Food Technology

THE ARMY FOOD SUPPLIES-IS SAFETY COMPROMISED?

2012-01-21T11:05:00.002+05:30

It is a well known adage that an "army marches on its stomachs", implying that the fighting spirit of a defense force can be maintained only if the foods served are of good quality and organoleptically acceptable. As far as Government of India is concerned it does not seem to be subscribing to the above age old wisdom if the ongoing criticism against food supply system prevalent in the armed forces now has any basis. There may not be any doubt about the veracity of the criticism considering that they are made by two of the most respected arms of the government-Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Parliament and the constitutional watch dog Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), that too repeatedly during the last few years. It is just sad that government does not give any seriousness to these reports and continue to close its eyes towards corruption and mismanagement of food supply system in vogue.

Taking first the PAC report, it has been alleged that army personnel even in the border posts are being supplied with date expired products which are normally not consumed by the general public. While the Defense Forces may have its own compulsions to continue with this system which, any how, has not been made public so far, no date expired food is accepted by any consumer any where in the world. Food industry generally withdraws such products from the market and either destroy them or test and reprocess with a new date of expiry. It is true that some agencies like Food Banks do accept date expired foods from retail markets but make sure they are safe before distributing to their beneficiaries. There is also a section of safety experts group which feels expiry of date need not necessarily mean they are unsafe but their quality might be less than optimum due to storage on the shelves for long time. It is difficult to say whether the army supplies which are date expired come under this category.

The other agency, CAG made a more scathing attack on army's food supply system by citing the obnoxious practice on the part of the testing laboratories to unilaterally revise the expiry period with no scientific basis. Such a practice of extending the shelf life given by the manufacturer by the testing laboratories may not pass muster because this means only that the food might be safe from microbiological spoilage angle. What about the impact of myriad chemical reactions and physical changes taking place under ambient conditions inside the sealed pack and their possible role in making the food not so safe after all?. Recent uproar about the findings that toxic Bis-Phenol A is leached out into the food contents of cans cannot be ignored so easily. Similarly all plastic containers and films do contribute to migration of unsafe chemical entities into the contents and longer the storage time more dangerous can be the levels of these undesirable and unsafe leachates.

One may recall an earlier episode when looking back at army food supply and its logistics, an expensive high technology plant was established at enormous cost near Agra to process meat into dehydrated products using Freeze Drying process several decades ago. Though quality wise and from safety considerations, this technology was indeed one of the best available in the world, the plant had to be junked because the product was totally unacceptable to army personnel because of textural deficiencies. The Defense Food Research Laboratory (DFRL) at Mysore has been doing yeoman service for quite some time though its out put value is progressively coming down with practically nothing of significant user value coming out of this once reputed food R & D wing in the Defense Sector. There was a time in the history that the yearning for fresh foods which every one likes cannot be accessed easily due to the perishable nature of all foods. But emergence of new technologies to day like High Pressure Processing, Modified Atmosphere Storage/packing, aseptic packing, fast freezing process, vacuum packing etc makes it possible to deliver foods as fresh as possible with far better acceptability. Why not serve the armed forces of the country only the very best foods which are nutritious, healthy and safe? At least this is one way of repaying country's debts for the sacrifices they are making day in and day out for safeguarding the integrity of the country under harsh conditions.

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

THE GM LABELING "CAMPAIGN"-FUTURE IMPLICATIONS

2012-01-19T10:59:00.002+05:30

The controversy surrounding Genetically Modified foods and food ingredients refuses to die down though activists opposing these foods based on safety and environmental considerations are being smothered by the money power of the GM lobby. GM foods derived through transgenic process is mired in disputes between those who feel they are safe and others taking the stand that sufficient scientific evidence does not exist guaranteeing its safety. As far as environmentalists are concerned there is a potential danger in cultivating GM crops which may cause cross contamination of normal crops thus destroying the traditional normal crops. It is a pity that these two warring groups cannot sit across a table and thrash out their differences to evolve a consensus on the issue.

There are many countries in the world where cultivation of GM crops are totally banned or restricted by local regulations. The US is the only country which has allowed a free run to the GM crop industry to produce foods which are tampered with genetically changing their original character. Some of the countries which permit GM crops have put restrictions on their cultivation under a strict regulatory regime. In Europe GM crops are allowed to a limited extent but the products containing GM food raw materials or ingredients derived from them will have to declare their presence on the label. One is reminded of irradiated foods which also require the label to declare the same. Why a country like the US does not regulate GM foods as in Europe is a big mystery.

An incisive analysis of the US Food System brings about.the stranglehold the giant monopoly food companies have over the food and farming system in that country. In a scathing revelation recently, it was revealed that the GM lobby has financed the election of many senators and law makers of the country to retain policies which are subservient to the financial interest of the former, ignoring the welfare. of the citizens, considered a serious distortion of the essence of democracy. Unfortunately precious little has been done during the last two decades to set right this distortion and more than 80% of American foods offered by industry has one or more GM food ingredients forcing the consumer to eat the same without even knowing about it! It is true that during the last two decades the antagonists of GM foods have not been able to pinpoint any specific damage to the health of the population solely due to consumption of GM foods. But the million dollar question is whether GM foods have played any role at all in the transformation of American society into a predominantly obese population.

It is interesting to hear about the great march of thousands of people feeling strongly about the safety of GM foods from New York to Washington DC to impress upon their President the urgent need to introduce mandatory legislation to label GM foods to distinguish from normal, natural foods. No doubt such a move is most welcome which may resonate throughout that country, motivating more people to express their concerns in a peaceful manner. The US President must see the writing on the wall and bring out legislation in tune with the aspirations of common man. What is more interesting is the move now being initiated in California in the US to fight against GM foods and to force compulsory labeling. What will be the fate of the papers filed with the California Attorney General's office to place a citizen's initiative on the 2012 November ballot that would require labeling of genetically engineered food and ingredients derived from them, remains to be seen. One thing however is sure that if California voters pass the ballot initiative, it could likely be the beginning of the end for many companies engaged in genetically engineered food in the U.S. After 20 years of bullying by biotech companies and being fed unlabeled and "potentially" hazardous genetically modified foods, a critical mass of food and health activists have come forward start the the offensive against GM food perpetrators. Probably this fight over labeling genetically engineered food will have to be taken at the national level at Washington DC, where these powerful companies exercise vice-like grip on the government.

Recent polls in the US show that 80 to 85 percent of the people want mandatory labeling. They point out that there are no genetically engineered foods or crops anywhere in Europe, while almost all foods in the U.S. supermarket contain GMOs. In Europe, genetically engineered foods and ingredients have to be labeled which is a distinct disincentive for the manufacturers considering the strong undercurrent of universal hostility towards GM foods. The GM food manufacturers are sure that such labeling provision could be a threat for their bottom line. If and when GM food labeling is made mandatory in the U.S., there is the potential for millions of consumers who will read these labels to react and shun them, switching over to foods that are organic or at least GMO-free. Once enough consumers start complaining about genetically engineered foods and ingredients, stores will stop selling them while farmers will have no more incentive to plant them.  Also to be noted is that once the California voters pass the GMO labeling law in 2012, the biotech and food industry will face an intractable dilemma as to whether they could put labels on their branded food products in just one state, admitting those products contain genetically engineered ingredients and then withhold ingredient label information in other states. It worth watching the unfolding drama in this fight between GM food lobby and the consumer alliance that is spearheading the anti-GM movement.

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

HAIR "RAISING" FOODS-ARE THESE CLAIMS SCIENCE BASED?

2012-01-12T17:03:00.002+05:30

According to a recent report people should change their diet to prevent falling hair and promote its growth, instead of depending on hundreds of lotions, creams, treatments and other therapies. Baldness and thin tress are generally associated with genetic inheritance but falling of hair is considered to be due to deficiencies in diet which is possible to be treated with appropriate foods containing the nutrients that strengthen hair and stimulate its growth. But is there sufficient clarity regarding the type of foods that can really ensure healthy hair? Unfortunately this is an area of cosmetology which is being exploited by the industry for its own gains rather than helping the desperate consumers longing for improving their appearance.

Looking at the science of hair development in humans, it is well known that each strand of hair is based on an individual follicle on the scalp of the head and there are about 100,000 such follicles for each human being. When the number is low one tends to have a less dense hair and more the number thicker will be the tress. Similarly each hair strand has the potential to grow as long as 2 meters and here again the growth rate depends on the metabolic proclivity of individuals. Generally a hair strand grows at the rate of 0.4 mm per day or on average it can grow 1.2 cm per month. A person may have curly hair if the follicles are not straight and the health of the hair is intricately linked to that of the follicles. Each hair has a life cycle made of anagen or growth phase, catagen or regression phase and telogen or resting phase. It is at the end of the telogen phase that one loses about 100 hair strands a day. The length of the hair is determined by its life cycle. A typical hair follicle spends about 2-7 years under the anagen phase when the length of the hair grows to its maximum potential. In contrast the follicles above eye brows spend only 7 months under anagen phase limiting the length of the hair there.

Hair is a structural protein going under the name Keratin and same protein occurs in nails and the outer skin also. Only mammals have the necessary mechanism for producing hair and the health of the hair in general is influenced by the diet one consumes for a normal being. Most crucial requirement in the diet is proteins while there are many auxiliary biochemicals associated with the quality of hair one may have. Zinc and Vitamin A have been reported to be important to maintain the health of the hair. Other nutrients mentioned include antioxidants, Biotin, Pantothenate etc though their exact role has not yet been elucidated clearly, though their involvement in protein synthesis could be the reason. Biotin deficiency has been shown to result in heavy loss of hair while connection between pantothenate and hair health is still not established. Biotin is a Coenzyme in the biosynthesis of fatty acids and amino acids Isoleucine and Valine. Its deficiency in normal humans is very rare since foods like peanut, egg yolk, liver, some vegetables contain adequate amounts needed daily. Besides gut microorganisms make plenty of Biotin, more than sufficient for day to day requirement. Naturally added Biotin cannot be expected to be of any benefit for improving quality of hair, unless there is a deficiency.

The practice by the cosmetic industry to add pantothenates in shampoo, touted to be good for hair color is still an issue not proven beyond any doubt. Pantothenate is a part of Coenzyme A, a key biochemical involved in synthesis and metabolism of proteins, carbohydrates and fats and as such it is natural to expect this vitamin to play a role in Keratin synthesis also with the possibility of improved hair quality. But deficiency of Pantothenate has not been prevalent in any part of the world as practically every food humans eat has this vitamin in varying concentrations. Most conspicuous sources include whole cereal grains, legumes, egg, meat, yogurt etc. Shampoo manufacturers, at least some, still make products containing Pantothenate derivatives, claiming improvement in hair quality but it has been proved beyond doubt that such shampoo preparations do not have any impact at all. .

Including Keratin in food does not help any way because this protein is not digested in the gut, simply passing through without any nutrient being made available for absorption across the intestine. Composition wise Keratin, like other proteins, contains at least 16 amino acids, with Cysteine , Serine and Glutamic acid constituting almost 41%. The strong sulfide bonds between the peptide strands make it resistant to breakdown chemically or enzymatically under normal conditions. Therefore in stead of thinking of consumption of Keratin for improvement of hair, it is more appropriate if the constituent amino acids are ingested through easily digestible foods. The foolishness in using shampoo containing Keratin can be evident from the fact that this protein is not absorbed into hair follicles and is washed away without any real benefit.

It is but natural to wonder whether there is any single food ingredient that can help grow hair healthy and rich and the inevitable conclusion is that one can have normal hair with no fear of shedding or graying if a balanced diet containing a variety of components like vegetables, whole grains, legumes, egg, yogurt, meat etc. Symptoms of hair loss may occur if there is imbalance in the action of Testosterone which has an influence on hair growth. Of course serious cases of hair loss may have to be treated from a medical angle and there are approved drugs like Minoxidil and Propecia which are extensively used to treat baldness in many countries.

V.H.POTTY

http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

A MASTER FOOD FOR ALL-CAN FOOD TECHNOLOGISTS DESIGN ONE?

2012-01-12T05:33:00.001+05:30

Food consumption habits differ from people to people depending on many variable factors and these have been evolved over centuries of traditions, societal interactions and the environment where people have been living. Stresses and strains in the modern society have compelled many people to modify their consumption behavior and adopt foods which are more convenient to make or factory processed foods to save time and focus on their professional career. The busy city lives, opportunities to eat out side home, exciting new products coming to the market and mega promotions by the food industry have all contributed to a slow shift in the emphasis on food from healthines to convenience and this seems to have made a heavy adverse impact on the health status of the people all over the world.

Advent of diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular disorder, high blood pressure, kidney problems, constipation, GI tract ailments all are caused by continued consumption of nutritionally imbalanced foods turned out by the processing industry. Repeated attempts by governments every where, impleading the citizens to consume more fruits and vegetables, high fiber foods, low salt products, low sugar foods, low fat items, coarse cereal based products, less consumption of meat etc are falling on deaf years with practically no impact on the deteriorating health status of the population in general. It is sad that such a helpless condition of the society is being exploited by a section of the industry by touting special foods and functional foods with claims, not substantiated by scientific proof leading to all pervasive criticism about the real intention of the main stream industry.

Imagine the situation in which a consumer finds himself, saddled with any of the diseases cited above with no practical way to get solace and comfort from market products of doubtful benefits. These foods are invariably loaded with too much energy, fat, salt, sugar, refined carbohydrates of high GI values, undesirable and unsafe chemicals etc but with practically no fiber, natural micronutrients and unsaturated fats. It is true that consumer gets lot of useful information from the nutrient labels supposed to be truthful but he is lost completely regarding the importance or irrelevance of such information in taking a decision in the market aisles. The MyPlate icon now being popularized advocates that the fruit and vegetable content in a diet must be almost 50% of the volume of food consumed and how is it possible that a consumer can stick to this advice without spending substantial time in the kitchen? Here is where enlightened industry must come to the aid of consumers who cannot eat most of the commercial food products because one or the other dietary restrictions.

Those requiring specially designed foods cannot take too much sugar, too much salt, too much saturated fats, too much carbohydrates whereas they need adequate dietary fiber, proteins, natural micronutrients, mono and poly unsaturated fats, low GI food materials besides yearning for high palatability and diversity. Can these requirements be factored into the design of a food product which can be a foundation recipe to build variety into it? It is time such an attempt is made and the product should have the following characteristics:adaptability to use in the preparation of different types of products and beverages from a single formulation, diverse flavors and tastes to avoid monotony, portioning flexibility, good shelf life, optimum nutrition, depression avoiding, sleep inducing, obesity avoiding etc.

The ingredients that can go into such a product include coarse grains, pulses, quinoa, oats, barley, low sodium salt, non-metabolized sweeteners, bran fractions, stabilized mono and poly unsaturated fat sources, dehydrated vegetables and fruits, spices and herbs, nuts etc all of which can support life when used in various proportions. Such a master food mix can be converted into various shapes and textures for ready to eat or can be converted into various products similar to mainstream items prepared by cooking, steaming, roasting, baking, frying and other means at the kitchen. There are products in the market that contain multiple grains both as grain blends or in powder form for the consumers to use in their day to day preparations but such product formulations need to be refined further in the light of to day's technological prowess.

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

"HUMMUS"-WHY CAN'T INDIAN CHUTNEY BE PROCESSED SAME WAY?

2012-01-09T12:28:00.002+05:30

Hummus is a chick pea based product with wide international popularity and interestingly it is a relatively stable product with reasonable shelf life. high Pressure Processing Technology (HPP), Chemical preservatives like citric acid, benzoate, pasteurization, hot fill, Tetrapack are all suitable for extending shelf life of this product for a few days. Though it is claimed to be an Arab preparation used by the people in the Middle East for centuries as a dip, this is hotly contested by the Jews who consider it their ethnic food. Interestingly Jews are reported to be consuming double the quantity of Hummus as compared to that by the Arab population. Who ever is responsible for the birth of Hummus, the fact remains that it is a ell established dip or spread product through out the world. Major ingredients in preparing a good authentic Hummus include cooked and mashed chick pea, blended Tahini, Olive oil, lemon juice and garlic. There are dozens of variations evolved over the last few decades to suit the palates of different segments of population.

Nutritionally it is a well balanced food adjunct containing 166 kC of energy per 100 gm, 14.3% carbohydrate, 9.6% fat and 7.9% proteins. Besides it is also a significant source of iron, Vitamin C, Folates and Pyridoxine. Since it contains solids derived from Sesame, its Methionine content gives a high protein efficiency value to the product while its monounsaturated fat content further boosts up its nutritive value. no wonder Hummus is a $ 300 million business in the US and growing fast among the ethnic foods. One of the variations of Hummus contains coriander making it distinctly Indian reminding many about the chutney preparations in South India, used as an adjunct for ethnic foods like Idli, Dosa, Vada etc. The product is highly perishable with hardly a couple of days shelf life under ambient conditions. It is further known that the life can be extended in the refrigerator up to 7 days while it can last up to 2 months in a freezer chest. Also reported is its ability to stay long if pasteurized and stored at 4C up to 3-18 months. Tetrapack technology claims that the product can be preserved for months if properly processed. Same is true with High Pressure Processing Technology which is recommended for long term storage of Hummus.

According to some experts if packed Hummus is unopened, some pasteurized Hummus brands keep well for periods up to 18 months!. In general, pasteurized brands are known to keep well for 2-3 months. The differences in shelf life between brands can be attributed to variations in the recipe as well as pasteurization methods. While Citric acid and salt are preferred natural preservatives, artificial preservatives like sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate find extensive use by the industry. A growing number of pasteurized Hummus brands are shelf stable and do not require refrigeration. Brands that contain preservatives are safe for up to 60 days while those without preservatives are often marketed as natural or organic, provided they adhere to the standards required for such labeling. Preservative-free Hummus brands must be stored under refrigerated conditions for good shelf life. Some processors of unpasteurized foods contend that pasteurization destroys nutrients and this is true with any food processing when there is lowering of nutritive vale to some extent. After all processing is based on the concept that there is a trade of between nutritive value and convenience. Because Hummus is marketed as a healthful snack it is natural to expect most brands claiming they are free from artificial preservatives.

Chutneys in South India are many in varieties but commonly they suffer from microbial spoilage, rancidity, staling, discoloration etc and they have never been standardized to the extent that any single product can be said to represent typical home made product in traditional homes in Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Tamilnadu. While scientific work on Chutneys is far and few, its popularity is such that most people find it difficult to eat traditional break fast foods without this ubiquitous adjunct. Why Indian Food Scientists have not looked at the preservation technology used by the Hummus industry is really baffling. The similarities between Hummus and Chutney are so much that even in the profile of ingredients used there is some commonality. These preparations have a protein source, a fat source, a spice source, a sourant or a pH modifier and salt. In Chutney coconut serves as a source of fat as well as protein while the sourant may be tamarind, amchur or lime juice. The spice component in Hummus is Garlic while in Chutney it is Chilli.

The above comparison makes it clear that whatever technologies are used by the Hummus industry can be effective in preserving Chutneys also without any major change. Of course the vulnerability of coconut oil to hydrolytic rancidity is a problem that needs to be tackled. Probably roasting the coconut gratings sufficiently to inactivate lipase enzyme may retard such rancidity. Pasteurization, use of preservatives, Tetrapack technology, HPP Technology, Gamma irradiation, Hurdle technology all may work in getting reasonable extension of shelf life for Indian chutneys. Food industry must put pressure on Public R & D institutions in the country to take up some basic work as well as evolving preservation commercial processes by giving priority it deserves.

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

AGE AND THE AGRICULTURE-AN OMINOUS TREND

2012-01-09T05:38:00.002+05:30

Agriculture is vital to the survival of this planet and as long as each human being needs 2000 kC energy equivalent of food every day, the land has to provide it not only for the present generation but also for all those arriving in future perpetually. Historically agricultural practices have evolved from a purely manual operation into industrial scale deploying many mechanized contraptions for tilling, harvesting, threshing, cleaning and storage. Of course the degree of mechanization may vary from country to country depending on the extent of manpower involved in agriculture. In an affluent country like the US a very minuscule segment of the population is associated with food production with high degree of agricultural mechanization becoming inevitable while in India more than 70% of the population living in rural areas are involved in one way or the other with agricultural avocation. In such a diverse situation how is this planet going to meet its food needs in the coming years? An interesting question indeed!

If one looks at the evolution of agriculture in most industrialized countries, there have been sufficient incentives and opportunities for the farming community members to migrate to industrial areas to make fortunes. A farmer family invariably lost its able bodied members who did not opt for agriculture and progressively the number of farming people started dwindling with fewer men available for tilling the land. This was the driver for mechanization which required fewer and fewer people to manage cultivation and larger and larger farms emerging during this transition period. Naturally those who still continue tilling their land are aging and naturally with progress of time average age of the farmer tends to go high. If this trend is continued how many farmers will be left to manage the land and how long these "old" hands continue to be active? Naturally such an attrition trend can grievously hurt food production adversely when the need of the hour is increasing the production to keep in step with the population growth.

In a provocative report recently, California, the biggest state in the US had an introspection regarding the future of its agriculture in the light of its aging farmer population. As the average age of farmers in this state inch toward 60, the state which contributes 12% of that country's exports of agri-products is at its wits end as to how agriculture can be made more attractive to younger generation who only can sustain its pre-eminent role in the country. According to the experts this state will have to double its food out put by 2050 to meet the increasing food needs which can be achieved only if new players emerge in the agri-sector. More over the agri-industry employs more than 0.8 million people indirectly highlighting its economic importance for the state. The realization, that the age profile of the farmer population needs to be reversed for the survival of the industry, is prompting the state to consider taking pro-active actions now so that any major crisis in the food front is avoided.

One redeeming feature in the political and social environment in the US is the new awakening among the citizens regarding the critical importance of food safety and adequacy which has spawned citizen led movements in many urban areas to plunge into agriculture and produce foods locally from available urban lands. Though this phenomenon cannot be viewed as a movement back to the land but reflects the concern of average citizen to contribute his might to solve the food problem. More aptly it can be called some sort of a revolution happening in American agriculture production front with its own humble contribution. One can only appreciate the new spirit among new entrepreneurs who are installing mini-farms on rooftops in urban areas and market gardens in back and front yards across the country. Vacant city lots are more and more being employed as community gardens, with plots available for any resident to rent. Many suburban residents are combining their capital to lease land, and organize community-supported agriculture programs where shares of farm produce are sold directly to the public, cutting out expensive corporate middlemen like packers, distributors and grocers. In short, demand for local food is booming and so is production.

Spare a thought to a country like India where the planners are blissfully engaged in activities of self perpetuation ignoring the future. All that the government is concerned centers around vote banks and massive subsidies and distributing foods at throw away prices in the name of hunger and poverty to increase the vote share of the ruling parties. There is not even a whiff of reforms in the agricultural sector and mass suicides of farmers continue unabated with no one at Delhi too much bothered about it. While two decades of open economy has served to boost the industry, both manufacturing as well as service sectors, agriculture is progressively being marginalized putting the national food security at grave risk.

With Green Revolution practically killing the soil health across the width and length of the country, increased productivity remains a pipe dream and added to this the farmer population is aging fast with no replacement in sight due to high rate of urban migration. Look at the two critical food areas-edible oil and pulses where perennial imports are sustaining the population and in spite of the knowledge that these two areas required critical government inputs for the last two decades, nothing much has been done. While China has seized its opportunities to expand agriculture dramatically during last few years, Indian efforts have been too meager to make any impact. At this rate, just like the farmer looking at the heaven praying for rains, the citizens in this country may also have to do the same to have a decent life keeping the hunger pangs away!

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

FURAN UPDATE-LATEST RISK ASSESSMENT

2012-01-04T10:17:00.002+05:30

There are increasing concerns among the consumers regarding the safety of many processed food products they consume every day. In many wealthy countries processed foods form more than 80% of their daily diet and it is easy to comprehend what would be the consequences if unsafe foods are ingested day in day out. While most concerns are based on the food industry practices of using hundreds of chemicals while manufacturing or cross contamination of foods with deadly bacteria and mold, there is also grave apprehension regarding the potential health damage some of the artifacts generated during processing can cause. Recent focus on such chemicals like acrylamide, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, benzene and furan is because of the above concerns.

Furan is not a new chemical discovered as it was known for ages and lot of studies regarding its synthesis and properties have been published. Furan and its derivatives are naturally occurring compounds found at very low levels in many foods and drinks and their association with the typical flavor of many foods is well known. They are a major class of compounds formed during the Maillard reactions and under pyrolytic conditions. Ascorbic acid and related compounds and Maillard type systems containing amino acids and reducing sugars, lipid oxidation of unsaturated fatty acids or triglycerides and carotenoids all contribute to formation of Furan during processing. Ionising radiation on the Furan formation in apple and orange juice products as well as in model systems has also been reported. Of course these basic knowledge did not raise much concern earlier but their detection in many industry processed foods became a matter of speculation regarding their effect on human health.

