WATER-A FLAVOR BOOSTER?

Food scientists, especially those specialized in flavor technology, have many options when it comes to flavor attenuators in various formulated products. By far the most dramatic flavor booster in the history of food industry has been MSG used practically in every food consumed to day. Then there are spices and condiments used in many foods to create or boost the flavor and taste at varying concentrations to generate desired notes. Salt, acids, sugar and many natural ingredients in our every day foods play their own role to enhance the acceptability. Flavor in coffee and tea comes out during the manufacturing process through chemical inter actions and pyrolysis. There are many isolated and synthetic chemicals from foods used to "top up" the flavor of some foods and beverages. But the role of water in enhancing the flavor of food is a new concept as it is generally understood that water, being a diluent, can only reduce the intensity of flavor and taste. Obviously water does seem to have some role in perceiving flavor in beverages.

Water is a simple molecule with no inherent color or taste. All beverages, alcoholic as well as others, are made of water with low concentration of other ingredients. Its biological role is to provide a medium for carrying out metabolic reactions in the body and other vital functions. Food industry relies heavily on water for its various manufacturing processes including maintaining hygiene and sanitation. The quality of water used makes significant difference in the ultimate quality of the products made. Hard water containing many inorganic salts has negative impact on the flavor and other parameters used to measure organoleptic quality of finished products. Process water and potable water always have distinct chemical characteristics while alcoholic beverage industry is extra careful in treating the water used in formulating various drinks as presence of even trace chemicals can taint the final product. The homeopathic medicinal system uses water for getting infinitely diluted drug preparations for which neutral water is a prerequisite.

A chance observation that weak cocktails can be more aromatic than stronger drinks provoked a closer look at the effect of water on the quality of the end product of liquors made ready for drinking. If not properly diluted the alcohol present in the drink can come in the way of fully enjoying it and when the level exceeds 10-12%, many connoisseurs report experiencing a pungent note which can be irritating. Generally experienced drinkers "nose" the prepared beverage or "sniff" at it to inhale the aroma which is released on adding water. Diluting spirits with optimum amount of water is the best way to bring out the aroma in many high end liquors. Probably the fact that both alcohol and typical aroma substances in products like whiskey, brandy, wines etc are volatile and since volatiles are soluble more in alcohol than in water, dilution releases the volatiles along with alcohol for the drinkers to feel the full body of the flavor.

The above principle may be playing a role in bettering the drinking quality of brewed coffee also when lesser quantity of coffee powder is used for preparing the beverage. It is known that coffee with cream invariably gives a product with less coffee aroma and many consumers prefer black coffee to fully enjoy its delicate aroma. Same is true with tea also. Full cream coffee containing milk has fat which tends to "lock in" a significant amount of aromatic substances and strong milky flavor further masks the already diminished coffee aroma. Of course drinking quality of beverage made from coffee powder can vary substantially depending on the variety of beans used, roasting conditions and brewing process. According to some experts brewed coffee strength varies between 1.25% and 2% solids depending on the country consuming this beverage and a median level of 1.5% solids can give consistently good cup quality. A ratio of 12 gm of powder to 180 ml of water is recommended by some connoisseurs of coffee for getting the typical aroma. Indian consumer, especially from the southern region, may not agree with this suggestion because most of them drink "strong" coffee with much higher solids content in the "decoction" and the final made-up beverage may contain much higher solids than the ideal 1.5%.

Flavor boosting property of water is influenced by the quality of water used for brewing and there are many scientific studies bringing out the negative influence of water of indifferent quality on the the aroma of prepared beverage. Coffee aroma is a cocktail of more than 800 organic chemicals and unless a balance is established brewed coffee is unlikely to be acceptable. Some of the inorganic chemicals that may be present in water including Chlorine can react with some of the aromatic substances responsible for typical coffee flavor and affect the cup quality adversely. More over the level of solids in the coffee will depend on the extraction procedure with manually prepared filter coffee brew containing about 20% soluble solids while commercial extractors are known to get more than 50% solubles under pressure extraction. How far the results of cup quality assessed by western standards can compare with that of filter coffee of southern India needs investigation for which a body like Coffee Board should take the lead.

