WHY FOOD INDUSTRY IS DAMNED-MISLEADING ADVERTISEMENTS!

Is there any honest business man left on this planet? An interesting question that may elicit strong reaction from people who feel that the industry works on a single point agenda, that is to increase their business turn over and profit margin  at "any cost". But is it really true? The answer is both "yes" and "no". Yes, because the corporate business entities will have to answer to their stake holders about the economic efficiency of their working but it may be a resounding no if the means to achieve higher profitability is critically scrutinized. Obviously industry does not run charity and the investments made must earn decent returns which is understandable. More or less critics, many in number, are not questioning this right of the industry but want transparent means to achieve positive results without hurting the consumer or the health of the society in general. Here is an interesting commentary on the "unethical" but legal means deployed by the corporate business sector to influence, cajole and push the consumer to eating more and more foods, many of which do not satisfy the nutritional and health criteria that qualify them as good food.  

"Bigger, juicier, saltier, sweeter, crunchier. Most of all, more. The food industry and its nonstop marketing has been tabbed by many experts as a major player in the obesity epidemic. "The result of constant exposure to today's 'eat more' food environment," write Marion Nestle and Malden Nesheim in their upcoming book Why Calories Count, "has been to drive people to desire high-calorie foods and to become 'conditioned over eaters.'" Even as the food industry takes steps seemingly in the right direction--by launching campaigns to bring healthy products to schools, for example--wellness initiatives are often just marketing ploys, contends David Ludwig, a pediatrician and coauthor of a commentary published in 2008 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) that raised questions about whether big food companies can be trusted to help combat obesity. Ultimately, he has argued, makers of popular junk foods have an obligation to stockholders to maximize profits, which means encouraging consumers to eat more--not less--of a company's products. Health experts including Ludwig and Nestle, a professor of nutrition at New York University, both of whom have long histories of tracking the food industry, spoke with U.S. News and highlighted 10 things that junk food makers don't want you to know about their products and how they promote them. Here's a peek behind the curtain:"

The controversy regarding the role played by the government in "disciplining" the industry is becoming increasingly harsh with sizable citizenry even doubting the bonafides of the former in protecting the their interests and allegations regarding the strong lobbying power of industry and its influence on government policy making are striking resonance with the consumers. Many examples are being quoted to "prove" the nexus between government and industry in modifying the standards of safety to the advantage of the industry. Critics like Marion Nestle, Malden Nesheim and others have vast audience when they pull up the industry for valid reasons and their voice cannot be silenced any more. Either the industry must have strong self-discipline or it must be forcefully disciplined to protect precious lives of the citizens who depend heavily on the products turned out by it.

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

ORGANIC FOODS-THE NEW CONTROVERSY

Organic foods are supposed to be safe because of the special precautions taken by the producers to avoid using chemical fertilizers, pesticides, contaminated water, etc. Some organic food brands tend to claim that their products are superior to normal produce in terms of nutritional content. This has been rebutted by a few studies and in many countries such claims are not allowed.

Yet the AFSSA review calls the FSA's conclusions into question. After conducting an "up-to-date exhaustive and critical evaluation of the nutritional and sanitary quality of organic food," French researchers concluded that organic produce is clearly nutritionally superior. Organic produce contains more minerals, such as iron and magnesium, than non-organic produce, and higher levels of antioxidants such as phenols and salicylic acid. "Organic plant food overall contain double the amount of phenolic compounds," the researchers wrote.

It is unfortunate that such a controversy has been raked up when consumption of organic foods is increasing significantly. How ever discerning consumers will not be discouraged by this debate as many of them buy organic foods not because they are more nutritious than their normally grown counter parts in the market. On the contrary they will be satisfied if the nutritive content is maintained as in natural foods without any decline. If nutritionally they are better, that could be a bonus!

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

PROCESSED FOODS-NUTRITIONAL "UNCERTAINTIES"

There is a mistaken belief amongst the house wives that once a food is shoved into a refrigerator, it is safe and and its nutrients are 100% protected. Contrary to this perception, many studies have brought out the reality that food being a perishable substance can lose its nutrients continuously whether held at room temperature or in the refrigerator, the only variability being the rate of destruction under different conditions. Natural biological substances are rich in a variety of enzymes, which can decompose the nutrients into biologically unusable artifacts.

"In a recent study at Arizona State University, Prof. Carol Johnston found that the vitamin C in orange juice declines rapidly after being opened, even when refrigerated. "If you pour your glass of orange juice and have it sit a few minutes or so before you drink it, you're going to have losses even at that point," she said. In fact, frozen orange juice was shown to have twice the amount of vitamin C per cup as the ready-to-drink juice. "I think, consumers need to realize frozen is good when it comes to maintaining nutritional quality," she continued. Green tea can lose 32 percent of its antioxidants after six months if not stored properly".

Nature's own packing is the most efficient one and as long as there is no human intervention affecting the integrity of the cellular system in plant based foods, the nutrient destruction can be kept to the absolute minimum. Of course there are some instances where food technology has evolved stabilization and nutrient fortification technologies that improve the nutrition value of processed products compared to the raw material. It is not often realized by those critics who brand frozen foods as old and stale that freezing is the best known process to retard all chemical and biochemical reactions and it can be almost equal to its fresh counter part in terms organoleptic quality and nutritional content.

V.H.POTTY

http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/

http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

"SMART CHOICE" BECOMING "DUD CHOICE"?

Much was made of the voluntary efforts by a few major food business players to come out with a consumer guidance system that can be printed prominently on the label, obviating the need to take pains to read the nutrition content of each and every label on different brands of products on the shelves. Thus was borne the much hyped voluntary "Smart Choices" symbol evolved in the US earlier and immediately adopted by some of the manufacturers. Now it turns out that many products with no credentials to be called nutritionally good, were able to get the symbol attracting strictures from the authorities and subsequent withdrawal of the system.

"The Smart Choices logo began appearing on food packages this summer but immediately met with criticism from some nutritionists who felt its criteria were too lax. They pointed to sugary cereals, like Froot Loops, and fat-heavy products like mayonnaise, which they said should not be considered among the healthiest choices in the supermarket. The first ingredient in Froot Loops is sugar. The F.D.A. sent the program a letter in August voicing concern that the label could lead consumers to choose highly processed foods over healthier foods, like fresh fruits and vegetables and whole grains".

It is unlikely that any single mechanism can be put in place to categorize foods based on nutrient content and health considerations. Food is a complex organic matrix and any processing is bound to affect its natural equilibrium to some extent. Our knowledge about impact of various processing techniques on different varieties of foods is still incomplete and prediction based on such limited data cannot be considered reliable. It must be born in mind that quantitative values of different nutrients, present in a product,do not reflect the quality of the final product.

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