MINISTERS MAY CHANGE BUT EMPTY TALK CONTINUES!

It is difficult to decide whether one has to cry or laugh when grandstand statements are made by new ministers in new governments, repeating the same made by many of her predecessors which really means nothing but an empty talk. Neither the minister nor the those who listen to her believe a word of what they say or hear. It is nothing but a charade which has been going on for the last 5 decades in this country without any thing happening at the ground level. The present minister in the highly redundant and irrelevant ministry of food processing industry who must not have been born when the "40% food waste" story was invented by some one which was being repeated ad nauseum by every "tom dick and harry", the last heard being from our erstwhile "silent" prime minister last year. Funnily there is not even an iota of data derived by scientific studies to make such inane statements and it is like a "recorded tape" stored some where in the dusty office of the ministry being made available to every new unfortunate minister who is allotted this portfolio, to speak whenever and where ever there is a seminar, workshop or meeting for inauguration or press briefings! It is the turn of this new young minister to "speak" these words of "wisdom" in a seminar of no consequence recently! Here it is.

Our government is currently working on the National Food Processing Policy to reduce wastage of perishables and improve the supply situation. Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal recommends that agriculture credit should also be connected with food processing sector as the ultimate beneficiary is the farmer. "There is an urgent need of some integrated policy for the food processing sector. We are working on it with the purpose of reducing the wastage of perishable fruits and vegetables so that we can bring down the inflation," the Minister said. She was speaking at the National Cold Chain Summit organized by CII jointly with Ministry of Food Processing Industries and Ministry of Agriculture and National Centre for Cold Chain Development (NCCD).

 

Some of the stock words like "reduce wastage", "supply situation", "perishable", "agricultural credit", "cold chain", "integrated policy" etc will always appear in such statements whether the minister understands the nuances of such words! Government does not realize that food industry is capable of developing it self if it does not interfere or puts road block in working smoothly with least control at every level. Of course the Government has a duty to provide infrastructures support for any industry worth the name and facilitatory policies for sustainable growth. Last year this country had to "invite" foreign companies through the FDI incentive for "helping" our farmers without realizing that the MNCs are least interested in the well being either the farmer or the consumer! Probably it is time that the glorified MoFPI is wound up soon for which no one in this country will shed tears!  

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

FERMENTED FOODS-THE FORTHCOMING MYSORE SEMINAR

Fermented foods and beverages have been with mankind since time immemorial and from a simple natural process of using yeast for alcohol production, mixed cultures for dairy foods and yeast for making bread, it has transformed into a modern technology, fully science based with varied commercial interests. Since science is dynamic area with continuous development in different countries, it is necessary that frequent interaction is held among the microbiologists regarding advances and break-through achieved from time to time. In this context the forthcoming international seminar at CFTRI, Mysore is of significance and new developments being showcased will be of much interest to all the stake holders in the future of this area of human endeavor. It is interesting that the initiative for the meeting at Mysore comes from a foreign source (SASNET) though India has a rich cultural heritage in preparing and consuming many fermented products for centuries. Here is further information about this seminar and its organizers.  

"The fifth International Seminar and Workshop on Fermented Foods Health Status and Social Wellbeing will be organised by SASNET – Fermented Foods at the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) in Mysore, India on 15th and 16th of December 2011. SASNET Fermented Foods is a forum for scientists of the south Asian countries, Sweden and other countries for exchanging information in the field of food fermentation and its practical application. It was launched in 2003 by Prof. Baboo Nair, Division of Applied Nutrition and Food Chemistry, Lund University. The organising secretary is Dr. G. Vijayalekshmi, Deputy Director, Food Microbiology Department, CFTRI. More information about SASNET Fermented Foods. Full information about the 2011 workshop".

Seminars, workshops, conferences, conventions and similar scientific events do provide a forum for exchange of information and updating one's knowledge base. However such gatherings should not end up as a social event with some academic presentations, having no impact on the life of common man. Involvement of the users like the industry and NGOs with commitment to train entrepreneurs will make them more meaningful and productive. SASNET should consider organizing a separate event for the industry during such meetings where the utilizable results can be presented and technology offered to the entrepreneurs for commercialization on reasonable terms.  

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

ANOTHER SEMINAR, ANOTHER SET OF RECOMMENDATIONS!-EXERCISE IN FUTILITY!

Seminars are organized on a variety of topics with the intention of exchange of ideas and evolving a consensus regarding action needed to be taken for achieving the objectives of such meets. Food is no exception to this trend and during the last 5 decades hundreds of seminars have been organized on different facets of food with varying objectives but mainly to help the food processing sector to perform better in tune with the expectations of the consumers. Unfortunately if the track records of the past so many seminars are examined it becomes clear that except providing an opportunity for bon homie among the participants, precious little is achieved in practice. Here is the latest "outcome".of such a get together in the form of a set of recommendations. What follows this event can be easily predicted and if one goes by past experience nothing worth while is likely to happen! 

"In a recent regulatory meet Foodworld India, 2011, organised by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the industry voiced its demands to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) with regard to the implementation of the new Food Safety and Standards Act. At the meet, Prabodh Halde, VP, AFSTI, Mumbai chapter, said that there was an urgent need to formulate a negative list for additives. This would help manufacturers identify the additives which were not approved by the Authority and avoid their usage in products. Halde also stressed on the role of academicians in policy-making. "We have faculties across India and we should utilise their knowledge in making standards," Halde said. Shaminder Pal Singh, vice-president, scientific and regulatory affairs, PepsiCo Holdings Ltd, suggested channelising efforts in building a knowledge repository about product information. This would help gauge cost benefits and other regulatory information about the products to all the stakeholders, he opined. Pal also stressed on inclusion of regulation in the syllabus of food science students so as to build a strong human resource base in the country. Deepa Bhajekar, managing director, MicroChem Silliker, sought upgrade of the Director General of Health Services manual. She also stressed on upgrading labs for newer methodologies in method validations". 

There are two recommendations which are interesting to read at least. The suggestion that there should be a list of chemicals not permitted for use in foods instead of a positive list is fraught with grave implications because there are thousands of chemicals "available" in the market and if the above recommendation is accepted there will be total chaos with serious consequences in the long run. Probably evolving a GRAS list as that exists in the US, might be much better to give industry further scope to diversify their product portfolio. The other suggestion regarding swapping of personnel between those working in the industry and others in the safety enforcement agency is some what far fetched considering that no industry will ever accept people with practically no experience to run their operations. Such half baked proposals with no chance of implementation make many seminars merely an exercise in futility!    .

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