The "Bromate in bread" controversy-Where lies the truth?

The recent controversy regarding the presence of potassium bromate residues in bread and other wheat based bakery preparations does not help either the consumer or the industry. While it showed bakery industry as a villain, consumers became weary about the industry giving an impression that the products churned out by this sector are not safe. According to the organization which splashed this news based on a study of a few samples picked up from the Delhi market, since bromates are carcinogenic, bread made with this chemical is not safe for human consumption. Probably it may have a point and safety authorities need to look into this issue more carefully and dispassionately. Decision to ban must be taken based on facts and ground reality, not as a knee-jerk reaction. What is not understandable is the haste with which the authors of this study had gone to the press which can only serve to create panic among the consuming public. FSSAI, the "Authority" sitting in Delhi seems to have been woken up from its slumber mode and since it has authority to ban any products as it did with maggi noodles last year, one can only expect a similar reaction from this babu organization. But it is time the consumers realize the reality, give the report a cursory glance and go on with their lives till more definitive data emerge on this issue.

According to the Center for Science and Environment, a Delhi based consumer watch dog, Indian bread may cause cancer because of the existing practice of the baking industry using potassium bromate for improving the raising quality of the bread. Not only that it also includes besides bread other products like pizza, burger etc as potential cancer causing products about which consumers must be aware. It further declares that potassium iodate, an approved additive in bakery products, has the potential to adversely affect thyroid functions in human beings and therefore needs to be banned. Lo, there goes the declaration by the FSSAI banning bromate for use in food products in India and further assures the public that it would examine iodate regarding its ill effects on humans! Steps in our over concerned Mantriji, the custodian of health of the population in India, cautioning the public against panic as he is "fully seized" of the matter. He further assures the public that a thorough investigation will be undertaken to find out whether these chemicals already approved by FSSAI are really dangerous and take "appropriate action" if so. Of course every body knows that he and his ministry will promptly forget about this issue and move on to the mundane things they are doing to protect the health of Indian people!  

For those not knowing what is potassium bromate and why it is used in bakery products, it is appropriate to peep into into its history. Potassium bromate, or commonly referred to as bromate, is an oxidiser deployed to strengthen wheat dough so that its elasticity is increased, besides helping to get a uniform bake and white color for the final product viz bread. Usual practice is to use 15-30 parts per million (ppm) of potassium bromate in the flour before making the dough. For a number of years this chemical was being used extensively by the baking industry across the world with no adverse report coming from any where. One of the reasons why it is considered a safe practice is that bromate gets destroyed at the high baking temperatures which is required to make a good bread. It is well known that at the baking temperatures normally no residue is supposed to be left behind to cause any ill effect. Of course if good manufacturing practices are not followed, especially use of high concentrations of bromate or under baking, possibility of some residue remaining cannot be ruled out. 

Is use of bromate confined only to India? Of course not. There are a few countries like the US which permit use of bromates but under the condition that there is zero residue left in the product after baking. Many countries, to be on the safer side out rightly banned use of bromates. Though earlier a limit of 75 ppm was allowed which was reduced to 60 ppm later, subsequent international studies did find bromate to be of carcinogenic potential and advised all countries to avoid using it as far as possible since alternative safer additives are available to achieve the same objective as a flour improver. It was in 2012 that the Codex Alimentarius Commission of FAO/WHO withdrew specifications for bromate from its official list implying that its use should be discontinued. However, India, though a member of the Codex did not bother to implement the recommendations of this body and continued permitting bromate in the country for reasons known best to FSSAI. Is it not ironical that FSSAI has to be woken up by the limited studies of the Delhi organization to remove bromate from the list of permitted food additives? 