What is new is the detection of Furan in some foods using sophisticated analytical techniques in 2004 which raised some alarm regarding its impact on human health. It is rather surprising that a simple hetero cyclic organic compound like Furan with a 5-membered aromatic structure, made of 4 carbon atoms and an oxygen atom, can be a potentially toxic artifact capable of causing harm to human beings. Furan should not be confused with Furans, a separate category of chemical compounds broadly called Chlorinated di benzofurans coming under Dioxins. They however do not occur in any foods and hence not of much concern to the food industry as of now. According to International Agency for Research on Carcinogens, Furan is considered a carcinogen in human beings though evidence is yet to emerge with studies using human subjects.

Of a number of food samples from the industry analysed by the US Authorities, occurrence of Furan was confirmed in all products in concentrations in the range of 3 parts per billion (ppb) to 112 ppb. Almost all these products are either canned or bottled having undergone the sterilization process at high temperatures. Interestingly products containing sweet potato as a component invariably showed higher levels of Furan. Also Coffee, meat soups, stews, Chilli are other major sources of Furan. One redeeming feature in this scenario is that Furan is highly volatile and due to this furan is easily analyzed using a head space or SPME coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Furan is rapidly and extensively absorbed from the intestine and the lung. It can pass through biological membranes and enter various organs. Experiments have shown that furan is carcinogenic to rats and mice, showing a dose-dependent increase in hepatocellular adenomas and carcinomas, though preliminary exposure data suggest that the levels of Furan found in foods are well below the levels that would cause harmful effects.

What is the consumer to make out of these startling revelations? Probably sufficient data still do not exist to try for a zero tolerance level of Furan in foods though efforts are being made to find more about the safety aspects of this chemical. Since Furan is highly volatile normal open pan cooking and vigorous stirring can be expected to expel most of it through evaporation. A safe guideline is not to consume foods found to be very rich in Furan and for maintaining good health consumer is well advised to eat a balanced diet, choosing a variety of foods that are low in trans-fat and saturated fat, and rich in high-fibre grains, fruits, and vegetables. Of course this easier said than done!

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

IS DIABETES CURABLE?-A MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION!

2011-12-28T17:07:00.002+05:30

Calorie restricted diet regime has been known to extend the life span significantly at least in animal experiments and a 1200 kC diet is generally considered beneficial for achieving sound health, freedom from diseases and longevity. Now comes the startling news, though very pleasant, that such a diet with limited calories, if practiced religiously, can even reverse Type II Diabetes within a matter of 16 weeks! If this is true this finding will give hope to millions of people suffering from this debilitating disease, if one call it a disease at all. To day diabetic people are not handicapped from this disease, being able to go on with their life practically normal. There are very effective medicines which are available in the market with minimum side effects. Life span of diabetics is not significantly affected if the blood glucose levels are not allowed to go beyond the safe limit and sugar peaks and surges due to uncontrolled eating are avoided consciously.

Dietary control does play a role in controlling ill effects arising out of Diabetes, though reversing the disease has never been an option available to the affected people so far. Diets based on complex carbohydrates, pulses, nuts, coarse and unrefined cereals, dietary fiber, resistant starch etc are known to be effective in controlling diabetes reasonably well. The concepts of GI (Glycemic Index) and GL (Glycemic Load) have helped in designing diets with slow release of glucose from the food ingested thereby preventing peaks in blood glucose level after a meal. Similarly changing the pattern of eating by pacing food ingestion every 3-4 hours in stead of the conventional 3 meal system also can help managing diabetes reasonably well. Diabetes is now considered to be linked to accumulation of fat in the body which some how upsets the insulin activity and over weight and obese people are the major victims of this disorder. In the past there have been special dietary formulations and treatment clinics for those whose BMI is beyond the magical figure of 25-30 which are supposed to help the "patients" loose weight over a period of few weeks. Similarly surgical intervention like bariatric surgery or gastric banding also is resorted to by people with BMI beyond 34. Liposuction is another technique to reduce the body fat and attain healthy weight. However none of these remedial measures is known to reverse the disease.

India is considered the diabetes capital of the world though percentage wise the figure may not be as high as that obtained in advanced countries like the UK, USA and others. There are about 300 million diabetic people in the world to day which is slated to increase to 450 million by the year 2030. In India as a percentage of country's population only 3.35% are reported to be affected which works out to about 40 million people! It was reported that in a tiny country like the UK with a population of 63 million, the number of diabetes has crossed 3 million while each year more than 117000 people are diagnosed with this disease. Imagine that country spending almost 9 billion pound sterling per year to treat this category of citizens under the National Health Service program! While Type I diabetes is genetically inherited and the numbers are rather limited, What is alarming is the extent of undiagnosed cases world over which is any body's guess! Type II diabetes is caused by the life style characterized by sedentary habits with no appreciable physical activity and dietary over indulgence with nutritionally unbalanced foods.

While diabetes is at least manageable, what is more disconcerting is the on set of other diseases like Heart disease, Stroke, kidney disease, neuropathy, retina detachment and other complications when diabetes is not properly managed through diet and exercise. It is estimated that diabetic people are 5 times more prone to heart attacks and strokes compared to normal individuals. The restricted calorie diet being advocated by scientists in the Netherlands is being hailed as a breakthrough and it is in the interest of the world community to give adequate attention to these scientific findings for adoption world wide. Restricted calorie diet has the twin advantages of preventing as well as reversing the diabetes while significantly extending the life span. How such a "dieting" can be achieved is a million dollar question considering that food has become an addiction in the modern society like tobacco and alcohol and specialized de-addiction centers may have to be set up in hospitals for treating people affected under the medical insurance coverage.

Food industry must step in to help diabetic people to manage the disease with appropriate designer foods with low calorie content but at the same time providing satiety with no feeling of the hunger pangs. One of the most difficult steps in controlling diet is the inability of people to gauge the calorie content of the servings though labels do indicate this information if packed foods are being consumed. Reported development of Mandometer, a device that tells the consumer about the calorie consumed with each mouthful and guides regarding the pace of eating. Slower the food is ingested, better will be the control on food intake. But it may take years before people take devices like Mandometer seriously. It is here where food industry must step in to evolve hundreds of variations of complete meals with serving size limited to provide less than 300-400 kC per serving.

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

FACTS, FICTION, MYTHS AND CONFUSION-THE FOOD "CAULDRON"

2011-12-21T13:13:00.002+05:30

"Ignorance is bliss", so goes an old saying and to day's food landscape provides ample evidence about the validity of this dictum in the modern world. With millions of words spoken, written and published through the media, food remains an enigma to day as far as the citizen is concerned. It is true that education must educate people about the realities that confront the society and remove myths, superstitions and misconceptions in the minds of the citizen. When it comes to food there are lot of misconceptions compounded by gross ignorance regarding various facets of food including processing, preservation, packing, nutrition, health, safety, toxic effects, hygiene and sanitation etc and no doubt at specialized levels these are dealt with while training the practitioners. How about the common man who is bombarded with thousands of pieces of information blared through the popular media, often contradictory and confusing, making him apprehensive about the very food he takes day in day out?

A Coffee consumer is pulled from opposing sides regarding the bad and good aspects of regularly drinking it every day. While it is consumed by millions of people in different parts of the world as a stimulating drink, its effect on health remains controversial. Its caffeine content is supposed to be making this drink addictive, pregnant women are advised not to take it, causing acid reflex, adversely affecting the absorption of some drugs taken regularly for some afflictions etc. While these are of negative implications, its beneficial effects include preventing depression, providing antioxidants, and many other benefits. Where lies the truth? Probably daily drinking a couple of cups of coffee cannot be considered dangerous!

Probiotic and Prebiotic foods have been considered the most useful products for counteracting many bowl disorders and prevent serious diseases but recently the European Union has rejected all such claims as not proven. Where does the consumer stand? Probably one can take these foods if one likes them and if there is some health benefit it could be a bonus!

Has any one heard about Arsenic containing Apples? This is a hot current concern in the US and there has been numerous views regrading this issue. In spite of the denial by the FDA, many still consider Apple dangerous! What is lost in this debate is that presence of Arsenic in any natural food material depends largely on the soil in which they are raised and with Arsenic content in many places rising alarmingly there might be some cases where Apple grown in such soil has a higher Arsenic content. Does this mean people should avoid eating Apples altogether? Added to this confusion Apple was at the receiving end when scientists reported that eating Apple is "bad" for the teeth because of its acidity which can destroy the enamel coating of the tooth! Dentist seem to be recommending that in stead of biting the whole fruit, it would be better if its juice is swallowed or if the mouth is washed immediately after eating an Apple! What will the consumer do? If eating Apple is enjoyable one must continue to eat the same without any reservation. Unfortunately in India Apple is any how beyond the reach of most citizens as the price is as high as Rs 20 a piece!

Talking about Arsenic, recently Rice has been implicated as a high Arsenic containing food. True, Rice has the ability to absorb Arsenic more efficiently and Rice is a bulk food or a staple item of consumption. Fortunately it transpires that only Rice grown in industrially predominant places like Texas in the US contains high Arsenic levels and this country is not known as a Rice exporter. After all, the US population does not consume Rice to the same extent as Asians do, for whom it is staple cereal. If at all one wants to reduce Rice consumption, it should not be because of Arsenic scare but as a desirable step to cut down on refined carbohydrates for good health.

Resveratrol is a chemical being touted as an "elixir" for long life and it is supposed to be present in some varieties of purple grapes. This has led to the promotion of Red Wine as a health drink that can ensure extension of life span if consumed regularly. It is rather queer that this wonder chemical is hardly soluble in water and it is beyond any body's comprehension as to how much Resveratrol can pass from the pomace into the fermented wine! Similarly Peanut is supposed to contain Resveratrol and when boiled the concentration is reported to increases ten fold. Does it make the boiled Peanut a magical food that will ensure long life? Probably true if it is taken in kilogram amounts which is not feasible. Eating peanuts is good for the health and also from the culinary senses. As long as it does not develop flatulence or increases body fat, one can eat the same with pleasure!

How about the safety of sugar substitutes, several of them safety cleared in many countries? Unfortunately the jury is still out on this issue, with no unanimity in sight. While those affected by Diabetes depend heavily on sugar substitutes for which they have to endure some risks, people wanting to reduce calorie intake for body weight reduction for a better health need to be sure that taking sugar substitutes should not have consequences worse than that due to over weight!. Recent decision by the EU to undertake a review regarding the safety of the most popular synthetic sweetener Aspartame and the clamor for similar review in the US can affect the confidence of the consumer regarding its safety. What is the alternate option? Simply try to take foods without any sweetener, natural or synthetic, if one can!

Imagine a life without consuming salt! That is what many nutritional and health pundits want the consumers to do for the sake of a good health. There are campaigns all over the world for cutting down salt in the diet limiting to about 5 gm a day per person. While there was near unanimous agreement among scientists and medical practitioners regarding this restraint on salt consumption, now comes a large study by a reputed organization with unquestionable credibility that salt consumption does not influence the blood pressure and there is no connection between salt and a host of diseases including kidney damage. Where does the consumer stand in this controversy? Simply take the salt as required by the palate and nature has put a constraint that man cannot use too much salt that is not tolerated by the tongue!

Modern day health experts consider sugar as white poison! Is there any valid scientific basis to call this food ingredient the "villain of peace"? Added to this there is the controversy about High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) derived from corn starch and there is a belief that

HFCS is responsible for the obesity epidemic that permeates the American society. The argument that fructose is metabolized differently than sucrose, which after all is a disaccharide containing glucose and fructose, may need undisputed evidence through unbiased human metabolic studies. What is the choice for the consumer? Take sugar in moderate quantities as per some suggestions, not exceeding 50 gm a day per person but ensure that this is "spent" by enough physical activity.

Coconut oil was once decried because it was "full" of saturated fats which are implicated in triglyceride and cholesterol build up in the human body. On the other hand Coconut is also hailed as one of the major sources of Medium Chain Fatty (MCF) acids with potential beneficial effects and has now become a most sought after edible oil. Scientifically MCF acids directly enter the liver to get metabolized without any chance to go through the heart for any possible deposition in the arteries and development of plaques.The global escalation in the price of this oil speaks volume about its present popularity all over the world. If one can tolerate the typical smell of Coconut oil there cannot be a better cooking oil than this one.

GM foods have become so omnipotent in the US there is an impression that they are absolutely safe. Are they really safe, beyond a shadow of doubt? If so why most countries including the EU have banned cultivation and import of GM foods? Unless the safety question is settled once for all, there is an element of risk in consuming these "unnatural" foods about which consumer must be aware of.

There are many other areas like safety of eggs from cage raised birds, direct consumption of raw milk, presence of fluoride in some foods, leaching of Bis-phenol A and some endocrine disruptors from plastic bottles, can coatings and packaging films used to day, hyper claims about the usefulness of tender coconut water, etc on which consumers find it difficult to believe or disbelieve the reports emanating from hundreds of sources. Is there no way to wade through these information bits and evolve a dietary practice that can protect the health from many problems associated with modern foods? But one thing is sure, that is, as long as a normally healthy person adopts a life style based on a mixed diet containing about a dozen commonly available foods, reasonable physical activity of walking for about 30 minutes daily and does not indulge in over eating, the chances of living long and comfortable without any major health afflictions are very high!

V.H.POTTY

http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

PROTEIN QUALITY-NEW INSIGHT INTO ASSESSMENT METHODOLOGY

2011-12-19T11:13:00.002+05:30

Food industry in almost all countries are being forced to include nutritional information on the label so that consumers can have an idea as to the foods they are buying. Prominent nutrients to be declared include Protein, Sugar, Fat and dietary fiber besides the energy value per serving. While quantitative figures do give the extent of the nutrient present, there is no provision to indicate their quality. In the case of fat at least there is a direction to declare the extent of trans fats and sat fats. With wide variations in the quality of proteins from different sources and also the pace of release of glucose from carbohydrates, a time has come probably to indicate the efficacy of these components in the food vis-a-vis nutrition. Probably the time has come to at least insist on stating the quality of the protein in the food on the label of the package and this assumes all the more significance when it comes to high protein foods being marketed by the well being industry.

Even a child in to day's modern world knows how critical is protein in the food they consume for ensuring growth and high protein food products lead the portfolio of well being foods in the market. However what is not known so very well is the importance of quality of protein consumed that can make a difference in their effectiveness. In almost all food science courses it is dinned into the ears of the students that animal proteins are superior in quality to that contained in plant foods. Probably this assumption is based on the fact that the nutritional quality of a protein is closely related to the proportion of essential amino acids present in them and it may be true that some plant proteins do lack some of theses amino acids and different proteins may have different "limiting" amino acids bringing down their overall value as a complete protein source.

The concept of mutual supplementation evolved when limiting amino acid issue came to the fore and in order to overcome deficiency of any amino acid two or three sources of proteins are blended to neutralize such a draw back. For example it is presumed that groundnut protein is deficient in Lysine while cereal proteins do not contain adequate Methionine. Soybean is rich in Lysine A blend of groundnut protein and soy protein, therefore can be expected to be a more or less complete protein product, nearly equivalent to egg protein. In spite of the rapid advances made in the field of Biochemistry, there are widely differing perceptions regarding quality of protein and the vested interests in boosting one protein over others from different sources have clouded the understanding of real value of proteins in general. No matter what sophisticated instruments or techniques are employed for protein analysis ultimately what influences the real effectiveness is the extent of proteins that get into the body across the digestive tract which is influenced by many variable factors. This is a problem ignored when high protein foods are designed, produced and marketed by most of the players in this field.

Classically protein was always deduced by estimating the nitrogen present in the sample using the age old Kjeldahl Method and multiplying it with a factor varying from 5.46 to 6.38 which reflects the extent of Nitrogen present in relation to carbon, oxygen and hydrogen moieties in the protein under consideration. Nitrogen content is influenced by the extent of different amino acids present in the protein. Thus the factor used for Milk products is 6.38, for meat and egg 6.25, for grains 5.8 and for nuts 5.46. Unfortunately presence of nitrogenous compounds other than proteins vitiate the results so obtained, often giving a higher value for the protein content. Direct methods are also available based on specific chemical reactions but they are also influenced by chemical substances in the complex food system that can interfere with the results. As for quality of the protein both Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER) and Biological Value (BV) are the preferred tools in the hands of Biochemists and Nutritionists but they need experimental animals and require a few days to get the results. Net Protein Utilization ( NPU) is another indicator of protein quality and used by many to compare quality of different proteins in relative terms.

In a recent new study the present scenario vis-a-vis protein quality assessment has been critically evaluated and it has been found that most traditional assay methods do not present the real picture regarding the protein quality in foods. It was pointed out that the current methods for determining protein quality shows most plant proteins as of lower quality compared to animal-based proteins. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) recommend the protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score (PDCAAS) as a simple and scientific procedure for assessing protein quality. This methodology focuses on three different parameters which include the amount of each essential amino acid present in the protein, how easily it is digested and by taking both of those parameters into account, whether the protein meets the FAO/WHO's amino acid requirements set for children aged 2 to 5 years, as they have higher needs to support growth and development than adults.

According to the above method, a protein having a score of 1 in the PDCAAS scale is supposed to be the highest in quality whereas a zero scale makes it the lowest quality. Measured on this scale Casein, Egg White, Soy protein isolate and Whey proteins have PDCAAS scores of 1, Beef protein scores 0.92 while all proteins from plant sources have scores between 0.42 (whole wheat) and 0.9 (soybean). What is interesting is that when PDCAAS score is determined for plant sources except soybean, proteins were not isolated but assessment was made with the food materials themselves which could have vitiated the results very significantly. Also to be noted is that no human diet is made of a single protein source and when different food sources are combined in evolving a diet there is the distinct possibility that a mixed diet may have PDCAAS scores even beyond 1 if properly assessed.

It must be realized that precise methods for determining protein quality are critical for planning any healthy diet. Currently there is lot of interest in including plant-based proteins in the diet and accurate information on protein quality is needed to demonstrate that a diet can include quality plant-based proteins to achieve same results as with animal based proteins. Variations do occur in results from laboratory to laboratory in the amino acid analysis but if the PDCAAS determinations take nitrogen recovery into account necessary corrections can be made to counter act the analytical method error. Isolated soy proteins and soy concentrates are reported to have a PDCAAS of 1.00 indicating that plant proteins can also be as good as that in meat, egg and dairy products. Same may be true with many other plant proteins if they are isolated and quality assessed by the PDCAAS Method. Already Quinoa and Amaranth Seed have established themselves as sources containing high quality proteins similar to animal proteins. All said and done, consumers need not be too much concerned about protein quality if normal mixed diets are consumed regularly. However industry which designs high protein products must consider PDCAAS score of ingredients used in formulating their products and declare the same for justifying the claim that the high protein foods marketed by it is really efficient.

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

FDI IN RETAIL SECTOR-THE HOB-SON'S CHOICE FOR GOI!

2011-12-16T13:10:00.003+05:30

Government of India seems to be on the back foot while defending its sudden decision to allow foreign direct investment in the retail business with a hope to attract some of the global retail chains so that the rapid slide in Rupee's value could be stemmed. While there is considerable opposition to the move, some genuine and others political, there is no denying the fact that the decision was not timely and such a decision could have been taken after in-depth consideration of the impact of foreign retailing giants establishing their foot prints in the country. No doubt there are significant advantages as well as disadvantages for the country and a final decision can be taken only after the risk-benefit aspects are fully studied.

Look at the position taken by GOI as reflected by the grand statement by the Commerce Minister extolling the virtues of opening the retail sector to foreign direct investment through a series of glittering advertisements in almost all news papers immediately after the announcement. It gives a rosy picture to the citizens about the advantages of major global retail giants coming to India. However a close look at the ground reality will tell a different story.There appears to be a goof up regarding the number of towns, each with more than a million population eligible for setting up shop by the MNC retail chains and now it turns out that in stead of 53 cities mentioned by the minister, only 46 urban entities exist in the country that are eligible to attract FDI! Besides 25 of the above are under the administrative control of non-UPA governments which are hostile to the new policy leaving only 21 urban entities available to foreign companies to invest. The opposition party BJP is so hostile to the policy that one of its senior members from Uttar Pradesh even threatened to firebomb the foreign controlled super markets if established in that state!

Keeping aside the politics those who are stake holders in this development must introspect regarding the outcome of this policy under which global giants like the Wal-Mart, Tesco and others interested can set up modern state of the art super markets in some states in the country. A moot question is whether these MNCs will be interested in entering India under such a hostile environment and whether the potential business volume can justify huge investments in the area. Also to be pondered by these companies is how any one can manage access to agricultural and horticultural produce from the distant hinterlands of the country where average holding of a grower is hardly two acres. There are at least 200 million farmer families who need to be approached and linkage established for a cooperative partnership can only ensure regular supplies to the super markets. Is this not a mega nightmare that can haunt any investor? If GOI is to be believed these MNCs would invest 100 million dollars for back end operations like procurement, sorting, cold storage, refrigerated transportation etc and also would buy 30% of their product portfolio from SMEs though this provision does not apply to food products. But who will invest on the power generation, water accessing, roads and bridges and other accessory infrastructure so vital for protecting the quality and nutrition of the food handled by them?

The claim that the new "policy" would generate 10 million jobs in 3 years seems to be a pipe dream and on the contrary with automated handling machines with capacity to be used by these giant companies, likelihood of some unemployment cannot be ruled out. Allowing for an attrition of 10% of the small traders, it is to be expected that about a million families will be adversely affected forcing them to seek their fortunes elsewhere. The earlier policy of allowing MNCs into wholesale sector was indeed sound because these outlets serve the small traders admirably well and many traders operating in far away areas, at considerable distances from major towns and cities use these "cash and carry" business organizations to procure their requirements for selling at a higher price locally, eking out a decent living. Even allowing 100% FDI in single brand retail may be acceptable because it can again serve as a feeder to thousands of small retailers operating in distant places.

It is claimed that under the new FDI policy in retail, farmers would get a better price for their produce as there might not be middle men in such transactions between the Retailer and the Farmer but if the experience in other countries is seen such a dream may be transient till the competition from the local players is killed during the first few years. What prevents the MNCs from accessing materials from out side the country where they are cheaper and shun the local suppliers in the long run? China is a predatory country that can out price suppliers from any part of the world and some of the large retail players have established and cozy presence in this country. Under such a scenario can the farmers in the country expect higher prices to their commodities? If some of the large farmers in Punjab are to be believed entry of PepsiCo two decades ago has improved their productivity and profits very significantly but it must be borne in mind that PepsiCo is not known for its retailing business, being best in manufacturing processed food products of global repute. Will the retail MNCs provide support to the farmers the same way as PepsiCo has done for tomato and orange or ITC has done for wheat in Madhya Pradesh? Doubtful!

As for consumers there might be some initial advantages because of the ability of MNC retailers to practice predatory pricing for pushing out the local traders and domestic organized retail chains for establishing their supremacy in the market. The variable pricing practices in vogue in many developed countries cannot be repeated in India as the Maximum Retail Prices (MRP) have to be printed on the label as per Indian law. The usual strategy of a product being priced differently from shop to shop and for varying prices in the same shop over a period of time, for cross subsidization, cannot be deployed in this country because of the MRP provision. History is replete with examples as to the long term endurance of MNCs, sustaining losses for more than a decade, eventually able to recover their losses by extinguishing the competition. A look at the experience of Indian companies like Fortune group or Reliance group in retailing during the last 5 years will tell a different story and some of them have not been able to reach even 10% of their targeted volume of business with accumulated losses estimated at billions of rupees during this period. Domestic retailing giants have not been able to capture even 5% of the retail market which is predominated by more than 8 million small traders even to day.

There are some apprehensions that the unorganized sector of retailing might suffer if FDI is allowed but if the history of Indian retail industry is examined one can see the role played by them in making the life of Indian families comfortable through their friendly service in contrast to the "mechanical" or 'Robot" like service offered by super markets. Indian traders, most of them, thrive because of the confidence they enjoy from their customers and friendly service provided. It is inexcusable on the part of GOI not to have done a scientific study regarding the impact of large retail chains on small traders during the last few years from which valuable lessons could have been learned before formulating the new FDI policy. There is a feeling, not supported by any data, that Indian families are returning to their familiar "mom and pop" stores in increasing numbers after the initial euphoria of shopping experience in large super markets has declined. The reason for this, if true, must be found by field studies which only can bring out the ground realities.

Whether the FDI policy on retail has been rolled back or suspended or on hold, the ability of the Central Government to clear the same is doubtful because of the "coalition dharma" to which most policy failures are attributed. Political survival seems to be more paramount than the interest of the country and if and when the policy is resurrected the country must ask hard questions regarding various uncertainties cited above. Assuming that the doors are opened for retail FDI eventually, another million dollar question is how many major players will actually enter the country against the pre-conditions imposed and restricted areas of operation available to them. Any how the road ahead for the foreign companies may not be as smooth as they hope for and it may take years, if not decades, before they can establish any sizable presence on Indian soil!