V.H.POTTY

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"JOINT JUICE"-A NEW "PALLIATIVE" FOR ARTHRITIC PAIN RELIEF?

Joint pains affect a significant segment of the population beyond the age of 45 years. Arthralgia and Arthritis refer to joint pains in humans and there are more than a dozen reasons for developing such ailments affecting joints like knees, elbows, fingers, hips and parts of the body where bones, muscles and tendons have to move freely for carrying out many every day physical activities smoothly. While Arthralgia causes non-inflammatory type joint pains, all arthritic related pains are inflammatory in nature. Many anti-inflammation drugs and corticosteroids help in giving relief from arthritic joint pains though temporarily but joint replacement by surgical intervention is becoming common now a days.

Three most commonly used chemicals to treat joint pains are glucosamine, chondroitin and methyl sulfomethyl methane though they are not still approved universally as safe and effective drugs. Research studies are neither conclusive nor unanimous regarding the effectiveness of treatment with the above chemicals though majority seems to be favoring their use. No toxic effects have been reported on their regular consumption. Many countries allow them as food supplements requiring no clinical data to prove the claims or the safety of use.

Glucosamine, by far the most frequently preferred joint pain relief supplement has been extensively studied and as it is a part of the biological system its use is logically taken as safe as well as effective by the consumers. It is essential for stimulation of synovial production of hyaluronic acid and inhibition of cartilage degrading liposomal enzymes. Glucosamine is an amino sugar and as such is a precursor to all glycosylated proteins in human system. Though it is produced mostly by extracting chitin and chitosan through hydrolysis of exoskeleton of crustaceans there are plant derived glucosamine for the benefit of vegans. Fermentation of corn or wheat is a route used to make vegan glucosamine. The mold Aspergillus niger is a good source of glucosamine which can be extracted from its cell wall.

Recent development of two products, Joint Juice and Joint Juice Performance Water which are liquid dietary supplements contain glucosamine, a natural compound found in healthy cartilage. According to the Mayo Clinic authorities, studies by their scientists have indicated that glucosamine is beneficial in treating arthritis, particularly for the knee joints. Commercial preparations, depending on the formula and flavor, may also contain B vitamins, electrolytes and vitamin C. If the claims of the scientists who developed these products mainly for professional athletes, are to be believed the supplement can improve flexibility and joint function within four to eight weeks of daily use. What is disturbing about these claims is that such assertions are not supported by clinical studies and no health authorities any where in the world have evaluated these products let alone accord approval from safety angle. The glucosamine in Joint Juice does have the advantage of being plant-based, whereas most glucosamine products in the market are derived from shellfish and are not vegetarian in nature.

V.H.POTTY
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WHERE YOU LIVE OR HOW YOU LIVE-INFLUENCE ON HEALTH

Many reasons are cited to explain away the modern trend of over eating and the resultant effect on the human body as manifested by obesity and many life style health disorders like CVD, Blood Pressure, Diabetes etc. But what causes over eating? There does not appear to be any consensus on this aspect amongst scientists and sociologists dealing with this phenomenon. Food industry invariably takes the blame for manufacturing foods with high calories, fat, sugar and salt which are liked by the consumers, most of them not well informed about health implications of a diet not balanced with respect to the nutrients required for sound health. In the modern society, pursuit of money is an overwhelming avocation and any business established with resources will naturally expect decent returns for the investment deployed. Naturally food industry business also expects attractive returns which depends on the acceptability of the products made by it to the consumers. The driving force for business is the consumer demand and the dictum "consumer is the king" guides the type of products manufactured by the industry. If the food industry has been following the consumer trend and develop foods to meet that demand, probably it cannot be faulted entirely for the present alarming situation.