Before we take the side of the consumer, it is only fair to listen to the compulsions of the bakery industry in India as to why it is persisting with the use of bromate, in spite of the adverse views of the Codex. Most logical explanation would be that it is legally permitted in the country and no one can find fault with it. Interestingly in a country like the US where 60-75 ppm of bromate is legally allowed many major bakery players have shunned its use voluntarily, finding alternate flour improvers like  ascorbic acid, ammonium persulfate, ammonium chloride, amylase, glucose oxidase  etc. The attraction for the industry to use bromate is that it is the cheapest flour improver in the market, all others costing considerably more. It is the contention of the bakery industry that if it is forced to stop use of bromate, the bread prices may go up due to increased cost of manufacture. Probably this is an argument no body is going to buy that easily! The industry feels that since FSSAI does not want to shoulder the responsibility of monitoring the bromate residues in bread regularly, it is exercising its power to ban this chemical. May be there is a point but responsible industry leaders must understand that monitoring thousands of small and micro scale bakeries across this vast country is not that easy and therefore it must accept gracefully the decision to discontinue use of bromate in the country. As for potassium iodate it is not used widely in India in food preparations though it is a recommended source of iodine for fortification of salt to prevent on set of the goiter disease among the population. Probably banning this chemical may affect the salt fortification project promoted by the government. 

If the industry is to be believed the report by the Delhi organization regarding the safety of bread in India based on a limited study confined only to Delhi has caused a severe backlash against bakery products in the country as it has touched a raw nerve among the consumers, causing significant damage to its business. May be it has a point as voluntary organizations publishing such reports needs to be controlled and there should be an alliance between such groups and the government for exchanging such information before making them public. After all GOI has big institutions like CFTRI, CDRI, NIFTEM, etc and veracity of such panic causing reports must be vetted by peer scientists from these institutes before being put on the public domain. However well equipped voluntary organizations are, their facilities and experience cannot come any where to that of GOI food research institutions and hence this caution.

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

Tolerance, thy name is India-Scary tolerance for unsafe and sub-quality foods by the population

"Intolerance" is the new slogan one hears in India frequently during the last few months. Why not? After all we are all familiar with sugar intolerance, lactose intolerance, gluten intolerance, intolerance for many other foods and India is to day the world capital of sugar intolerant people. However no one seems to be concerned with some of these life threatening intolerance and this issue is rarely focused in any media discussions or social sector plans. In stead the theme of to days raging discussion is about intolerance at the political level. During the last few months if one watches the television channels, especially those airing "news" for 24 hours and presenting "panel" discussions, an impression is gained that India is the capital of social intolerance and consequent violence through out the country! If  one believes them, minority community people are not safe in this country any more because of increasing intolerance by the majority community.. Some "intellectuals" who felt neglected by the media, suddenly got the opportunity to come to lime light by grandiosely declaring that they "would" return the awards they "earned" through their achievements in their respective fields as a mark of protest and troubling of their "conscience" which were never evident before even at worst of the times in the history of this country.. 

Whether one likes it or not India is an over democratized country with each and every citizen aware of his rights without bothering to think about his responsibility to the society. Freedom of expression is enshrined in the constitution. Probably this is giving them the right to say any thing and every thing, logical or illogical, rational as well as irrational, use of hurtful or abusive language in the public and above all the right to violate any law without fear of retribution from the authorities. What is galling in this great charade is the "death of truth"! According to statistics during the year 2015 incidences of intolerant actions and dangerous communal clashes has come down by almost 50% compared to the past 5 years and one fails to understand how any one, honest and decent, in this country, can say intolerance has increased! One can understand the relevance of such a discussion if one talks about intolerance among politicians because every political party is intolerant of others in their greed for power which also entitles them the right to loot the treasury! Definitely this intolerance has greatly increased during the last couple of years because of the political upheaval caused by the dethroning of the dynastic political family during the election in 2014. After all most political parties that work in India are like the "crabs in the bucket" where no crab is allowed to escape by laggards pulling its lags!  

This great country has a glorious past, a great culture, world envying heritage, several virtues and achievements about which every Indian can be proud of. It is true that India is also one of the top 10 countries with high corruption and consequent debilitation of the average citizen. Major financial scams that took place during the last few years  are unbearable to most citizens who are honest and it is a pity that the omnipotent corruption is eating into the vitals of the country. Are not the citizens showing utmost tolerance to these negative perception about the ruling class, be politicians, bureaucrats, some industry captains or the lowly paid babus in government agencies with whom he has to deal with every day? Have we come across any violence against these vultures of the society in any part of the country? Is this a sign of "intolerance"?. Sociologists may conveniently push this trait under the carpet saying it is the helplessness of the common man that has made him docile and submissive!  

