From Soda to milk-What a climb down!

Backlash from the consumer community and sociological groups who have been berating the soda industry for the unhealthy beverages being produced, marketed and made popular among kids through over drive promotional activities. Some of the major players seem to be seeing the writing on the wall, viz there is no future for this industry and if they continue to indulge in this business, a day may not be too far way when they will face consumer wrath of Himalayans proportions and possibly face massive class action suits for economic reparation to the consumers for the health damage caused by these unhealthy drinks as in the case of cigarette industry two decades ago. Though global production of soft drinks is more than 20 billion (bn) cases valued at about $ 300 bn, USA alone accounting for about 50% of this, the ever declining trend of sales has been a cause of worry for many of the major players in this segment of industry. In USA alone the sales of soda are declining on an average 1-3% every year since 2004, an alarming signal indeed. This has probably been the reason for the new found love of this industry to nutritious and healthy products like value added milk based beverages. Here is a take on this important turning point in the fortunes of soda industry as is being reported.

Soft-drink giant the Coca-Cola Company will soon be launching a new version of milk branded as Fairlife.  The launch is planned for later this month, with sales to begin nationwide next year. "Purely nutritious milk" states the slogan under Fairlife's name on the containers. The company's optimism is riding high for this new lactose-free product, which boasts of containing 50-percent more natural protein, 30-percent more natural calcium, and 50-percent less sugar than ordinary milk. During a global consumer conference last month, Sandy Douglas, president of Coca-Cola North America, predicted that "it will rain money" once Fairlife gets established in the marketplace. Even so, he acknowledged that it will take considerable investments in the milk business and several years before that happens. "We'll charge twice as much for it as the milk we're used to buying in a jug," he said during the conference. Conventional prices for milk in a gallon jug vary but typically hover around $3. According to Fairlife's website, the new product will be sold at a similar price to value-added milks such as organic and lactose-free. It will offer skim and 2-percent milk varieties, plus a sweetened chocolate milk. The calorie count in a glass of 2 percent is 120; in a glass of skim, 80. "The premiumization of milk" is how Douglas described this new approach to marketing— a challenge to anyone looking at the declining sales of fluid milk in the United States. Back in 1975, when everyone was encouraged to drink three or four glasses a milk a day "for the sake of your health," per-capita consumption of beverage milk and cream was 262 pounds, according to figures from USDA. But with increasing concerns about obesity and the adverse health effects of sugar in their diets — along with other beverage options such as flavored water and non-dairy almond and soy milk — Americans are drinking less milk. By 2012, per-capita consumption of beverage milk and cream had fallen to 195 pounds. And, according to some industry gurus, milk sales will continue to drop, which is certainly not a rosy picture for the industry.

If consumers think that this is a genuine realization on the part of the soda industry, they better listen to the logic for opting for milk based products as made clear by them. They are simply following the trend of higher and higher awareness about health and nutrition among the consumers who want more healthy products than soda for which they are prepared to pay a higher price. This willingness to pay extra for health boosting milk products is the key to the new thinking on the part of the soda makers. As milk is one of the top most nutritive products available to man and since plain fluid milk is invariably shunned by kids, the soda makers see in this emerging situation a golden opportunity to make a fast buck. In the words of some market pundits "there will be raining of money" for the industry if right products with health value are positioned before the consumer. Who can resist buying a milk product with higher protein, higher calcium, significantly less sugar compared to "run of the mill" colored and flavored milks now in the market! While this development may be encouraging, one has to be watchful to see what ingredients these super technology companies will use while designing their new products to make them extremely appealing to their target users, viz kids.

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

FOOD VOLUNTEERS-A NEW APPROACH TO SPREAD SAFETY CONCEPTS

The sad state of affairs vis-a-vis food safety in India is mainly due to paucity of personnel for enforcing the food laws enunciated by the country, supposed to be a "joint enterprise" between GOI and the state agencies. FSSAI the empowered GOI agency is supposed to evolve standards and safety paradigms while municipalities and civic bodies under the jurisdiction of the state administration have to monitor the trade to prevent economic fraud and food adulteration. The big charade going on in the country under the pretext of food safety management leaves the consumer high and dry while the culprits who indulge in malpractices injurious to the interests of the consumer have a free field unhindered and unfettered. Probably this may be true in many developing countries where scarce resources, limited pool of experienced technical personnel and sub-par testing facilities hamper regular and sustained safety management operations. Even if India decides to produce thousands of inspectors and chemists to adequately cover the country, it may take several decades to fulfill the need. This is where voluntary forces can provide some relief to the government. Of course these volunteers are not intended for any prosecution operation but to educate the consumers regarding safety practices, nutrition and health aspects. An informed consumer is always an "enemy" of those indulging in marketing foods unfit for consumption.