There are plenty of suggestions from time to time to arrest the present trend, none of which is likely to achieve the desired result. Taking a leaf out of tobacco industry some want to impose high taxes on foods which are not considered healthy but this strategy has not stopped smoking completely though the population of smokers has come down significantly during the last two decades. Same is true regarding the efforts to discourage alcoholism through making drinking illegal many years ago which resulted in driving the industry "underground" and the product becoming more expensive. If some of the opiates command astronomical prices in the underground market, it is because of the ban on use of drugs in many countries but this has not stopped the spread of drug addiction. If past experience is any guide, taxation may not make much of an impact on the desire of consumers to eat tasty foods irrespective of the damage that can occur. In spite of these constraints, industry is taking cautious steps to change the consumer perception of food through "engineering" new products with better health credentials. Modification of recipes by reducing salt, lowering sugar, increasing fiber, progressive bringing down of fat, including useful nutrients like omega-3 fats, antioxidants, phytochemical ingredients etc all point to the new direction the industry is taking to give alternate and healthier options to the consumer in the market place.

Ultimately it is the human mind that needs to be "trained" to avoid unhealthy foods, which in turn can bring out dramatic changes in the attitudes of food processing fraternity and the restaurant sector. Psychologists feel that change in human behavior can be achieved only slowly and right environment needs to be created for bringing about such a change. Some of the on-going efforts include more revealing label declarations, continuous consumer education programs, mandatory exclusion of ingredients of doubtful safety, making consumers aware of the health implications of restaurant foods, etc. Probably a jarring note on this issue is orchestrated by a section of the food industry which holds the consumer responsible for to day's food-linked health crisis because of lack of minimum physical activity resulting in accumulation of unspent calories in the form of fat in the body. While this may be true, it is an undeniable fact that human activity cannot be regimented, especially in a democratic society.

The unconscious response of human mind to environment is borne out by a recent study where it was found that women who lived near a supermarket tended to have a lower body mass index (BMI), meaning that they were less likely to be obese, than those closer to a convenient store. Convenience stores generally do not carry healthy foods such as fresh fruit and vegetables or whole-grain products. Similarly those residing in areas where restaurants are nearby were more prone to have widening waist lines and closer the restaurants higher were the BMI readings of the residents. These findings are important because of their significance in planning human habitats. Modern dwelling complexes in many parts of the world are designed to deliver more convenience and less physical discomfort to the residents which may not be desirable considering the long term implications of such mindless planning. Though the independent spirit of human beings must be admired, in to day's world some discipline, especially in eating practices, needs to be inculcated. Urban planning to subtly train the people to avoid sedentary life style through better planning, along with early stage training at childhood can be expected to progressively improve the situation over a period of time.

V.H.POTTY

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SAFETY OF AIRLINE FOODS-DISTURBING QUESTIONS

Foods offered during traveling in trains or planes can at best be "edible" and it may be too much to expect high end foods during journeys. The logistics involved are so awesome that access to safe foods should itself be considered a plus point. Imagine the practicality of preparing adequate foods for more than 1500 passengers in a long distance train, especially if the travel takes more than 24 hours. Those who travel by trains expect hot foods to be served with high eating quality besides ensuring their safety. In India railway passengers in many long haul trains are served hot foods by private caterers as well as the in-house catering group of Indian Railways (IR). In a huge operation like the one undertaken by IR some degree of dissatisfaction is bound to be there but allowing the passengers to express disgust at the quality of foods served is some thing IR must avoid and it is in this context one has to understand the recent decision by IR to take over catering in all trains by the zonal railway units as an in-house operation. How far this will ameliorate the situation remains to be seen.