V.H.POTTY

http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

BIO-PROCESS TECHNOLOGIES-HOPE FOR THE FUTURE

2011-12-13T14:33:00.003+05:30

Two of the most prevalent technological options for the food industry to process raw food materials into preserved or consumable products are chemical conversion or physical methods. Food technologists adapt various chemical engineering unit operations to food processing where generally no deliberate chemical reactions are involved. In contrast very few chemical reactions are in vogue in processing foods as the intention of processing is to preserve every nutrients, which are all chemicals with different molecular structure, as far as possible for delivery to the consumer. Of course there are unintentional consequences of processing, especially at temperatures above the ambient one and reactions involving amino acids, sugar, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, etc are unavoidable. Some of these reactions are considered desirable while many others are unacceptable as far as the consumer is concerned. Maillard reaction that progressively yields brown chemical artifacts are liked in products like baked foods while undesirable color tints imparted due this very same reaction is sought to be stopped, especially in products with natural white color. Use of chemicals like preservatives, emulsifiers, stabilizers, antioxidants etc which are chemicals, some of them natural and others synthetic cannot make these foods chemically processed.

Physical processes like flour milling, grain polishing, flaking, puffing, popping, sugar recovery from cane, milk pasteurization, oil seed crushing and many others invariably depend on mechanical operations and temperature rise is very minimal. Of course there are high temperature processes like baking, coffee roasting, coco bean processing, extrusion cooking, canning, frying, cooking, grilling etc but temperatures generally do not exceed 200C. One of the unavoidable consequences of food processing or cooking is that there is a loss of nutrients like vitamins and others, thermally unstable, which varies from process to process and product to product. The fortification and enrichment technologies help the industry to make up for the nutrient losses albeit to a limited extent. Still the consumer is always skeptical about the healthiness of many products going through the industrial manufacturing hubs. Frozen foods are invariably preferred because of the perception that at sub-zero temperatures nutrients are stabilized, reducing the possibility of spoilage considerably. Besides these foods have relatively long shelf life that enables consumers to store them at home.

Fermented foods which are derived by the action of beneficial microorganisms belong to a group of products evolved historically over centuries of human civilization. Wine with a history of thousands of years are made from grapes and other high sugar fruits using yeast as the "biological converter". Same is true with regard to Beer made by fermentation from grains and hops. Products derived by fermentation of grains, fruits, molasses etc and after subsequent physical processing yield many established lines of product like Whiskey, Gin, Rum, Vodka, etc. The simplicity of yeast fermentation lends itself to house hold preparation of wines while the flourishing existence of illicit liquor making industry reflects the ease with which yeast fermented products can be made with minimum facilities. Another classical example is bread making where again yeast is involved under aerobic conditions. Then there are many other products like yogurt, cheese, Indian idli and dosa and a hundred other products made and eaten in over 70 countries of the world. One thing in common with all these products is that all of them involve use of one or more microorganisms with assured safety.

There are many processes employed by the food industry using enzyme preparations derived from microorganisms, plant and animal sources and by no stretch of imagination the end products can be called fermented foods. Conversion of starch into sugars catalyzed by amylase and amylo glucosidase enzymes or manufacture of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) through Glucose Isomerase or making Pectinase clarified fruit juices or tenderizing of meat using Papain and many such enzyme mediated processing cannot be classified as fermentation process. Similarly there is an important emerging area that has great relevance to food preservation and that is Bacteriocin class of Bio-preservatives obtained from safe bacterial species. Foods which can be preserved by these natural antibiotic substances will have to be considered as partly "Bioprocessed". Probably it would be more appropriate, when natural microorganisms and the derived enzymes from them or plant and animal based enzymes are used in preservation or conversion, if they are called Bioprocessed foods. Bioprocessing is relevant even to many non-food products also and one of the most promising areas for using this process is in the energy sector where non-food biomass is sought to be converted into readily usable energy forms like alcohol.

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

TOWARDS "HEALTHIER" CHOCOLATES-NEW DEVELOPMENTS

2011-12-10T20:19:00.002+05:30

Chocolate is known to be a rich source of antioxidants but its consumption is constrained by the high levels of saturated fat and sugar present in these products, both dangerous food ingredients as far as human health is concerned. While consumption of high levels of fat, especially the saturated and trans fats, can cause atherosclerosis and consequent heart problem, high sugar intake is equally risky precipitating many ailments including diabetes. Chocolate making technology can be considered as one of the most foolish progresses made by mankind because a patently good food raw material is converted into a nutritionally absurd product for satisfying the palate of man. The cured raw cocoa bean is a source of many chemicals, many of them considered nutritionally beneficial to health. While it is a rich source of fat the ubiquitous cocoa press can remove most of them to give cocoa powder which is considered one of the richest sources of health-friendly bio-flavonols.

Cocoa has twice as much antioxidants as in red wine and three times the quantity present in green tea. The ORAC value of cocoa is about 25000 as compared to 18500 for Acai berry and 1540 for Strawberry. Cocoa is reported to have properties related to anti-aging and anti-inflammation. It is also a rich source of minerals that include Magnesium, Sulfur, Calcium, Potassium, Manganese besides some B-vitamins. The Bioflavonol Epicatechin is reported to be effective in preventing fat accumulation in arteries and veins. Almost 10% by weight in cocoa is Bioflavonols and about 300 chemical compounds have been identified so far in this wonder food, the function of many of them not yet unraveled so far. Dark chocolates with high cocoa solid content can improve insulin sensitivity significantly.

The chocolate making process uses the recovered fat from the cocoa pot to enrich the chocolate mass (finely ground cocoa mash) with more fat and uses copious amounts of white sugar to get the final product which is much sought after by consumers of all ages. The typical melting characteristics of cocoa butter confer on chocolate the unique "melt in the mouth" feeling associated with these products but the rich calorie and fat contents also make chocolate a "cat among the pigeon", being shunned increasingly by weight watchers and diet conscious people. It is against this background that chocolates are losing their luster as a culinary wonder in the present century with more and more people entering the "obesity" club world over. During the last one decade continuous efforts have been directed to modify chocolate products in such a way that they can be considered safe for consumption chucking the unhealthy tag commonly associated with it. Dark chocolates are now being offered by the industry containing almost 85% cocoa solids and less and less of sugar. Fat content is still a deterrent against its universal adoption by one and all.

A solution to high saturated fat content in chocolate has recently been found where normal fats are substituted with special fats with different metabolic characteristics. Diacylglycerols which are modified versions of normal fats with one fatty acid group less, behave differently when consumed compared to cocoa butter fat. Though both fats are commonly found in food, diacylglycerol is better known for its emulsifying properties rather than as a food fat. According to nutritionists since the normal fat molecules are too large to get across the intestinal wall in one piece, the body breaks them down into smaller components, which are reassembled once they cross the cell membranes of the intestine. Due to their different molecular structure diacylglycerols are not immediately reassembled after they cross the intestinal wall, unlike triglycerides and therefore are not stored in fat cells. They are broken down in the liver and used as energy. As it does not require for the body to carry them through the blood, unlike large triacylglycerol molecules, diacylglycerols are not expected to clog the arteries and veins in the same way as the former.

While diacylglycerols have been used to produce vegetable cooking oils derived from canola and soybean oils for the health-food market, scientists and manufacturers have not had much success using them as confectionery fats. Most difficult part of substituting cocoa butter with any other fat is to simulate the unique melting properties of the former which influences the eating quality of a good chocolate product. Technologically this is a challenging area for fat technologists and almost all cocoa butter substitutes presently available are poor imitators of the real natural product. If the scientists who claim that diacylglycerols can be an effective substitute, are to be believed such products will be much more healthier while the sensory characteristics are not seriously affected. What is intriguing is that diacylglyceols are better known for their emulsifying properties especially in fat-water emulsions and whether it will have any constraint on the process itself. One is reminded of Olestra, a fat substitute made from sucrose and fatty acids with zero calorie density, which freaked out because of the unacceptable side effects caused in the intestine due to its ingestion. It is to be seen whether diacylglycerols will have similar effect in the GI tract though the developers preclude this possibility.

If fat saturated content is replaced with diacylglycerols will there be a calories saving for the consumer? Unfortunately the answer is in the negative because both triglycerides and digylcerides have almost same calorie count. Similarly as chocolate is a sugar rich product new formulations containing diglycerides will have no impact as far as weight reduction is concerned. Unless new chocolate formulations with low fat and low sugar contents are developed it is unlikely that these products will ever become a universal choice for all consumers across the spectrum.

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

MOVE OVER CANDIES, HERE COMES THE DESI "MITHAI"!

2011-12-07T19:09:00.003+05:30

Has any one bothered to ask the simple question as to why modern day youngsters are more enamored by foods from western countries rather than being proud of their heritage foods numbering over 5000, inherited from their forefathers? Why is that a kid, hardly 3 year old, craves for chocolate products and high sugar confectionery items like artificially colored candies in stead of hundreds of sweet meat products available in the corner shops of Halwaiwalla? Is it the taste that drives these kids to western foods or the habit formed during the early childhood due to over indulgence of the parents? Or could it be that the convenience factor, good product stability, attractive packing and massive promotion by the industry that tilt the scale in favor of confectionery products like candies and chocolates? Probably a combination of all the above must have caused this gross distortion in the food preferences of young generation.

There are thousands of ethnic foods originated in India during its 8000 years of history and these food products have been continuously evolving, influenced by successive cultures entering India from time to time. Whether it is a meal or a side dish or a snack or a sweet Indian population, as diverse as they are, can be proud of their indigenous foods which lately are captivating the taste buds of consumers all over the world. If Indian restaurants are becoming more and more popular these days, even over taking Chinese or Mexican cuisines, it can be attributed to the rich diversity of products representing more than a hundred ethnic communities in the country. These culinary treasure will only expand in the coming years if the enterprising restaurateurs pay more attention to the design of their eateries and hygiene and sanitation aspects. Indian "curries", though demonized for their strong smell and spicy and pungent taste, have become cynosure of all eyes because of the realization that spices and herbs are repository of a host of phytochemicals with health promoting properties.

Emergence of "Retortable Pouch Process" as an industry standard during the last one decade made it possible to "stabilize" shelf life of a number of food preparations of Indian origin. Thanks to this technology there are over three dozen products of Indian origin on the shelves of super markets and retail out lets spanning the entire country. These RTE products faithfully represent the original fresh preparations with least distortion of flavor and taste. Who could have thought a few years ago that the famous Indian Pulav could be preserved for more than 9 months or for that matter the south Indian delicacy Bisibelebath for almost an year? Curry preparations like sambar, rasam, dal, aloo gobi, aloo palak, chole, paneer muttar, avial, kootu, etc are to day preservable for as long as an year. The country must salute the pioneering scientists whose committed work has resulted in making available these products to the Indian consumers in India as well as in other countries on a "platter".

Snacks and savories which are mostly fried in edible oils are made by thousands of cottage scale operators and are sold fresh from small shops and bakeries with limited shelf life of a few days. Potato chips and extruded products, made by the organized sector enjoy a much longer shelf life because of the antioxidants and other stabilizers used during the process as well as the functionally superior packing materials but typical Indian snacks like Samosa, Vada, Bonda, Dal Vada, Chakli, Mixture, Kodubele, Vadian and Ghattia and many others are still being left in the lurch because of lack of interest among scientists to work on them as well as due to apprehension among the entrepreneurs regarding the difficulties in marketing them. Probably greater R & D efforts are called for in studying the basic aspects of their making that control the final product quality and to work out strategies to extend their shelf life.

The Indian confectionery products like Chikki, Besan Laddu, Carrot Halwa, Doodhi Halwa, Son Papadi, Jangri, Badam Halwa, Khoa and Chhakka based items, etc are rich in nutrients like proteins derived from milk, peanuts and Besan, micro nutrients derived from vegetables like Carrot and Ashgourd, PUFA from Almonds and other nuts, though some of them do contain high sugar and fat levels. Compare them with different type of sugar confections of the west which are practically based on white sugar and flavor. Unfortunately the processes to make Indian confections vary enormously from place to place and from person to person while there are no standard quality or safety parameters to be adhered to. No wonder the kids do not get "hooked" on such products so easily, driving them to western products like chocolates and candies.

Recent development of processes that ensure better shelf stability for some important sweetmeat products by a scientific group in CFTRI Mysore bodes well for this sector. Through this work the scientists are atoning for their past neglect of Indian traditional sweetmeat products which are universally liked in the world. For almost 3 decades the only products that could claim long life were Gulab Jamun and Rasagolla which were canned in open top sanitary cans for obtaining a shelf life of about an year without any significant quality deterioration. The CFTRI processes for preserving sweets like Boondi Laddu, Bombay Halwa, Carrot Halwa, Doodhi Halwa, Doodh Peda, Milk Burfi and Coconut Burfi , without using any chemical preservatives are expected to kick start the revival of this sector in a big way if the technology transfer is not sought to be hampered through high price tags for selling them. As the packing technology is not matched by machinery development for their mass manufacture, it is unlikely that large players would be interested in this development. It is therefore advisable to pass on the technology through mass contact programs involving live demonstrations and some basic training of SMEs in different parts of the country.

Design of appropriate equipment portfolio for mass production of many India sweets are fraught with insurmountable technical difficulties which should be addressed immediately, if Indian sweetmeat products have to become a big hit with foreign buyers. This is an area with some dilemma for the country to decide because most of the traditional preparation processes are predominantly manual in nature involving skilled artisans and introduction of large scale automated machinery may see many of them thrown out of their jobs which may not be a desirable development in a socially sensitive country like India. Keeping this industry labor intensive also serves the purpose of keeping the process and recipe secrets within the country and ensure monopoly for years to come.

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

EXTENDING SHELF LIFE OF FOODS-WHAT IS THE LIMIT?

2011-12-05T10:51:00.002+05:30

Food technology strives to process and preserve food raw materials into consumable form for periods ranging from a few days to several years. But the consumer perception about fresh quality food does not help the technologists to actively pursue the research efforts to evolve processes that can ensure shelf stability beyond a certain extent. With the advent of refrigeration many foods can be preserved for a few days to a few weeks at temperatures ranging from 0C to 8C while most foods are preserved at sub-zero temperatures for a few months with minimum quality deterioration. While safety is of paramount importance, eating quality is the critical factor that decides the acceptability or other wise of the processed foods. It is always asked whether it is possible for food technologists to preserve food indefinitely or for long periods, say about 5 years. But a counter question would be who wants to eat a 5 year old food even if there is a workable technology?

A consumer is unlikely to pick up a product from the supermarket with 5 year shelf life if he has a choice of an alternative with two weeks life. Practically every house has a refrigerator with capacity ranging from 100 liters to more than 500 liters and the freezer chest coming with the Frig can carry a few items for consumption in 1-2 months. There are stand alone freezers with small to large capacities which are useful to larger families. These gadgets are normally useful for storing both short term needs as well as long period storage with the latter coming handy to "hoard" those products offered in the market from time to time at promotional or stock liquidation programs. The very fact that consumers have a tendency to pick up products from the shelves with most recent manufacturing date reflects their innate desire to buy products as fresh as possible. This again raises the question whether there will be any takers for products with extra long life?

Food is to be preserved from two angles. First and foremost it has to be safe. The eating quality comes next but it is crucial for a competitive market that food offered has most acceptable sensory quality which includes flavor, texture and taste. Historically preserved foods using salt, sugar, acidity and dehydration were only the choices till the middle of the last millennium and the consumers of yesteryear were contented with the same for want of an effective alternative. To day situation is different with a vast array of technologies available that include canning, aseptic packing, vacuum packing, retort pouch process, irradiation, high pressure processing etc that can give products with varying shelf life from a few months to a few years. The outer space missions by countries like the US, EU, China and Russia require long life food products while military missions in far away places also stock such products. Natural calamity, undeveloped remote areas, especially in the third world countries also depend on preserved products with long shelf life.

Another relevant question is who will make products with long shelf life? The food industry which works incessantly to lure the customers to the products turned out by it wants the customers to increase the frequency of purchase as much as possible and by putting long life products in the market the manufacturers naturally are bound to suffer due to slower turn over. The industry requirement is a maximum shelf life of 9-12 months which gives them sufficient time to distribute the products with least damage and minimum recall in large countries like India. One of the biggest problems faced by the industry is the mandatory provision under the labeling regulation to indicate the manufacturing date on the label which leads to the customers picking up the most recent ones which they believe to be of best quality. The possibility of products manufactured during earlier dates remaining on the shelf without sale and evetually being returned is very high. The market pull will always be the force that is capable of dictating terms to the food scientists for their development agenda and probably long life products will invariably be the ones with least priority.

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

"SKILL" VS "DEGREE"- FOOD FOR THOUGHT

2011-12-03T16:54:00.002+05:30

Modern education in India and many developing countries is degree oriented with the students striving hard to get a University degree or Diploma entertaining serious hope of landing in a job, preferably in government sector. On the other hand there are many lower education centers where pupils are trained to sharpen a skill or develop a skill that will help to plunge into a job requiring that particular skill. Education is a broad term and it need not be University centered because every day it is a learning process if one has the common sense to observe and understand the environment. Unfortunately the current system of education does not value non-formal education and every job available has a qualification tag, generally a university degree. If the unemployment problem is acute in the country, blame squarely lies with the present education system.

Life has to teach a lot of lesson to youngsters aspiring to be some body to be counted by the society. There are millions of so called skilled personnel with capabilities beyond the reach of their counterparts coming out of the formal education system and these skilled workers are invariably called artisans with experience in doing specific jobs with confidence and elan. Take the case of a Mason who may be an illiterate person with no formal education but he can be depended upon to do his construction work and if one looks at the evolution of this artisan the career must have started as a menial worker with practically no knowledge about any aspects of construction to begin with. Within a few years of watching his peers work at the construction sites and after a few hesitant steps towards practicing the masonry job in a small way, he may eventually become even a civil contractor undertaking construction work with increasing complexity over a period of time. Same is true with almost all skill oriented profession.

Food industry is a classical example of artisan predominance as 75% of the food products marketed in the country comes from unorganized or informal sector, employing millions of artisans. Almost every traditional Indian foods which have been commercialized in India are produced using traditional technology with predominantly manual operations. The machinery content in the technology is limited to a few standard unit operations like grinding, mixing, heating and concentration. Modern packaging machinery, when deployed, are restricted to semi automatic types while most packing is done manually. The failure of mechanized gadgets to make khoa, paneer, roti, idli, vada, bonda, papads, Chakli, samosa and many snack products reflects the importance of skill in making the traditional food products of acceptable quality.

There are many institutions and universities offering degrees in food technology all over the country and hundreds of graduates, post-graduates and doctorates are produced by them year after year. Where do they fit in as a responsible operator? Unfortunately, with multinational companies with least challenges to grow, 90% of the industry in the micro enterprise, small scale and medium scale sectors do not employ any university degree holder and this should wake up the education pundits in the country regarding the exact need of this industry to flourish. Besides the so called teachers with responsibility to impart training are them selves not fully conversant with developments in food technology, being out of touch with modern developments. To a very limited extent the certificate and diploma course do serve a purpose but in absence of hands-on training facilities in these teaching "shops", at best half baked products are turned out from these centers. Industry also must carry the blame partially because of its reluctance to join forces with teaching institutions in making the "products' of these centers fully "baked".

Any course intended to train operators in a food processing facility must focus more on practical aspects rather than being heavy on academic content. Of course food technology is a vast area and it is humanly not possible to train every one in all areas. It is here that specialization is called for. One of the most shining examples of focused training comes from Mysore where specialist milling technicians are trained at CFTRI specifically for the flour milling industry. Why not such course be planned for every sector like fruits and vegetables, baking, confectionery, snack foods, dairy products, breweries and other food product categories based on a realistic assessment of country's need. The Ministry of Food Processing Industry, instead of behaving like a funding entity, must take lead in this area to generate thousands of skilled artisans who can provide a sound foundation to the food industry in general.

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

FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IN INDIA-GROWERS' NIGHTMARE!

2011-12-01T09:18:00.002+05:30

Agreed that fruits and vegetables come under the category of protective foods because they, if consumed in adequate quantities, can provide the precious micro nutrients like vitamins and minerals besides many health boosting phytochemicals and valuable dietary fiber. During the last hundred years the habit of consuming these foods is coming down dramatically with consumers increasingly craving for meat foods. It is forgotten that the tragic health slide being experienced by the population in rich and wealthy countries is to a large extent, attributable to this switch from fruits and vegetables to animal foods and carbohydrate/fat based products. The astronomical farm subsidies flowing into the farm sector due the folly of the governments in many advanced countries are distorting the dietary regimes in favor of cheap processed foods ignoring the crucial importance of fruits and vegetables in maintaining health. If this is so in the developed world, what is the fate of consumers in the developing countries?

Take the case of India. Theoretically it is one of the top fruit and vegetable producing nations in this globe though it is also the second most populous country after China. The mere size of the population can be daunting for any government to provide for the well being, health and safety of its subjects. It is well known that India is plagued by malnutrition and soaring inflation. But an in-depth reality check will reveal that it is not due to inadequate production that the country is suffering from lack of food. Though it is the world's second largest grower of fresh produce there is more or less unanimity that the country loses an estimated 40 percent ( or a guesstimate?) of its fruit and vegetables to rot because of gross deficiency in the infrastructure like cold stores, refrigerated trucking, negligence of railways to provide dedicated racks, poor roads, inclement weather and the despicable corruption that pervades the whole country. Of course it is a poor consolation that post-harvest food losses of the scale found in India are also a problem throughout the developing world and translate into lower incomes for farmers and higher prices for consumers.

Inflation is already undermining living standards across Asia with world food prices at record highs since December last year, according to the FAO of the U.N. In India, home to more than a third of the world's 150 million malnourished children under 5, food inflation hovers around 10 percent stubbornly. Is it not a criminal neglect on the part of the government to allow wastage of such magnitude when poverty is an omnipotent phenomenon? When will it dawn on the government that just reducing the waste could make a significant dent in bringing down food inflation and making food more affordable to the vulnerable segment of the population? Visit any vegetable market in India and one cannot escape the heaps of rotten vegetables accumulating side by side with vendors selling salable commodities! Imagine the frustration faced by an average consumer when exorbitant prices are charged by the vendors who factor the cost of the wastage into the price charged to the consumer! How can the food inflation be controlled in this country under such a condition? The economists and the financial pundits seem to be barking at the wrong tree when the inflation is sought to be moderated through Reserve Bank by increasing the banking rates across the board, forgetting that the price distortion is purely a supply-demand distortion with too many people chasing too little food available in the market.

it is not that sporadic efforts are not made to address the sad situation prevailing in the country by successive governments at Delhi. Recall the efforts made by the NDDB in early eighties, under direction from the government in power at that time, to organize fruit and vegetable industry under the cooperative mode, similar to milk. However while NDDB had achieved sterling success with milk, it could not boast of similar success in either the edible oil sector or horticulture produce sector. Why it has failed is a story that is not well known. Could it be because of the obsession of the government with cereal grains ignoring the fresh produce industry? In spite of the recent pompous announcement of a Horticulture Mission by the government of India to augment production of these commodities, nothing precious has happened at the ground level. One is familiar with the fate of similar Missions in the past on Pulses and edible oils and even to day the country is still dependent imports to bridge their demand-supply gap!

Is it not a shame that a consumer has to pay Rs 15-25 for an average sized Apple where as for the same amount one can get almost two kg of coarse cereal that can keep the body and soul together for a poor person as long as a week? If the poor villagers in the hinterlands live on leafy vegetables, mostly grown locally, unable to buy any normal fruit or vegetable during his life time, what quality of life he can hope to live? Practically every fruit or vegetable in the market costs upwards of Rs 20 per kg and if the NPC has defined poverty line at Rs 32 per day, what choice a poor person under the BPL category, has when it comes to buying his food? With fertile agricultural land being diverted to support the real estate business through out the country, where will be the land for increasing production of horticulture produce to meet the increasing demand for them. Horticulture scientists may be working hard to develop newer and better production technologies for many important horticultural crops but in the absence of government support for propagating these technologies nothing tangible can come out of such efforts.

If the government of the day is to be believed, it is also concerned about the situation and it has "begun" work on a strategy to cut post-harvest losses by building modern grain silos, cold storage warehouses and setting up farmers' markets in remote areas to link vegetable growers with retail outlets in the cities. If the track record of the past is any indication nothing substantial will happen, at least in the near future except frequent statements, repeated ad naseum by the concerned ministers and bureaucrats. Ask any farmer in the country and they will confess that they have no faith in the government and even the promised changes are years away if not decades. admittedly. It is recognized that growing vegetables and similar perishables in India is a business fraught with serious financial risks with the farmers finding it difficult to find ready buyers at for such perishables like tomatoes, capsicum, and other vegetables at reasonable price. They face the risk of these vegetables rotting at every stage, whether in the field, on the road, or in the markets. It is familiar sight in almost all major mandisin the country to see hundreds of vegetable and fruit trucks reach the wholesale market each morning and commission agents scouting for the best bargains in a frenzied atmosphere and most farmers are lost in this wheeling dealing atmosphere not able to strike a favorable bargain..

