researchers at Northumbria University gave healthy adults two glasses of tart cherry juice every day for several consecutive days, first thing in the morning and right before bed time, and found they slept an average of 39 minutes longer with up to 6 percent less non-sleep behavior while in bed, but their sleep did not improve when they drank a non-cherry fruit drink instead, according to the published findings.Previous research supported anecdotal reports that drinking cherry juice enhanced sleep, and the team attributed the benefits of "going red" to significant amounts of melatonin in the fruit, a key molecule in the human body's regulation of sleep-awake cycles.The researchers also noted that anthocyanins, the pigments that give cherries their bright crimson blush, are powerful antioxidant compounds widely thought to prevent and reverse free radical damage throughout the body, according to WebMD.Sleep disturbances affect the health, well being and productivity of nearly one third of Americans who spend more than $84 million on over-the-counter sleep remedies every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Sleep Research Lab in Ontario, Canada.This new study has provided more evidence that cherry juice concentrate could be a viable, cost-effective adjunct treatment, the researchers concluded.

In a world where sleeping pills have become omnipotent for people suffering from lack of sleep due to various reasons, drinking juice may be an alternative option worth considering. What is interesting is the reported ineffectiveness of juices other than that from cherries though there are many colored fruits containing anthocyanins and similar phytochemicals. Whether it is due to relatively high levels of melantonin in cherry fruit or some other constituents yet to be identified is not clear at present. Tart cherries are known to contain about 17 antioxidant phytochemicals including anthocyanins, melantonin and super oxide dismutase. If juice products can really replace drugs for inducing sleep in majority of human beings, it may as well confirm the old saying that "food is thy medicine". For that to happen and Tart juice to become a universal sleep aid, more studies are required with standardizing the processing method and confirmation of the benefit with large body of human subjects.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

A MISCONCEIVED FOOD SECURITY BILL-HARD DAYS AHEAD FOR INDIA?

2011-12-28T17:04:00.002+05:30

The so called Food Security Bill is now the hot subject matter of discussion in the country with different people viewing it differently, depending on their political color. It is how ever clear that more than its economic or welfare impact on the citizens of this country, the agenda behind such a move is steeped in politics with the forthcoming elections in a few states with large expectations writ large on the face of the present rulers at Delhi! That the Bill is not sound in terms of its presumptions is well known with the existing massive subsidies likely to be doubled or tripled in the coming years. Similarly with the PDS in such utter disrepute who is is ultimately going to be benefited by this financial hemorrhage can easily be imagined. Here is an interesting expose on this subject slightly different from other views and it cannot be brushed aside as another criticism from the opponents.

"But what is the empirical basis of the claims of widespread and rising hunger in India? Surely, we cannot go by the claims of the Food and Agricultural Organization, World Bank and many NGOs who themselves prosper from propagating the view that India and Africa suffer from ever-rising hunger and poverty. It so happens that successive expenditure surveys of the National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) have asked Indian households whether they have had enough to eat throughout the year. The proportion of those replying in the negative was a high 19% in rural and 7% in urban areas in 1983. But the proportion has steadily shrunken, dropping to less than 3% in rural and less than 1% in urban areas in 2004-05. In what sense then does India suffer from widespread and rising hunger? In their support, the proponents of the food security Bill point to the decline in calorie and protein consumption intake and rise in fat consumption over the years. According to the NSSO, the per-capita calorie consumption across all individuals fell from 2,266 to 2,047 between 1972-73 and 2004-05 in rural India, and from 2,107 to 2,020 in urban India over the same period. A similar trend has been observed in protein intake while the reverse trend has obtained in fat intake. This decline in calorie consumption is, however, reconciled with the sharp decline in the proportion of individuals reporting lack of food once we recognise that economic development has reduced the need for calorie consumption. Thus, increased mechanisation in agriculture and construction improved means of transportation and the shift away from physically-challenging jobs has reduced physical activity. Simultaneously, better absorption of food following improved epidemiological environment means that less calories must be consumed toproduce a given amount ofenergy. Improvements in adult height and all other vital health indicators such as life expectancy, infant mortality and child nutrition reinforce this argument.
Even so, let us be generous to the proponents for a moment and accept that hunger, as they wish to measure it, has risen and is widespread. The million-dollar question then is whether the food security Bill will provide the necessary correction. A moment's reflection shows that the answer is an unequivocal no. The Bill entitles the poor to 7kg of grain per person per month at prices of 1, 2 and 3 per kg for coarse grain, wheat and rice, respectively. So, if I were someone living in abject poverty in Rajasthan, what will be my response? Each month, I will claim 35 kg of rice from the ration shop for five members of my family at the total cost of 105. I will then sell this rice at 25 per kg for 875 in the open market, buy the usual 25 kg of coarse grain my family consumes in the open market for 250 (at 10 per kg) and net the handsome profit of 520".

That statistics in India are highly unreliable is a matter acknowledged universally and to base a massive plan like this on such flimsy and questionable data speaks volume about the quality of governance the good and honest citizens of this country is having now. Is there no escape from this disaster that is waiting to happen once the Parliament passes the Bill in its present form? If the present trend of political chicanery and sycophancy is any indication people of India may have to live with this type of political mis-adventure for some time to come. It is no wonder Dr Mahathir Mohamed, the architect of modern Malaysia rightly said about India's inability to match the performance of other emerging economies that the culprit is "overdose" of democracy in the country!

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

ORGANIC FOODS-BECOMING MORE RELEVANT THAN EVER!

2011-12-28T15:59:00.002+05:30

Compared to main stream food industry the organic food sector is considered puny with its share in the market touching not even 2% but its continued growth, much faster than that achieved by the general food industry conveys a loud message that this sector is here to stay in spite of many impediments before it. It is unfortunate that organic foods are considered to be the prerogative of rich consumers because of the higher price tags they carry though such premium pricing is justified because of the high input costs required to get the necessary certification. That Australia remains the biggest producer of organic foods in the world tells its own story and the rich man's tag is further reinforced because of this factor. Certification process for organically produced foods is very complicated and costly and many developing countries find it non-affordable and non-feasible to get into this business. Here is a take on this emerging market and its dynamics.

