Bug killing silicons-A new strategy for disinfection

Nature has provided many clues to man in his hunger for innovation and here is another example of a new invention fashioned after the way some flies are keeping bacteria away from their body. In a recent study some Australian scientists stumbled upon the remarkable ability of some flies to destroy invading bacteria through razor sharp spikes on their wings which mechanically shred some of the rod shaped microbes that try to colonize on them. This finding led them to modify the surface of silicon using nano technology in such a way that spikes are created giving them the name black silicon as light is not reflected readily from their surface giving a black hue. The new surface was better than the wings of flies in that it could achieve a much higher kill rate against rod shaped as well as spherical shaped organisms and their spores. Here is a take on this amazing development with far reaching implications. 

"Originally discovered by accident in the 1980s, black silicon is silicon with a surface that has been modified to feature nanoscale spike structureswhich give the material very low reflectivity. Researchers have now found that these spikes can also destroy a wide range of bacteria, potentially paving the way for a new generation of antibacterial surfaces. Surface structures similar to black silicon can be found in nature. Earlier this year, researchers at the Swinburne Institute of Technology in Australia led by Professor Elena Ivanova and Professor Russell Crawford found that the wings of the cicada Psaltoda claripennis could shred certain types of rod-shaped bacteria. This prompted them to seek out other insects with similar spike-like surface architectures. They found that the wings of the Diplacodes bipunctata or Wandering Percher dragonfly were even more deadly, killing both rod-shaped and spherical bacteria."

How the black silicon development can be of significance to food industry remains to be seen. If these modified silicon material is amenable to fabrication of equipment and food contact surfaces in food processing factories use of bactericides and heating can be significantly reduced. It will also obviate the need for use of chemicals and special designs for food processing machinery for CIP provision. According to the scientists who developed black silicon, they foresee its wide application in medical industry for sterilization of surgical facilities. With implants and transplants becoming routine procedures in medical industry, application of black silicon nano particles can be of great help to cut down on hospital related pathogenic incidents and casualties,

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

ENTREPRENEURSHIP NEVER DIES!-A CLASSICAL EXAMPLE IN FOOD PROCESSING

What will one do when a lottery is won for a billion rupees? Normally such a winner will keep the money in deposits earning interest and live happily for ever! What about investing that money in Industry with an intention to earn more returns beyond the 9% interest being offered by most Banks? Considering the road blocks, impediments and excessive risks  that are to be faced by an entrepreneur in this country, very few can be expected to venture into industry. According to a news report, the reputed founder of MTR brand of processed foods, who took that company to stratospheric heights with hard work for more than two decades and sold the same to a multinational company some time back for a whopping Rs 360 crore does not seem to be content with sitting back and enjoying a leisurely life. His entrepreneurial spirit does not seem to be quenched in spite of his enormous success in his first avatar and with courage and conviction he has started the food business all over again with a new venture, his commitment still being on traditional foods of India for which he had slogged for years as head of MTR Foods earlier. Knowing him well there is no reason to doubt about his success in the second avatar for which the country is looking forward. Here is a critique on his new vision and expectations.

India's packaged food industry, including snacks and ready-to-eat foods, is likely to touch $30 billion by 2015 from $15 billion last year, according to an April 2012 report by industry lobby group Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham)."It's too early, but our likely (product) mix would be 50% from traditional Indian snacks, both south Indian and north Indian, and 50% from other things like beverages (lassis, milk shakes, fruit juices), ready-to-eat, spices, etc.," Maiya said in an interview. "We started our business selling 56 varieties (of snacks) in 2010-end; now we have 65."MTR, on the other hand, gets a majority of its business from masala powders, spices and breakfast and meal mixes."Snacks is a new area for us and we're still building our presence there. We're currently testing our products in Karnataka. We have internal benchmarks and standards and till the time we beat those, we will not want to expand (in snacks)," said Vikran Sabherwal, vice-president, marketing, at MTR. "In beverages, we have a badam (almond) drink product, but we don't see ourselves becoming a mainline beverage player. Our competence lies in packaged foods and we will put most of our efforts behind that," he said.Maiya expects his new company to triple sales to Rs.120 crore in the current financial year from Rs.30-40 crore last year. MTR expected to close the 2012 calendar year with sales of roughly Rs.430 crore, chief executive Sanjay Sharma said in an interview in October. While he was at MTR, Maiya introduced new product categories in India on a large scale such as ready-to-eat foods and so-called softee ice-creams. He said he plans to do the same—open up new product categories—with his new company. "We're coming out with frozen foods and fruit chips made from jack fruit, mango, apple, banana and pineapple. Another innovation is nanotechnology-based products. For example, buttermilk powder—you just add water and you get buttermilk. It's taken me almost six years to do all this. After leaving MTR, this is all I've been doing," he said. Maiya's company is also significantly expanding its distribution network both within and outside India. The company already exports snacks and beverages to customers in six countries including the US, Germany, Japan and this year, it plans to sell in another 12 countries such as South Korea, China and Canada, Maiya said".

