"NANO BRICK WALL"-WITHIN THE REALM OF FEASIBILITY?

The nano technology, which is a focus of attention by many sectors of manufacturing industry, is mired in controversies regarding its safety credentials vis-a-vis human beings. Though there is no evidence so far regarding any adverse consequences that might be caused by nano technology based products, there is still a lot of apprehension in the minds of consumers, as many aspects of this new development are not still clearly understood. Those who are votaries of nano technology hold the view that any new technology intended for use by humans has risks and the decision regarding its deployment by the industry is based on a virtual risk-benefit analysis. The fact that millions of dollars of investments are being channeled into nano technology research both in the private and public sector research institutions spanning the world, it has to be conceded that safety aspects will be high in the minds of those committed to this area of development. A recent finding by a scientific group that new plastic films incorporating nano particles of clay, one thousandth of the size of a human hair or less, can have functional properties similar to that of glass may be of big impact on the food industry, if it can be translated into commercial application with assured safety.

"A discovery thousands of times smaller than a human hair could completely redefine how restaurants serve their food. But it might also usher in one of the biggest controversies in food safety the industry has seen in years. An engineering team at Texas A&M University developed a revolutionary thin-coating polymer with the food-preservation qualities of glass. Jaime Grunlan, the associate professor at Texas A&M who headed the research effort, says the innovative packaging material could preserve a carbonated drink's fizz better than anything on the market. The film is 70 percent clay particles, more eco-friendly than plastics, and thousands of times thinner than a single hair. Grunlan's coating is water, a soluble polymer, and clay. "It's basically dirt," he says. "It's my understanding that clay is food-contact approved. With the polymer we're using, if it's not food-contact approved, we can switch to another polymer. This is a very tailorable technology for changing properties or toxicity."

Though many leading food companies, especially in advanced countries are known to pursue nano technology research, anticipating huge spin off eventually, no one seems to be ready to conceded that they are in this field, probably because of the possible consumer back lash due to fear of adverse health consequences of ingesting nano particles. It is a difficult task to prove conclusively that nano particles do not interfere with thousands of biological activities that take place in human body. A multi nation task force involving technologically front line nations must address this problem and pool their resources to come out with a definitive conclusion regarding the safety questions that haunt the industry at present. A beautiful technology with immense potential to contribute to the welfare of the world must not be allowed to be sidelined for want of scientific effort in establishing its safety. .

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

ROAD SIDE VENDING-INADEQUATE VIGILANCE

Street vending is a phenomenon that is here to stay and almost all countries in the world have some or the other form of open air eating on the sides of many roads in most of the urban areas. The transformation of the street vendor who is a humble and low income entrepreneur into modern business man is remarkable in a country like the US where Food Trucks are taking over the functions of providing open air foods to customers with some loyalty to fresh foods cooked in front of them. Even in the case of modern food trucks there are issues concerning quality and safety of food offered by them though the chances of any epidemic of food poisoning is relatively less. In the traditional road side vending hygiene and sanitation become a casualty because of many reasons which include low awareness and high illiteracy amongst many of these vendors. Unless safety authorities exercise effective vigilance, the unsuspecting customers can become a prey for food borne diseases. The sudden interest by the Mumbai food safety agency in announcing stricter monitoring regime is note worthy but whether this will be translated into practice is a million dollar question!

"In a bid to crack down on unauthorised roadside vendors selling food in unhygienic conditions, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) will now form special ward-level squads. These squads will carry out regular surprise visits in their areas to ensure quality of food items. The decision was taken after a pani puri vendor in Thane was caught on camera while urinating in a vessel which he was using to store pani. After the news reports, MNS workers had vandalised food stalls across the city, thereby pressuring the civic body to take immediate measures. Officials had said that a meeting of top health department officials of the BMC was called to chalk out an action plan. Civic officials said instructions regarding the formation of special ward-level squads have been issued. The official also said the quality of the food served by these vendors will now be under scanner. Additional Municipal Commissioner Manisha Mhaiskar said these squads will also keep a check on those vendors having BMC's licences too. On Tuesday itself, surprise visits were conducted in and around the city".

Is it not a wonder that only very few cases of food borne diseases are reported in the country in spite of the sad state of affairs vis-a-vis safety enforcement environment? Could it be that the effect of daily prayers by the God-fearing population is manifested in the form of protection to them from food related disorders? Or does an average Indians possess an extra ordinary GI system that is immune to most food borne infectious vectors prevalent in the country? According to some reports most of those affected by minor symptoms of stomach upset caused by food do not bother about it, managing the same with over the counter anti-bacterial drugs available cheap in the country. One always wonders as to how populations in countries like the US or in Europe suffer from serious food poisoning incidences in spite of the operation of a supposedly modern food industry and most exacting hygiene environment that exists in those countries. Probably an agency like WHO can study this peculiar phenomenon to unravel the mystery!

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