The old system of attaching pantry cars to important trains provided the passengers with some comfort and convenience and it is unfortunate that IR in its relentless pursuit of profit found it expedient to discontinue the pantry car system some years ago. One can only remember with nostalgia the old comfort of traveling cross country journey enjoying meals and snacks at any time with access to the pantry car through the vestibuled trains. Forming of the Indian Railways Catering and Tourism Corporation sounded the death knell for the pantry car system. IRCTC, after setting up a series of Base Kitchens in different centers was doing a reasonably decent job till it was divested of its responsibilities recently by IR accusing it of negligence and mismanagement. Such unilateral action cannot be expected to improve railway catering as the malaise is much deeper than what IR thinks.

The quality of food, its safety, presentation, delivery and customer-end service, all could have been improved if a thorough review was made to identify the reasons for the innumerable complaints filed by thousands of passengers during the last couple of years. While quality is important, more emphasis needs to be placed on minimum taste threshold acceptable and guarantee of safety and this can be achieved only through large scale deployment of experienced and knowledgeable personnel. The preparation environment in base kitchens, quality of raw materials used, mode of preparation, hygienic and sanitation aspect at all levels are not as per standard norms for large scale food preparation facilities. Besides there is no over seeing authority for bringing to books defaulters as railway catering is beyond the reach of licensing and safety surveillance authorities in the country. IR does not seem to have a clue regarding these issues.

Of course the quality of foods served in trains and planes cannot be expected to be same as home-made preparations or those offered by standard restaurants but the traveling public has a right to be assured that at leas they are free from filth and contaminants and safe with no risk to lives. While a country like India can take consolation that its technological reach and capabilities are growing slowly and there is considerable scope for improvement in future, look at the condition else where in the world. While scrutinizing the standard of catering in the aviation sector in the US where three private caterers operate 91 kitchens that provide more than 100 million meals annually to U.S. and foreign airlines at U.S. airports, several deficiencies were observed reflecting the deteriorating safety environment in these catering facilities. Some of the defaults noted include storage of food at improper temperatures, use of unclean equipment, employing workers who practice poor hygiene, presence of roaches, flies and other infestation vectors. It is to be expected that the industry would deny such wrong doings because the operating system is designed to ensure food safety though at individual levels there might be occasional violations.

Air travelers have every right to expect foods of quality comparable to restaurant foods because of the high cost budgeted for catering service by major airline companies. While the foods served by the airline companies in India are considered satisfying to most of the passengers as these are sourced from some of the best hotel chains in the country, many of the US airlines do not serve food free any more because of the present economic crunch and even for a payment only standardized unappealing food packs are offered.

V.H.POTTY

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LOOKING FOR THE "UNKNOWN" DANGERS-RELEVANCE OF THE PURSUIT

Fear of pathogens contaminating the foods, especially meat based products, is becoming a major endeavor for safety authorities in many countries and billion of dollars are being invested not only to pursue newer sources of pathogens but also for evolving fool proof techniques to destroy them before gaining access to the consumer's dining table. Meat industry, the most affected by this relentless pursuit in identifying new species and their variants, is left with no choice but to follow the dictum from the authorities, reasonable as well as unreasonable, to ensure their survival investing vast resources. That many small players are not able to follow newer and more stringent safety regimes, forcing to shutter their enterprises, is another serious matter that must receive attention by the regulatory bodies.

Take the example of the much dreaded E. coli O157:H7 and billions of dollars being spent for its total eradication which the industry had to bear. Millions have been spent in research and the in-plant installation of multiple, science-based 'hurdles' to prevent the bug from entering the food supply chain while another fortune was squandered on legal disputes, courtroom expenditure losses and the recall of millions of pounds of meat costing the industry easily jumps into a few more billions. There have been innumerable seminars and serious technical meets devoted exclusively for highlighting the dangers of this pathogen in many international fora funded by the industry to really understand the seriousness of this problem. In spite of these frequent interactions amongst those involved in food safety issue, no clear understanding has emerged regarding the extent of danger by an ordinary organism like E.coli, which was considered very innocuous once upon a time, treating it at best as a marker organism for the likely presence of pathogens associated with fecal contamination.