"Australia has the largest area of organic farmland in the world at 12 million hectares, with the vast majority of this land comprising large rangelands for organic cattle production. However, the industry is comprised mainly of small operators, which has contributed to difficulties in providing consistency in the quantity and quality of produce. Other dampeners to growth have been intermittent drought conditions over the past five years. Despite this, over the five years through 2011-12, revenue in the industry has remained resilient. The industry will continue to grow strongly over the next five years, favoured by strong demand in domestic and export markets. Over the five years through 2016-17, industry revenue is anticipated to increase an annualised 12.1% to reach $892.3 million in 2016-17. Over this period, there will be increasing participation by supermarket chains in the organic market, downwards pressure on prices from growing economies of scale in production, and benefits from improvements in the certification of organic produce".

A larger question that confronts the world is whether this planet can support a total shift from conventional cultivation to organic version and there is no consensus that this can be achieved. In stead of going too far to produce organic foods every where it may be more realistic to evolve an intermediate mode of production where fertilizers only are allowed while growth hormones, pesticides and other harmful chemicals are avoided. Some times one gets a feeling that organic food certification is too fetish and academic in nature with doubtful impact. Of course most organic food admirers may scoff at this because of their abiding faith in the safety, nutrition and health promoting features. Still it is worth considering whether a new category of foods can be promoted that will be much more safer than conventionally raised foods.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

FOOD FOR THE MASSES-THE HARSH REAILTIES IN INDIA

2011-12-24T12:10:00.002+05:30

Here is a well analyzed commentary on food situation in India and the unpardonable mismanagement by the country during the last few years. Probably every Indian will have to hang his head in shame when it is widely known that that the country ranks very low when it comes to looking after its hungry citizens and malnourished children. Is there no accountability in the country to pin point the crime of mismanagement on those responsible for it and bring them to books for this abysmal situation? May be it is time for an inquisition into the past, punish those who did not do what they were supposed to do and set right the priorities. Of course with the political situation as it is to day, there is no hope that the country will ever be able to pull out of this quagmire in the foreseeable future!

IT'S A paradox of plenty. At a time when India ranks 67th among 81 countries in the 2011 Global Hunger Index prepared by the International Food Policy Research Institute, mountains of grain continue to rot in godowns while more recently, irate farmers spilled tonnes of potatoes on the streets in Punjab. A few months ago, it was tomato farmers in Jharkhand, and then it was the turn of onion growers in Rajasthan. And if you think this is a recent phenomenon, you are mistaken. I have seen this happening for nearly 25 years now across the country at regular intervals. Disgusting, isn't it? Well, the visuals of food rotting speak volumes of the criminal apathy, neglect and callousness with which we, as a nation, have failed to address the shameful scourge of hunger. For a country that has the dubious distinction of having the largest population of hungry in the world — close to 320 million — and with 42 percent of children officially clubbed as malnourished, the spectacle of massive quantities of food being allowed to go waste is an unpardonable crime. What is still worse is that hunger proliferates in a country that claims to be the world's largest democracy. For nearly five years, procurement has hovered at 50-60 million tonnes. Someone had worked it out that if we keep a bag of grain over another, and stack 60 million tonnes in a vertical row, we could actually walk to the moon and back. With so much of surplus grain, and with unmanageable quantities of fruits and vegetables rotting by the roadside, there is no justification for growing hunger. At the same time, it is baffling to find staple food being exported while the population of the hungry and malnourished continues to multiply. No wonder, hunger continues to keep pace with economic growth. Over the years, farming has become a big gamble. It is not only the worrisome vagaries of weather that more often than not plays havoc, farmers are also faced with a strange phenomenon — produce and perish. Take the case of Suryabhagwan, a farmer in the East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. This year, he voluntarily announced that he would rather work as a 'coolie' than undertake paddy cultivation. Already under heavy debt and knowing that another season of paddy cultivation will only add to his indebtedness, his call for a 'crop holiday' soon reverberated. Within weeks, the idea spread like wildfire, with the result that now more than 1 lakh hectares in the two irrigated districts of East and West Godavari lie barren. AP is a paddy growing area. While production has been steadily on an upswing over the years, adequate market infrastructure for procurement has not been created. The result is that despite a very high production capacity, there is little space for storage. This is not only true of AP or for that matter Punjab and Haryana, the country's food bowl, but extends to the whole country. The tragedy manifested after the initial years of the Green Revolution, when food became abundantly available. The focus then shifted away from agriculture. With public sector investment drastically falling over the past few decades, agriculture was left at the mercy of the rain gods. Protecting every single grain of food produced to feed the growing population of deprived sections never became a national priority. While production increased, the accompanying market and storage infrastructure were not created. India does not even have the capacity to handle and absorb an excess production of 5 percent, whether it is of wheat, potato or cotton. Whatever the policymakers may say, the neglect of agriculture was deliberate. It is essentially designed to open up agriculture to private investment. Farmers have been the victims of a bigger and hidden design to push them out of agriculture. The more they produce, the more they suffer. Produce and perish, and thereby make way for corporate agriculture.

In stark contrast look at India's neighbor on the northern side which has systematically tackled its hunger problem through sustained and purposeful agricultural policies in the past to become a major food producer with sizable surplus for export. The argument that a democratic country like India does not have the same elbow room to emulate China is a lot of Hogwash! If really there is a concern all around regarding the grave situation existing in India and about its bleak future, let there be a National Government with required mandate to evolve a tangible work plan to tackle some of the major problems on a mission mode within a time frame. Probably this may be a cry in the wilderness!

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

KEEPING THE VEGGIES FRESH-ANOTHER OPTION

2011-12-23T16:01:00.002+05:30

There was a time when chlorine was considered the most efficient disinfectant in food industry besides its preeminent role for disinfecting water. With serious doubts being raised about the safety of chlorine, many alternative chemicals have come to the fore which include ozone, trisodium phosphate, chlorine dioxide, hydrogen peroxide etc. The problem with chlorine is that it leaves a residue for longer time, reacts with organic substances generating toxic artifacts besides being dangerous to store and handle. Emergence of Hydrogen Peroxide as an efficient disinfectant in recent times owes it to its relative safety and ease of handling. Of course such treatments will help only to prevent fast deterioration of cut surfaces besides killing the bacteria present on the surface coming from the field. The progressive quality changes with time, due to physiological and biochemical reactions, especially at ambient temperatures cannot be stopped using H2O2. The practical way of using this chemical is illustrated in the following report:

Keep it Fresh with Hydrogen Peroxide Whether it's a crisp head of Romaine or a new bag of fresh spinach, you can keep greens, fruits and veggies fresh and healthy longer with hydrogen peroxide. Spritz fresh cut salads immediately after making (before there is any dressing on them), then cover and keep in the refrigerator or until ready to serve. If you only dress the salad you serve, you can return the remaining salad to the refrigerator with the same treatment. It will taste fresh and remain crisp for up to several days! Wash hard skinned veggies like zucchini, celery, egg plants and tomatoes in a bath of half a sink of cold water and 5 ounces 3 percent food grade hydrogen peroxide. Grapes, apples, pears, cherries, melons and plums can also all be washed this way. For thinner skinned fruits and vegetables, as well as berries and sprouts, simply spritz with a solution of 1 quart distilled or spring water and 4 ounces hydrogen peroxide. If you want more hydrogen peroxide in your diet, eat more water cress or asparagus. Both are excellent sources. (The hydrogen peroxide you use to clean your fruits and veggies will dissipate into water and oxygen in its active role of killing bacteria and microorganisms, so it can't really be considered a dietary source of h2o2).

Such simple techniques will help common man to take more precaution in processing market accessed fresh produce at home with least skill but very effectively. Recent food poisoning episodes in the US traced to Salmonella on fresh produce like Tomato, Spinach, Water Melon etc could have been avoided if techniques like H2O2 treatment were popularized among the consumers. Probably this method may be more appropriate considering that the alternative option of irradiation is still not practical due to severe consumer reservation. Several years ago food scientists at Mysore, India had worked out a dipping technique using some solutions capable of reducing pesticides residue in fresh produce dramatically, though its wide scale application never materialized due to lack of promotion. In a world becoming increasingly dangerous to live because of uncertainties regarding the safety of foods sourced and marketed from different parts of the world, such simple techniques as illustrated above will go a long way in reassuring the hard pressed denizens that, despite the pervading gloom around, all is not lost yet!

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

DIOXINS IN FOOD-INDUSTRY VS REGULATORY AGENCIES

2011-12-22T12:43:00.002+05:30

That industry is invariably averse to any strict surveillance against some of their questionable practices and will never agree, if given an option, in making any standards stricter has been known. There are hundreds of instances in the history of food industry during the last hundred years to prove the point that voluntary action for making the food safer and healthier never worked and expecting this sector to do so in future can be only a wishful thinking. Look at the latest instance of the industry lobbying against making safety limits for dioxins more stringent under some pretext or the other probably fearing adverse impact of such life saving food standards on its business. Here is a take on this vital issue that promises to become a new area of confrontation between the safety authorities and the industry allied with powerful farming lobby in USA.

Is it not unfortunate that even the farm sector, propped up by big farmers, has ganged up with the processing industry for the sake of protecting their turf ignoring the well being of the consumers who after all provide the "bread and butter" to them? It is forgotten that when risk impact is measured the benefit of doubt has to be given to the consumers and commercial players have to abide by agencies like World Health Organization and others responsible for fixing "goal posts" for consumer safety. Is it not a pity that food processing industry, already being hauled up for promoting unhealthy foods causing many life style diseases, is bent on repeating its past mistakes endangering the lives of the hapless consumer? One can only hope that better counsel will prevail on them to fall in line with universal safety regimes in stead of blind opposition to enforcement protocols based on sound science.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

THE BUFFER STOCK MUDDLE-IS THERE NO ACCOUNTABILITY IN INDIA?

2011-12-21T13:02:00.002+05:30

Critics of Indian government policies and its style of governing are often tarred with a brush accusing them of vested interest and branded as politically motivated! Latest case is the reported mismanagement of buffer stock management which, in turn is closely related to country's food security, does not seem to have any priorities and characterized by lethargic response during periods of food crisis. Interestingly this accusation has come not from trenchant critics but from a Parliamentary committee on public undertakings and one should not forget that this has happened despite the UPA being the ruling combine that controls the government! It looks like food security is simply a populist slogan for politicians in the country without any serious intention to work seriously on achieving the same. Look at the priority of GOI to day when it is thinking only in terms of increasing subsidies from the exchequer for distribution of food grains at prices which are ridiculously low to population supposed to be "poor" though the Public Distribution System already existing has become so rotten even GOI does not know where bulk of the food ends up! Is this not an action for strengthening the "loot brigade" that operates in the country for siphoning off the PDS food grains before it reaches the beneficiaries?. If there is at at least a modicum of accountability those who have been looting the country should have been hanged long ago. Reports like this do not shame the perpetrators of such heinous crimes as ill gotten money is a great "eraser" of all sins!

A Parliamentary committee has directed the government to ensure the finalisation of the buffer stocking policy for foodgrains within three months. While presenting its report today, the Committee on Public Undertakings headed by Jagdambika Pal expressed "grave concern" over the slow pace of action by the government on the handling of buffer stock policy for food grains. "Expressing their grave concern over the slow pace of action in a matter of serious national issue involving the food security of the country, the committee exhort the department (Food) to address this issue in right earnest and ensure finalisation of buffer stocking policy within 3 months of the presentation of this report," it pointed out. The panel in its earlier report presented to Lok Sabha in February 2009 had recommended that the Food Ministry should go in for intensive technological upgrades to review the buffer stock norms for food grains. It had also suggested that the ministry can take help from Economic Survey, Planning Commission, Finance Ministry, Agriculture Ministry, etc while fixing buffer stock norms. The Department of Food and Public Distribution (F & PD) in its action taken replies furnished in March 2010 had said that the Technical Group headed by F & PD Secretary had asked the National Centre for Agricultural Economics (NCAP) to review the existing buffer stock policy, it added. "The committee are, however, astonished at the subsequent action taken reply furnished by the department in January 2011 that while NCAP report on the subject matter had been considered by the technical group on buffer stocking policy, its report is yet to be finalised," the panel pointed out. The committee felt that the matter has not been given the serious attention that it deserved. The issue relates to the position of food grain stocks with the government in October 2003 and based upon which the Committee on Public Undertakings in its report in 2009 had advised the government to upgrade its buffer stock norms. The panel in its previous report in February 2009 had found the handling of buffer stock of food grains by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) as a case of mismanagement. The committee in its report then had observed that the government committed an error of judgement while handling food grain stocks during 2002-03 and 2003-04. The country had a food grains stock position of 152 lakh tonnes as on October 1, 2002 against the norm of 65 lakh tonnes, but on October 1, 2003, the stock of food grains stood at 52 lakh tonnes against the norm of 65 lakh tonnes, it said. "The committee feel that the government itself has to be blamed for the situation when it allowed high stocks to be piled up and then liquidating the same through exports leading to shortage," it had said.

