NUTRITION LABELING RULES IN EU-WHY THIS DELAY?

A recent news item from Europe may make every Indian proud of the country though such a pride may not last long if an introspection is made regarding the ground reality. This is with reference to the front of the label nutrition labeling which is being made mandatory in Europe beginning December 13, 2016, giving the industry a "comfortable" warm up period of 5 years! Compare this with the Indian food regulations currently in vogue under which all packed food products are required to print the nutrition content, legally enforceable. As with all the laws that are on statute books, food laws are not strictly enforced with many manufacturers getting away without following the rule in letter and spirit. Even if such information is given there is no guarantee that they really represent that of the contents inside the pack! The big difference is that the EU laws have teeth while Indian laws are strong only on paper! Here is a take on this issue.    

"Food companies have five years to implement the mandatory nutrition labeling rules of the European Union's Food Information to Consumers Regulation published today, said international policy experts EAS. Xavier Lavigne, Food Law Manager at EAS, says that the clock starts ticking towards the five-year deadline for nutrition labeling requirements from 20 days after publication, therefore from Dec. 13, 2011. The regulation requires a mandatory declaration on the label of the so-called 'Big 7'—energy, fat, saturated fat, carbohydrates, sugars, protein and salt—by Dec. 13, 2016. It also requires these to be expressed per 100g/100ml and, where appropriate, per portion.
While most aspects of the regulation become applicable on Dec. 13, 2014, companies have been given an extended transition period until Dec. 13, 2016 to get in line with nutrition labeling requirements".

On introspection one can only wonder what else the consumer can expect from a paper tiger like FSSAI rooted at Delhi while food quality enforcement is a state subject. With archaic analytical facilities at the state public health laboratories and acute shortage of inspectors and chemists to perform the mandated tasks, it is a free for all situation that exists in most states and if India is the Capital of adulterated and sub-quality foods in the world, thanks are due to the bureaucrats sitting at the cozy offices in FSSAI. Corruption being a national past time, any hope that the system will improve may be misplaced. Like the Citizen Journalist movement that is taking shape in the country, there may have to be a "Citizen Food Monitor" movement which can bring some relief to the hapless consumer caught between the inflation and unsafe foods!

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

     

COTTAGE FOOD RULE-WHAT IS THAT?

The food safety management calls for strict licensing protocols and it is not that every body can start making a food for selling in the market because of the possibility of food based poisoning episodes affecting the health of the citizens. Generally large, medium and small scale food processors do come under the licensing procedures while the so called cottage scale processors are normally exempt from any such procedures. Of course in a country like the US there are strict norms that govern cottage scale producers also with severe restrictions on their area of operation. Farmers markets and trade fairs are locally confined events and any one is free to sell home prepared foods provided they are safe and free from any health risks. There are chefs and other culinary artisans with wealth of experience and their lack of capital to start a full fledged production facility constrain them from starting new ventures. A modern Kitchen with varied facilities and available to such entrepreneurs, can motivate these entrepreneurs to enter the industry with minimum resources. Called an "Incubator Kitchen" a new experiment is being carried out in the US under a recognized university which allows people with interest in food line to try their luck in this type of kitchen and if successful further investment on independent facility with regular licensing can be thought of. Such kitchens can be set up in every university that can kindle interest among those with talent to make food business a success. Here is a take on this new development.   

"Local chefs and bakers looking to sell their products in grocery stores, restaurants or across state lines can now use a kitchen facility known as the Incubator Kitchen, offered at USU, instead of waiting to obtain a professional-grade kitchen of their own. Assistant professor and extension food quality and entrepreneurship specialist Karin Allen said people can produce and sell food products out of their home if they meet certain requirements, called the Cottage Food Rule. The incubator kitchen allows people who do not meet the home requirements, or who want to sell to a larger market than allowed under the rule, produce and sell food. "It allows them to sell it at grocery stores, to restaurants and also they can sell it across state lines," Allen said. "It gives them a little more opportunity to let their business grow than just trying to sell at a farmers market or a craftfair." Allen said the kitchen has been certified through the Utah Department of Agriculture and Food. She said the kitchen allows businesses to produce most — but not all — food items. "Any food that would be approved for a Cottage license, there's no problem making those kinds of foods in this kitchen," Allen said. "It's not as open as a commercial kitchen would be, where any food product basically could be made." Allen said recipes are evaluated and approved on a case-by-case basis. She said meat products are never approved for the kitchen. Allen said the Incubator Kitchen, located in the Family Life Building, uses equipment no longer in use by university programs".

Food is a sensitive area and governments have special responsibility to ensure that the citizens are not exposed to public foods in the market with uncertain safety credentials. While working from home and producing excellent quality food products are possible, there is always the lurking fear that the home based industry may not have the sustaining power to maintain the required hygiene and sanitation which only can ensure food safety. The Cottage Food Rule in vogue in the US targeted at these processors to ensure food safety. But the Incubator Kitchen comes handy for new entrepreneurs to make experimentation, development and trial marketing across the country for testing the waters for the viability of the products. In India all catering training institutes must provide such facilities to home scale processing artisans for establishing their own ventures with confidence. The type of products may include pickles, preserves, sweetmeats, savories, many traditional foods which are not available readily in the market.   

V.H.POTTY

http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/

http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com