While the much maligned O157:H7 has been extensively researched and over publicized, mostly in the US, what bothers the industry is the recent hue and and cry raised regarding the likely dangers posed by some other lesser known strains of E.coli on which focused attention is being bestowed by researchers. There appears to be six new strains of this organism which have been identified recently as responsible for a few isolated cases of illnesses in some parts of the US. It is known that hundreds of strains of E.coli live in the intestines of people as well as cattle and other animals but six strains have been found to produce a toxin similar to that from O157:H7 which probably could have contributed to a portion of about 30,000+ non-O157 E. coli cases reported annually. What is causing consternation amongst observers of food safety dynamics is the entry of trial lawyers into this murky area smelling massive money for suing the industry. The truth is that there is not enough known about which are the potentially deadly strains and testing protocols for them are shaky at best. There are not even standard testing protocols for these little known organisms and before finger pointing at the industry the testing methodology needs to be standardized.

Mandatory standards for these pathogens may be years away because in spite of sustained efforts since the last three years, the scientists have been able to evolve reasonably reliable screening procedures for only four of the six suspect strains. The reluctance to impose mandatory standards or banning these organisms in foods has to be understood against the above context. A ban at this juncture may be premature and can create a huge backlash in a meat industry suddenly charged with identifying and eliminating something for which there would be no reliable tool to do the job. The industry seems to have taken a stand that the present food safety strategies in place in processing plants at present are effective enough to take care of new pathogens also.

But the industry cannot wish away the fact that the six strains of E.coli have so far caused 36,700 illnesses, 1,100 hospitalizations and 30 deaths in America each year, making them a health hazard that must be faced

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

REGULATORY DILEMMA-SMALL VS BIG

Increased sensitivity to safety aspects of processed foods is forcing the authorities in many country to make the regulatory controls more stringent, the intention being to preempt incidences of food related health episodes. Inspection of the manufacturing facilities is a powerful tool available to bring to books erring industries and ensure necessary precautionary measures are taken to prevent food contamination with pathogenic bacteria. While such rigid control measures are laudable, what effect it can have on the industry in general is not adequately considered.

Generally country laws require that most food sold to the public be made in licensed facilities open to government inspectors. But as more people become interested in buying local food in western countries due to some perceived advantages some countries make exemptions for amateur chefs and small processors who sell homemade goods at farmers markets and on small farms. These exemptions are without controversy as it is considered a compromise on the resolve to ensure food safety. The need to balance the desire for food safety with at least some modicum of control calls for a workable strategy that is equitable to all the take holders. It does not require too much intelligence to be aware of the burden stringent food safety regulations, designed for big commercial food handlers, can have on small-time players who just want to make a living by selling a few products in which they have some strength. But it is also true that without regulation, the public is at risk for food-borne illnesses.

The famous pickle bill in Wisconsin state in the US is an example of the compromise governments make in accommodating the humane aspect of regulatory controls. as per these laws, small vendors are permitted to sell high-acid canned foods, such as pickled fruits, salsas and sauerkraut, without a license and it is considered a calculated risk because acid foods are easily spoiled by bacteria. But the law is clear regarding low-acid canned goods, such as pickled eggs, which typically carry a higher risk of contamination. In tune with national regulations generally a license is granted for a food facility only if sound refrigeration and ventilation systems are installed which can cost tens of thousands of dollars,besides meeting with strict cleanliness standards and subjecting to regular inspections. Enforcement of HACCP and other high tech safety control measures being considered for mandatory enforcement for meat industry is predicted to shutter at least 50% of the slaughter house operations in the US because of high investment required for establishing necessary infrastructure.

In India same dilemma faced the regulators years ago when small fruit processors manufacturing hardly about 10-50 tons an year were required to take license and there was resistance from the industry, again because of cost considerations. But a compromise was struck wherein these cottage scale processors were required take license which gives the regulators at least the address of the manufacturers of products coming to the market though standards of inspection and prerequisites for license were diluted to accommodate the special needs of this sector. It is another matter that only fruit and vegetable processing industry is required to take a manufacturing license from the federal government while others come under the local municipality jurisdiction. Inspection and deterrent actions are conspicuous by their absence because of many reasons, some technical and others financial.