The latest extravaganza being unleashed by GOI is coming in the form of Food Security Bill which is likely to become a law soon if the present ruling group has its say and 75% of Indian citizens need not work hard any more because each person can get 7 kg of food grains per month for just Rs 7 while the market price is ruling around Rs 200 for the same quantity! With the poverty level of income being fixed at Rs 32 per day (under MGNREGA scheme Rs 100), one can understand poorest of the poor getting such help from GOI but it is beyond comprehension as to why food should be distributed at such a low cost to others. If this is not electoral calculation what else has motivated the GOI to go for such blatantly populist scheme under the banner of "right to food"? With Food Corporation of India in such a mess, as pointed out by the Parliamentary Committee, it defies logic and common sense as to how this mega "give away" scheme is going to be managed and what economic burden the country will have to bear for this ill considered move?

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

WHERE IS THE BUTTER GONE?-FOOD SHORTAGE IN NORWAY!

2011-12-21T11:35:00.002+05:30

No body can be blamed for singing the tune of poverty, hunger and malnutrition when it comes to issues concerning the poor people of Asia, Africa and South America because in these three continents live more than half the population in the world, most of them impoverished with neither adequate resources nor means to buy available foods. But how come one hears alarming news about food shortages and black-marketing in foods in a supposedly rich country like Norway? Of course the big difference is that shortage pertains to butter which is seen as a staple in this industrialized country. Is it because that Norway is not a member of the European Union which would have helped it to ward off the crisis through free trade among this trade zone? With free trade principles governing the relationship in the EU, such shortages would not have occurred at all. Here is a report on this rich man's food that has become scarce especially during the Christmas Festivities"

'Norway, a fully industrialized country and ranked first in the latest Human Development Index, a United Nations' metric that tries to quantify the quality of life across countries, is suffering through a butter shortage, a common food staple and an important input in the food industry. Food shortages wouldn't be out of place in places like Cuba, North Korea, Venezuela and some poor Sub-Saharan nations; it is almost unfathomable that they occur in one of the most developed nations in the world. Norwegian authorities seem puzzled by the shortage and subsequent rise in butter prices. They blame a new low-carb high-fat diet craze for the additional demand. Additionally, heavy rains during the summer affected grazing areas for cows, which resulted in reduced milk production. The shortage is especially alarming during the Christmas season, where many traditional recipes rely on significant amounts of the dairy product. Norwegians have actually resorted to churning their own butter, including a restaurant owner interviewed by The Wall Street Journal: "We have to [churn butter]. We can't get hold of any butter, not any at all. And it's right before Christmas, so we have a lot of customers. It's really strange. It takes a lot of time since we use hand mixers." While the diet combined with unfavorable conditions for dairies has limited the amount of available domestic butter, it doesn't address the biggest issue for the limited quantities of the good: trade regulations. Since Norway is not part of the European Union, imports from other nations are subject to tariffs and other protectionist restrictions Butter tariffs in Norway equaled 25 kroner per kilo(about US$ 4.25), effectively eliminating any incentive to import butter from abroad. While the tariff was lowered to four kroner in December allowing Norway to import more than 750 tons of butter for consumers and 1,000 tons for industry, it will do little to solve the shortage, as it will take time for butter to become available to consumers"'

Hearing about this news one is not sure whether to laugh or cry because butter is a rich source of saturated fat and cholesterol considered harmful for human health if consumed regularly and liberally. Of course the western culture depending very heavily on dairy products like butter, cheese etc will find it difficult to adjust to shortages of these products while eastern culture with a strong survival instinct can adapt to more serious food shortages involving main stream foods like cereals. NDDB of India might consider going to the help of Norway through export of butter through a long term arrangement as this product is relatively less costlier in India compared to global prices.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

BPA IS SAFE-SO SAYS EU SAFETY AUTHORITIES!

2011-12-20T22:05:00.002+05:30

Bis-phenol A ( BPA) which is present as a component in poly carbonate feeding bottles and resin coatings in sanitary cans was a focus of intense scrutiny after it was implicated in health risks, especially to infants. Though the scare about its safety among consumers made many industry players to shun use of poly carbonate in feeding bottles and can resins, there has never been any formal banning of this chemical by any safety authorities in the world. Still BPA was subject matter of intense safety studies during the last two years with no adverse findings emerging so far and it is not surprising that the EU Safety Authorities have given it unqualified approval for use as long as the level does not exceed the prescribed limit. Here is a report from the EU.regarding the present status of BPA vis-a-vis processed foods.

"Time after time when the comprehensive body of research on BPA is evaluated by unbiased scientific experts, the conclusion is the same -- that BPA does not pose any risk to infants, children, or adults from exposure through food contact applications," said Dr. John M. Rost, NAMPA Chairman. "This latest affirmation of BPA's safety in food packaging should prompt consumers to question the motivation behind the negative publicity on BPA, a material that not only protects food, but that repeatedly has been found safe by expert regulatory bodies worldwide." Over the past several weeks, EFSA conducted a thorough review of new scientific studies. This review was conducted at the request of the European Commission, following recent concerns raised by a report from the French food agency (ANSES). Responding to those concerns, EFSA noted that ANSES had conducted a limited hazard identification process, while EFSA had conducted a full risk assessment on BPA. Based on this latest assessment, EFSA upheld the finding of its 2010 review that the existing tolerable daily intake (TDI) for BPA would "protect all human populations for lifetime exposure to this substance through diet." EFSA also indicated plans to establish a multidisciplinary working group to monitor and review new scientific studies on BPA. "BPA-based epoxy coatings used in metal packaging enable high temperature sterilization that eliminates the danger of food poisoning or contamination," continued Dr. Rost. "These coatings are extremely effective, thoroughly tested, and safe, as reiterated by this recent EFSA evaluation. Expert risk assessments such as this latest work by EFSA should be what guides policy actions on BPA, not political agendas." A full report is available at http://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/press/news/111201.htm ."