Paucity of refrigerated trucks means that delays at state border crossings, traffic jams, or the frequent landslides that clog hill roads can cause vegetables to wilt and rot. There are only a few trucks run by private firms, that are refrigerated. The rest are open trucks, with tarps or plastic sheets for cover in case it rains. People travelingin these trucks perched on the sacks of gunny bags containing the produce is a familiar sight to behold! Too often the contents are crushed with practically no life left when the destination is reached. The recent opening up of the retail sector to foreign investment is viewed with hope that supermarket giants such as Walmart, Tesco and Carrefour when start operating in India's multibilliondollar retail market, there could be success where the government has failed. The provision for backward integration and building infrastructure for preserving the fresh produce is cited as the reason for such a hope. One has to wait and see whether India will really attract FDI in this sector under such stringent preconditions. Even if they arrive, it is to be seen whether they can reform the fragmented farm sector ans improve the agricultural to any significant extent.

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

ASSESSING"FRESHNESS" OF PACKED FOODS-A NEW TECHNIQUE

2011-11-28T12:49:00.002+05:30

It is the consumer psychology that the foods consumed by them must be as fresh as possible though health aspect also comes into reckoning with some segment of the consumers. The front of the pack label indicates when the product is manufactured and for how long the contents are good for eating. However this information does not guarantee that the food inside the unopened pack is still good, the consumer depending entirely on the label declaration to take the buying decision. Foods are packed in rigid as well as flexible containers and the packaging materials used can be metal, plastics, paper, laminates etc depending on the functionality and shelf life desired. While transparent packaging may provide some clue regarding the appearance of the product based on which some consumers decide whether they are good or bad, there is not sure way of arriving at a decision about the quality without opening the sealed pack. Recent news that scientists have come out with a a gadget that can "tell" whether the packed food is good for eating, is indeed a welcome news and it is worth evaluating the efficacy and relevance of the new gadget for the industry, retailer and consumer.

When a food is packed in any container the industry has a few options to extend the life of the product to some extent through manipulation of the gas composition inside. Most products are packed in plastic pouches and sealed under atmospheric condition. The head space with in the pack is air containing mostly about 21% oxygen, 78% Nitrogen, 1% Argon and some trace gases like Carbon Dioxide and others. It is the presence of Oxygen in the air which causes quality deterioration in food through oxidative chemical reactions and support for growth of microorganisms if the water activity in the product is conducive for them. Oxidation becomes a critical issue in dry products, especially if the concentration of oil component in the product is significantly high. Oxidative rancidity is one of the major problems for the fried product industry and there are many antioxidants deployed for retarding rancidity in such products. Vacuum packing and Nitrogen flushed packing are also employed to protect food from rancidity and consequent flavor deterioration. Use of modified atmosphere packing technology is based on controlling the composition of the gas inside a pack with predominance of CO2 which prevents growth of microorganisms, especially in high moisture products like fresh fruits and vegetables besides slowing down biological reactions to extend their effective life.

A new laser technology developed in Sweden is claimed to be capable of detecting the gas composition inside packaged foods and determine the relative freshness of the content. Since It is a non-destructive method to test "freshness" of packaged foods, the developers feel that its utility would be of great relevance to all those involved in quality assessment of foods. Through measurements of the gas composition the product quality within can be monitored at different times effortlessly, enabling to check a much higher number of products than at present by the retailers as well as the industry. Most packaging practices use simple flexible pouches made from plastic films with varying gas permeability and oxygen is bound to seep in through the film surface into the pouch leading to oxidation, the growth of bacteria, and spoilage. The hand held instrument developed by the scientists is able to determines gas composition within food packaging using a laser spectroscopic technique which measures the absorption of light when the laser passes through the package and based on the signal, a computer provides the gas composition within.

The only prerequisite for the technology to be successful is that light must pass through the package for measurement of the transmitted light and correlating to the gas composition. It appears almost all packaging materials currently in vogue allow at least some light to pass through making the method universally applicable. With the advent of lamination technology there are many permutations and combinations of films with Aluminum foil to control the gas and vapor transmission properties and the fact that even these packaging systems containing Aluminum foil can transmit light to the extent of as low as 0.001%, can make the laser technology relevant to almost all segments of food industry. Though technical soundness of the concept is well established beyond doubt there can be some challenges when commercial application becomes a reality.

A most critical question is whether the optical properties of the content inside can vitiate the result and if so to what extent. Similarly will there be variation from product to product and whether individual standardization will be required for each and every product. Ultimately who are the target users of this beautiful technology, whether the consumer, industry, quality monitoring agency or the retailer? Will there be a day in future when retail stores keep this instrument at each bay so that the consumers can check the products they want to buy for their freshness and if so how can the retailers avoid massive return of products left behind by the consumers to the manufacturers? Does this technology has a potential to disrupt the current food supply chain dynamics seriously? These are challenges that need to be addressed before mass deployment of this "toy"!

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

EFFECT OF THE "CUP" THAT CHEERS"-NEW REVELATIONS

2011-11-22T11:48:00.004+05:30

Coffee, by any yardstick, cannot be termed a food as it does not provide any calories or nutrients by itself and often consumed for its beverage properties. If so why is it that Coffee is the second most traded commodity behind petroleum, in the world market? Global production touching 7 million tons can vouchsafe for the popularity of coffee in many parts of the world. Top coffee producers in the world include Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Indonesia, Honduras, Ethiopia and India, accounting for almost 80% of global out put and this commodity happens to be major sustaining economic force for 12 countries who dominate the global trade. Interestingly most of the top coffee consuming countries do not figure in the list of top producers and the per capita consumption in these coffee producing countries is some what insignificant compared to that in many countries in Europe. Why is that coffee has become an important part of the life styles in many western countries?

It is generally agreed that Western countries are more affluent and also generally better informed about nutrition and health. If so is it possible that they have realized the health advantage in consuming coffee regularly? Or is it because of the addiction quality of coffee that has hooked the consumers in these countries to regular consumption of coffee? It may also be due to the stimulating aroma of coffee that is liked by people in the West. Otherwise how one can explain away the high consumption level of coffee in countries like Finland (12 kg per person per year), Norway (9.9 kg), Ireland ( 9 kg ), Denmark (8.7 kg), the Netherlands (8.4 kg), Sweden (8.2 kg) or Switzerland (7.9 kg)? Compare to this, consumption in India is less than 100 gm per year per person! Probably the most compelling factor could be the environment in these countries where cold climates persist most of the year and a cup of coffee is the best "friend" to keep company ( of course next to alcohol)!

Is consumption of coffee really beneficial to the human health? There is no unanimity on this issue with most scientists supporting its health value while a few believe it could be injurious. A random sampling of international opinions on effect of coffee on health would reveal that its consumption can reduce the risk of a plethora of diseases that include Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, CVD, Diabetes, Liver Cirrhosis and Gout. However coffee is implicated in acid influx, especially in old age people. Also coffee in implicated in increased LDL proteins and consequent heart problems, attributed to the diterpenes, Kahweol and Cafestol, present in coffee brew made without paper filter. It is universally accepted that roasted coffee can contain more than 1000 different chemical constituents including valuable lipophilic antioxidants which are effective in sweeping off the dangerous oxyradicals generated at the cellular level. Chlorogenic acid lactones, present in coffee, are reported to be effective in protecting neuronal cells.

A recent study, performed by a Harvard Medical School team, using a sample size of 50,000 women in the US over a span on of 10 years has brought out a startling fact that coffee consumption can be very effective in decreasing depression among them significantly. According to them those women not taking coffee regularly tended to have very high level of depression compared to others consuming the beverage regularly. Drinking two or more cups of coffee a day may reduce the risk of developing depression and the increase in coffee consumption correlated to a decrease depression risk. Those who drank 2 to 3 cups a day had a 15% decrease in depression risk; drinking 4 or more cups a day decreased the risk by 20%. Drinking decaffeinated coffee did not have the same effect on depression prevention. This empirical correlation does not seem to have any scientific backing and only further studies can figure out the effects of caffeine on the brain. Scientifically it is established that caffeine, present in coffee does promote feelings of well-being and energy. The ability of Caffeine to block adenosine, a chemical produced by the brain that slows nerve cell activity in the brain and cause drowsiness, is well known. Similarly Caffeine also increases dopamine production which plays an important role in depression. It is also claimed that the tendency to commit suicide is very low among coffee drinkers and these findings can reinforce the basis for coffee's ability to counteract depression.

Lack of unanimity that is eluding the researchers engaged in coffee related studies can be attributed to the confusion that prevails regarding the understanding of coffee and its processing. Coffee is roasted first before grinding into powders with varying particle size and variations can exist in roasting conditions depending on the type of product desired. The chemicals extracted into the brew can vary enormously depending on whether it is a light roast or medium, medium dark, dark or very dark roast. At 200C the process of caramelization is initiated when starch is broken down to sugars and Maillard reaction also begins giving the darker color. At 205C flavor chemicals like Caffeol start forming. As roasting proceeds many aromatic oils and acids are destroyed changing the composition dramatically. Added to this the powdering operation decides the efficiency of extraction whether by boiling with water or steeping or percolation or pressure extraction. This is borne out by the fact that a cup of coffee can have Caffeine in a wide range from 75 mg to 200 mg depending on how it is made! What role addition of whiteners like milk plays on the health front is not very clear. For comparison of any scientific study the basic material used must have uniformly defined characteristics and probably it may be time such studies are organized by the International Coffee Organization to dispel all doubts about the effect of coffee consumption on human beings. Till such times these studies are organized, consumers will have to go by impartial observers that coffee consumption has more beneficial value than any serious health risks.

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

BIO-DECONTAMINATION-IS IT A NEW APPROACH?

2011-11-17T05:06:00.002+05:30

In a recent news item, a claim was being made regarding a new sanitary agent under the name HPV that is supposed to be ideal for use by the medical and food industry. The terminology used to describe the process of disinfection was "BIO-DECONTAMINATION" giving an impression that it is not based on any chemicals but uses biotechnological technique. As it is a proprietary product only sketchy details were offered leaving lot to guessing regarding this "innovation". The acronym HPV refers to Hydrogen Peroxide Vapor and bio-decontamination refers to killing all biological contaminants like virus, bacteria and mold. It is well known that H2O2 is a powerful oxidizing agent used commonly for room disinfection and what is new in this much touted technology is not clear.

There are hundreds of chemical substances approved for use as disinfectants world over and the most popular ones are based on their oxidizing capacity. These include Sodium Hypochlorite, Calcium Hypochlorite, Electrolyzed Water, Chloramine and Chloramine T, Chlorine Dioxide, Hydrogen Peroxide solution, Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide solution containing surfactants and organic acids, Potassium Permanganate, Iodine, Peracetic Acid, Performic Acid and Potassium Peroxy Mono Sulfate. Hydrogen Peroxide offers several advantages when used in formulating sanitizers which include: no residue is left behind, the decomposition products are non-toxic, no preconditioning is necessary for ensuring its effectiveness and relatively less hazardous in using it. Important attributes for any disinfectant to be universally acceptable include the degree of effectiveness in achieving 100% kill of microbes, safety for the users, zero residue or non-toxicity of residues if left over, stability of the chemical(s) at room temperature, safety of storage and distribution and cost effectiveness.

H2O2 based disinfectants are increasingly becoming popular though it can be toxic if not properly handled. The principle of disinfection is based on evolution of nascent oxygen from H2O2 which can destroy almost all microorganisms on contact. The Virosil product developed in Switzerland has been an established disinfectant since a long time and the biggest advantage is its stability ( 1 year at ambient condition) though H2O2 by itself in not very stable. The product is based on 12% H2O2 and 0.01% Silver Nitrate and the nascent oxygen generated and the Silver ions present in the product act synergistically to kill all microorganisms including viruses, bacteria, fungi, yeasts, molds and algae. Its users include hospitals, pharma companies, dairies, poultry farms, cooling towers, effluent treatment, food processing, drinking water, agriculture, aquaculture. There are reports that this product is even being used as a preservative for some foods though no country has approved such a direct use. However there is natural constraint in using H2O2 directly any complex organic chemical mix that most foods are, as the nascent oxygen generated can change the flavor and other quality characteristics of the product adversely and irreversibly by oxidation. Therefore water is the only substance in which H2O2 is directly used for disinfection.

The newly developed HPV product is claimed to achieve 100% decontamination when used in solutions and said to be accepted widely within food manufacturing applications owing to a number of factors almost same as those for Virosil. Further the bioburden reduction is achieved in a relatively short time. Of course traditional manual cleaning still remains the main method of managing this critical process within the industry though its effectiveness is variable and dependent on the skill of the individual operators. Aseptic food processing is also an increasing trend in food production technology, extending product shelf life and avoiding the challenge of cold chain logistics but here also fool proof disinfection of the machinery is a prerequisite for the success of the process. Among the three products HPV solution, Virosil solution and Accelerated Hydrogen Peroxide solution, which one will become more popular ultimately will depend on the cost factor.

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

DIETARY GUIDELINES-ARE THEY FLAWED?

2011-11-15T15:32:00.002+05:30

For a healthy life man must have certain minimum requirements of energy and nutrients which are provided by carbohydrates, proteins, fats, dietary fiber, vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids. Though there is no uniformity of norms, qualitative and quantitative, diets are recommended based on a consensus in each country. Food requirements vary among people and they are governed by factors like environment, life style, physical activities and personal likes and dislikes. The science of nutrition is still not well defined with gaps of information evident in some areas and this is compounded by inadequate research on many traditional food preparations popular in different regions of the world. It is rather paradoxical that man seems to be knowing more about the negative aspects of food than the positive factors that boost health. Thus ill effects of saturated fats, trans fats, refined cereals, too much carbohydrates and fats, deficiencies vis-a-vis many nutrients, over consumption of sugar and salt are well known. But what is best to maintain robust health or boost the health is still controversial areas with business interests exploiting limited data on this score.

The US Food Pyramid System for recommended good diet was a bible for every dietitian and nutritionist till recently when it was replaced by the MyPlate System, both of them laying emphasis on the role of fruits and vegetables for good health. However both these systems seem to have ignored the cardinal principle that all carbohydrates cannot be considered good. Modern living style has seen a progressive shift from unrefined carbohydrates to refined ones, probably due to the compulsions of processing industry to achieve value addition ( or profit addition?) and to get high sensory quality foods satisfying to the palates of new generation of people. Thus whole wheat flour yielded to refined white flour, raw sugar and jaggery have been replaced with ultra white crystalline sugar, ghanny pressed and expeller oils losing their market after the arrival of crystal clear super refined oils, snow white rice pushing more nutritious red rice to the background and many other similar distortions with disastrous consequences. The result is for every one to see with half the world population already sick with a plethora of diseases, spending trillions of dollars for medical intervention for ameliorating the deteriorating health status.

The debate about the "chicken or egg first" will always continue as long as humanity exists on the planet and such a debate is also thriving in the food area ever since food processing started taking hold of the human weakness for convenient and tasty foods in preference to healthy products. If to day's life style in many affluent countries depend too much on so called junk foods or calorie rich and nutrient light products, blame has to be apportioned to both the consumer and the industry. Where does the government come into the picture is a valid question. Is it not the responsibility of a government to create conditions that will ensure optimum health to its citizens? Can any serious governing system ignore this aspect and promote business interests that deal a body blow to the health standards of the population? It is a bitter truth that "money" is the ultimate tool for influencing any decision by public institutions and this has been amply demonstrated in India where there are innumerate financial scams which have become the landmark of the current governance! It is an indisputable fact that GM foods, created and nurtured by a handful of business monopolists have overwhelmingly captured the American food market only through their money power for influencing government decisions in their favor!

There are hints now emerging that the new dietary guideline being promoted now under the "MyPlate' icon is also driven by business, especially when it comes to carbohydrate component in the plate. Qualitatively there is a big difference in the nutritional value between whole cereals and refined cereal flours and whether the omission to indicate the quality of carbohydrate, is deliberate or not is an issue meriting consideration. The Glycemic index values (GI) of different carbohydrate ingredients give a clear picture regarding their health promoting capacity and probably the carbohydrate components could have been further split into low GI and high GI factions to help the consumers to evolve their own diets. The allegation that failure to mention this important aspect in the Food Pyramid system has some thing to do with the influence of processing industry which manufactures more than 80% of its products from refined carbohydrate components with high GI values, may have some substance. Also this negligence must have had a role in the obesity epidemic America is facing to day. The GI value is the only scientific measure of how fast and how high a carbohydrate containing food raises blood sugar when consumed and the lower and slower the better. Refined grains and processed carbohydrates, are known to rank high on the GI scale because they are easily digested, causing a rapid and significant rise of blood sugar and insulin levels. In contrast, low-GI foods, have been shown to be more healthy after clinical validation. They have a much more gradual and healthy effect on blood sugar, raising it more slowly which is considered to be better for managing weight, sustaining energy and disease prevention.

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

THE "SUPER" BROCCOLI-DEVELOPMENT THROUGH NON-GM TECHNOLOGY

2011-11-14T10:37:00.002+05:30

Cruciferous vegetables constitute one of the most widely consumed food items in the world and the major ones in this family include Cauliflower,Cabbage, Cress, Bok choy, and Broccoli. They contain significant levels of vitamin C, soluble fiber and many nutrients and beneficial phytochemicals with health protecting properties. Diindolylmethane, Sulfaraphane and Selenium are the three constituents present in these vegetables that make them nutritionally unique. But they also carry possible goitrogenic agents that can disrupt thyroid formation resulting in goiter if consumed in large quantities without cooking. However since most vegetables are cooked the goitrogenicity is more than off set by the beneficial phytochemicals with far reaching impact on health.

Broccoli recently caught the attention world wide because of the successful efforts in Britain where scientists were reported to have developed a super version containing higher levels of the phytochemical Glucoraphanin, almost 3 times the amount compared to its normal counterpart. Interestingly Broccoli sprouts are known to contain 10 times more Glucoraphanin compared to that in the mature vegetable and health conscious consumers buy them purely for protecting their health. Glucoraphanin is the precursor of the active constituent Sulforaphane that is considered almost a wonder nutrient.. The new version has been patented in Europe and safety cleared before entering the market. Normal Broccoli has sufficient Vitamin C to provide 107% of RDA in a 100 gm serving, besides 97% of RDA for Vitamin K and varying levels of others like dietary fiber etc..Whether the new super Broccoli contains same levels or more of the these micro nutrients is not clear from available reports.

Diindolylmethane present is considered potent moderator of innate immune response system with antiviral, antibacterial and anticancer activities. Similarly Glucoraphanin is another chemical entity present that is implicated in reduction of fat in the body, cholesterol cutting and heart protective functions. Indole-3-Carbinol, another substance in Broccoli is reported to be effective in boosting the ability of cells to repair DNA damage and block the growth of cancer cells. it is well known that Broccoli has the highest levels of carotenoids in the brassica family, being particularly rich in inlutein. It also provides a modest amount of beta-carotene. A high intake of Broccoli has been found to reduce the risk of aggressive prostate cancer. Broccoli consumption has also been shown to be beneficial in the prevention of heart disease though its consumption is associated with malodorous flatulence, from metabolism of the sulfur-containing compounds it contains.

Vegetables are invariably described by many experts as a veritable medicine chest and it is he failure of consumers to open this "chest" that leads to various diseases like CVD, Cancer, Blood Pressure etc. When it comes to Broccoli, it is unique in providing adequate levels of these health protective phytochemicals and no wonder it has become synonymous with good health similar to Asparagus. One of the problems in consuming adequate quantity of Broccoli is that if cooked in water the functional properties are lost significantly and this loss can be as high as 77% when cooking is prolonged for 30 minutes. Steaming, microwaving and stir frying are recommended for preserving these vital nutrients. However it is not clear whether these methods of cooking can also achieve freedom from goitrogenic property.

Interestingly the scientists who developed super Broccoli deployed conventional breeding techniques of crossing a traditional local variety with a wild, bitter Sicilian variety that has no no flowery head but was rich in glucoraphanin resulting in the new variety. No wonder it took the group more than 14 years to come out with a product with high concentration of this active ingredient. Probably if GM technology was deployed same result would have been possible in a fraction of the time spent by the research group. Obviously the same product derived with GM technology would have been confined to history because of the difficulty involved in getting safety clearance from the authorities concerned for universal marketing, One has to admire the foresight of the developers in developing such a product as there is a perceptible tendency among producers to inject extra nutrients into foods, ranging from calcium-enriched orange juice to fortified sugary cereals and milk with added omega 3 fatty acids. The new broccoli is sold as part of a line of vegetables that includes mushrooms with extra vitamin D, and tomatoes and potatoes with added selenium.

An interesting question that may still pose problem for sustaining the marketing of super Broccoli is about any safety risks associated with over consumption. Not sufficient data exists to know if anyone could overdose on glucoraphanin, but vitamin D and selenium in very high quantities can be toxic. Impending human trials using super Broccoli to compare its efficacy with normal version of the vegetable in improving heart health and other claimed benefits only will lay sufficient ground work to get necessary clearance from the European Food Safety Agency for advertising the claims. Of course there is a lot of circumstantial evidence that supports the efficacy of glucoraphanin and related compounds as an important preventive agents against heart attacks and certain cancers. Glucoraphanin is a mildly toxic compound used by plants to fight insects. In humans, glucoraphanin may stimulate the body's natural chemical defenses, potentially making the body stronger at removing dangerous compounds. Some experts believe that eating foods packed with extra nutrients would probably have only a minimal impact compared with other lifestyle choices, like not smoking and exercising. It is true that eating the super Broccoli is not going to counteract one's bad habits and there is considerable misgivings whether such nutrient boosted products like super Broccoli, if added to more popular foods would work to improve people's overall health. Because of the higher price tag, almost 35% more than that of normal Broccoli, how far the new version will become popular remains to be seen. If increasing acceptance of organic foods which are costlier than their industrially produced counterparts is any indication, super Broccoli may capture the imagination of the consumers who are becoming more and more sensitive to food safety and general health.

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

SUGAR "SCARCITY"?-IMPACT ON ADDICTION TO SUGAR?

2011-11-12T12:53:00.002+05:30

If recent international reports are any indication, sugar market is in for some turbulence in the next two years due to fast depletion of sugar stocks world wide and demand from industry as well as the consumers increasing at a fast pace. There are many disturbing questions which are going to daunt the producing countries as well as those countries depending on imported sugar to meet domestic demand. Will there be a massive increase in world prices and if so will it be tolerated by the consumers including the food industry? Will this curb sugar consumption considered desirable by nutritional pundits? Sugar is one of the most reviled food commodities in the world and cause of practically every disease that afflicts humans is attributed to this so called "white poison". What will be the impact of increased price of sugar on the "Gasohol" industry in Brazil? Will the bio-fuel industry be affected seriously? Sugar is enmeshed in politics with many politicians having a finger in the pie, controlling production in the cooperative sector in India and if there is substantial price increase will the additional benefits be passed on to the grower by way of increased Minimum Support Price for the cane? Probably there may not be any ready answer to any of the above questions right now.

If the new price levels are substantially higher than what they are today, sugar exporting countries can be expected to benefit through increased realization for their exports. But what effect such a policy will have on domestic food inflation needs to be anticipated. Whether one likes it or not any increase in domestic sugar prices will have political consequences for the ruling dispensation and therefore it will pose challenges for the government of present day to orchestrate any clear export policy. This was amply demonstrated recently with food grains in India. Despite the overflowing granaries and extensive rotting of grains in the open due to paucity of storage space, Indian Government could not take any sound decision regarding exports due conflicting pressures from different stake holders. Same can happen with sugar also.

One of the two reasons attributed to the scarcity condition is the "demonizing" of Hugh Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) world over for its alleged role in spreading obesity in the US and it was not long ago that the beverage and food industry switched over to HFCS because of economic advantages. There are conflicting views among the scientific community regarding the ill effects of HFCS but even a small doubt raised on the safety of a food ingredient can spell doom for it because of strong consumer backlash. Same thing happened with HFCS. Though no safety agency in the world has banned HFCS, user industry is voluntarily switching back to white sugar due to fierce consumer perception regarding the long term effect of HFCS on human body, setting in motion a higher demand pull for sugar. Other reason for depletion of international sugar stock is the increasing demand for sugar among population in developing economies in Asia which is not matched by concomitant production rise, necessitating drawing from stocks being held from previous years. It appears the current deficit of sugar is about 15 million tons that could not be bridged through increased production. Droughts and floods which have ravaged the land in major sugar producing countries like Brazil, Mexico, Australia and Thailand have seriously affected their ability to match even previous year's production, let alone achieve increased productivity.

Interestingly there was an increase of 10% in sugar production achieved in developing countries while that from developed world contracted by 4%. In the year 2010-11 developed countries produced about 32 million tons of sugar while other countries put together recorded a production of 128 million tons. Why there should be a shortage in future is not clearly evident if one goes by the statistics, especially when sugar consumption growth is hardly 1.5% globally. Added to this the present forecasts by both the FAO and the USDA
indicate a good sugar year across the world which has the potential to trigger a price crash affecting the fortunes of farmers in countries like Brazil in a significant way. The possibility of HFCS regaining its popularity may further threaten a drastic reduction in sugar demand in the coming years. On the whole there may not be any disaster waiting to happen in the sugar front, at least in the immediate future with any serious repercussions on the economies of sugar producing countries.