MTR Foods which had established its brand name within India as well as in many other countries, presently owned by a Norwegian company, may find it difficult to prosper in this country having no clue regarding the dietary habits of Indians and this is reflected by the fact that its turn over is stagnating around Ra 500 crore for the last few years ever since it bought out this ethnic food company. No new successful products are emerging from its stables and it is unlikely that it would survive for long. With its erstwhile owner coming to the market with many products similar to that being made by them, MTR Foods may wither away sooner or later. Of course India is a large enough market for many players but only those with their pulse close to the consumer can succeed and former MTR boss seems to have a distinct edge at the present reckoning.    

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

THE "FOOD HUBS"-A CONCEPTUAL MECHANISM FOR LOCAL PRODUCE MARKETING

Increasing farmer suicide cases in India is a disturbing trend that ought to be addressed by the government and there is some how a feeling persisting with successive governments that giving subsidies can take care of farmer problems. No wonder India cannot raise the level of value addition to the agricultural commodities and to a large extent this can be traced to very low entrepreneurial aspirations among the farming community. While saluting hundreds and thousands of villages in the country where millions of farmer families toil hard to produce adequate food for self consumption as well as earning a livelihood through sale of surplus production to non-farming population, the subsistence level of living in grossly under developed village environment with sub-human conditions and daily miseries make them permanently disabled to do any thing constructive. Why the country is not attempting to create village based processing facilities by providing necessary inputs for value addition to the basic commodities is despicable. Even if these unfortunate "second class" citizens of the country are provided the needed financial inputs through government agencies, from where do they get other inputs like technology, infra support and marketing muscle? Here is an example coming from a developed country like the US which has understood the critical importance of food in the local economy and facilitate the processing and marketing of locally produced food materials through creation of "Food Hubs" which link the farmer, local technical resources and the consumer in a sustainable way.  

"By developing a local "food hub," organizers hope they can provide a centralized facility that can buy and aggregate locally produced food and make it available to larger, institutional buyers in the area on a regular basis. "A food hub is that linkage between the local farmers and the institutions, like schools, hospitals, the jail, the grocery stores and the restaurants that want to have access to local foods," said Eileen Horn, who directs the work of the Food Policy Council. "The customers are asking for it, and there's public interest in it, but they can't access enough consistent supply." Horn and other members of the Food Policy Council told Douglas County Commissioners last week that efforts to develop a local food hub in Douglas County will be one of their top priorities in the coming year. "What the Food Policy Council has been talking about in terms of a food hub is really what could be that central site that could aggregate, warehouse, maybe have some cold storage and some light processing for food so it would make it simpler for our community members to access that food from a single point," Horn said in a recent interview. The Food Policy Council was established by the County Commission in 2009. "Basically the Food Policy Council works to identify the benefits, the challenges and the opportunities for a local food system in Douglas County," she said. "So we're looking at what could be the health benefits for the community; what could be the local economic development benefits for our community; and then what are some of the barriers we could look at from a policy perspective to help build a vibrant food system that would support our local farmers and our community members." Traditionally, Kansas agriculture is known for producing a limited number of commodities in vast amounts – wheat, corn and soybeans, as well as beef and pork. But Horn says smaller-scale producers in Douglas County and the surrounding area are now producing large volumes, and a surprisingly wide variety of fruits and vegetables on nearly a year-round basis. She said much of that is the result of local growers investing in "high tunnels" — semicircular hoop structures that are relatively inexpensive and function as modified greenhouses to extend the growing season. "That has really changed the game in terms of season extension, because now you can get greens – there are local greens available in grocery stores right now, in January, and that's because of the season extension and high tunnels and greenhouses that people are utilizing," she said. Local and regional food hubs have grown in popularity in recent years, in part because of support from state and federal departments of agriculture.

India is a country dominated by middle men and pre-harvest contractors who exploit the helplessness of the farmer in cornering the harvested produce at ridiculously low prices and selling the same at exorbitant prices to the easily vulnerable consumer! Elimination of such intermediaries from the system can substantially increase the farmer income while making the same available to the consumer at very reasonable cost. Milk industry under the cooperative sector has demonstrated that producers can get as much as 70-80% of the consumer price by eliminating most of the private players from the scene. The much hyped APMC yards, supposed to be helping the farmer are becoming joke of the country and any how they are going to be dismantled soon under the pretext of economic liberalization and much hyped foreign investment regime. The Agro-industries Corporations in different States which could have been powerful interlocutors with the farmers have been made to wither away through lack of government support. Local foods have great relevance because they are fresh, easily accessible, cost-wise cheaper and have minimum carbon foot print. Sooner such hubs are created better it will be for the farmers and consumers of this country!

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

BUSINESS INCUBATORS-NEED OF THE HOUR FOR FOOD ENTREPRENEURS

A major advantage for big food processing companies is their deep pocket and their ability to innovate using in-house R&D facilities and experienced food professionals. In sharp contrast a small entrepreneur with limited cash in hand faces a huge risk in setting up a venture even under best of the conditions. In a country like India bank financing may be some what easy provided banks are convinced that one has a viable project with low risk. But most entrepreneurs find it difficult to get either the appropriate technology or some minimum hands-on experience for ensuring success after establishing the venture. Here is where the concept of an Incubation Center becomes relevant for the growth of food processing industry. In many countries of the West there are specialized incubation centers catering to diverse interests and food processing incubation centers are also working successfully escorting the entrepreneur till the venture starts production in its own facilities. For an incubation center to be successful there are several pre-requisites which include state of the art equipment and supporting facilities, a good knowledge about food processing, experienced food experts with networking background, closeness to a major food industry cluster and above all a commitment to stand by the entrepreneur till success is achieved. Here is a critique on the importance of incubators in the development of industry.