It is a tribute to the functioning of the safety assessment mechanism in the EU that suspect contaminants are continuously being subjected to evaluation and based on new data generated quick action is taken to remove or retain the already approved standards. One has to place faith on the safety agencies and be guided by their 'wisdom' derived from many tit bits of information at their disposal. On the other hand government agencies bestowed with the responsibility of looking after the welfare of the citizens should not be swayed by the clout or muscle of the industry or the lobbyists and must be true to the scientific truth. Between FDA of the US and EFSA of the EU, latter seems to have acquitted themselves better if one goes by the past track record of these two agencies during the last few years in safeguarding the consumer interest.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

THE REALITY OF BEING OBESE-THE SOCIETAL IMPLICATIONS

2011-12-19T11:13:00.002+05:30

Physically handicapped persons are constrained for carrying out the activities of a normal person in one way or the other and all countries provide special facilities for such people to make their discomfort or handicap less obvious. There are even employment quotas for physically handicapped persons in many organizations which must be lauded and acknowledged. However can an obese person be considered as physically handicapped, deserving special considerations for making their lives more comfortable? Well this is an issue that may become controversial in future as more and more people are being pushed into the "obesity club" every day in almost all countries which are developing economically with the average income going up dramatically, enabling them to go for more calorie dense but tastier foods causing metabolic disequilibrium. While all other forms of physical handicaps are caused by accidents of birth or real life accidents, obesity is an "invited" handicap caused by undisciplined eating practices. Do they really deserve any special consideration for providing relief from the governments? From a social angle it may be a desirable approach to help them over come their disability condition as the consequences of increasing obese populations reflects on the human performance very significantly. Here is a balanced view on this newly emerging problem.

"A recent Gallup survey of absenteeism among unhealthy American workers found that about 86 percent of full-time workers are above normal weight or have at least one chronic condition. The findings recall an eight-year study that Duke University researchers released several years ago finding that the most overweight workers had 13 times more lost workdays because of work-related injuries, and that their medical claims for those injuries were seven times more costly than those of their fit co-workers. Should it be illegal for businesses to discriminate against applicants who are obese, typically defined as 20 percent above the range of normal body weight or higher? Or is stronger legislation to protect against this type of bias the only answer?"

Recent report about a passenger being forced to stand for almost 7 hours in a flight from Anchorage to New York because he could not sit next to a passenger who was very fat and bulky due to obesity, may be a rare occurrence but one has to recognize that this a problem which is not going to fade away by choosing to ignore it. Of course the Airlines concerned could have forced the person, causing inconvenience to the fellow passenger, to buy two tickets for occupying two seats, though it did not happen that way. It must be admitted that no one willingly welcomes obesity and as it develops slowly and progressively the disease is not recognized till it is too late. Probably those with BMI beyond 34 can be considered as "medical patients", to be compulsorily treated to bring down the BMI mark below 30 through hospitalization for which health insurance companies must defray the cost.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

THE "BIG" CHILDREN-CURSE OF MODERN LIVING!

2011-12-18T14:52:00.002+05:30

There was a time in the History when huge families with many members used to live together, helping each other and sharing the difficulties when population was not growing at it is now. Due to comparatively cleaner environment and safer foods nutritionally balanced, the health problems as being seen to day were far and few. The element of kinship was much stronger with younger generation respecting the seniors for their wisdom and elders showering affection on the former. Situation has changed dramatically during the last 5-6 decades with small and compact nuclear families branching of from larger joint family set ups, living in smaller dwelling houses with minimum interaction with fellow relatives. Children are left to fend for themselves more often with parents having very little time to devote to them because of their economic pursuits. The net result is that the children of to day are denied many of the basic emotional feelings, arising out of closer interactions and symbolic emotive signals from their parents or grand parents, resulting in their growth and development with minimum human qualities. What effect such a transformation has on the society can be easily imagined. Here is a "loud thinking" by some one watching this trend from close quarters which must trouble the conscience of the nation.

"Indian parents often goad their babies to not grow up fast. If childhood is about magic, it is vanishing even before it is lived. In fact children are indeed growing up fast, speeding past the springtime of their lives, say psychiatrists who connect that to the falling levels of emotional quotient. The warm hugs, the tiny kisses, a ride on the Ferris wheel, a family camping trip, vanishing into a book with mum, playing chess against dad, are all now just cloying instances tucked away in fables. "The EQ among our children is on the decline. They have a lower threshold for tolerance, they are easily depressed, their coping ability has reduced and complexity has gone up. Seven- and eight-year-olds talk of violent acts and of dying these days," says psychiatrist Dr Nirmala Rao. The new toys like Angry Birds, Crime Life: Gang Wars and other ultraviolent games don't score too well in enriching EQ. Our cities' kids-unfriendly design doesn't help either: you need to go to a hill station even for a horse ride or to spend time under a waterfall. Peggy Mohan, an English teacher with a Delhi school, says, "We are living in tiny cocoons. Our children are like aliens who've ventured into the adult space. They are as nice as ever, but they do not have the sense of the landscape they live in."

The rate at which urbanization is taking place is alarming enough to call for arresting this trend by many sociologists lest there could be gross distortions in the human values cherished by many and as earning opportunities are increasingly being concentrated in urban areas, there is mindless devastation of rural entities as agriculture is no more a sustaining avocation for millions of farmers in a country like India. If future citizens are going to be from the urban areas evolving from an environment similar to a "pressure cooker", with very little time to think about fellow citizens, what type of country will emerge eventually? It is in this context many sociologists plead for better environment within four walls of the urban families where children are exposed to the nuances of emotional feelings from the parents which eventually will also manifest in public places for fellow citizens. Probably mindless industrialization will destroy the fabric of the society and it is time the employment providers include more and more family welfare measures for their employees to restore the traditional values as they were during olden days!

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

OMEGA-3 OILS-CONSUMER"S DELIGHT BUT PROCESSOR"S HEAD ACHE!

2011-12-16T19:25:00.005+05:30

The discovery that some unsaturated fatty acids like omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids are essential in the diet for maintaining prime health and avoiding diseases like CVD and Cancer has changed the human perception regarding consumption of edible fats in the daily diet. Added to this there is a widely held belief that saturated fats and trans fats are not good for health bringing about radical changes in the composition of food products developed and marketed by the industry during the last one decade. Though Flax seed, Olive oil are sources of essential fatty acids, fish is the over whelming favorite of nutritionist as well as health experts as the long chain Omega-3 present in this source namely DHA is more efficient in bestowing the benefits attributed to this nutrient. As there is a significant population in the world which do not consume fish and since a few plant sources have smaller levels of Omega-3, the search for an alternate source with high omega-3 has been going on for some time ending up with some Algal strains capable of producing them under right media conditions. Here is a take on this interesting development that forebodes well for the food fortification programs of the industry.