Viewed from another point, is the dramatic increase in sugar consumption in countries like India, Vietnam and other developing regions health wise desirable, knowing well about the potential for life style diseases caused by high sugar consumption? It is mind boggling to note that during the last 5 years sugar consumption in these countries has increased by 66%, an average rise of almost 12.5% per year where as world average is only one eighth of this figure! Are these countries going the American way due to their newly acquired economic prosperity? Is it not time for the governments in these countries to evolve suitable policies that has the potential to curb sugar consumption drastically for the sake of a healthy future? It is most unfortunate that organized sugarcane crushing industry in India has virtually decimated the small scale jaggery industry and in many markets jaggery is more expensive than industrial sugar. Indisputably jaggery and similar unrefined sweetener products from sugarcane and palm tress are much more nutritious than white refined sugar. A differential pricing mechanism orchestrated through fiscal measures can make the sugar very expensive while jaggery and similar products can become highly affordable. The million dollar question is whether the political set up in the country in the vice-like grip of sugar lobby will allow such a thing to happen!

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

BOILED PEANUTS- GOOD FOR LONGEVITY?-A REALITY CHECK!

2011-11-10T09:21:00.002+05:30

Peanuts are nutritionally a much acclaimed food with high levels of protein, fat, fiber and some micro nutrients. The "war of nuts" between peanut and soybean for market supremacy has given prominence to both these oil seeds though the protein in peanut is always looked down because of low levels of the essential amino acid Lysine present in this oil seed. In contrast peanut oil has much better stability as a cooking oil while soybean oil is more nutritious because of higher content of unsaturated fats. As a food peanut is a main stream component of diets in India and a few other countries. Soybean is invariably called the "cow of the orient" because of the popularity of soy milk among people in South East Asia. With relatively low consumption of animal milk in many Asian countries, soybean milk presents itself as a highly acceptable alternative. Industrially peanut lags behind soybean which is used extensively to manufacture hundreds of products with high consumer acceptability. Meat substitutes made from soybean are relatively cheap and are considered poor man's meat with almost same texture.

Peanut is consumed at the consumer level as snack items and products like roasted, coated and fried peanut snacks are popular in many countries. Confectionery products made from peanuts, called "Chikkis" using Jaggery or sugar are produced in India by thousands of cottage scale units working in the informal sector. Soybean takes a beating on this score as its major use is confined to extraction of oil and using the residue in animal feed formulations. Soybean curd or Toffu is a favored item liked by Asians and is becoming popular like cheese in other countries also. The processing methods are distinctively different with these two crops. While peanut seeds are processed in Expeller presses followed by solvent extraction, soybean, due to its low oil content goes straight for solvent extraction and refining.

Peanuts hit the headlines recently because of the claims made by some scientific groups that it is rich in a rare phytochemical Resveratrol with supposed credentials for achieving longevity. It was a news because a major source of Resveratrol was red wine about which lot has been written. While Red wine contains this chemical in the range of 0.2 to 12.59 mg per liter, raw Peanut has less than 2 mg per kg. What caught the attention of the world was that the same peanut when boiled increased its Resveratrol level to about 9 mg per kg. However such arithmatic jugglery cannot conceal the fact that while wine can be easily consumed one or two glasses a day, it is unimaginable that one can eat 300 gm of peanut a day to deliver the same quantity. Also not understandable is the loud claims being made about the capability of Resveratrol to prolong life without any human trials so far. At best this phytochemical has been proved to be helpful in keeping at bay diseases like cancers, diabetes etc only in animal experiments. Probably sensationalism and vested commercial interests seem to be floating such claims with practically no scientific basis.

It is true that nature has equipped many plants with toxic chemicals for fighting against pathogens and other marauders and Resveratrol present mostly in the skin of fruits like Red grapes is a proven fighter against bacteria and fungi. Interestingly, during wine production the pomace, rich in Resveratrol is discarded and only a small portion of this chemical is passed on to the juice. Therefore it makes more sense to eat fresh grapes or drink crushed grape juice than the wine to get full benefit of the fruit's Resveratrol content. Is it not a commercial ploy by the wine industry to tout about the ability of wine to prolong life? Same appears to be true in the case of peanuts also as consumption of this oil seed directly as food is limited and a major portion goes for recovery of edible oil leaving the residue for feeding cattle. Whether Resveratrol is more concentrated in the pressed residue or in the oil fraction is some what not clear but refined peanut oil

definitely cannot be a source because of the severe refining process the raw oil has to go through under which Resveratrol cannot be expected to be stable.

Another side of Resveratrol story is still more fascinating. It concerns about its solubility, biological absorption and metabolism. Being practically insoluble in water delivery of Resveratrol to the cells is fraught with many uncertainties. Buccal delivery (by chewing in the mouth) is supposed to be some what better and based on this finding by some scientists, chewing gum formulations containing Resveratrol are already in some markets. Oral ingestion is supposed to be very inefficient with not even 5% of the administered quantity ending up in the blood stream. Both small intestine and liver are known to conjugate Resveratrol into glucuronate and sulfonate, both inactive in any way. Synthetic versions and bio-technologically made products are available but due to uncertainty about the real effect of Resveratrol in human body, no approved drug formulations have been marketed though some major drug companies are reported to be investing in this area with the hope of coming out with a successful product eventually. If they succeed humanity may have an effective drug that can counteract many diseases including cancers, severe inflammation, diabetes and cardiovascular aberrations.

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

IS THE US BECOMING THE CAPITAL OF FOOD POISONING?-A SCARY SCENARIO!

2011-11-06T13:43:00.002+05:30

Why is that almost all food related poisoning incidences are reported from the developed world? The much maligned developing countries do not "boast" of even a single major out break of food poisoning though there might have been occasional reports of minor nature. why is that tourists from Western world are afraid of visiting many poor countries in the world where majority of the population is concentrated? Obviously because they are afraid of polluted atmosphere, unsafe water and food, unhygienic habitats and unreliable medical facilities. But look at the mortality rate due to food poisoning! Very few deaths are attributed to food poisoning, most fatalities attributed to diseases, infectious as well other types. Is there any convincing scientific reason for such a paradox?

There is always the temptation to correlate affluence with food poisoning but is there really such a relationship? No one is sure though circumstantial evidence do point out such a nexus. Most of the pathogenic bacteria involved in food poisoning are more frequently reported in animal foods like meat and egg and this naturally raises the question whether food poisoning has any connection with increased meat production and consumption. Since there are no cultural constraint in mixing meat products and non-meat products as most consumers in the West are meat eaters, scrupulous segregation of these products may not happen in many cases and such a situation can cause cross contamination from these sources. Similarly irrigation water used in cultivation can become contaminated in areas where slaughter houses and meat handling facilities are located and migration of bacteria from water into fruits and vegetables is a distinct possibility. This can explain frequent reporting of contamination of fresh produce such as Spinach, Tomato, Peanuts, Cucumber etc in the US.

One must recall the recent out break of virulent E.coli related food poisoning which killed several persons besides causing damage to the health of hundreds of people in Europe, boasting of high standards of living and modern living facilities and still it is not clear what really caused such an incidence. Though the blame game was going on for some time regarding the culprit for the incidence, finally culminating in putting the blame on an Egyptian consignment of Fenugreek imported for sprouting, the moot question is why it did not happen in the country of origin and why the "monster killer" waited till it landed in Europe to bare its fangs? This is scary situation where no one seems to know which pathogen is going to strike when and where! If a small out break like this could claim several lives in Europe with high standards of living, what if the same kind of poisoning happens in a thickly populated country like India or China?

Most recent food poisoning was reported from the US where the innocuous Cantaloupe became the carrier for Listeria, another little monster with deadly credentials, killing 13 people and affecting many people who were hospitalized. Imagine the fate of many people who had the misfortune to eat this fruit when it is known that the food poisoning manifestations from Listeria can appear several weeks after the consumption of the contaminated fruit. Though several theories float around regarding the reason for this fruit to get contaminated, no one seems to have a sure answer. It is admitted by Microbiologists familiar with the episode that finding out the reason may not be easy. Probably the contamination must have occurred due to improper washing process allowing the bacteria to migrate into the inside of the fruit. Fortunately due to recall of about 300,000 cases of the suspected fruit the damage was some what contained. The stark question that confront countries like the US is whether prevention of such episodes can be more effective than spending time and resources to chase the problem after such episodes are allowed to occur.

Food poisoning is reported to affect an estimated 48 million people in the U.S. each year, leading to 128,000 hospitalizations and 3,000 deaths and such food-borne illnesses cost the nation's economy about $152 billion annually in health-care expenses and lost productivity. It is time to reinvent the meaning of food safety and new rules are necessary to ensure food does not become contaminated due to callous handling to limit illnesses. The last word on Cantaloupe tainting has not been heard because there may be thousands of households in the country holding the contaminated fruit in their refrigerators waiting to be consumed without the consumers unaware of the consequences awaiting them if and when they eat them. Mandatory rules, not guidelines, are needed to force the industry to adopt correct practices to prevent illnesses arising out of contamination of foods with a plethora of more and more virulent bacteria.

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

THE ANTIOXIDANT DATA BASE-A NEW CHILEAN INITIATIVE

2011-11-03T08:26:00.002+05:30

Antioxidants are to day more or less recognized as the saviors of mankind from many non-infectious diseases like cancer. Such a situation has come about after it was found by many scientific studies about the ability of antioxidants to scavenge free radicals from the body. Oxy radicals generated in the human body due to various metabolic reactions, if not removed promptly, are believed to cause damage to DNA which can cause various types of cancers affecting different organs and other vital functions. It is believed that fruits provide high levels of antioxidants, mainly in the form of poly phenols and a generous consumption of these protective foods can keep many diseases away. The latest dietary recommendations suggest that almost half the plate of foods consumed every day should be contributed by fruits and vegetables.

It is believed that human body makes its own anti oxidants to neutralize the day to day generation of oxy radicals there by protecting it from many serious diseases but modern day life contributes a much larger levels of oxy radicals which need more anti oxidants to make them innocuous. Optimum health to day means ensuring taking adequate amounts of anti oxidants through daily diet. This naturally raises the question regarding the relative efficiency of various food sources in providing high levels of antioxidants to the body. Poly phenols which are natural constituents of many foods consumed daily are considered to be of efficient antioxidant credentials though there is always the question of their absorption across the GI tract under normal conditions. For these antioxidants to be effective they are required to be delivered to the cells in their active form and it is here where some confusion still exists. If a product claims it is rich in antioxidants, it may not be telling a lie but if the claim refers to health advantages by consuming them, same may not be tenable because of uncertainties regarding the actual absorption and delivery to the cells for making them work.

ORAC Value proposed by the National Institute on Aging under National Institution of Health, Bethesda, USA is widely used to assess the efficacy of foods as a source of antioxidants. ORAC value simply predicts the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity of a substance through laboratory analyzes and is widely used in estimating the antioxidant value of different foods. It was the USDA which first brought out a compendium of foods with different ORAC values to help the consumers to select antioxidant rich foods in their daily diet. Recently the Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology in Chile has brought out the ORAC values of 140 different fruits grown all over the world, besides providing useful information about other nutrients present in them. Unfortunately the world has not reached a stage where ORAC values can be used as a reliable indicator for making legally health claims by different food resources. But it till serves the purpose of helping the consumers to select the ones with highest ORAC value for his continued well being.

Many people may be unaware that Sorghum, considered a poor man's staple in many countries is a rich source of antioxidants boasting of a high ORAC value of 45,400! Compare this with the ORAC value of 290,285 for a spice like Cloves or 131, 420 for Cinnamon or 127,068 for Turmeric. The much ridiculed Curry Powder of India can boast of an ORAC value of 48, 504. Some times it is intriguing to see many published scientific papers touting about high ORAC values for fruits like Blackberries, Blueberries and other berries like Calafate, Macqui, Murtilla etc because these are not produced in substantial quantities to be available year around, if the demand rises rapidly. Besides they are not consumed in big quantities to deliver high levels of antioxidants. On the other hand take the case of foods like Sorghum which is taken to meet bulk of the energy needs in some parts of the world and the impact can be quite high. Of course a good balanced diet containing different sources of antioxidants like Berries and other colored fruits and vegetables, grains like Sorghum, Spices like Turmeric, Cumin, Black Pepper etc will always be a sure bet against accumulation of Oxy radicals in the body as they can effectively scavenge them regularly.

The Compilations by the USDA and the Chile Institute are considered a great service to humanity because of the educational value they have on the food consumption behavior of the population at large. With such readily available data, industry must be encouraged to use ORAC value of every food marketed by it and such a step can hope to tide over the increasing wave of Cancer and other diseases in the coming years.

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

OLD IS ALWAYS OLD!-DOES ANY ONE CARE?

2011-11-01T10:32:00.003+05:30

Aging is an unstoppable process while dying is a natural culmination of aging. In many countries there is a retirement age, generally 60 years after which the person enters the "senior citizen " category. To soften the shock of retirement many governments roll out welfare schemes and many senior citizen friendly policies which are supposed to make the life some what less "miserable"! The real crunch of old age comes beyond the age of 70-75 years when various faculties start declining rapidly while mental agility is affected by gradual lose of cognitive ability. Help and assistance can make the misery of old age less daunting and children of senior citizens are supposed to provide physical and mental solace to their old age parents. Unfortunately in these "dog eating dog" days, many children forget the sacrifices made by their parents and look out for old age homes to "push" them for ensuring their own pleasure and comfort.

imagine the conditions of 100 million people in India who are considered old with most of them left to fend for themselves without any assistance because of many reasons, some genuine while most of them due to sheer callousness and selfish nature of their children. Added to this there are many parents unwilling to be considered dependents of their children either due to extra ordinary affection for their off springs or high sense of self respect choosing a life of misery. Besides there are many old people suffering from diseases like CVD, cancer, BP, kidney problems etc who need constant and committed care and it is very difficult for their children, even if they love them, to provide such services without sacrificing their own career and endangering their future. Though children have a "duty" to take care of their old age parents, Society also must bear some responsibility and it is the Government that can do maximum through institutional arrangements of good quality. Private players can lessen the burden of the government through setting up elderly friendly retirement homes for well to do people.

NGOs, many of which do excellent social work, are doing yeomen service to the community through setting up old age homes and operating them satisfactorily in many parts of the country. Due to the enormity of the logistics involved, these voluntary agencies are not able to make any dent on this vexed problem. There are some private players in the field offering some what better quality live-in places for senior people charging heavily and those who have regular pension income of substantial sums or with good financial resources can only afford such places. Some people, seeing the writing on the wall vis-a-vis the fate of old age people in the society, provide for them selves through investments while they are still earning, to ensure comfortable and livable places offered by private builders. Of course with the real estate sector, being what it is to day, there is no guarantee that these people would not be left high and dry at old age by unscrupulous builders. There are no legal frame work that will ensure justice for such people.

Old age is cruel because of another reason. Food and nutrition needs are different as people go through the biological process of aging and it is rarely that old age residential facilities as they operate to day have any health or nutrition experts providing the required inputs to food preparations and their recipes. Particularly troubling are the failing eye sight, failing hearing faculty and decreasing appetite combined with declining taste buds. Design of old age homes requires lot of special considerations as the facilities should have adequate scope for entertainment, activities that can give mental and physical stimulation, walking area with minimum vulnerability to bone fracture, services of qualified physicians and many other features to make the life free from worries and tension normally associated with active life. Probably established hospitals should consider establishing such homes for old people in proximity to their existing facilities and government must provide adequate "motivating" incentives for major hospitals to create such "centers of excellence" for comfortable living of old age population, especially those affected by various ailments requiring medical attention.

Recent reports from some of the wealthy countries where prevalence of old age homes is a boon to the citizens indicate that there are gross deficiencies in their services. After unannounced visits to 100 NHS hospitals in UK by an empowered group, called Care Quality Commission, it was found that fewer than half of them feed old people properly or treat them with compassion and dignity. According to this report one out of three hospitals inspected needed to make significant improvements in one or both areas. One in five were so bad they were actually breaking the law in their treatment of the elderly. Of course there are also excellent hospitals, few in number with highly motivated nurses, ancillary staff and doctors with some of them professionally caring and deeply committed with personal kindness.

While this is the case with hospitals, what about old age homes? Probably they could be worse than these care centers. One of the reasons for this sorry state of affairs could be because of the government bureaucracy that pervades all public institutions world over. The old age homes run by the government are a shame on the society with over crowding, starvation diet and unkind attitude and behavior of the staff being their hall mark!

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

ARTERY CLEANING FOODS-A NEW GIMMICK?

2011-10-30T12:07:00.002+05:30

Those who suffer from artery "clogging" due to high cholesterol content in the blood must be excited about the news that it is possible to de-clog the arteries without any medication like Statins. The multi billion dollar Statin industry that thrives on atherosclerosis disease affecting millions of people across the world is soon going to have a competitor with better credentials! Of course one will naturally ask the question as to why people suffer from clogging of arteries which can manifest in myocardial infarction or stroke, if adequate discipline is exercised regarding the diet one consumes. Unfortunately even the best psychologists in the world cannot answer the question because human behavior is not amenable to change easily and food consumption practices are evolved over years, influenced by economic factors and the living environment.

The most manifested symptom of arterial clogging, chest pain, is treated with prescription medicines but invariably the affected person ends up too often under the knife of a cardiac surgeon. As arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle gradually become blocked by plaques of cholesterol, fat, cells, and debris, the heart muscle is starved of oxygen. Drugs that are in the market may reduce the pain temporarily though eventually the patient has to seek surgical remedy. Coronary bypass operation or a plaque - busting angioplasty is necessary to restore blood flow to the heart. The alternative is a heart attack and such bypass operations are becoming routine these days in many affluent countries. The surgical intervention is not considered absolutely safe with some unable to survive the procedure. In about 6 percent of cases, it is known to cause brain damage. Another bitter fact is that it is not a permanent cure with the patient forced to go back to the hospital within six to eight years for a repeat of the surgery to repair the arteries again.

An oft repeated question is whether medical intervention is absolutely necessary to restore the health of the arteries and some believe there are alternative choices. It is now realized that clogging of arteries can be reversed through appropriate foods or supplements now being developed by some health products companies. Foods like garlic, oats, soy products, beans and walnuts seem to have the property to reverse clogging if consumed in optimal quantities regularly. The ability of arteries to clean themselves without the help of medicines, if simple diet and lifestyle changes are adopted, has been amply demonstrated and has been accepted by the medical fraternity. Under the right diet and exercise regimen, blockages in the arteries actually shrink significantly within an year. It was in 1990 that the role of diet in reducing atherosclerosis was brought out unambiguously when subjects with varying degree of atherosclerosis found their arteries getting rid of bad cholesterol on a vegetarian diet regimen compared to those consuming preparations with meat and fish regularly.

The role of dietary fiber in reducing cholesterol levels in the blood is now well established. Its ability to "wash out" the cholesterol from the GI tract and not allowing it to be reabsorbed across the intestine is recognized. The recommendation to include 25-30 gm of fiber in daily diet has arisen out of the above conviction and dietary fiber has spawned an industry which sells fiber-rich supplements made from different sources. Even many "synthetic" dietary fiber preparations are being marketed though they cannot work as efficiently as natural fibers from whole cereal, pulses, fruits and vegetables. As the evidence about dietary fiber helping to reduce cholesterol has not been established conclusively through human studies of significant scale, any claim to be printed on the label of a food is some what premature. As the control regime on food supplements is not very strong, many manufacturers get away by making such claims to boost business.

The difficulty in accepting the limited evidence is due to the diverse nature of fibers used in different studies and the tendency to generalize the findings. To date FDA of the US had accorded approval to a Tomato extract that was proved to be effective as a blood thinner in place of Aspirin which is not recommended for normally healthy persons due to its adverse effect on gut health and hemoglobin level and its relatively long metabolic life of 20 days. How ever active efforts are on to get a few products cleared for arterial cleaning and one of them made from a Chitin-glucan fraction derived from Aspergillus niger seems to be promising. The human trials currently underway can only confirm its efficacy as an acceptable artery cleaning supplement.

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

IMPARTING SWEETNESS WITHOUT BEING SWEET!-IS IT POSSIBLE?

2011-10-23T15:59:00.002+05:30

Man's quest for natural substances that can mimic sweet taste is never ending and it has assumed a new urgency because of the debilitating adverse effect of high intake of sugars like Sucrose in human body. The diabetic population that cannot ingest too much sugar and over weight consumers look for sugar substitutes which are safe for long term consumption. Almost all successful substitutes in the market to day are synthetic ones except Stevia Ribaudiosides and their safety status is always mired in controversy, leaving the consumers in a blind regarding the desirability of using them in daily diet. As for Stevia sugar, there is still some uncertainty regarding unreserved and universal clearance though consumers seem to be preferring this product increasingly these days.

Arrival of sweet tasting proteins has further kindled the interest in sugar substitutes and exciting developments are taking place to make some of these protein based natural sweeteners commercially available. A few of these proteins having potential to become acceptable sugar substitutes include Miraculin, Brazzein, Curculin, Monellin,Thaumatin, Pentadin and Mabilin, all natural substances present in plants growing in Africa and other places with traditional use well established. Of all these substances, Miraculin, a glycoprotein occurring in the so called Miracle fruit from Africa has attracted world wide attention because of its peculiar property to impart sweetness in the mouth through molecular interaction on the tongue, without being sweet by itself. There are many commercial products based on this fruit that promise a lot to the consumers but unless more developmental work is done it is unlikely to go main stream immediately.

The Miracle fruit which is now grown in Ghana, Puerto Rico, Taiwan and Florida in the US is perishable, lasting for 2-3 days but can be processed to get the pulp which if freeze dried can be quite stable for more than 6 months. Most commercial preparations are based on freeze dried powder which can be formulated into convenient form of delivery such as tablets and capsules. When the fruit is chewed for some time in the mouth, Miraculin released from the fruit interacts with the taste buds linked to sweetness and the resultant coating causes any food at acidic pH tastes sweet. The sweetness created can be equivalent to a 17% sucrose solution but its effect can be varying depending on the acidity of the food consumed. It is not effective below a pH of 3 or above 12. Interestingly sweet modifying effect lasts for 6 months if stored at 5C. Being a protein, Miraculin is not very stable at high temperatures beyond 100C and hence not suitable to be used in baked foods.

Genetic engineering technology has been able to get the Miraculin expressed in E.coli, Lettuce and Tomato. 2 gm of GM Lettuce can express same amount of Miraculin as a single berry of Miracle fruit. However these products will remain unexploited for long because of lack of clearance by the safety authorities world over. One of the reasons for Miraculin not taking off as a sugar substitute is that there are not enough studies on its safety for long term human use as a food additive. The only country that allows use of Miraculin in foods is Japan where commercial products containing Miraculin are in the market.

Imagine the potential for designing hundreds of new products using Miraculin that can be a boon to millions of consumers around the world desperately yearning for sugarless products to sustain their life style, not willing or able to consume high sugar containing foods and beverages. If Miraculin can achieve sweetness equal to 17% of sugar syrup, new products with less sugar or no sugar can be easily developed, the only limitation being that this substance, a protein by nature, is not stable at high temperatures as being encountered in baking. Is it not fantastic that almost all synthetic beverages, most of them made with the much hated HFCS, can be made with zero sugar using Miraculin as an ingredient? How about chocolate products being manufactured using Miraculin that may enable millions of chocolate loving consumers to continue to eat them without any "guilt conscience"! Why not Miraculin containing preparations be made available for household use so that fresh food preparations with sweet taste can be made using significantly less sugar or no sugar at all?

Of course the food technologists will have to work around to evolve right conditions in new products to "activate" Miraculin effect at the point of consumption. This is now possible because the mechanism of action of this active chemical has been elucidated by scientists in Japan and France who report that Miraculin's interaction with the tongue's sweet sensors depends on the acidity of the local environment. At a pH of 4.8, the sweet-tasting cells on the tongue respond twice as vigorously to Miraculin than they do at a less acidic pH of 5.7. With pH levels of 6.7 and higher, the protein seems to slightly change its molecular shape, blocking the sweet sensors but not activating them. Probably this accounts for the phenomenon that, under certain conditions, sweet foods may taste less flavorful after eating the berry. Plants are known to pack their fruits with sugars to attract animals, which after eating the fruit, distribute the seeds inside through their droppings. But, in a trick of nature, some plants like Miracle fruit, protein instead of sugar, is used to deliver a sweet taste. It is possible that these fruits, small in size with limited biochemical ability to synthesize sugar, have a different mechanism of synthesizing proteins that give the same effect. Interestingly Miraculin is the only one sweetness associated natural protein which does not taste sweet while all others, considered sugar substitutes, be it chemical or natural, are sweet themselves at relatively low concentrations.

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

HARVESTING OF TREE NUTS-A HERCULEAN PROBLEM!

2011-10-19T10:50:00.003+05:30

When Western world is talking to day about urban gardens to encourage local production of some food crops and reduce the carbon foot print of foods consumed every day, in India such gardens have always been existing. In the South there is hardly a house without a coconut tree and there are many with fruit crops like Guava, Mango, Sapota or even a sprinkling of vegetable plants producing Pumpkins, Spinach, Beans, Okra etc. Of course this trend is declining with house sites getting smaller and smaller in many cities and water becoming a constraint. Coconut, one of the most favorite perennial crops is still valued as it is a staple food in some states like Kerala, Karnataka, Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh and Goa. The catapulting of Coconut oil as a health ingredient because of its high medium chain fatty acids like Lauric acid has created a big demand for it through out the world.