At many specialty incubators, the goal is more about economic bootstrapping than building the next technology blockbuster. Encouraging entrepreneurship among the poor is a common theme. For instance, La Cocina, a culinary incubator in San Francisco, helps immigrant women with low incomes get food businesses off the ground. First-time entrepreneurs need plenty of guidance with the intricacies of opening restaurants and packaged food businesses. Azalea Perez Olivares, events coordinator and spokeswoman for the food nonprofit, said that the reality check comes during regular informational orientations held before anyone can submit their applications. The message is deliberately sobering. "We try to be realistic—that the majority of food businesses fail," she says. Staff and food industry volunteers mentor those who are selected for the program. Participants almost invariably have to rewrite business plans after better researching the competition and learning about the financing needed to turn their idea into a business. After getting the basics in order, the would-be food entrepreneurs can use the incubator's shared kitchen, which has eight work stations over 4,400 square feet. Food-safety regulations require all food businesses to use a professional kitchen, rather than cook at home. The women who go through the program come out with contacts in the food industry that they would probably never otherwise have been able to get. Additionally, buyers from Whole Foods (WFM), the specialty grocery chain, visit to take a look at the food coming out of the program. So far, 13 businesses have graduated, including a pickle maker and a baker of Irish shortbread that's covered in chocolate. A handful have opened restaurants, such as a graduate who originally sold his Japanese rice balls from a cart.

Who can set up incubation centers and are they viable as a stand alone activity bringing reasonable returns on investment are questions for which there are no clear answers under Indian conditions. Will the large industry cooperate with such incubators for providing hands-on experience for new entrepreneurs wanting to take advantage of the facilities? Are the research institutions in public funded universities and under CSIR, ICAR and others are "fit enough" to undertake the challenges? It may be recalled that way back in early 1990s Ministry of Food Processing Industry (MFPI) provided a grant of Rs 5 crore to Central Food Technological Research Institute at Mysore for setting up a Food Engineering Center which could be eventually converted into an incubator but till to date no one knows the fate of this "Center"! If GOI is serious about development of food industry in the country, it has to create a SPV for setting up such incubators in all the states, preferably in areas where knowledge about food and food processing corridors exist side by side. Institutions like CFTRI, DFRL, NIFTEM, Universities where training facilities exist and others involved in food related developmental work, must join hands and pool their resources to set up a number of food business incubators for creating a new generation of small time entrepreneurs that will boost the role of food industry in the national economy..  

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

IN DEFENSE OF FOOD PROCESSING- OTHER SIDE OF THE STORY!

It is fashionable these days to demonize processed foods, with many really convinced that processing destroys the health conferring properties of food significantly if not totally. Is it not amazing that even to day there are powerful people's movements shunning pasteurized milk or frowning upon cooking of eggs? While one has to respect their beliefs and convictions, it is wrong to impose their narrow view on others who are more adventurous and realistic in consuming products which have undergone some form of processing. If processed foods with long shelf life and convenience built into them are not available in the market the living quality of millions of families would have been compromised. Once in a while some one has the guts and conviction to refute the opinionated views of critics of food technology and here is an excellent example of the same.  

"1. People typically think of food processing as something bad, but they fail to consider that many of the most loved foods and beverages require processing for consumption.
    * In its raw state, a cacao bean isn't edible. But thanks to food processing, the bean is turned into every form of chocolate that is available.
    * Coffee beans aren't edible in their raw, unroasted state. Roasting is a form of processing that turns those beans into a consumable form.
    * Wine undergoes processing to turn the grapes into liquid before they are aged in barrels.
2. Food processing also helps support a strong world economy. Imported foods like cheeses, pastas and bottled drinks undergo many of the same types of processing that dairy products and other foods undergo in the U.S. The processing is designed to make these foods safe to eat, and to prevent insects and other contaminants from entering the packaging.
3. Many people rely on processed foods to help them eat a balanced diet because they don't have the ability, time, or energy to prepare foods themselves.
    * Busy mothers with picky eaters often rely on processed foods for easy snacks for when they don't have time to prepare foods that their kids will eat.
    * People with disabilities often live alone with the help of mobility solutions, but they still may have a hard time with the physical requirements of preparing foods from scratch.
    * Individuals who don't know how to cook are typically consumers of processed foods because they don't know how to make meals.
    * Teens often snack while their parents are out of the house, leading them to rely on processed foods.
4. Processing also makes it possible for seasonal produce, which contains many essential vitamins and minerals, to be packaged for later consumption. This makes it possible for people, especially those who live in rural areas without easy access to supermarkets or other food sources, to eat a healthier diet all year.
Obviously, there are two sides to every story. People must understand that, while some forms of food processing are unnecessary and even dangerous, not all fall into this category. So the next time you hear someone overgeneralizing about processed food, take a few minutes to set them straight. You just may teach them a thing or two!"