'Virginia Cooperative Extension is training people to become Master Food Volunteers with a program focused on food safety practices, nutrition and physical well-being. The pilot program began last year and courses will be offered again this fall. Christine Kastan is an extension agent and said making sure raw food is cooked fully and properly is just one chapter in a book Master Food Volunteers will learn from. "What our program teaches is how to prevent cross contamination through proper use of cutting boards, making sure foods are cooked to the proper end temperature and making sure our hands are clean," said Kastan. Once the course is completed, Master Food Volunteers will then teach educational programs in the community including schools, farmers markets, and health fairs. "Currently we're under going budget cuts and we have fewer and fewer family and consumer sciences extension agents to deliver researched based educational programs to meet the needs of the community," Kastan said. Extension Agent Tracy Nedza says Master Food Volunteers will also learn about proper food preservation and nutrition. We talk to them about whole grains, fruits and vegetables, what is an appropriate serving size," Nedza said. Master Food Volunteers will learn the importance of utilizing locally grown produce and how to prepare them. "Especially for people that don't grow up having this wide variety of foods, it encourages them to kind of experiment and try new and different things," Nedza said. Volunteers come from a variety of backgrounds including dietitians and retirees. They must commit to at least 30 hours of community service but the most important requirement to become a Master Food Volunteer is to have a love of cooking'.

Whether such an approach will succeed in India depends on "honor and respect" that can be bestowed on people who come forward for volunteering. At present people with technical background are not given the importance due to them and there are thousands of retired people languishing all over the country not because they are not useful but due to "accident" of birth as completion of 60 years send most of them into compulsory "retirement". Why not use these knowledgeable, experienced and accomplished work force for different nation building activities? In the food area retired food scientists can be effectively deployed for training volunteers in extension activities that would educate the consumers as is being done in some countries. Even giving limited powers to these "mature" citizens for "spotting" sub-standard and unsafe foods in the market probably may act as a deterrent against adulteration in the long run..

V.H.POTTY

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http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

EXPIRATION DATE-THINK BEFORE DISCARDING

Food spoilage and the consequent effect of its consumption on health are issues that worry many consumers. Food safety authorities world over thought about labeling as a transparent way of communication between the processor and the consumer and the system works more or less satisfactorily helping the buyers with many critical information on the contents of any given package. While technical information such as nutrient composition, ingredient details, food additives used and others are not easily comprehended by the buyer, "date of expiry" or "best before use" readily strikes a chord with the consumers. Invariably such declarations on the label are taken as absolute because of compliance to food regulations which mandate the manufacturers to make such declarations on the label of each packet. Ideally the industry should generate actual data on product shelf life before making a declaration whereas in practice this information is at best based on "guestimates". Manufacturers even reduce the expiry period in many cases to safeguard their interests against violations and legal hassle after the product is placed on the super market shelf. How can the consumer know whether any product, after the expiry of date is over, can still be safe or not?.A difficult option indeed considering the risks associated with microbial spoilage of foods. There are helpful tips from consumer activists regarding this issue which may help to take decisions under such circumstances.

"Are you one of those people who pour the milk down the drain on the expiration date? Expiration dates on food products can protect consumer health, but those dates are really more about quality than safety, and if not properly understood, they can also encourage consumers to discard food that is perfectly safe to eat.A recent poll of more than 2,000 adults showed that most of us discard food we believe is unsafe to eat, which is a good thing, of course, but it is important that we understand what food expiration dates mean before we dump our food -- and our money -- down the drain or into the garbage. Which five foods are most often feared as being unsafe after the printed date? According to ShelfLifeAdvice.com, we are most wary of milk, cottage cheese, mayonnaise, yogurt, and eggs, and offers these helpful explanations":

Is it not strange that the very government which stipulates mandatory declaration of shelf life, some time feel that the system is leading to unnecessary waste of precious foods? It was only recently a minister in the UK government implored people not to throw away packed date expired foods blindly without looking at the contents just because the label says so. But how can a consumer with his limited knowledge of food spoilage and its implications decide whether a date expired food is safe or not. It is unlikely that any consumer will take such a risk considering the consequences of a mistake in taking the decision. There is one cardinal principle old grandma used to follow while deciding about the safety of food, that is to smell first and taste a little bit without swallowing to detect any off flavor or off taste which would be sure signs of deterioration. Also practiced is to heat the old food before consumption to ensure destruction of pathogens if any in the food. While avoiding waste is important, by being judicious in deciding about the edibility of many date expired food products makes eminent sense in reducing the food bill of the house hold.

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