There was a time when Coconut plants growing in places like Miami and Southern Florida in the US as kerbside plants and the nuts were swept off the roads as a litter material and even to day thousands of coconuts broken on the path of the deity Lord Ganesha during Thaipusam Festival in Malaysia find no takers, finally ending up in the landfill! In thousands of temples in India coconut is a part of the offering to God along with flowers, fruits, camphor and incense sticks. Coconut oil is also a much valued hair oil with large markets in the South and West Bengal. There are many uses for the coconut tree and its nuts and Kerala in India has large number of industries thriving on coconut, its husk, shell, leaves etc as it is a state where these trees thrive because of the favorable climate and profuse rains. The toddy industry in the state is dependent on tapping of the trees several times an year.

As a food coconut meat is used in many food preparations in the form of fresh gratings, extracted milk and desiccated powder. Water from tender coconut is a much valued beverage, often taken as a thirst quencher and healthy drink and in countries like the US this beverage is marketed as "equal" to blood because of its reported use as a substitute for blood for transfusion during World War II. With the role of Medium Chain Fatty acids in maintaining good health becoming apparent, demand for coconut oil in the international market has increased significantly recently causing a spurt in its price. World production of 61 million tons of coconut is contributed by 80 countries though Philippines, Indonesia and India account for more than 75%. In India four southern states of Kerala, Tamilnadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh produce more than 92% of the country's production.

Harvesting coconuts requires traditional skill for climbing the tree, which in some cases can be as tall as 70-80 ft and experience in picking up mature ones from several bunches and the frequency of harvesting can be once in 40 to 60 days. In Malaysia and Indonesia the nuts are picked by trained pig tailed Macaque monkeys and therefore human intervention is avoided. There are specialized training schools in these countries for training monkeys to climb and pluck mature nuts. But in India only human beings climb the trees to harvest the nuts and till recently adequate workers with necessary skills were available charging reasonably for the work. However during the last two years there has been a drastic reduction of the work force because of migration of these workers to other better paying avocations. This has led to a situation where those who still do the job charging exorbitantly for climbing coconut trees. There are many coconut plantations in Kerala looking for permanent employees for plucking coconut, willing to pay as much as Rs 15000 per month.

It is reported that dearth of coconut climbers is delaying harvest in many parts of the state and adversely affecting the productivity of the trees. Traditional climbers not only pluck coconuts but also take care of the trees, keeping them free of disease. This is reflected in the marginal dip in production in the state this year. It is a tribute to the Coconut Board at Kochi which has taken upon itself the task to address this problem on a war footing. Since the middle of August, the board has conducted free residential weekly training programs in 12 centers in Kerala, under a budget allocation of Rs 30 million which is expected to turn out about 5,000 climbers to pluck coconuts and identify diseases and spot seeds. They are also exposed to the technique of use of the tree climbing machine which are distributed free for practicing the profession amd make a career of it. The use of climbing machines also allows women to enter the traditionally male-dominated profession. Coconut plantation owners, as well as residents with coconut palms in their courtyards, will be hoping that the new crop of climbers start their work immediately. .

While Kerala is lucky to have the organizational backing of the Coconut Board, what about other states? What type of relief can be given to millions of house holds in these states who regret for having planted the trees in their premises considering the hassles involved in harvesting coconuts in time and avoiding unnecessary quarrel with their neighbors? Can there be tree crop harvesting companies formed here which can lend its workers for harvesting for a consideration? Entrepreneurship in this area can be a win-win situation for everybody.Already pre-harvest contractors are dominant in many states for crop harvesting and marketing and the tender coconut industry has evolved a system of contracting trees for harvesting tender ones based on an agreed price. These entrepreneurs must see an opportunity for a service business and form organizational entities with modern outlook. If this happens India can emerge as the top coconut producing country in the world within a short span of time.

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

THE ARSENIC "DEBATE"-A MISPLACED SAFETY CONCERN

2011-10-17T09:25:00.002+05:30

In to day's world man suspects that every thing he comes into contact with, can be dangerous and with modern style of living, the number of chemicals used in thousands of consumer products is increasing every day. Many of these have been studied for their safety and clearance for use given based on available scientific data. However with widely divergent conclusions thrown up by such studies, no firm conclusion can be drawn regarding the safety of any chemical that comes into contact with human being or consumed through foods. To cite an example both Saccharine and Cyclamate were hailed, when they were introduced as sugar substitutes, as "God sent" and enjoyed wide scale acceptance, especially by the consumers who are sugar "intolerant"! A few years later both were implicated in many health disorders by toxicologists leading to their ban in many countries. This trend was reversed later after finding the earlier studies faulty and unreliable and to day both these sugar substitutes are allowed in many countries!

Recent uproar regarding Arsenic content in Apple juice is another example of misplaced concerns on the part of some consumers and activists, in spite of the fact that arsenic is a common contaminant in air since time immemorial. Finding fault with regulatory agencies for not banning the Apple juice is totally misconceived and deserves contempt and pity! Probably those who find danger in every food they eat must think of migrating to another planet where they may get the ideal living condition aspired by them. Life on earth is based on a balance of risks and benefits associated with any endeavor and one has to get reconciled to this truth. It is true that ingestion of Arsenic by humans at high doses can be dangerous and this trace mineral is implicated in development of cancer of Lungs, Bladder, GI Tract and Skin, especially when consumed through water containing more than 50 micro grams (ug)per liter. This is the reason why only a low level of 10 parts per billion of Arsenic is allowed in drinking water.

Arsenic concentration in air can be about 0.02 to 4 nano gram (ng) per cubic meter in rural areas where air is considered relatively pure. This can go up to 200 ng per cubic meter in urban areas where industrial emissions and other factors can contribute to higher Arsenic concentration. It can go as high as 1000 ng in areas near smelters. Sea water contains arsenic as high as 1000 to 2000 ng per liter while ground water may also have same levels of this toxic metal. There are reports that water sources near volcanic rocks, sulfur mineral deposits can have Arsenic as high as 3000 ug per liter! Normally soil samples contain about 1-40 mg of Arsenic per kg. While discussing about the toxicity of Arsenic it is to be noted that inorganic Arsenic is more dangerous and out of the average consumption of Arsenic through the food, about 20-300 ug/day, 25% is the inorganic version. There is the million dollar question as to why no agency has set an upper limit for Arsenic that can be considered safe when ingested through food and probably this may be exercising the mind of many people who entertain apprehension on this score.

It is true that long term exposure to Arsenic, especially at high levels is injurious but setting up an upper limit for safety for every food is not considered practical. Water is a critical material consumed in large quantities, 2-3 liters a day and greater precaution is necessary in avoiding unsafe levels. Therefore such limits have been incorporated in potable water standards. One of the reasons for giving priority to water is that most Arsenic present in water is inorganic in nature and hence more dangerous. In contrast Arsenic present in foods is organic type with considerably less toxicity. So far no food product has been reported to have Arsenic content more than that set for water and therefore the apprehension on this score may be misplaced.

According to present data available Sea foods including fish contribute about 77% of the Arsenic exposure by average person while cereal products, vegetables, meat products and dairy products account for 10%, 6%, 4% and 3% respectively. Further the present safe Arsenic intake level is 15 ug per kg body weight per week (PTIW) while through all sources the average intake is reported to be less than 7 PTIW as per some studies. Rice is one of the food materials, suspected to have a tendency to absorb Arsenic from the soil because of profuse water use and rice products originating from the US and France have been reported to contain 0.24 to 0.28 mg per kg posing some concern at one time. Use of Arsenic containing crop protectants in the field also has been implicated in accumulation of the metal in paddy crops. Fortunately in high rice consuming countries like India and Egypt, the Arsenic levels in the rice are never known to be above 0.1 mg per kg. While continued monitoring of foods for Arsenic level is necessary to pre-empt any possible poisoning episode in future, consumers should not be unduly worried about Arsenic at least for the time being.

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

RURAL DEVELOPMENT-AN INDIAN PERSPECTIVE

2011-10-15T20:00:00.002+05:30

It is said that India lives in rural areas because as a country predominantly agrarian in nature, agriculture was the backbone of the economy till recently. It is another matter that economic liberalization policies ushered two decades ago have pushed the agriculture to the background though it still contributes substantially to the GDP of the country. With a population of more than 1.1 billion, India has the unenviable task of producing adequate foods to feed its citizens qualitatively and quantitatively. To achieve this agriculture must receive adequate focus by the Planning Commission and the government and neglecting the farmers may not be best way to achieve food security. if the spate of suicides by farmers in all parts of the country is any any indication, there is some thing radically wrong with the governing system in place in this country.

The attitude of the government, that massive subsidies are being given in every budget that comes each year and therefore the farmers should have no grouse, is seriously misplaced. Does not the government understand that there is massive leakage of funds intended for agricultural subsidy, only a portion of it reaching the intended beneficiaries. Due to inadequate oversight farmers find it hard to access right type of inputs including seeds and erratic rains make their cup of misery full! Crop insurance schemes are not working as intended to be and drought is a common recurrence in many parts of the country. Remunerative price to the farmers for their crops is still a mirage and agriculture in India has never been viable in the past or present. What is the option for the hapless farmer to keep his soul and body together? Migration to urban areas in search of better earning opportunities? This is what is happening in the country, leading to swelling of the population in urban areas due to continuous and unhindered influx of rural folks day and night!

Look at the statistics relating to urbanization in the country which can be quite perplexing for any concerned citizen. In 1947 only 15% of the population was residing in Urban areas as against 30% plus to day. Between 1991 and 2001 urban population grew by a staggering 31% while growth of rural population was just 18%. It is estimated by experts that another 95 million people will be added to the existing 300 million plus population in in urban areas by the year 2020! Why are the rural folks so enamored by the city life? Major reason is that an average urban dweller earns almost 4 times the earning of a rural resident. But do they realize that by leaving the serene and unpolluted environment in their native villages, they are going to end up in a highly polluted settlement where more than 30% stay in ghettos or slums with hardly any facility for protected water or toilet or waste water drainage. As against just 2% population growth in the country as a whole, slum population in the cities grows by a whopping 9% annually. Still rural people rush to the cities hoping for a better living standard!

What can be done to reverse this trend? Of course even discussing this issue by an ordinary mortal like this blogger may be frowned upon by hundreds of so called "experts" but as a citizen every one has a right to express individual views which may be laughable for some. It is often not realized that the three important yardstick that can be used to gauge the success of rural development programs are the natural environment within which people live, social well being that ensures good quality life and the economic security for long term happiness. Why is that urban elites yearn for visiting rural areas as a part of their leisure and pleasure style of life? Why not the unspoiled environment of rural settings be exploited as a part of tourism which can boost the income levels of the local population? Rural population can stay back in their villages only if their social well being is boosted by economic activities which in turn can come only if educational facilities are established. If GOI is serious about uplifting of rural economy, industrialization is a must and if agricultural crops are the main strength of the rural areas, agriculture specific industries must be thought of in a big way.

Why is that every industry wants to set up their operations in cities or nearby? Obviously because of decent infrastructure, easy availability of literate workers and proximity to the market. Why not the Government provide at least two of the above prerequisites so that industry can be attracted in large numbers? If infrastructure in terms of good roads, abundant water supply and power and reasonable educational facilities are ensured other things will take care of themselves. It is often said that if industry is set up in rural settings, it has the potential to starve the agricultural activities like tilling, sowing, crop tending, harvesting, threshing and bagging, of workers as industry invariably pays higher wages. Besides there is more job security with assured work through out the year. This is a warped argument because if industrialization takes place there will be reverse migration from cities to villages by people in search of jobs! It is well to remember the prophetic words of our our vice, knowledgeable past President Abdul Kalam about converting the "villages into cities" by providing various services and facilities as being enjoyed by the urban residents.

It is well known that the food processing industry generates added value by transforming agricultural raw materials into products that are easily marketable because of improved storability and nutritive value and appropriate linkage to farms can enhance income and profitability of producers very significantly. Why is this country perpetuating a system of exploitation of the farmers by traders and brokers who profit the most from agricultural products due to their direct access to market and it is only the food processing activities in rural area that can reduce the role of these intermediaries. Since the food processing industry needs educated people with modern knowledge and technical skills, a positive push will be provided to encourage people in rural areas to improve their education to meet the standard of industrial workers. Probably such a push can spur the growth of educational institutions which can supply the needs of the industry.

The debate, whether rural industry has to be small in size or large industries can also play the role of rural development, is irrelevant because all types of food industry are people oriented though large industry does deploy lot of automatic machinery for many operations. Of course small and medium enterprises (SMEs) may have better chance of success because they are generally seen as having a higher propensity to innovate than larger firms due to their amenability to be more flexible, dynamic and responsive to shifts in demand and changes in economic conditions. Giving the food processing SMEs the lead role in rural development can stimulate other sectors to grow. A good quality of life in rural areas will definitely discourage any exodus to urban areas. It is time India sheds its "Elephantine" image because of its size and slow progress and acts more like a tiger with springiness in its strides when it comes to rural development and urbanization.

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

TOUCH THE ELBOW, NO SHAKE HAND PLEASE-NEW GREETING NORM?

2011-10-12T12:15:00.002+05:30

Who is not scared of a viral or bacterial infection these days with many pathogenic vectors floating around unseen but still omnipotent? Whether it is Hong Kong Flu or Avian Flu or Swine Flu or Chickungunya, it is not easy to forget the trauma through which people all over the world have gone through, being constantly afraid of contracting the infection and undergoing the consequences. While it is easy to maintain a clean, hygienic and healthy environment within the four walls of the home, there is the inevitability for human beings to be in contact for social, professional and other activities and it is such a situation that brings people close to sources of infection leading to development of various infectious diseases. Infectious diseases can spread through air-borne vectors or through food and water or through contact with infected persons. Most feared mode of infection is through air-borne pathogenic organisms which has a potential to develop into an epidemic, difficult to contain in spite of all progress made by humanity in contagious disease front.

There are well laid down guidelines as to how one can avoid contracting a contagious disease but recommended practices are rarely followed unless there is a grave threat from an epidemic. Personal hygiene counts a lot in resisting infections and there are hundreds of sanitation products helping man to keep himself clean with minimum risk of falling sick. Frequent hand washing is one of the best ways to prevent infectious bugs reaching the oral or nasal area while during a pandemic, use of masks is often resorted to for reducing the chances of infection reaching the vulnerable points in the body. The sources of serious infecting agents can include the air one breathes, contributed by infected persons coughing or sneezing or norting in public places. The infecting vectors like Virus can stay alive for 24 hours and therefore their density can increase astronomically during day time and normal people exposed to such an environment can get easily infected. Similarly there are many contact sources in public places like door handles, walls, furniture, public transport, hospitals, offices etc where people can contract the infection through unconscious contact.

If the world we live in is so dangerous vis-a-vis infectious diseases which can be spread easily, what prevents frequent major catastrophe in the form of epidemics that can be fatal to many people? One of the factors that protect people from these diseases is their immunity system which can over power, up to a limit, any invasion by foreign bodies and stronger the immune system, lesser will be the chance of suffering from many infections. But expecting that all people will have strong immunity may be a bit too far fetched because human body needs many nutrients through the foods consumed to maintain strong health and according to hunger pundits there are at least a billion people in this planet spread across all the continents, going hungry every day due to lack of access to goof food! Imagine the condition of their immune system and obviously they will be the most vulnerable target for contagious diseases. Vaccination against more than 25 diseases is now being practiced during very early stages of life and putting emphasis and priority for such preventive programs will go a long way to protect people from known diseases. But it the unknown and surprisingly new variants of pathogens that cause occasional infectious epidemic against which pre-emptive action cannot be taken.

Has culture some thing to do with spread of infection? Obviously there appears to be a connection. There are several ways of greeting being practiced by different societies. These include the famous Indian Namaste with folded hands which does not call for contact between the person greeted and the one who greets and this may the safest way with no danger of infection getting transmitted. Then comes the Japanese "bowing" practice which is also safe. In some communities embracing and/ or cheek to cheek contact symbolize bon homie but chance of transfer of infection is greatest here. Hand shaking is, by far, the most accepted international norm of greeting and if the latest research is any indication it is time this practice is shunned if spread of infection is to be avoided because hands, especially the right hand palm used for the "shake hand" mode of greeting may be a major source of infection in all people who are active in public life and the vastly expanded communication and transportation infrastructure the world enjoys to day, it makes every person vulnerable to be infected through the "shake hand" process.

In to day's modern world it is difficult to avoid contact with hundreds of sources of infection, in spite of meticulous care taken to keep oneself clean and hygienic. Is it possible in any modern office to avoid touching files, using computers, telephones and other office gadgets, going to canteen, using the lifts and escalators, operating electric switches, shaking hand with fellow workers and visitors, going to toilets and many other activities that can pass on the infection from one to the other through these carriers? Of course sanitation pundits may say that frequent washing of hands can help minimizing the potential of spread of infection but not avoiding it altogether. A suggestion has been made recently that in stead of shake hand, international community should consider "touching the elbow" which after all does not come in contact with any contaminated surface. How far this suggestion will go down well with people remains to be seen. There is a possibility that such gestures may be misconstrued for "patronizing" of one person by a superior person! Considering all these factors why not settle for the Indian "Namaste" or Japanese "Bow" for international fraternization?

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

CORRUPTION IN SCIENCE-WHOM TO BLAME?

2011-10-09T14:52:00.001+05:30

There are many virtues one expects from men and women aspiring to be leaders of scientific pursuits and the most critical one is integrity. Of course there are other qualities like knowledge, experience, good track record and leadership quality to inspire colleagues. It is known that many scientific and technical institutions in India are headed by "round holes in the square pegs" and these undeserving persons get to the top through political patronage with their Godfathers at Delhi standing behind them for necessary protection if they are caught at some time or the other! Scientists are supposed to pursue truth through their research and the very same people becoming corrupt in thoughts and action is a sad commentary on Indian science!

Close on the heels of some enlightened and eminent persons questioning the real worth of the faculty at IITs under the HRD Ministry and the quality of students gaining admission, comes the news about the damning of the Directors of two IITs in the country which caused some consternation among all sections of Indian society. It appears that these two Directors were indicted by the highest crime investigating agency in the country and despite this they continue to be supported by the government allowing them to function unhindered with no punishment of any nature. Millions of law abiding Indians, having faith in the constitution and believing in the philosophy that "retribution must follow wrong doers" are appalled by the indifference or support or condoning the wrong doings, by higher ups with clout and power base. As for the scientists who are found guilty of wrong doing, if they have even an iota of conscience and shame they should have put in their papers long ago. Unfortunately these values are no more important in to day's India with politicians and bureaucrats setting the example for violating all decent norms of life. Look at the corruption, financial scams, looting of public funds, criminal activities and other undesirable doings across the country with no political party above this shameful practices and naturally no Delhi-based or controlled administrator can be expected to be immune to this "gravy train"!

One is reminded of another Director in an established CSIR Laboratory specialized in food research who was recently "allowed" to go "Scot free" in spite of solid evidence of nepotism, corruption, financial misappropriation and literally "killing" the organization through brutal suppression of decent scientists, not towing his line! It is not that GOI did not know about his wrong doings because almost all investigating arms of the government had damned him for his dereliction of duty and unethical management of this great scientific institution for almost 17 years! His strength was his political muscle with almost all parties though what cost he had paid for their patronage is not known still. How such a person was allowed to go on "voluntary" retirement without even an admonition, is known only to the Director General of CSIR, Minister for Science and Technology and the Prime Minister who chairs the Governing Council of CSIR. Is it not callousness, indifference and insensitivity on the part of the GOI to allow this person to go without any accountability? Not only that CSIR was "magnanimous" in rewarding this person with "Distinguished Scientist" though no one knows what distinction he was able to bring to food science during his pedestrian career.

Can good Science survive in this country with a government bent on supporting mediocrity and corruption ridden scientists? There are hundreds of good honest scientists in the country with high technical and achievement credentials who are never allowed to come up due to this unfortunate phenomenon requiring people to be sycophants and "feet touching" champions if to be in power in government institutions. It is time that the main stream scientists rise against this deplorable situation and make research and technical institutions more democratic and upright. Leaders must be chosen based on acceptance by the scientific staff who are more tuned to the needs of the organization rather than through a charade involving pliable selectors with doubtful credentials. May be there is a need for the rise of an "Anna Hazare" from the scientific group to raise sane voice against corruption in science. Why not a special "scientists malpractice" punishing system where those caught practicing plagiarism, becoming corrupt and mismanaging science can be brought to book and deter others from indulging in such wrong doings? Of course this is possible only if sufficient honest scientist-cum administrators are still left in the country for doing this thankless job!

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

HARNESSING STUDENTS' ENERGY-THE "GARDEN" WAY!

2011-10-05T17:55:00.003+05:30

The US is a country with innovation fore most in the minds of its population in practically every field of human endeavor. When it comes to food their innovative spirit has thrown up new products with a regularity that can be termed as mind boggling. If the food processing sector in the US is considered, it outpaces that in any other country whether in product formulation, ingredient development, packaging, machinery or nutrition and no wonder their insatiable quest for new things has led them to a situation that is threatening their population in terms of ill health and "over nutrition". Interestingly the processing industry riding on modern knowledge driven technologies seems to have let out a "tiger" in the form of junk foods and other types of products with nutritional imbalance which refuses to be tamed! Neither the Government there nor the industry has any clue as to how best the American citizens can be saved from food-driven suicide!

Interestingly the spark for the distortion in food consumption habits was provided by the economic boom that country was experiencing with rich citizens able to buy food far beyond their actual need. After all a human being requires requires hardly 2000-3000 kC and 50-60 gms of proteins along with micro nutrients to maintain decent health but the calories requirement is closely linked to the physical efforts including daily chores and workplace activities. The pronounced shift from a diet rich in whole cereals, fruits, vegetables and other wholesome and nutritious foods to one rich in refined cereals and animal products has precipitated the current crisis. Added to this the government policy of heavily subsidizing wrong foods like Corn, Soybean etc and neglect of fruits and vegetables has made animal foods significantly cheaper driving even low income groups to such foods with low credentials vis-a-vis health protection.

Another dimension to the food and health crisis facing that country is indifferent safety of foods emanating from large industrial conglomerates using unsafe chemicals like antibiotics, pesticides and other inputs considered dangerous. Added to this aggressive popularization of GM foods with controversial safety credentials is considered to be adding to the woes of the American consumer. The highly profit motivated food industry does not seem to be too much concerned about the well being of the consumers and its attitude can be summed up as " profit at any cost" and it is up to the consumer to moderate food consumption and maintain health through exercise!
No wonder organic food industry is making considerable in roads into the main food portfolio as citizens are increasingly being scared about the safety of most of the foods offered in the market. It is a matter for serious introspection why food poisoning episodes due to contamination with deadly pathogens is recurring with sickening regularity in this country and there are many documentary evidence to show that the callous attitude and unpardonable mistakes of the industry are responsible for many of the market recalls of products billions of dollars.

In spite of the above serious lacunae America is also the land where innovative people's movements such as local foods, farmers market, urban garden, gorilla garden, terrace garden, community garden, corporate garden etc had started by people concerned with the quality and safety of foods consumed by them every day. The Food Truck phenomenon which has taken roots in this country is a development worth watching because unlike main stream restaurants these mobile vending units serve nutritionally better food at relatively low cost besides procuring their input materials locally. Latest concept to "arrive" is "Campus Garden" created and nurtured by the student community to feel the real thrill in growing food. Though it remains to be seen how far this phenomenon will last, there is good possibility the movement may spread across the continent considering the potential it holds in accessing safe and nutritious foods for the campus community.

The benefits of community gardens can be considerable. A community garden will promote health and wellness, provide a place for leisure and offer food for those in need. Indirectly it can promote wildlife habitats, storm water control and water quality improvement. One of the limitations of modern society is that students in schools are totally cut off from rural areas where food is produced and have no clue as to how farming activities ensure regular supply food for them. If teaching fraternity can be roped in, it will enrich the knowledge of students about agriculture. Imaginative design of such gardens can contribute to the development of good and constructive relationship with the surrounding community, leading to an environment of peace and tranquility. According to the most recent estimates there are 100 colleges and universities with community gardens on campus in the US, working harmoniously with the neighborhood. .

Why not the above experiment be started in various campuses across the country? Many college campuses have hundreds of hectares of land available that can be put to better use rather than allowing them to remain fallow. While Agricultural colleges in the country, many in number can lead the way, other teaching institutions also can follow them and there will be an impact of far reaching dimension in a few years time. What is needed is a set of standardized kits with necessary guidelines for raising some of the fruits and vegetables of short duration. One of the indirect benefits that may eventually flow out of such innovative development is that institutions with community gardens will turn out much better graduates with high sensitivity to nature and environment. Besides the "destructive" energy that is characteristic of modern youngsters can be channeled for a better cause through campus gardens.

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

PEST MANAGEMENT- END OF SULFURYL FLOURIDE IN SIGHT?