Many of the stated advantages listed above are just common sense but are ignored by those who passionately preach their beliefs. One of the most convincing arguments in favor of food technology is that it enables man to extend the food supply protecting more lives which otherwise might be extinguished due to food shortages. After all, most foods are seasonal in nature and therefore cannot be produced round the year, no matter what technology is deployed in the field. That necessitates preservation of foods for some time till the next harvest. Imagine how seriously the market forces would have reacted if there are shortages with demand outstripping supply! This is an aspect that cannot be ignored easily whenever the relevance of food processing is debated. Next time somebody fulminates on negative consequences of food processing, the above fact sheet should help in rebutting such ill founded assertions.

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

WEALTH AND HEALTH FROM WASTE-NEW DEVELOPMENTAL PROGRAMS

Industrial wastes generated during processing of foods pose problems of disposal and in many countries anti-pollution laws forbid letting them out of the factory without reducing the BOD and solids content to very low levels. Take for instance the condition in a fruit processing unit where hardly 40-50% of the fruit is utilized for preparing various products and the waste generated include the solid wastes as well as enormous volume of water that need to be disposed off. While solid wastes have some demand for use as cattle feed, the liquid waste has very high BOD and requires to be treated for reducing its pollution load. It is in this context that any attempt to economically utilize these wastes will be beneficial to the industry. The international program recently launched with India as as partner to beneficiate the food industry wastes is indeed laudable provided the results are utilizable by the industry in these partner countries freely without any intellectual property restrictions.

"Primarily, the project focuses on utilising the molecules generated from food processing waste of mango, pomegranate, orange and rice bran. The ingredients have been used to develop aqua feeds and bakery items like biscuits, jams and jellies. In this regard, upscaling the research for the industry will be the next step in the right direction, since in India, a number of food companies are looking at the possibility of maximisng their potential.  Dr D Seenappa, chief scientific officer (IF) and university head, animal sciences and fisheries, inland fisheries division, UAS, Bangalore, informed FnB News, "The project is all about identifying and introducing innovative and industry-relevant approaches for the valorisation of fruit and cereal (rice bran) wastes. This is being currently achieved through holistic conversion into functional and health-benefitting beverages, foods and aqua feeds by means of environmentally and economically sustainable protocols and technologies. Production of food processing waste is being minimised and has helped to build a synergistic research programme between the EU and India to serve the future knowledge-based economies." Peel wastes of mango, orange, pomegranate and rice bran in powdered form have proven to show high levels of carotenoids, polyphenols, pectins, high fibre and carbohydrates. These have demonstrated health benefits with high antioxidant and immunity resistance properties. Peels which are been sourced from the food processing industry have been characterised, stabilised and assessed to be converted into powder form by food chemical engineers and scientists, according to Dr Seenappa. In addition, prebiotic and probiotic effects of the peels are evaluated. Mono dose products like fruit paste, snack foods, enriched beverages, breakfast cereals and biscuits have already been developed. From the EU, seven countries - Italy, the UK, Spain, Hungary, the Netherlands and Germany - have teamed up professionals with domain expertise in food and chemical engineering. India has five partners represented by the North East Institute of Science & Technology (NEIST), Jorhat, Assam, with the Indian scientific coordinator as P K Goswami; Euro India Research Centre (EIRC), Bangalore; University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore; Nature Fresh Logistics Pvt. Ltd, Pune; and Vaighai Agro Products Ltd, Madurai".  

The above project is neither the first one nor the last on waste utilization processing and there are good technologies already available in many areas that are being used to day by some industries improving their economic performance significantly. Pectin from apple wastes, essential oils from citrus wastes, alcohol from molasses, triacontanol from sugar cane mud, mango seed fat extraction, color fractions from beetroot, blue grape peel and others, rice bran oil extraction, wheat germ recovery for tocopherol rich oil, orange fruit fiber, oat bran for high fiber food, etc are classical examples of waste processing industry. One can hope that the new multi nation project will come out with technically and economically viable processes to supplement the present pool of such technologies.  

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

IGNORE THE HOME, SHOW CHARITY ABROAD-THE NEW GOI APPROACH

It is amusing to read that India is acting like a super power going valiantly to help Africa rise like a food industry giant through extending credit and technical help. What is not understandable is regarding the capability and strength of this Ministry to really plan, design and implement food industry clusters for which enormous experience is needed. One gets rather nervous hearing about such grandiose plans because this Ministry, in spite of its pedestrian existence for the last two decades plus has practically nothing to show as its accomplishments within the country! The 'proclamation"by the Babus in the Ministry is indeed pathetic. Where are the people, qualified and competent to undertake this task? Is the Ministry going to hand over the money to some "favorite' consultants without bothering about the success of the so called "Mission"? Can India afford such lavish spending in a foreign country when the small food industry is languishing across the country? Whatever is the worth of this policy pronouncement, one thing must be made sure and that is to make India a laughing stock abroad for inappropriately executed and inordinately delayed projects which ultimately fail to take of.  There are many "monuments" in some parts of Africa bearing testimony to such crude attempts in the past! Reading the announcement is nonetheless interesting for what it does not say than what is said!