"Fats tend to be less than cooperative in food processing. This can make the move to healthy fats somewhat complicated. In beverage formulations, for example, it's the nature of fats not to mix with water, making it difficult to fortify drinks with omega-3 fatty acids. But in food formulations, unsaturated fats are more fluid at room temperature and oxidize more readily than saturated fats. With omega-3s the darling of healthy oils, other hurdles have to be overcome. "Fats with high unsaturation, as is the case of the long-chain fatty acids DHA and EPA, are delicate compounds that can degrade and cause off-flavors and aromas that are undesirable," says Ruben Abril, director of international ingredient formulations and technical support for DSM Nutritional Products (www.dsm.com), Parsippany, N.J. "However, if these fats are handled properly and added in the food production process using a systematic approach, the final fortified product will taste and smell as we expect them to taste and smell. DHA/EPA-fortified milk will taste like milk if it is consumed directly or if it is used as an ingredient to prepare other foods, and it will have the added advantage of now containing DHA and/or EPA omega-3s." DHA comes primarily from fish. This severely restricts its usage as the aroma and flavor are strong, reminding consumers of their last fishing trip. While microencapsulation technology and better processing threw the door open for wider use of fish-sourced omegas in foods and beverages, some promises of neutral aroma were still proving hard to keep. The increased use of the alphalinolenic acid (ALA) form of omega oil from flax oil has proven successful, but ALA does not completely convert to DHA in the body and that's the form with the greatest health benefit. Fish oil DHA is actually a modification of the shorter-chain omega-3 fatty acids ultimately derived from algae and research led to the discovery of algae that produced the longer chain DHA directly. This form has the advantage of providing the desired health components as fish oil without the negatives of aroma associated with that source. Algal omega oil is often referred to as vegan DHA. DSM provides life's DHA brand, an omega derived solely from algae. Several different milk producers have launched products enriched with algal DHA in the past few years. "I've seen the growing trend in the fortification of foods with DHA/EPA, and it will continue to grow," adds Abril. "Long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids are extremely important fats scientifically proven to help support eye, brain and cardiovascular health at all stages of life."

Being unsaturated in nature Omega-3 oils are highly vulnerable to oxidative rancidity and food formulations containing high water like milk and beverages, product development can be a nightmare. But with newer technologies like encapsulation and emulsification it is possible to incorporate Omega-3 into any food product during the manufacturing process. Algal Omega-3 is practically odorless, unlike fish oils and can be incorporated with no evidence of its presence to the consumer. This development is especially relevant to a predominantly vegetarian country like India with sizable population shunning fish and soon Omega-3 fortified foods may make their presence on the supermarket shelves in the country.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

"MEGA" RISKS FROM "NANO" TECHNOLOGY-THE SAFETY QUESTION

2011-12-16T19:25:00.004+05:30

Nano technology is indeed an exciting development about which manufacturing industry world over is pinning lot of hope in expanding the product portfolio further through this innovative process. Food industry is no exception to this feeling. Though the technology is based on sound scientific principles, how far its application in food processing and ingredient preparation will be safe is a big question that has no conclusive answer as of now. Here is a critique on this issue which must caution the industry against rushing head on to apply nano technology indiscriminately without thinking about potential consequences to consumer health.

"Some of the industrial and consumer-product applications using nanoparticles border on the magical. But a growing number of solid scientific studies have, in the minds of many public health experts, justified hoisting caution flags as they repeatedly show that many nanoparticles are small enough to penetrate the skin, lungs and pass through the vital blood-brain barrier. The potential for lung cancer - especially from the inhalation of carbon nanotubes - has also surfaced in some studies. Nano is from the Greek word for dwarf and a nanometer is a billionth of a meter, or a total of one sliver if you were to cut the period at the end of this sentence into 50,000 slices. "Consumers should be concerned that these tiny chemicals may already be in foods and food contact materials, without being publicly disclosed," says Jennifer Sass, senior scientist and nano authority for the Natural Resources Defense Council. "Consumers can't even make informed choices when they don't know where these chemicals are, what they are, or how toxic they are. It's an outrageous violation of the public trust that companies are refusing to identify on the label the ingredients or food contact materials that are nano-sized, and FDA is letting them get away with it," Sass said. The report said that because of their small size, the "intentionally engineered" nanomaterials are able to go places in the body that larger particles cannot, and it warned: •New "nanofood" products should only be used if safety testing ensures that there are no negative impacts on human health or the environment. •Current regulatory controls are inadequate to assess or ensure safety. •The scientific consensus is that there is a lack of knowledge regarding how nanomaterials interact at the molecular or physiological levels and their potential impacts on health and the environment".

What is troubling the consumers is that there is no way to ascertain how many foods on the market shelves are made using nano technology or are there products containing nano particles as ingredients since the current labeling regulations do not provide for giving out this information. More over there is no way any Chemist can analyze a food prepared with nano technology or nano technology based ingredients and indict the manufacturer. The move by FDA of the US to declare nanotechnology based food ingredients as GRAS is highly irresponsible and is fraught with implications world over as many countries adopt many of the standards set by FDA in their own country blindly. It is time international agencies like the FAO and WHO step in and bring some sanity in this critical area.

V.H.POTTY
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http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

E.COLI "CONUNDRUMS"-TO TEST OR NOT TO TEST?

2011-12-16T09:58:00.002+05:30

Food safety agencies all over the world have an unenviable task to perform and whether they do this honestly or otherwise, they will be damned eventually whenever a food poisoning episode occurs! Look at the recent confrontation between the FDA of the US and the meat industry conglomerates regarding compulsory screening of raw meat for non-0157 strain of E.coli before sending the consignments to the market. According to reliable data available, these variants of E.coli affect a few thousand people though the damage inflicted is neither widespread nor very alarming but safety agencies cannot ignore even a small episode of contamination, lest it becomes an epidemic in future. The arguments by the industry, that such rigid control is too premature, does not justify for huge investments for monitoring and eliminating these pathogens and it is unfair to insist on such tests for imported meats from countries like Australia and New Zealand where non-0157 is not a public health concern, may have some substance. Here is a critique on this issue that highlights the on-going tussle.