2011-10-05T16:17:00.001+05:30

Fight between man and insects for accessing available food on the earth is as old as the planet itself and many insecticides and pesticides have been evolved as a part of the armory against these vectors. There are thousands of insects that roam allover but food industry is bothered by a few of them which infest foods during production, handling, storage and processing. Though lately use of chemical insecticides is not favored by consumers and health activists, it is difficult to envision a world without the use of one or the other chemicals to prevent spoilage and irreparable loss of many types of foods. It is variably estimated that a significant proportion of food is lost during its travel from the farm to the consumer table and such losses could be as high as 30% in many cases. The million dollar question that faces the humanity is whether the world can afford to loose this much food for the spoilage vectors while a substantial segment of the population go hungry being denied access to limited food resources.

Organic food movement which started in a small way is becoming a force to reckon with because of the apprehension weighing heavily in the minds of people regarding the uncertainties associated with many chemicals used at different stages while growing and processing of food crops. Many of such chemicals have been implicated in diverse health disorders including different types of cancer. There are many chemicals, used extensively earlier, now being discontinued after reliable scientific findings raised serious doubts about their safety for use in foods or processing facilities because the levels of residues left over can expose the consumer to unpredictable adverse health consequences. One major reason for the emerging clarity on safety is the advancement in residue analysis methods and more reliable research tools capable of monitoring residues in parts per billion concentration. For example Aflatoxin levels in peanuts and derived products which pose high risks of damage to liver can now be estimated in ultra low level concentrations and safety standards for limits for this mold derived toxin are continuously going down during the last few years. Same is true in many cases with buyers increasingly demanding zero level contaminants.

Recent proposal in the US regarding banning of a widely used pesticide Sulfuryl Fluoride (SF) is raising shackles in the food industry because of the repercussions such an action can cause to the present infestation control protocols. This chemical was in wide use in non food area, especially in the treatment of wood products against termite attack and it became an option for the food industry after the ban of Methyl Bromide (MB) in the year 2005 because of its role in depleting ozone layer in the atmosphere and consequent global warming process. It may be recalled that MB was a very effective fumigant because of its quick action and SF became the next option as it is equally effective against many stored products insects. The basis for present rethinking is the apprehension about the likely deleterious effect of fluoride on dental health causing fluorosis leading to tooth pitting and destruction of the enamel cover of the teeth. Conclusive evidence is still lacking whether the level of residues in treated products can cause any such harm as being claimed by the antagonists of SF.

A point which has been overlooked is that only a few food products like cereal grains, dried fruits, coffee beans, cocoa beans and tree nuts are exposed to SH fumigation and there is no clear data as to how much is left behind as a residue in these treated products. SH fumigation usually for about 18 hours at controlled levels, is always followed by aeration for at least 6 hours and it may be too presumptuous to expect large scale absorption or chemical interaction of SH with the foods treated. Is it not odd that on one side WHO is promoting Fluoridation of water and inclusion of Fluorides in tooth pastes for the protection of teeth while SH use in small quantities for protecting foods is opposed by some! It is well known that exposure to fluorides through residues remaining in treated food products constitutes less than 3% of the total exposure of the population from other sources like tooth pastes, mouth wash products and fluoridated water. Yet the US government wants to single out SH for a ban in 3 years' time! The logic used for justifying the ban is that certain categories of population like children under the age of seven and those living in areas where water contains high levels of fluorides are more vulnerable to any additional exposure to fluorides through foods.

It is not that there are no alternatives available to the industry beyond Sulfuryl Fluoride because chemicals like Phosphene, Ethyl Formate, Ethylene Oxide etc are still "usable" chemicals against many species but most of them are not favored for one or the other reason. Alternatives being suggested by those proposing to ban this chemical include use of phosphene gas and heat which in theory can achieve disinfestation satisfactorily. But from a practical view Phosphene takes any where from 3-15 days of contact application to have kill all insects besides it being a fire hazard. Also true is that Phosphene can seriously damage monitoring instruments due to its highly corrosive nature. As for heat bringing the environmental temperature to 69C can kill most insects but practically it is not possible to put into practice a reliable heating system that can ensure uniform temperature in large establishments. One has to also keep in mind the adverse impact such high temperature may have on the equipment and other facilities in food processing and storage places. To come up with an equally effective pesticide like SF, it may take years of research and safety assessment and can the world wait for so long while food losses may mount to uncontrollable levels?. World should unite to discourage the US from going ahead with the ban and agencies like the WHO must advise its member countries to desist from following the unjustified course of action of the US.

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

COLD STERILIZATION-THE SIMPLE WAY!

2011-10-05T12:14:00.001+05:30

Sterilization of food products at ambient conditions is a dream every food scientist entertains and if this can be achieved in sealed packs it can be a bonus! Of course the Gamma Radiation or ionizing radiation technology is there readily available for the food industry to be tapped and optimum dosage levels for different foods have been worked out long ago. Unfortunately this technology is shunned by the user industry because of fear of consumer backlash from misapprehensions about the safety of foods irradiated and government policies have not helped the cause of this extremely efficient technology to take roots. One single most crucial impediment is the discriminatory labeling rules that make it mandatory for irradiated foods to be declared on the label though genetically modified foods can be marketed without the consumers knowing about through distinct labeling!

There are other similar processes which deploy pulse electric fields or ultra high pressure to achieve sterilization and it is a question of time before these technologies find industry wide application. A relatively new entrant to this field is Plasma Field sterilization which has hit the headlines recently. Though it may take years before the limited studies in this area can become an accepted technology, there is excellent potential for it to become an industry standard eventually. What is interesting in this case is that unlike other similar technologies, Plasma Field technology may not be investment intensive and energy guzzling and even SMEs may be able to afford the process easily. One of the uncertainties that can cloud any futuristic expectations is that adequate efforts have not been made to calibrate the process using different food products and probably wide scale studies with a variety of products may be undertaken world wide because of the commercial potential this technology has.

The spark for development of plasma energy for food preservation seems to have been provided by scientists at Purdue University in the US who found a way to eliminate bacteria in packaged foods such as spinach and tomatoes to make them safe for use in products like salads. The facilities for achieving such a feat consist of a set of high-voltage coils attached to a small transformer that generates a room-temperature plasma field inside a package, ionizing the gases inside. The process was found to kill many harmful bacteria such as E. coli and salmonella, which have caused major public health concerns, in some parts of the world. If the concept can be effectively exploited it should be possible to sterilize any packed foods within a package exposing them to a Plasma field

The Plasma field is created easily, at least under the laboratory conditions, by placing two high-voltage, low-watt coils on the outside a sealed food package. A plasma field is formed which is a charged cloud of gas where oxygen is ionized and turned into ozone. According to available information the treatment time can vary from 30 seconds to about five minutes depending on many variable factors. It is well known that ozone gas can kill many pathogenic bacteria and the kill rate is proportional to the time the gas remains ionized. The life time of ozone so formed is limited and it gets back to molecular oxygen in no time once the plasma field is removed. Interestingly the process uses only 30-40 watts of electricity while the temperature remains almost same as room temperature, with only a few degree rise outside the treatment chamber, not sufficient to heat the packed product or alter its quality characteristics. Naturally if ozone can be used directly in the pack same effect can be achieved. But such treatments require packing the product in an ozone atmosphere which has its own logistical difficulties. It is interesting that the technology is suitable for many containers that include glass, plastic bags, plastic bottles and cartons.

Though the scientists who innovated this development have every right to indulge in claims regarding their discovery, the ground reality is that they have been able to establish a concept only with its technical feasibility. There is a long way to go before commercial models with large capacity, beyond the small gadget designed by them, are built for treating not a few grams of the product but in tons on a continuous mode. The effect of plasma field on the quality of the products is still unclear though it is claimed that nothing untoward happens to them. As many food products have different composition, their vulnerability to exposure to ozone may also be varying and these aspects need to be explored. On the legal side ozone is a permitted water treatment chemical but its use for preserving food does not seem to have any official sanction and this aspect requires attention.

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

WELFARE OF TEEN AGE FEMALES-A NEW GOI INITIATIVE

2011-10-02T10:46:00.002+05:30

Agreed, lately India has attained notoriety with many scams under investigation but India is also a land of schemes where there are hundreds of programs funded by the governments at the Center as well as in various States. All government schemes have the avowed objective of uplifting the status of the citizens, especially the poor and down trodden ones with no hope for a secure future. Of course whether the money, in billions of rupees booked to the public exchequer, really reaches the beneficiaries is a matter of speculation though the estimated diversion or looting of the resources may be any where from 40-100% of the budgeted amount! Social activists still take heart from the fact that at least some are benefited to some extent, believing in the old adage that "some thing is better than nothing" ! A pitiable state of affairs where decent citizens are forced to condone misappropriation of public funds having no other option but to acquicise! ,

Here is the latest Scheme under the centrally sponsored projects under the banner of "Sabala" which appears to be thought of with noble intention, viz helping females between the age of 11 and 18 to develop into responsible future women with multiple skills and good health. As a first step the scheme is expected to be launched as a pilot trail in 100 districts across the country with a budget of Rs 1000 crore for the current financial year 2011-2012. Once the concept of this scheme is proved to be effective GOI is expected to provide adequate funds to spread the same through out the country. Though details about the program are not yet available, one must admire the intention behind this action because nutrition needs of females change dramatically during this period of growth when they attain puberty and under nutrition and anemia are rampant among this vulnerable group. Added to this the country is in an unenviable position with one out of four girls dropping out of the school during early stages of education and child marriages are very common in many states. The Scheme is all the more praise worthy considering that many families shun girl child if they can help and ultra sound screening to day is common for determining the sex of the child during early periods of pregnancy with temptation for abortion very high.

Sabala scheme, besides its emphasis on health and nutrition, also envisages development of the girls into a responsible woman with focus on upgrading the skill level to equip them with earning capability and improving the home environment with better welfare activities, family health and hygiene. While 100% of girls dropping out of the school between the age 11 and 15 will only be covered, those between 15 and 18 are expected to be fully covered. It is not clear why such a distinction is made though it might be due to the fact this age group is vulnerable to early child bearing with its attendant undesirable consequences in the long run. Considered from any angle this is a gigantic scheme with vast resources being pumped in and extra precaution, better management practices and close monitoring can only achieve even a fraction of the targets set for the scheme.

It is interesting that GOI is willing to shoulder 100% of the expenditure on non- nutrition component of the program but wants the States to share 50% of the expenditure on the food component. Whether health and nutrition will suffer because of the reluctance and economic weakness of the States, that some of them may default on their commitments to share the expenditure on this count is a valid concern. The ceiling limit of Rs 5 for the food component for each beneficiary may be too small to deliver any meaningful food qualitatively and quantitatively and like the mid-day meal program Sabala scheme may also suffer to achieve any tangible result. It is not realized by GOI that good nutrition cannot be envisaged with just food grains but inclusion of pulses, fruits and vegetables in the menu is a must to raise the health status of the beneficiaries. Depending on Anganwadis to deliver the food service also may be fraught with many uncertainties and whether the girls will queue up for cooked foods of indifferent quality in these feeding centers remains to be seen.

A strategy based on ready to eat foods with extended storage life should have been conceived in stead of hot cooked foods served every day at feeding centers. There will be opposition from vested interests because manufacture and distribution of pre-packed RTE foods will have far lesser scope for pilferage and misappropriation of scheme funds by those managing the same. Fortifying cereal based food preparation with proteins, vitamins and minerals as is being done in some food products supplied for applied nutrition programs may not be the best way to deliver "nutrition" and this should have dawned on the planners who came out with the Sabala scheme from past experiences. Food scientists will confirm that Milk and or egg can be the best nutritious source and it must be left to the food technologists to come up with shelf stable products requiring no cooking for such mass distribution programs. If the cost is higher there is no alternative but to increase the outgo on the food component to meet the need.

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

SUB-PAR PERFORMANCE OF INDIAN ATHLETES-FOOD TO BE BLAMED?

2011-09-25T15:48:00.002+05:30

Why is that India is not able to produce champions in any field of sports, in spite of its large population? Could it be due to lack of physical stamina because of wrong types of foods consumed which do not help to evolve appropriate body dynamics so necessary to out perform others in a competition? What about the sub-par sports infrastructure that is available for the sports persons to practice and get trained as per international standards? Can inadequate patriotism and lack of determination be a factor? Why is that the hockey champions of yester years are struggling even to qualify for the Olympics? Is the country satisfied with a Milka Singh of the past? How can one explain the consistent inconsistency of the national cricket team which attains glory at times during playing at home and then collapses like a pack of cards under foreign playing conditions?

The abysmal performance of Indian athletes or sports persons in any field of competition rarely gets the attention it deserves but even a mediocre performance by one individual is acclaimed as fantastic! The sports administration in the country is plagued by corruption, inefficiency, favoritism, short sighted goals and no vision . Look at the Common Wealth Games fiasco with millions of rupees being siphoned off by the Organizing Committee (OC) and it is no wonder that the Chairman and senior officials are languishing in Tihar Jail for corrupt practices! Most of the Associations are run by old politicians with one foot in the grave, not allowing the real, experienced practitioners to play any constructive role. Many of them rule the roost for decades without any shame or guilt and accountability is the last thing that counts in the country. Many of these Associations have developed their vested interests to perpetuate the monopoly without allowing new comers with novel ideas to have a shot at the top position. Even selection of national teams are ridden with factionalism, parochialism, regionalism, caste and religion. How can any one expect that such a country is capable of selecting the best to represent the country?

One of the most disgusting aspects of Indian sports is the way selected sports persons are treated by the non-playing bureaucrats whether in travelling or lodging or feeding. The proportion of non-playing officials as a part of any contingent invariably is relatively high and these officials are known to enjoy the best of every thing at the expense of the playing members. Athletes and teams are housed in most unsatisfactory staying places, basic traveling comforts are denied and adequate funds not made available to eat nutritious foods. Predominance of cricket over all other forms of sports has contributed to some extent the deteriorating quality of sports persons in other areas and to day most youngsters aspire to become a cricket player in preference to all other sports, the main reason being the luxury enjoyed by cricket players in terms of remuneration and perks, best boarding and lodging facilities and recognition for good performance. In spite of the existence of a moribund Sports Ministry at Delhi, nothing has been done during the last 4 decades to improve the situation! Probably Indian Sports would be better off without a Ministry at Delhi!

What is the provocation for such an outburst as expressed above? London Olympics are scheduled for 2012 and India, as usual has to do the formality of sending a "huge" continent for participation in the true spirit of the Olympic movement! It is reported that so called Sports Authority of India (SAI) has submitted a proposal to the sports ministry urging it to address the traveling and dietary problems faced by the India athletes while training and competing in international events abroad. If the SAI Director General is to be believed Indian athletes do not get proper rest prior to their participation in international competitions and further these "unfortunate" participants, especially in power events such as boxing, weightlifting and wrestling are deprived of healthy Indian food of their taste while competing and training abroad. Whose mistake it is? Why this late realization? SAI seems to have come up with some "suggestions" to the Ministry for consideration! The "suggestions" made by SAI include -- "wherever the journey is more than eight hours, Indian teams may be allowed to travel three days prior to the event instead of two days as in the existing guidelines. To overcome the food problem, Indian embassies may be asked through the MEA to arrange Indian food from the nearest Indian restaurant in proximity of the hotel where Indian teams are being stayed" Most Indian athletes are reported to be vegetarian by habit and serving non-vegetarian food affects their food intake significantly. Added to this the quality of foods served to them is grossly inadequate because of taste and nutritional factors. The "punching line" is that this "affects the performance of Indian athletes while participating in international events abroad!

As a country India should be ashamed of such absurd interpretation for the failure of Indian athletes abroad. After 64 years of independence, it is now that the SAI is discovering this fact and if this is not outright baloney what else it can be? It appears that the GOI is already preparing grounds for dolling out excuse for another shameful performance being anticipated in 2012 Olympics after wasting millions of rupees from the public exchequer in the name of sports! Like in all spheres of human endeavor China has provided a sharp contrasting picture producing world winners in practically every field of sports within a short span of time. Why is that India cannot achieve even a fraction of what China has achieved? The simple answer is the dominance of non-sports person in every walk of sports activity with no vision, commitment and skills required to motivate Indian sports persons!

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

COMPLEXITY OF FOOD PRODUCTION-CONFUSING SCENARIO

2011-09-23T04:24:00.002+05:30

World seemed to be divided regarding the current agricultural practices that account for the production of all foods. While the labor intensive traditional cultivation is more or less replaced by input intensive mechanized operations, the organic food sector presents a totally different picture. Added to this some of the people movements like the local foods, whole foods, farmers markets etc have added further confusion to the already complex food production system. The yearning for change is driven by concerns regarding the safety of foods raised by modern technologies involving intensive use of fertilizers, insecticides, pesticides, weedicides, growth regulators, etc which invariably leave residues on the foods and gain access to the stomach of humans capable of causing health damage, short as well as long term. Two of the most controversial changes that continue to influence to day's agriculture are the growing organic food production and genetically modified food production.

Mainstream agricultural practices themselves have changed beyond recognition with mono culture, no-til and minimum-till operations becoming industry standards. The great green revolution that saw quantum jump in food production in nineteen sixties and seventies is characterized by mono culture cultivation without any crop rotation and intensive use of chemical fertilizers and toxic crop protectants. Decades of such practices literally destroyed the soil health in many countries and crop yields are plateauing or actually declining raising concerns all around. This is happening at a juncture when the need of the hour is increasing the production rate at least to keep in tune with the population growth. It is any body's guess as to how many years it will take to rehabilitate the degraded soil to reclaim its original production potential.

Organic way of cultivation and crop rotation only can help if such an objective is to be achieved. There is always the question whether organic cultivation system can really help to increase food production to the extent needed to meet future world requirement. There is no consensus on this issue with protagonists and antagonists ranged against each other. GM foods which are touted as an answer to global food problem cannot achieve increased productivity though losses can be reduced in the field through use of lesser pesticides. Of course the safety of GM foods is a critical issue with sharp divergence of views among scientists and consumers and it is difficult to imagine how consumers can be forced to consume foods not acceptable to them. It is another matter that some countries are hiding the extensive use of GM foods by the processing industry which is unethical and undemocratic.

If organic food production system is as beautiful and lucrative as being claimed, the million dollar question that begs an answer is why more farmers are not jumping into the organic food wagon? It is supposed to be easy besides being remunerative to practice. One of the reasons could be lack of awareness about organic food cultivation among the vast majority of farmers. Similarly the specialized input material sourcing is highly cumbersome and uncertain posing tremendous logistical difficulties. Compost and cover crops are the two main nutrient sources of organic growers. The cost of buying compost and using in the farms can be significantly higher than chemical fertilizers. Similarly if the farms are not located near a city or a livestock operation, compost may not be an option.

Green manure, cover crops that fix nitrogen, though wonderful, may take time during the year to grow and there are costs associated with buying and planting the seed. More important and crucial is training of the farmers on efficient organic farming techniques which calls for an infrastructure that is just not available widely. Under these circumstances one can only expect highly motivated farmers to take the risk of entering the organic food movement.These factors may probably be the reason why GM food lobby is able to make considerable inroads into the farming sector with its astronomical resources for brain washing and seduction. There was a time when organic farms were small in number and size but to day there are large farms owning thousands of hectares of land devoted to organic food production. Probably realizing the inevitability of moving towards a scenario where present "toxic" farm production system will have to yield to newer system of organic food production, it is a question of time before the whole world embraces this safer regime.

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

THE GDP DISTORTION IN INDIAN ECONOMY-WRONG PRIORITIES OF GOI!

2011-09-18T11:43:00.002+05:30

Over obsession of Indian Government (GOI) with food grains is reflected by the enormous investments made in procurement of these staple foods at state determined prices and supplying the same to millions of people at heavily subsidized prices involving almost 80000 crore rupees expenditure to the exchequer annually. Another anachronism is in forcing the sugar industry to part with a portion of its output at a loss, to the government for supply to the low income group of population under the much criticized Public Distribution System (PDS), which has been able to sustain the "looters and criminals" who indulge in siphoning of the commodities meant for the poor! It must be admitted that for a communist or socially biased country ensuring survival of the citizens is the priority but a moot question is whether leading low quality life is what a citizen desires. Though it is known that cereals (note pulses are not even considered) and sugar do provide the required calories and to some extent proteins, if consumed in sufficient quantities, it is the protective foods like fruits and vegetables which can ensure good health. Unfortunately GOI even after the economic liberalization policies initiated two decades ago still cannot grasp the significance of the importance of these protective foods which are left to the market forces to "play around" with the result that almost all fruits and vegetables, prices of which are manipulated by the middle men, are not affordable to the so called aam admi!

According to a recent report cereals contribute just 20% of the farm out put while fruits, vegetables and milk accounted for more than 40%. The growth of the Dairy sector is attributed to the single minded devotion and commitment of Dr V Kurien, the architect of the so called white revolution in the country and every Indian ought to be proud of this achievement making the country the top most milk producing nation on this planet. In contrast it is the horticulture front that was neglected for long by both the development scientists and the policy makers. How sad it is to see a country like India which is blessed with a wide range of weather suitable for growing hundreds of fruits and vegetables lags behind in providing the minimum needs of these protective foods at affordable prices! There is practically no stable policy that governs this industry and with low productivity and high market prices GOI is pulled between the desire to export and controlling of domestic prices. Recent Onion fiasco is a classical example of how badly GOI works and its consequences on the well being of its citizens.

While claiming that India is one of the top producers of many fruits and vegetables based on statistics provided by the state administrations, no one knows the ground reality. There is serious apprehension among food scientists that a sizable production is irretrievably lost in the field as well as during post harvest stages though there is no unanimity on this issue, the spoilage figures trotted out ranging from 20% to 50%! Whether such gigantic losses are responsible for price distortions in the market is not known though some observers attribute the same to these losses. On the other hand the miserable conditions under which the growers manage production is scandalous and mostly the beneficiaries are the middle man pre harvest contractors who play the Shylock role through their money clout. To day in the Indian market no fruit sells at a price less than Rs 25 per Kg though the farmers share must be not even 20% of this market realization. How can any one in India, except a few rich,can afford to buy Apple priced at rs 100-150 kg and the old saying that an apple a day keeps doctor away is a hollow one to them because going to a doctor may be cheaper than eating an apple!

Is it not a paradox that while GOI is trying to supply cereals at a ridiculously low price of Rs 1-3 per kg it has no consideration for making fruits and vegetables available at reasonable prices to its citizens? Of course one hears about tall talks about the plans of GOI such as activating the somnabulic National Horticulture Board or launching of a Horticulture Mission but there is nothing to show at the ground level and the prices of almost all horticulture produce continue to climb irrationally with wide fluctuations from day to day! It is really a wonder as to how the rural population in the country is able to have good health by surviving on only leafy vegetables which are the cheapest and some local fruits of no commercial significance. Why NDDB, which was once roped in by GOI during Dr Kurien's rein was not able to make any impact on the horticultural front during the last three decades is not clear though one can surmise that there must have been gross interference from the high flying and arrogant bureaucracy at Delhi. Cooperative organization of horticulture growers, similar to milk cooperatives, should have been ideal for the country because of the extremely small sized land holdings and NDDB may have the answer as to why it has failed. It may be worthwhile to have a re-look at the past experience and re-tool the program accordingly. It is time for GOI to wake up and bring sanity to the horticulture produce markets in the country.

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

"COOL" POLICY-A TRADE BARRIER?

2011-09-15T19:57:00.002+05:30

Right to information is considered sacred for every citizen in this world, when purchases are made in the market and a discerning choice is to be made. It is based on this perception that the mandatory labeling rules are framed such a way that every consumer can know what is inside a sealed packet of food offered to him on the market shelf. On such labels prominent details shown include the nutritional content, allergens present, product description and mode of preparation and other information of relevance. Though there is no unanimity regarding the exact details to be provided on such labels among different countries, still the information provided definitely help consumers to some extent. More than the positive information, consumers find declaration of presence of harmful substances more useful. Thus contents of undesirable nature like allergens, trans fats, saturated fats, sodium etc are more carelessly scrutinized while making purchase decisions.

Lately environmental aspects of food processing have received attention from consumers and there are strong campaigns to declare the carbon foot print of each product on the label. Though this has nothing to do with the nutritional or health promoting property of the food contained in the packet, the modern industrial practices in production, processing and distribution of foods do cause pollution of enormous dimension. This is a matter that disturbs many people and governments and hence the demand for declaring the pollution contribution by the processed products. Of course there is no unanimity regrading the modus operandi in introducing such provisions in the labeling regulations in vogue. In principle it is a sound concept while in practice it can become a complex practical nightmare! As for the consumer it will become a difficult dilemma to choose between a product with low carbon foot print but not of high quality and another one with higher carbon foot print but with high nutritional and culinary quality.

Another labeling controversy pertains to declaration of the process undergone by the product. A Genetically modified food product is not required to be declared while irradiated foods must declare so on the label. What about process aids? No law forces any manufacturer to declare the type of process aids used during the processing though traces may still be present in the final product. For example the fry powder so commonly used in frying operations to prolong the life of the oil is never declared on the label. Similarly there are significant discrepancies regarding the expiry date declaration and it is well known that this provision contributes to enormous waste of food when they are thrown away after the "best before" date, though the same food is safe for consumption. There are many other grey areas where there is still no clarity. Will there be any unanimity among the countries regarding what information must be given and what need not be given? Probably national interests will override in deciding about such matters.