'The ministry of food processing industries is planning to set up a food processing cluster in Africa. The proposed cluster would entail an investment of Rs 117 crore to be spent primarily on the setting up of common infrastructure for food processing parks which includes cold storage, food testing labs, incubation centres, standard designed factories, pre-cooling chambers and other modern technologies used by the industry. This cluster is part of India's $5-billion credit line for Africa announced at the India-Africa Forum Summit last year. "The cluster is likely to come up within next three years. We are floating a competitive bid to appoint a project management agency which will help the ministry in implementing this project," said a top ministry official."

There are some Technological Institutions involved in food technology development but none of them possesses the required management dynamics to design and execute manufacturing projects as exemplified by their relatively obscure presence in the industrial landscape of the country. One wonders how many incubation centers have been established by the Ministry in India during the last 5 years! Also debatable is the success of so called Food Parks touted as achievements by the Ministry. A more logical step would have been to rope in private sector players and experienced consultants to lay out a road map to attain the objective. Good projects with trouble free functioning in foreign countries can be a standing testimony to the technological prowess of the country and spending millions in the name of foreign assistance will have no lasting impact.

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

FOOD IRRADIATION-ISO'S NEW INITIATIVE

Food irradiation process on which enormous investments were made both in terms of valuable money as well as time is still to take off in spite of its proven efficacy and safety to human beings. Every day one is confronted by revelations that enormous amount of food produced in the world is lost irretrievably due to spoilage and other causes and according to one estimate this lost food would feed the entire world. Similarly food poisoning episodes due to contamination with many pathogens like Salmonella, virulent E.coli, Pseudomonas, Listeria etc are continuing posing serious safety problems in many countries. Why is that industry is reluctant to use this technology for the welfare of the consumers?. There are several reasons, most important of which is the regulatory authorities' insistence on mentioning irradiation on the label. It is a paradox that GM foods need not be labeled in a country like the US but irradiated foods must label it!  

"A new ISO standard—ISO 14470:2011—provides state-of-the-art requirements for food irradiation, commonly used to improve quality and safety in food processing. According to a press note by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO), a developer and publisher of international standards, the standard will benefit manufacturers, irradiation operators, regulators, customers and, ultimately, consumers. The new standard pertains to requirements for the development, validation and routine control of the process of irradiation using ionising radiation for the treatment of food, not only providing requirements, but also guidance for meeting them. The note adds, food irradiation is the process where food is exposed to ionising radiation in order to improve its safety and quality. It is intended to be used only on food that has been produced under good manufacturing practice (GMP) principles. The irradiation of food can be used for different purposes including control of pathogenic microorganisms and parasites, reduction of the number of spoilage microorganisms, inhibition of the sprouting of bulbs, tubers and root crops, extension of product shelf life or phytosanitary treatment.The main objectives of ISO 14470:2011 are - Provide requirements for the irradiation of food consistent with current standards and practices; Provide directions for a technical agreement between the customer and the irradiator operator; and Establish documentation system to support the controls on the food irradiation process". 

The new ISO standard is good but for whom these standards are made is a question that does not have any ready answer. Of course small quantities of food products are irradiated, especially with low doses for some specific purpose whereas pharmaceutical and medical industry uses them extensively. If finalization of ISO standards for food irradiation heralds a new initiative for popularizing the technology, then it is timely. Otherwise it will remain as a sterile exercise with not many takers for it in the near future.

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

INDUSTRIAL SALT FOR FOOD PROCESSING-THE IMPLICATIONS

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

ULTRASONIC POWER FOR IMPROVED FOOD QUALITY-NEW FINDINGS

Use of Ultrasonic sound is very common as a diagnostic tool in the medical industry but its application in other areas was restricted somewhat till recently. In biological research sonicator that generates the ultrasonic sound waves is used to disrupt the cell wall in microorganisms to extract enzymes and study their characteristics. Lately food industry is finding use of this technology for cutting cheese, accelerating some reactions, improving juice extraction from fruits and cleaning processing equipment. There are also other reported use of Ultrasonic sound in food industry though it is not wide spread. Recently a totally new application of Ultrasonic energy has been reported in bakery industry in the manufacture of sponge cakes.

"The authors note that as breads, sponges and biscuit owe their distinctive appeal to their aerated structure, the goal of their study was to investigate the potential use of power ultrasonic in improving this essential attribute. As the formation of air cells during mixing is known to be important to a cake's texture, the effect of application of ultrasonic waves during the batter mixing stage was studied in terms of batter and sponge cake quality, said the Malaysian team. In terms of previous food processing applications, power ultrasound has been used to reduce total fermentation time of yoghurt after inoculation, to shorten the ice cream freezing process time and to reduce the drying time of orange peel, said the researchers. They note that the technique has also been used to minimize flavour loss, induce greater homogeneity and to generate significant energy savings during heat pasteurization of sweet juices".

Ultrasonic waves work through the phenomenon of cavitation which creates high temperature and pressure in a liquid medium, bringing about changes in the viscosity characteristics of the system. Though the cake batter is not considered a liquid system, still its behavior as a soft medium enables the Ultrasonic waves to improve the ultimate quality of the sponge cake on baking. Though the above study was limited in scope as it was carried out under laboratory conditions, it has the potential to become the standard for the bakery industry in many applications.