"A who's who of meat industry groups petitioned USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack last week to demand a delay in implementing the Food Safety and Inspection Service's proposed policy regarding mandatory testing for non-O157 E. coli strains in raw meat products. The new rule, set to begin in March, declared six additional serotypes of pathogenic E. coli (O26, O103, O45, O111, O121 and O145) as adulterants in raw meat products. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, those six non-O157 strains annually cause more than 36,000 illnesses, 1,100 hospitalizations and 30 deaths in the United States. The coalition, which included key trade groups from the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia and Uruguay, stated concerns about the impact of the new rule on export-import trade and the cost to industry of implementing what is considered to be a negligible public health benefit. "Given that STEC (shiga toxin producing E. coli) other than E. coli O157:H7 are not considered a major public health concern within countries such as Australia, New Zealand, among others, and that the majority of non-E. coli O157 STEC infections are attributed to non-beef food sources, coupled with the infirmities of the Draft Risk Profile, legitimate WTO questions exist," the groups contended in their letter. "In very plain terms, implementing this policy is premature," the American Meat Institute noted in a statement, citing the lack of data confirming that the new strains are a serious hazard. "It is not clear whether on net there will be a reduction in the number of illnesses," the industry's letter stated. AMI Executive Vice President James H. Hodges noted that, "In-plant food safety technologies do not discriminate; they destroy all strains of E. coli. USDA is proposing a solution in search of a problem." The Canadian Meat Council, which represents beef exporters to the United States, complained as well. "In a country where we don't see the six STECs as critically as they are viewed in the U.S., we'd like to exempt Canadian products shipped to the U.S. from these rules," said Brian Reed, a CMC director and past president and an executive at XL Foods in Markham, Ontario".

A relevant question to be addressed by the safety agencies is whether a negative result on 0157 by routine tests done by the industry does not imply that others are also not present in these products? Whether measures taken to eliminate 0157 should also take care of the non-0157 versions in the products is another issue to be sorted out. If the US is so much convinced about the seriousness of contamination by non-0157 E.coli it is time all meat products are allowed to be treated with Gamma Radiation process to ensure absolute freedom from all pathogens. If some processors misuse the irradiation process for fraudulent and unethical marketing practices there are other mechanisms to bring them to books.

V.H.POTTY
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http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

RAPID DETECTION OF FOOD PATHOGENS-NEW DEVELOPMENTS

2011-12-16T09:14:00.002+05:30

Food poisoning due to microbiological contamination is getting increased attention these days with billions of dollars of tainted foods being recalled from the market by the food industry due to strong suspicion about their safety. Traditional microbiological assays to identify contaminating pathogens used to take days together before any definite conclusions can be drawn putting high economic burden on food industry besides making the food processing a high risk area of investment. The most recent pathogen driven food poising episode occurred in Europe affecting hundreds of people and forcing recall of the tainted sprouts across the continent. It took almost a month for the safety authorities to pin point the nature and the source of contamination, highlighting the logistical problems associated with monitoring food safety. One of the key factors that can expedite identification of the contaminant(s) is the rapidity with which assays can be performed and recent development of a molecular detection system augurs well for the quality control laboratories in the industry as well the safety vigilance agencies all over the world.

"The 3M Molecular Detection System delivers highly sensitive results by targeting and amplifying nucleic acid in enriched samples. The automated technology has been evaluated with a variety of food types, including produce, meats, processed foods, pet food and food processing-related environmental samples. The instrument is sleek and compact -- taking up less counter space than a laptop computer, making it portable and adaptable to various lab environments. "Pathogen testing has now been made simple and affordable," said Niki Montgomery, 3M Food Safety global marketing development manager. "Food processors will benefit greatly from the system's affordable accuracy and fast time to results, minimizing downtime in the lab. Numerous organisms can be tested in a single run and it was designed to help our customers perform fewer repeat tests and make critical decisions faster." Three assays available, validation efforts underway. As part of the 3M Molecular Detection System platform, individual, pathogen-specific assays, or procedural tests, will be sold as a test kits. Each assay test kit uses the same software interface and same DNA extraction protocol for testing between one and 96 samples per run. Assays for Salmonella, E. coli O157 (including H7) and Listeria are available immediately; a test for Listeria monocytogenes is expected in early 2012. 3M will continue to invest in developing a full portfolio of pathogen testing solutions to address customer needs. Independent laboratory studies with the 3M Molecular Detection System are currently underway to pursue global method recognitions. "In our evaluation of the Listeria species assay, we liked the small footprint of the system as well as the quick delivery of results after sample enrichment," said Dr. Martin Wiedmann, a professor in Cornell University's Department of Food Science who studied the system's analyses of samples taken from meat-packing, seafood processing and retail locations. "This system definitely illustrates the potential of isothermal methods for rapid detection of foodborne pathogens."

The claim that this method is very reliable and accurate besides taking much less time, probably will make it very popular provided the capital and recurring costs are affordable to the industry. Another way of looking at it is that even if the cost is some what stiff, it is more preferable to invest in this gadget rather than bearing the full economic burden of a possible recall. Though availability of such sophisticated assay systems can significantly reduce food poisoning episodes, consumer will still have to be on guard when it comes to trusting industrial foods absolutely and as a general precaution more care needs to be taken when "cold foods" from the refrigerated section of the super market or Delis are consumed.

V.H.POTTY
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SUPER MARKETS OR RESTAURANTS? MERGING INTERESTS

2011-12-15T16:32:00.004+05:30

"Eating out" habit gets ingrained with families having very little time to spend time in their kitchen and with two incomes coming from both husband and wife, these families have sufficient surplus money to go to good restaurants more frequently. Modern living style invariably places a high value for eating out with family and in many affluent countries home cooking is becoming far and few opening up opportunities for restaurateurs to set up good quality eateries with relative ambiance. It is not uncommon for people to wait for getting seats in reputed restaurants though recent recessionary atmosphere did affect the business to some extent. Evolution of food trucks into a national phenomenon in the US is making the organized catering more nervous and added to this another trend is emerging that weans away patrons from established restaurants in significant numbers. Super Markets with practically no expertise in hotel managementare reported to be considering entering the catering sector by setting up high end eating experience to increase their clientele. This is a trend with far reaching implications to the organized catering business as their regular patrons may reduce the frequency of visits drastically because of the convenience and synergy offered by the former. Here is an interesting expose on this latest trend.