Big players invariably complain about the investment they have to make in establishing safety monitoring facilities and experienced technical personnel which will add to their overhead cost, eventually reflecting in the consumer price. Such a situation also gives small processors significant advantage in competing with their counterparts from the organized sector, though latter has the scale of economy benefit because of large production volume. There was a time in India when hundreds of products were "reserved" for manufacture by small industries only, another advantage enjoyed by them though this discrimination is not in vogue now. Probably policy wise this might have been a positive factor that could bring many small processors under the umbrella of a large firm with mighty mark muscle so that the lack of selling expertise with the former is neutralized for mutual benefit.

V.H.POTTY
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NON-SUGAR SWEETENER-NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Search for non-calories sweeteners is a continuous one as most of the sucrose substitutes being permitted to day for use in foods are not considered 100% satisfactory. Any eligible sugar alternative should have ideal characteristics like zero calorie, no after taste, easy to use, good stability at normal and elevated temperatures, no discomfort to consumers, safe for regular use and as low cost as possible. Low calorie sweeteners are gaining popularity because of historical weakness for sweet taste amongst humans and unhealthy attributes of sugar made from sugar beets and sugar cane. Weight watchers and diabetic population are constantly looking for low calorie sweeteners that can give them sensory satisfaction without affecting their health in one way or the other. Food industry has an obligation to fulfill the demand for products with low calorie load to meet such emerging need in the market. A vexing issue that bothers both the industry as well as the industry is which sweetener is the best for their use.

Xylitol, a sugar alcohol known for decades as a low calorie sweetener, did not find favor because of its low sweet "intensity" as gram for gram it is equal to sucrose and if the sugar use is to be curtailed drastically, Xylitol, probably may not be able to fill the resulting void. Xylitol is derived from fibers of fruits and vegetables involving extraction, hydrolysis and purification. Denmark is the major manufacturer of Xylitol though China and Russia are close on their heels with cheaper versions of the same product. Xylitol provides only 9.6 kC per 5 gm while Sucrose has 20 kc for the same amount. Where Xylitol has over whelming advantage is in its glycemic response as it has a very low Glycemic Index of just 13 as against 100 for glucose which means its absorption is slower and it will not create glucose surge in the blood immediately after its oral consumption.

Besides its main role as a sugar substitute, Xylitol also is fighter against dental caries and its regular consumption through products like candies and chewing gums is recommended by Association of Dentists from more than a dozen countries and scientists working in this area. Anti microbial activity of Xylitol in the oral cavity is based on the inability of infecting bacteria to metabolize 5 carbon sugars and alcohols and consequent inhibition of their growth around the teeth. There are thousands of products in the market world over containing Xylitol with claims of maintaining dental health but whether they contain sufficient amount to exert this beneficial effect is highly doubtful since for therapeutic effect one has to take about 10 gm per day. No toxicity has ever been reported consuming Xylitol though occurrence of stomach discomfort, especially at high levels of consumption, is reported. An area of some uncertainty is what effect Xylitol will have on the GI tract bacterial make up when consumed regularly as it has some inhibiting property against many bacteria.

Recent claim by an American company about development of Xylitol powder for use exactly the same way as natural white or brown sugar reflects the growing interest in this sweetener. According to them, their product branded as Ideal(R) is "world's first and only low-calorie powdered sweetener", made with the natural ingredient xylitol while its Ideal(R) Brown can measure, cup for cup like brown sugar for many operations including perfect for baking. Performing as well as brown sugar in muffins or marinades or sprinkled on oatmeal, Ideal(R) Brown is claimed to have the texture and taste one expects from traditional brown sugar. Stevia which is being promoted by large companies, after its clearance by the FDA of the US recently is considered a major competitor for Xylitol but latter does not give the peculiar after taste associated with Stevia.

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