V.H.POTTY

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http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

MA PROCESSING-IS IT FEASIBLE TECHNICALLY?

Food technology has made tremendous strides during the last century and to day there are many modern and sophisticated processes that can process and preserve foods in prime condition. Recently there was some controversy regarding the ability of food technological practices to deliver a product as fresh as the field harvested produce and the inescapable conclusion is that technology can ensure high quality and safety but the consumer has to sacrifice the freshness as a trade off for longevity of the foods. Though frozen foods are often cited as an almost perfect technology that can preserve the freshness, here again some changes do take place that differentiates them from really fresh foods. Recently another technology has emerged that promises to help processing industry to further boost the "freshness" credentials to some extent. The new modified atmospheric processing attempts to reduce quality loss during processing without the use of chemicals.

"Working through hermetically-sealed gloves in the glove box in an atmosphere of less than one per cent oxygen, researchers were able to dice fruit andvegetables without the enzymatic browning caused by cutting in an oxygen-rich environment. The technique was also used to chop, puree or juice fruit and vegetables. "There has been limited research carried out in this area but depending on the application, modified atmosphere processing may reduce browning or discoloration of a product by significantly reducing exposure to oxygen," said Potter. When fresh produce is cut, it starts to brown quickly due to tissue damage, PPO (polyphenol oxidase) enzymes oxidise with exposure to oxygen causing browning. "If the oxygen is removed this reaction can be reduced or delayed maintaining the fresh cut colour of the produce for longer without the use of sulphur dioxide," said Potter. In addition to processing foodstuffs within the glove box, researchers are also studying the effects of bagging and sealing foods in the same low-oxygen environment. After bagging and sealing, the product can be withdrawn through a port which is also atmospherically controlled".

Though the claims by the developers are based on limited studies carried out on a small scale, the new technique seems to be holding promise for the industry to dramatically improve the quality of processed foods in the coming years. It may be recalled that high pressure processing technology developed some time back was restricted in its use because of logistical problems in evolving a continuous process, though there are reports that continuous plants are now being offered. Similarly processing continuously under modified atmosphere calls for development of engineering skills of high order and if such plants are eventually evolved, the new technology may have some takers.

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

FOREIGN ACQUISITIONS-A NEW TREND IN FOOD PROCESSING SECTOR?

Food processing sector in India is more or less monopolized by many multinational companies (MNCs) either directly or through their local subsidiaries. There has always been a big question mark regarding the "sun rise" tag attributed to Indian food industry because of relatively low proportion of processing the raw food materials undergo. With a very low value addition achieved by most of the native industrial units, it is but natural that MNCs found it a fertile situation to invest money and modern technology to reap rich benefits. With highly effective marketing strategy there has never been a challenge to the dominance of MNCs in the food sector. Many observers often wondered in the past as to why the Tatas or Ambani's or Birlas or any highly successful entrepreneurial giants of Indian origin were not interested in investment in the food sector. Exceptions are there like the alcoholic beverage industry (Mallya group) and Tea industry (Tatas) which dominate the world landscape in their respective areas. The recent take over of a UK food processing firm by a dynamic Indian group must warm the hearts of every Indian with pride.

"Maharashtra-based Jain Irrigation Systemstoday said it has entered into an agreement to acquire an 80 per cent stake in UK-based Sleaford Quality Foods Ltd (SQFL), an industrial food ingredients supplier. It, however, did not mention the price of the acquisition. The acquisition will help Jain Irrigation's food division to have a direct access to a large market with value-added products, a press release issued here stated. Sleaford Quality Foods, a supplier of food ingredients to the food industry, has been in the business for more than 40 years and its product range covers a large spectrum of food ingredients including dehydrated vegetables, spices, herbs, dehydrated fruits, soup mixes, pulses and canned vegetables, among others. Sleaford Quality Foods has a nation-wide distribution and strong sales force and sells its products to multinationals and other food companies under its own brand name or private labels. The acquisition brings the domestic major one step closer to market, with an opportunity to enter into the large ethnic food market in the UK and possibility of addition of new products in Jain's food division product range, the release said".

Though the horticulture products processing is relatively a small segment of the Indian food industry, it earns valuable foreign exchange through exports to many countries. It is a different matter, however, that the country's foreign trade in processed foods is still a minuscule part of the global food food business but there is hope that with new acquisitions like the one reported above, it is a question of time before India becomes a significant global player in this area. The spices oleoresin industry in India, which has cornered a major portion of global market in a relatively short time of two decades, starting almost from the scratch. is a role model for the fruit and vegetable industry to emulate.

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

MEMBRANE FILTRATION-WHY IT IS PREFERRED?

Normally filtration is a unit operation intended to separate solutes from a non-homogeneous dispersion where solutes are held on the filter while the liquid part passes through. The end goal is either to recover the solids or clean up the liquid. Filter papers, metallic filters and filter cartridges are the main component of a filtration system. Filtration is combined with extraction used by the food industry to prepare solutions containing active principles/soluble solids from raw materials like coffee, tea, spices, etc and the solvating agent can be water or any organic solvent that can get maximum extraction. The membrane filtration, on the other hand is used largely to selectively recover solids of particular particle size range using membranes containing pores of appropriate diameter and developments in membrane materials have been dramatic during the last one decade.