"Welcome to the age of the mash-up. Your phone has swallowed the digital camera and GPS. Your home is an office. Airplanes are Internet providers. And now, you can dine at the supermarket. It's a competitive world of blurring lines, where the most useful combo wins. Ten years ago, Whole Foods Market, Wegmans, and the Texas chain Central Market began to experiment with bringing a high-quality dining experience into their stores. At the time, the idea of eating at a supermarket was unseemly, and it often meant a smattering of tables where you might wolf down the contents of a Styrofoam clamshell. Prepared food was intended — if you had any manners — to transport home. Now in-store dining is a new market segment, no longer something you do on the sly, but a destination for families, couples in a hurry before the movies, tired shoppers who want something to eat before they hit the aisles, even the fussiest foodies. And in these waiterless situations, there are no gratuities, which contributes to attractive pricing. As new supermarkets spring up, plans invariably include kitchens run by chefs, dining facilities, and more — in-store classes (Whole Foods in Dedham has a glassed-in Wellness Club), live music, poetry slams, wine tastings (nightly at Shaw's at the Prudential Center), and full-fledged pubs (as at some Wegmans locations). Add fancy bakery cafes (like the excellent Tous Les Jours at H Mart in Burlington), throw in a bank and a post office for good measure, and there may be no reason to ever go anywhere else"

"When the recession hit in 2008, sales of food from the aisles decreased, items per trip (known as "basket size'') stagnated, and profits fell. Supermarkets sprinted toward the on-premise dining model that other pioneers were working to perfect. "In the past 24 to 36 months, in-store dining has become heightened, as retailers realized they couldn't increase the basket size by simply lowering prices,'' explains Thom Blischok, president of SymphonyIRI Group, a retail research and consulting firm. "They began these innovations to drive in-store traffic, and change the dining experience — in quality, in atmosphere, and in variety. The ambience of a chef standing back there with the hat in a grocery store said: 'Ah! I can eat good quality food here at a good price.' '' As supermarkets evolve into these strange multi-entities, restaurants are struggling to keep up. Norm Vernadakis, a director at Big Y Markets, says the 40-seat dining area at the Walpole location has become a revenue center by winning over diners. "They're finding that our food is restaurant quality, wholesome, and you don't need to tip our people.'' His strategy is to beat the competition on both price and quality. "I don't think anybody does fish and chips better than we do,'' he says, adding wryly, "I know that will probably irritate a couple people in Boston.'' The Walpole Big Y's revenue from in-store dining rose 50 percent in 2010, he said, and another 15 percent in 2011. Crispy, tender, and served with authentic malt vinegar, the fish and chips are $7.99. Across the board, supermarket companies argue (in a way that seems almost scripted) that they can create better dishes than fast-food or fast-casual restaurants, in part because they have many aisles of fresh ingredients. And in-house chefs usually have surprising autonomy to cook what they want, catering to local tastes and leveraging talents (and ethnicities) on staff".

On the logistical side many of the existing super markets may find it difficult to establish high end restaurants within their premises but new ones can plan their ventures better for including such facilities. The Mall concept which became a standard business mode incorporates good quality eateries but it is generally not owned by the owners of the Mall and not linked to groceries business. In the past super markets used to lease out pace to fast food joints for the benefit of their customers who want to have a quick bite before or after their shopping for groceries but these food joints were more frequented by youngsters and senior citizens with not much of an expectation of a high quality food. Some of the super markets even offer on a buffet basis salads, soups etc from their Deli section and this experience may be helpful in expanding the facility further. But the new trend as being reported in countries like the US, may change the image of super markets and will provide some cushion for them in terms of dip in grocery business. A time may come when families may visit these super market restaurants for a happy eating out experience while purchase of groceries becomes secondary!

V.H.POTTY
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"COCAINE EFFECT" OF FOODS-LEGAL IMPLICATIONS

2011-12-15T08:45:00.002+05:30

Remember how much money the the tobacco industry had to shell out after the class action through legal efforts in the US to pin down the industry which deliberately suppressed information that implied the addictive nature of tobacco? It is true that tobacco industry, in spite of this set back, still continues to have sizable "practitioners" who just refuse to see the writing on the wall and continue to indulge in smoking what ever the price of the product! One can only say that this most unfortunate and illogical. During the last one decade there have been compelling evidence that food industry also is going the "tobacco way", if scientific studies in multi lateral institutions are taken seriously. The main culprit is the main stream processed foods containing high levels of sugar and fat manufactured and marketed by the industry targeting youngsters and adults alike. How far this trend will continue with the industry in a denial mode remains to be seen and probably time is running out for it to self discipline the members to bring about significant changes in the product portfolio from the present one. Here is a comprehensive commentary on this phenomenon that must receive attention policy makers all over the world.

"Cupcakes may be addictive, just like cocaine. A growing body of medical research at leading universities and government laboratories suggests that processed foods and sugary drinks made by the likes of PepsiCo Inc. and Kraft Foods Inc. (KFT) aren't simply unhealthy. They can hijack the brain in ways that resemble addictions to cocaine, nicotine and other drugs. "The data is so overwhelming the field has to accept it," said Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. "We are finding tremendous overlap between drugs in the brain and food in the brain." The idea that food may be addictive was barely on scientists' radar a decade ago. Now the field is heating up. Lab studies have found sugary drinks and fatty foods can produce addictive behavior in animals. Brain scans of obese people and compulsive eaters, meanwhile, reveal disturbances in brain reward circuits similar to those experienced by drug abusers. Twenty-eight scientific studies and papers on food addiction have been published this year, according to a National Library of Medicine database. As the evidence expands, the science of addiction could become a game changer for the $1 trillion food and beverage industries. If fatty foods and snacks and drinks sweetened with sugar and high fructose corn syrup are proven to be addictive, food companies may face the most drawn-out consumer safety battle since the anti-smoking movement took on the tobacco industry a generation ago".

What can any one under such compelling circumstances? Will a blanket ban on "bad" foods work? Can raising taxes on high sugar and high fat foods be a remedy to the problem? Educating the consumer to avoid obesity causing foods is easier said than done! Suggestion to punish obese people through social boycott is just ridiculous, even to think of! The reported cost of supporting the obese population is staggering indeed. Probably evolving an ideal frame work for healthy food profiles within which all manufacturers will have to design their products and punishing those who violate these guidelines through high taxation may be considered in consultation with all stake holders.

V.H.POTTY
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http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com