The recent controversy regarding the right to know what country a food has come from is a potential mine field that can divide the world vertically into opposing camps. A consumer, especially if highly patriotic or entertaining fear about products from other countries will invariably feel that he has every right to know about the country where the food in manufactured. Probably this popular belief has contributed to inward looking and restrictive policies in some wealthy countries to enact legislation to force the industry to declare the country of origin under the "country of origin labeling law" (COOL). The US made it mandatory for its food industry to follow COOL in 2009 which was challenged under the WTO regime by those countries which felt that it is a discriminatory trade practice affecting their exports to the US. Probably the US government was more worried about the cheap food imports from countries like China, Brazil, India, Vietnam etc which it felt, would overwhelm the domestic industry affecting its very survival! Food being a critical item of consumption that has the potential to impinge on the health, it makes sense for the US citizens to shun products from other countries with uncertain safety credentials. Is it not unfortunate that such a situation can only reflect on the very credibility of the government agencies tasked to oversee food imports? Is this policy not encouraging the citizens in the country to practice some type of "apartheid" which has no place in to day's multi cultural, multicolored global society?

It appears the so called consumer-friendly U.S. COOL policy, under which beef, lamb, pork, chicken, goat, fish, fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables, peanuts, pecans, macadamia nuts and ginseng, have to declare the country of origin is in jeopardy. According to dispassionate observers the COOL policy is not equitable in any sense and may be contravening the WTO treaty under which discriminatory trade practices are considered illegal. It was in 2009 that some countries like Brazil, Canada and others approached WTO filing a complaint against the US. They alleged that COOL is an unacceptable "barrier to trade" and the concerned WTO "dispute panel" frowned upon this policy in its preliminary report. It is anticipated that WTO may eventually rule against the US on this issue. What is not clear is about the response the US may consider to counter act this adverse ruling, though political class there is raising a hue and cry blaming WTO for infringing on the sovereignty of their country! The arrogance of power should not blind the Americans in resorting to such tactics as it goes against the grains of the concept of treating the world as a seamless global village. An option for them is not to make the policy mandatory and leave it to the industry to decide on such labeling.

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

IS POTATO UNHEALTHY?-A NEW CONTROVERSY IN THE OFFING

2011-09-12T10:15:00.002+05:30

Agreed that Potato is a vegetable viewed from any angle and invariably it is considered one of the best naturally nutrient-dense vegetables available all over the world. Calorie wise it contains about 70 kC per 100 gm and is considered a better source of potassium than a banana. Though it is rarely known that Potato is a rich source of Vitamin C, the fact is that it can provide almost half the daily need of this nutrient in a single serve. Although notable is its usefulness as a source of Vitamin B6, Copper and Iron. Added to these positive features, it contains no fat, sodium or any other undesirable substances of any consequence. Some protagonists have changed the age old slogan of "apple a day keeps doctor away" replacing apple with potato. How far this claim can be substantiated is a matter of debate. .

If potato is claimed to be so good why is it that weight watchers generally avoid consumption of this vegetable regularly? Probably it is not potato that is doing any harm but calorie rich ingredients like fat and cheese and liberal addition of salt that is bringing the bad name for potato as a unhealthy food. Baked potato preparations doused with lot of butter and salt and deep fried foods like wafers and finger chips containing high fat and salt can create nightmarish situation when consumed in mega quantities regularly. These industrially manufactured products, in fact, contributed largely to the obesity epidemic that is raging in countries like the US.

Of course the golden rule for incorporating potato in the diet is that it should not be fried or baked with lot of fat and if just cooked potato is consumed there is unlikely to be any long term impact on weight gain. Recent move by the US government to restrict the level of potato in the school lunch program has created an avoidable controversy as it conveys a message that potato is not that good for health. Considering the overall nutrition provided by potato such a step can be only a retrograde on.Is it possible that such a decision is influenced by a recent study in the UK which implicates potato consumption as a hindrance to any program that aims at obesity abatement? Possibly yest. On the flip side of this issue, potato economy in the American continent is closely linked to the survival of the farmers as a major portion of production is absorbed by the school lunch programs across that country.

Interestingly China, which accounts for more than 20% of world production of potato, about 315 million tons, does not suffer from obesity epidemic as being seen in the west and probably this is a clear evidence that potato is not an obesogenic food if consumed properly. The world average annual consumption, about 33 kg per capita, is also not considered high working out to just about100 gm per day per person. Similarly the US produces about 20 million tons of potato annually for a population of 300 millions which averages the consumption at less than 70 kg per capita an year or less than 200 gm a day per person which is also not very high. What makes the difference is the way it is consumed using lot of fatty ingredients causing the health problem.

Just because Potato contains some starch, does it mean it cannot be considered a vegetable? If so what about vegetables like green peas, soy bean, fresh corn etc which when fresh are considered vegetables but on drying they become a pulse or an oil seed or a cereal?

Similarly common vegetables like squash, pumpkin, yam and a few others have starch content comparable to that in Potato. More important is the Glycemic Index (GI) of the vegetables that decides whether it will create a Glycemic over Load (GL) leading to weight gain. Potato has a relatively low GI, about 48 while a vegetable like Pumpkin has a GI pf 75. Ultimately moderation is the key when it comes to weight lose or gain and that is the need of the hour indeed!

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

FOOD SAFETY SURVEILLANCE-NEPAL'S NEW INITIATIVE

2011-09-09T11:37:00.003+05:30

Every nation, big or small, on this planet has a responsibility to look after the welfare of its population and this includes the protection of its citizens from the undesirable consequences of sale and consumption of unsafe and indifferent quality food. Agencies like ISO, WHO, FAO etc are striving hard to weave a universally acceptable and synchronized food regulations which can facilitate free trade in foods. Food science is a dynamic subject that provides adequate foundation for surveillance of food production, processing and distribution and new knowledge generated through sustained research continuously is enabling the surveillance agencies to deploy more and more sophisticated and reliable techniques to fulfill their responsibility.

Recent food poisoning episodes in Europe involving E .coli contamination of sprouted Fenugreek or in the US caused by Salmonella poisoning of ground turkey meat convey a clear message that there is no room for complacency when it comes to food safety and eternal vigilance is a pre-requisite for reducing as much as possible major incidences of safety breach. Fortunately most of food related episodes are confined to meat eating countries and meat happens to be a major source of many pathogenic organisms. Many poultry farms and abattoirs are guilty of indulging in hygienically unsound practices resulting in uncertainties in the quality of final products delivered to the consumer. High quality infrastructure and experienced technical personnel in adequate numbers have not been able to completely stop food safety breaches in countries that boast of high economic standards. Useful and reliable technologies like gamma radiation continue to be sidelined and food poisoning episodes are here to stay for a long time to come.

When it comes to developing countries the most pressing food safety concern seems to be man made as the markets are flooded with deliberately adulterated food products with dangerous consequences on the health of the citizens. Statistics, even if not very reliable, put the growth rate of the food adulteration industry at about 20% reflecting the insufficiency of the policies that govern and implement food safety monitoring system. Take the example of India where a brand new food quality and safety Act has been made "operative" from the first week of August this year but unfortunately every thing remains same as before because of insufficient infrastructure, gross shortage of technical personnel and the tortoise paced judiciary set up. Most of the food testing facilities in the country are sub par as far as competence and functioning are concerned. Wide scale corruption in the safety monitoring system allows fraudsters to get away with murder! The yearly convictions of food culprits, about a few hundreds in a country of 1.2 billion population tells its own story. Average citizens are perplexed by this gross negligence on the part of the government which seems to have the least priority for food safety related activities, except for paying the usual lip sympathy. The archaic statistics system that is totally unreliable gives the government the luxury to maintain that every thing is "honky dory" as far as food safety is concerned since there are practically no reports indicating any mortality due to food poisoning!

Probably smaller countries like Sri Lanka, UAE, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand Nepal and others have a better track record when it comes to food safety surveillance and deterrent policies. India has company in China which has become the global capital for adulterated foods and this may be giving the GOI the cold comfort that huge population makes it difficult to implement effective safety policies! Look at the recent development in Nepal where the government there is introducing a mobile lab system that can go around to test food products from food handling establishments with least delay. Interestingly the mobile lab has bee designed in Thailand which had most of its food technologists trained in India during nineteen seventies and eighties and paradoxically Nepal's food sector has many Indian trained personnel manning the operations there. It is good to see the trainers being overtaken by he trained ones when it comes to food safety infrastructure!.

According to available details the mobile lab is to be equipped for checking adulterations in edible products and conducting basic antibiotic and pesticide residue tests, water tests and microbiological tests. Hopefully the safety agency should be able to take immediate action against those found compromising with the food standards. Added to this the mobile facility will have some modern communication gadgets that will enable carrying out food safety education programs to consumers. With a staff compliment of three , presently undergoing training in Thailand, and many sophisticated tools for conducting tests, the mobile lab will be have a force multiplier impact on the adulteration detection and deterrent action. It is time others too learn a lesson from this tiny country.

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

SWEET MAKING TECHNOLOGY-NEW TRAINING PROGRAM

2011-09-06T16:23:00.002+05:30

Indian traditional foods, often called the Ethnic Foods number over 5000 and are prepared and consumed locally with very little national foot print. Why? The main reason is the difficulty in keeping these products for long with out quality deterioration and assured safety. Most of them have water activity much beyond the safe zone and are vulnerable to spoilage by microorganisms like bacteria and mold. True many of them contain high sugar which also provides extended storage. How ever for establishing a pan-India market, food products need to be stable for at least 3-4 months. Though with reliable cold chain transport and storage their shelf life can be extended for a few days or a couple of weeks, slow growth of organized retail sector with modern facilities, which controls less than 5% of the retailing business, does not ensure seamless distribution, reliable cold display facilities and strong sales promotional regime.

The mere diversity of sweetmeat and savory products makes it difficult for the food industry to pick and choose the right product mix that can ensure nation wide acceptance. It is most unfortunate that even after 64 years of independence, there are no reliable and comprehensive information base regarding these foods, their relative popularity, production details and authentic recipes and preparation methods. Most of these products are made at the micro-enterprises level managed by skilled artisans with some experience and practically no mechanized production equipment are available for increasing productivity if they are to be part of the main stream food industry. The most "reputed" food research institute with a history of more than 60 years has done very little to look at these products from a technological perspective. Catering training institutions with their emphasis on preparing their trainees for making prepared foods in eateries and hotels and presenting them attractively are constrained to go beyond recipes and preparation mode because of limited technical capability. Probably there is a need to set up "culinology" institutions in India which can combine recipes, preparations, process standardization and mechanization as the existing R & D players in the country have miserably failed to bring to surface the fantastic potential of Indian traditional foods to capture the imagination of the world, through their sheer negligence.

One may be tempted to ask the question as to how the industry is meeting the current needs of the market for some of the favorite foods in great demand, if large scale production facilities are not in existence and any one even faintly familiar with this industry knows that what is being offered through thousands of sweetmeat shops in the country have their origin in small homes and kitchens prepared by one or hundreds of artisans in hostile environment with sweat pouring from their bodies and presented attractively in small as well as big shops. Most "industrial" type kitchens employ these artisans who are mostly illiterate and who have very little knowledge about hygiene and sanitation though some units do deploy some mechanized unit operation equipment like grinders, mixers, fryers, stainless steel containers, pumps, extruder etc. There are also a few large scale players who do manufacture some traditional foods for pan-India markets using modern fryers, vacuum evaporators, continuous forming machine, canning facilities, inert gas filling units, modern packing materials, gas fired and electrical heating systems and others, rightly claiming to be technology savvy. Products like potato chips, canned gulab jamun and rasagolla, preserved shreekand, tetrapack lassi and chaas, inert gas filled snacks, roti and papads, chikki, spice mixes, traditional meal preparations in RTE format, many frozen products etc are coming from main stream food industry with well developed modern manufacturing facilities.

If there is a slow but perceptible trend of large manufacturing enterprises enjoying brand reputation entering the traditional food line, there must be money in this area of business. While technology, trained work force and financial resources are the foundation for a sound manufacturing entity, it is only in the area of good quality labor that organized industry feels the pinch and if they are not able to sustain themselves against SMEs it is only because their products do not compare well with that of SMEs with regard to authenticity and eating quality. This is where a trained working force will help them to bring up the credentials of their products. The million dollar question is from where they will get these personnel? The high tech courses run by Universities in food processing are not relevant as far as traditional food manufacture is concerned and any how a university trained food technologist will never agree to be a "Halwai" in the industry! The need for a short duration training course to benefit the traditional food industry is increasingly being felt and it is time for the AICTE to evolve a training course of the above type for universities and other technical institutions in different parts of the country on a priority basis.

While on the subject of training in ethnic food manufacture, the recent decision by a private institute in Orissa to start a one year course in sweet making for the benefit of local industry is a welcome development. Bikalananda Kar Industrial Training Centre at Salepur in Cuttack district has recently announced the launching of a one-year certificate course in sweet technology soon which if materializes may be the first such course in the country. According to the organizers the course is aimed at creating skilled manpower in sweet industry and stream lining local industry with use of modern technology and hygienic practices. As per the details provided the trainees, 64 in number every year with a Class X education, are expected to learn the art of preparing modern and traditional sweets popular locally. If learned food processing teaching faculty from the nearby Jadavpur University in West Bengal can pitch in to "train the trainers" through a well designed program, the course will become a technically sound one. Any such course must cover in a simple language preferably in local language various aspects of food processing operations relevant , machinery that can be used, importance of hygiene and sanitation, waste disposal, water quality, food safety and quality control, food microbiology, food contamination and food packaging. Tendency to over emphasize theory must be avoided as the trainees will have relatively low science awareness and practical aspects must receive priority.

It is good to see a new awareness being created regarding the heritage foods and their importance for the country. If their rich culinary qualities and nutritional advantages are rightly emphasized, there is no reason why Indian foods cannot capture the imagination of the whole world. What is needed is to accord high priority to them by the public funded R & D agencies and Universities in the country for making them more science based than artisan dependent and provide the industry with minimally trained work force. Institutions like the one in Cuttack must be replicated all over the country for which GOI and State governments should extend liberal financial support.

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

CULINOLOGY-WHAT IS IT?

2011-09-04T10:29:00.002+05:30

Food is a multidimensional subject involving the interplay of chemistry, physics, biochemistry, microbiology, nutrition, sensory science, engineering sciences and agricultural sciences. All foods originate from living sources, be it animal, plant or microorganisms and in nature these sources exist in diverse forms and quality. The food technologists have the onus of safeguarding the quality and safety of foods, besides creating consumer friendly products with extended life through application of science and engineering. If one examines the development of food industry during the last hundred years, it can easily been seen that aspects concerning human health have been ignored with the result that modern society is afflicted with several life threatening disorders like CVD, Diabetes, Hyper tension, Cancer and many others and the temptation is always there to blame the industry for these ills because of wrong products being made and promoted.

What is the upper most consideration for any consumer when given a choice to choose a food? Obviously the consumer is carried away by the color, shape, aroma and eating pleasure provided by the product. It is said that a consumer eats a food first with his "eyes" followed by smell, touch sense and finally through the oral cavity. Ultimate acceptability is determined by the taste sensation caused by chewing, macerating and swallowing of the food. Tastes like sweetness, saltiness, sourness, pungency and bitterness, either singly or in combination provide the final taste perception which "persuades" the consumer to like or to reject. It is this "weakness" on the part of the consumer to go for organoleptically superior foods that is driving the processing industry to pamper to this factor through marketing such products. Does the industry care about the adverse consequences of such an approach? Rarely! In a fiercely competitive market probably the manufacturers of processed foods will have to be one step ahead for survival and they have no option but to cater to the demands from the consumers.

While developing a product food technologists invariably focus more on consumer acceptability rather than the healthiness of the product. Such a distortion of the development perspectives has taken place because of the consumer attitude under which nutrition of a product is relegated to the background. Can this situation continue like this for long without the adverse consequences manifesting in different ways in the coming years? If no restraint is exercised, future of mankind will be in jeopardy and in less than 5 decades the world will be full of giant looking obese people with high morbidity and diverse diseases. There are many initiatives at the national and international level to counteract such a change but with little impact. Foods containing high sugars, high fat and high salt continue to be developed and promoted and it is time food technologists world over change their stance to devote more time for evolving "healthy" foods with greater emphasis on nutrition in preference to sensory quality. A new paradigm will have to emerge to guide these efforts.

According to a recent report a new discipline appears to be emerging in the West to combine nutrition with culinary aspects of foods that will have more emphasis on health but giving equal importance to inter linked subjects like science, technology and preparation skills. Culinology as it is being called is still a new concept and no university is imparting training in this area so far. Probably the health foods, specialty foods, functional foods all may be based Culinology as such foods can emerge only by fusing the culinary skills with food science and technology that will ensure shelf stability and manufacturing wherewithal. Who will be the candidates for training in culinology? Chefs, food technologists or nutritionists? Obviously it has to be the Chefs because they have the necessary skill to create mouth watering recipes and of the basics of nutrition are imbibed they are likely to be in the fore front in developing exciting new foods with excellent health credentials.

Presently in India there are different types of training courses leading to a multitude of degree certificates and about 1000 graduates coming out of these institutions are misfits when it comes to developing healthy foods with high culinary quality. On the other hand there are many catering training centers turning out personnel for the hotel industry with major emphasis on the organoleptically sound products. These trainees are not imparted adequate knowledge about human nutrition and health. If the training course is modified to develop adequate skills for making nutritionally sound products with high culinary quality, trained personnel from such courses will bring out revolutionary changes in the health of the population over the years.

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

"PRIVATIZATION" OF RESEARCH-AN ALARMING TREND WITH GRAVE IMPLICATIONS

2011-08-30T07:52:00.002+05:30

It is a fact that by the year 2050 world must gear up to "manage" a population that is double the present figure and the most critical issue is whether such a huge population can be fed adequately, at least at the present level. That the current food production may appear to be adequate from a Statistician's point of view, may give some solace to the planners but at the ground level the gap between rich and the poor is too wide with those at the lowest economic strata living in poverty with insufficient economic capacity to buy adequate foods needed to live normally. While increasing food production can be achieved through innovative technologies, enhancing the buying capacity of families can be brought about by economic development only.

As far as food production is concerned, the only major governmental effort which garnered global appreciation was the "Green Revolution" that achieved quantum jump in food production in nineteen sixties and seventies and even to day one can hear planners talking about a second green revolution for meeting increased demand for foods by the expanding population. Though green revolution has been lauded for its impact on the food front, a serious issue that has generated lot of concerns is the way it was achieved. Because of the input intensive technologies used and the changes in the traditional agricultural practices, the soil health seems to have suffered seriously with some experts saying that it would take years to rehabilitate the agricultural lands affected which has serious repercussions. Nonetheless, the efforts by governmental research or public funded and controlled developments ensured that the needed technologies were disseminated amongst the farming community easily without any major hitch.

According to some reports research investments in agriculture supported by the public funds are either stagnant or actually dwindling while that in private sector is growing phenomenally at a robust pace. What are the implications implicit in this trend? If one hears about GM foods too often it is because of the dominance of a few large private players who control the technologies through the intellectual property regime under the WTO protocols. It is true that genetic engineering tool is very efficient in creating new foods with better resistance against field diseases that account for a significant loss of foods, unaffordable to a world crying for increased food production. Without entering into the debate about the safety of genetically modified foods, it is suffice to say that the new technologies available to day cannot reach the needy farmers who cannot afford them because of cost considerations. The critical question that arises is whether the world can afford to ignore the poorer countries where most agricultural lands are located, by denying them access to new privately controlled technologies?

The agricultural community in many countries is dwindling because it is not as profitable as it used to be and there is massive migration of agricultural families into urban areas seeking better fortunes and living quality. If such a trend is not arrested there is possibility that vast stretches of land may remain fallow without being cultivated for food crops, further affecting the food supply adversely. The Indian phenomenon of farmer suicides is due to the unprofitable nature of agricultural avocation and unbearable debt burden for the farmers on account of ever escalating input costs. To some extent GOI deserves some appreciation for the economic subsidies and support extended to the farmers but there is always the question regarding the effectiveness of the current policies vis-a-vis poor farmers and this calls for a deep introspection.

In many countries in the West there is a marked downward trend in public funded agricultural research leaving the field open to private investors. The growth of private research funding is 100% more than that in the public sector and considering that more than 80% of future increase in food production has to come from the existing land, new and innovative technologies have to emerge to achieve such quantum jump in crop yields. This calls for sustained investment in research by the governments and results of only such efforts can be disseminated to the agricultural community with no economic burden to them. Private sector developers cannot be expected to invest in research efforts that will not bring them returns and their target users are always big companies and super rich farmers who can afford to pay for the technology. Ideally the IPO regime should not be made applicable to agriculture considering the need for achieving quantum increase in food production and some mechanism has to be evolved to make technological improvements freely available to all the farmers, big as well as small ones.

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

WAH! WHAT SENTIMENTS ON JUNK FOODS!- THE COURT IS BOWLED!

2011-08-28T19:57:00.002+05:30

Babus in Indian Government have been forced by the judiciary to spell out the policy about selling "junk" foods near the schools in the country! In response to a PIL petition in the Delhi High Court the honorable judges sought the views of the Ministry of Health Family Welfare on this issue and of course as expected the court was provided with a "beautiful piece" of report which only Babus that run the ministry can do! No wonder GOI depends so heavily on these Babus to "govern", with really no governing!

From where the GOI got the idea of selling dal, roti and nutritional foods in the schools is not clear. Probably credit must go to the Babus for keeping themselves abreast of developments in the US where there is a powerful movement for banning junk foods in the school canteens because of the perception that the dangerous epidemic of obesity rampaging that country is due to consumption of such junk foods. Sure the US government knows fully well about what it is talking about and the predominance of processed foods in the diets of Americans is the root cause of the problem. While an average American depends on industry made foods to the extent of 80% in the daily diet, the corresponding figure is less than 10% in India. What junk foods are the Babus in India talking about? How many schools in this country has canteens like the ones American School system has? It is unfortunate that GOI has filed an affidavit containing lot of platitudes confusing the judiciary and the problem remains as they were before.

What does any one mean by calling an edible product "junk food"? If foods rich in calories, sugar or fat are called "junk foods", probably more than 75% of foods made by Indian food industry will come under this category. What is left for selling in the country? It is true that foods children eat during their early growing stages invariably decide the dietary pattern through out the life and therefore much thought has to be given when it comes to their exposure to various types of food. Parents have much more responsibility in "habit forming" vis-a-vis their kids and it is sheer callousness to shift this responsibility to the school under one pretext or the other. While residential schools have the onus to be more careful in providing a balanced menu, where does an ordinary school come into the picture in this "high decibel debate"? Millions of schools attended by a vast majority of children in the country have no role to play in this junk food controversy. Pupils generally take their own food to the school in their own "Tiffin Box" and it is natural and logical to expect that parents must be sending the most nutritious food to their children. It is amusing to read the affidavit filed by the Health Ministry with the court which is reproduced below verbatim as gleaned out from News Papers.

"The Centre has asked state governments to ban sale of junk food and carbonated soft drinks on school premises and withdraw all such items that lead to unhealthy eating from canteens. The ministry said this while responding to a PIL filed by an NGO in the Delhi High Court seeking ban on the sale of junk food and carbonated drinks within a 1,500 feet radius of schools. The MoHFW said in an affidavit that it is against sale of junk food in educational institutions and the states have been advised to keep them out of reach of students as far as possible.Though junk food is not defined under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, the ministry said that any food that has poor nutritional value is considered unhealthy. Any food item that has empty calories and is responsible for obesity, cavity, diabetes and heart diseases cannot be considered good for the consumption of children, the ministry said. Studies have indicated a correlation between consumption of food with empty calories and chronic degenerative diseases as well as hypertension, obesity, cardiovascular problems and glucose intolerance, the ministry added".

Plenty of platitudes and sentiments expressed through empty words having no intention to do any thing! Most of the above lines are taken from standard pieces of information on junk foods in the Internet with least relevance to India, probably to confuse the judiciary and to create an impression that the Babus are 'knowledgeable" on the subject. After the above episode one is left wondering whether the education authorities are really capable of protecting the health of school going kids because a more serious problem posing danger and not receiving attention due to it, does not come from junk foods from the organized food industry. The real culprits are thousands of street hawkers who congregate near schools at important timings when the schools start or have recesses and a range of items like frozen ice, colored drinks, fried snacks, cut fruits etc are sold openly under most unhygienic conditions with potential to ruin their health. With many dotting parents showering their children with liberal "pocket money" without being serious about monitoring as to how the money is spent, there is disaster waiting to happen through these street hawkers and sadly most civic authorities in the country either do not bother about controlling them or close their eyes not wanting to see the ugly scenario around the schools. Of course FSSAI has absolutely no clue regarding this sorry situation across the length and breadth of the country!

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