"The use of membrane filtration offers a wide range of advantages for the consumer as well as for the producer. On the one hand, filtration technology offers an efficient way to gain superior quality and safety without destroying the fundamental sensory qualities of the product. It removes unwanted ingredients like microorganisms, dregs or sediments that have a negative impact on product quality, making the final product more attractive in texture and increasing its shelf life. On the other hand, it may reduce some production steps and increase yield, has a high degree of selectivity, improves control over the production process and has low energy costs. The development of filtration techniques and their distribution is not yet complete. There is continuing development of new applications based on the technique. New methods, in particular development of better and longer lasting membranes, offer new perspectives".

To day water purification using compact reverse osmosis (RO) membrane system is very common being used widely in many house holds in India and provide protection from dangerous bacteria and virus which other wise pollute the public water supply making it non-potable. RO units are becoming increasingly being used for a variety of applications and the ability of the technology to desalinate sea water is opening up new sources of potable water in many areas where fresh water availability is constrained. Nano filtration, micro filtration, ultra filtration all refer to basically same technology and they are becoming part and parcel of food and beverage industry operations.

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

ENZYME ENGINEERING-NEWER AND BETTER BIO-CATALYSTS

Application of Biotechnology in food processing is largely based on use of many enzymes that can catalyze a variety of reactions beneficial during food processing. If bio-fuel is becoming a reality it is due to the marvelous role played by enzymes like cellulase, amylase, amyloglucosidase and yeast enzymes in converting agricultural materials to alcohol. There are many such enzyme systems mostly derived from microorganisms accomplishing tasks other wise difficult and laborious to achieve. HFCS, the leading sweetener from Corn grains would not have been there but for the role played by the enzyme Glucose Isomerase. The emerging area of enzyme engineering strives to address the needs of many industries including food processing sector, reducing the investment and the processing cost dramatically..

"Enzyme engineering is the recent technology growing rapidly due to its higher application in a lot of fields and due to having bright and clear future vision. A most exciting development over the last few years is the application of genetic engineering techniques to enzyme technology. There are a number of properties which may be improved or altered by genetic engineering including the yield and kinetics of the enzyme, the ease of downstream processing and various safety aspects. Enzymes from dangerous or unapproved microorganisms and from slow-growing or limited plant or animal tissue may be cloned into safe high-production microorganisms. The amount of enzyme produced by a microorganism may be increased by increasing the number of gene copies that code for it. For example; The engineered cells, aided by the plasmid amplification at around 50 copies per cell, produce penicillin – G – Amidase constitutively and in considerably higher quantities than does the fully induced parental strain. Such increased yields are economically relevant not just for the increased volumetric productivity but also because of reduced downstream processing costs, the resulting crude enzyme being that much purer. New enzyme structures may be designed and produced in order to improve on existing enzymes or create new activities. Much protein engineering has been directed at Subtilisin (from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens), the principal enzyme in the detergent enzyme preparation, Alcalase. This has been aimed at the improvement of its activity in detergents by stabilizing it at even higher temperatures, pH and oxidant strength. A number of possibilities now exist for the construction of artificial enzymes. These are generally synthetic polymers or oligomers with enzyme-like activities, often called synzymes. Enzymes can be immobilized i.e., an enzyme can be linked to an inert support material without loss of activity which facilitates reuse and recycling of the enzyme.Use of engineered enzyme to form biosensor for the analytical use is also recent activity among the developed countries. Some enzymes make use in diseases diagnosis so they can be genetically engineered to make the task easier. Thus it is obvious that there is huge scope of the enzyme technology in the future as well as in present.Enzyme engineering is the recent technology growing rapidly due to its higher application in a lot of fields and due to having bright and clear future vision. A most exciting development over the last few years is the application of genetic engineering techniques to enzyme technology. There are a number of properties which may be improved or altered by genetic engineering including the yield and kinetics of the enzyme, the ease of downstream processing and various safety aspects. Enzymes from dangerous or unapproved microorganisms and from slow-growing or limited plant or animal tissue may be cloned into safe high-production microorganisms. The amount of enzyme produced by a microorganism may be increased by increasing the number of gene copies that code for it. For example; The engineered cells, aided by the plasmid amplification at around 50 copies per cell, produce penicillin – G – Amidase constitutively and in considerably higher quantities than does the fully induced parental strain. Such increased yields are economically relevant not just for the increased volumetric productivity but also because of reduced downstream processing costs, the resulting crude enzyme being that much purer. New enzyme structures may be designed and produced in order to improve on existing enzymes or create new activities. Much protein engineering has been directed at Subtilisin (from Bacillus amyloliquefaciens), the principal enzyme in the detergent enzyme preparation, Alcalase. This has been aimed at the improvement of its activity in detergents by stabilizing it at even higher temperatures, pH and oxidant strength. A number of possibilities now exist for the construction of artificial enzymes. These are generally synthetic polymers or oligomers with enzyme-like activities, often called synzymes. Enzymes can be immobilized i.e., an enzyme can be linked to an inert support material without loss of activity which facilitates reuse and recycling of the enzyme.Use of engineered enzyme to form biosensor for the analytical use is also recent activity among the developed countries. Some enzymes make use in diseases diagnosis so they can be genetically engineered to make the task easier. Thus it is obvious that there is huge scope of the enzyme technology in the future as well as in present".

How far the on-going controversy about safety of Genetic Engineering techniques will influence the progress of enzyme use is a matter of conjecture. Since enzymes are only mediators of chemical reactions and not a part of the final product consumed by humans, such controversies should not come in the way of their wider use for the benefit of the consumer.

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

THE SODIUM "DILEMMA"-HEALTH VS PROCESSING "COMPULSIONS"

Sodium content in foods consumed regularly continues to hog lime light with many countries waking up to the risks inherent in taking sodium-rich diets on the cardiac and kidney health in human beings. It is true that food industry has its own compulsions in resisting mandatory lowering of salt levels in food products manufactured in the organized sector. While sustained pressure on the industry may bring about desired result, how sodium levels can be reduced in home cooked foods is a challenge posing enormous logistical constraints. Campaigns for sensitizing the consumers regarding the ill-effects of salt on their health may work, albeit slowly and it may take years before any perceptible results can be achieved. Food Technologists and the processing industry will have to work in a synergistic way to evolve new techniques, ingredients and product recipes to bring down the salt levels in their products without significantly affecting the organoleptic quality adversely..

"Significant progress has been made in reformulating food products, but considerable challenges remain," said IFT President Marianne Gillette. "Food manufacturers must balance the multiple functions of sodium in food in addition to taste. Changing the sodium content in food impacts microbiological safety, flavor balance and quality, texture, mouthfeel, preservation, color and nutritional properties of a product. Today, there is no single ideal substitute for all the functional properties that sodium chloride provides in foods."There continues to be a need for additional scientific research as noted by the Institute of Medicine in its recently issued report entitled "Strategies to Reduce Sodium Intake in the United States." IFT agrees with the research needs identified by the IOM committee, in particular the need to develop innovative methods to reduce sodium in foods while maintaining palatability, physical properties and safety. In addition, there is a critical need to identify outcome-based public health metrics that are expected to result from any broad based reduction in sodium in foods.

Institute of Food Technologists in the US, the internationally recognized professional body representing thousands of food professionals has thrown its weight behind the move to achieve reduction of salt in processed foods and it is indeed laudable. Other similar professional bodies in other countries like China and India also must take pro-active policy initiatives to help industry achieve the sodium reduction goals in their respective countries as a social responsibility.

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

PROMISE NOT KEPT-WHITHER THE FOOD INDUSTRY

Every year business sector submits a "wish list" containing suggestions for the Finance Ministry to consider for improving the business potential further through financial policies which need to be included in the annual budget presented to the Parliament. Though food processing industry associations of various hues also go through this motion, nothing worth while happens because of the short sighted vision of successive governments. This year, a new body representing a strong segment of food processors, had raised a fundamental issue regarding what constitutes food processing before deciding about any supportive policies. Here is a take on that.

"AFTPAI had suggested in its memorandum that the government should define food processing industry with a broader perspective and all allied players like food processing and packaging machinery and packaging materials, and raw materials for food processing, and other service providers should also be included in it. There should be exemption in import duties of machinery and raw materials for a certain period and 100 per cent tax holiday from state and central governments till the units get sustained development".

The fundamental principle that higher taxes by the governments would make processed products costlier which in turn might exclude more and more people from the clientele of the industry, never seems to be bothering the policy makers. By agreeing for a tax holiday, the loss from taxes may be very negligible and the argument that such forgone revenue would be less than the cost involved in collecting them does not seem to receive the attention it deserves! If collecting taxes at "any cost" from the hard pressed citizens of this country, for subsidizing many unproductive and ill conceived programs, is the motto of the governments, there is no salvation for Indian Food Industry in the foreseeable future!

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

THE ACRYLAMIDE ISSUE- SOME SAFETY CONCERNS

Controversy generated by the Swedish report in 2002 regarding presence of Acrylamide at ppb levels in high carbohydrate foods exposed to high temperatures during preparation or processing is still eluding a definite conclusion though several studies in animals have implicated it in some serious health hazards. In a few countries upper limits have been suggested while many others have not yet taken seriously the data generated in rat studies. Even some fast food companies in the West have been taken to the court or fined for presence of this chemical in their products.

"A natural byproduct of cooking high-carbohydrate foods at high temperatures, Acrylamide also turns up in a wide variety of roasted and baked foods, including breakfast cereal, baby food, bread and crackers. Research has shown that the chemical can cause tumors and neurological problems in lab animals when they are fed unnaturally large doses".

One has to note that the results implicating Acrylamide in health problems have not yet been demonstrated in humans and even the present data pertains to use of unusually high levels of this chemical in feeding trials. How far such data can be correlated to humans is still uncertain. It is commendable that many in the industry are developing ways and means of avoiding Acrylamide generation during the processing stage and the awareness about possible dangers may spur the consumers also to exercise caution while cooking certain foods at home. A global consensus needs to be evolved regarding this issue through cooperative scientific studies.

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