Look at the way the people in this country are being systematically trampled upon by insensitive rulers at all levels, be it federal government, state ruling machinery, civic administrations in towns and cities, zilla parishats, village panchayats or others and how amazing that despite such assault on the rights of human beings day in and day out people are rarely provoked! Whether the roads are full of pot holes or the traffic is non-disciplined water supply is irregular or non-existent and dangerous to health, or hospitals are any thing but hospitable or foods and drugs are fake and spurious or prevalence of looting by the thieves, gangsters and dacoits or uncontrolled pollution of the air or irregular supply of quality power or imposition of taxes irrationally, average Indian citizen bears them with a grin! If this is not tolerance  reminding us of ancient sages with unlimited patience, what else it is? 

Take the case of foods which are available in the country. One of the fundamental rights of any citizen in a civilized country is access to safe and quality food in the market. Governments at the Center as well as States have employed thousands of personnel, supposed to be vested with the onus to ensure only safe foods are offered in the market place. Unfortunately the ground reality is totally different bordering on disgust! In a shocking report it was brought out that in a big state like Bihar, the third most populous state in the country with a population exceeding 10 crore, there are hardly a dozen vigilant officers to monitor the quality of food offered by thousands of traders, retailers, hotels and restaurants and road side eateries! Practically every food there is adulterated, some benign and others dangerous but still there is not a murmur of protest from there and to top it the people have selected the very same people, responsible for this pitiable situation, for ruling them in the recent election there! If this is not tolerance what else it is? This food landscape is true in every state in the country and one never hears about riots or violence on this score. 

Indian citizen whether rich or poor, always had a raw deal as far as food prices are concerned. When onion prices shot up last year to unbearable levels, did any one hear about riots any where though onion is an important component of the diet to most Indians. Common man also knows why this happened, most probably because of the classical politician-hoarder nexus that created an artifical scarcity for onion in the market. Same situation keep repeating with many vegetables and fruits the price escalation varying from 50-200 % . The abnormal price increase of dals and pulses is another case. Imagine the distress of a population most of them vegetarians by choice when their major protein source became dearer because of 100% escalation of price! Such things keep on happening in a big country like India and the patient people in this country had taken such periodic hiccups in their stride.

Talking about food, are the people so innocent not to understand the implications of such gross negligence and shirking responsibility by rulers they themselves elected? Probably there is a dormant awareness that foods which are not branded backed by reputed manufacturers can be of indifferent quality but many do not sense the long term dangers inherent in buying unsafe foods, often at cheaper prices. Some say Indians are fatalistic in nature leaving their fate in the hands of God and if this logic is applied to food there is unlimited scope for food fraudsters in the country. Look at the Maggi noodles case where the whole Government machinery came down very heavily on the manufacturer, banned the product saying it is unsafe and initiated legal action  for reparation, accusing that the noodle is unsafe! But the very same Maggie reintroduced this month after judicial intervention, disappeared from the market shelves like hot potatoes in no time! Why this has happened? Because people seem to trust the industry more than the government. 

Some of the products most frequently and successfully adulterated in the country include edible oils with dangerous inedible oils and mineral oil, spices like Turmeric with Metanil yellow dye, vegetables like peas, green chilies with malachite green, black pepper with papaya seeds, mustard seeds with Argemone seeds, coffee with tamarind seed powder, tea with tea waste, saffron with other flower stigmas, milk, khoa and condensed milk with starch, milk with water, detergents, soaps, cheap oils, tea with spent tea, etc. According to admissions by FSSAI, more than 60% of milk in the country is adulterated! Still millions of consumers in India chase the fresh milk vendors for "fresh milk" hoping for a natural product. The list goes on and on but Indian consumer is ever patient with them with not much of a grouse. Tolerance is the reason for such an attitude which is sustaining such a situation.  How any one in his right sense call this an intolerant country! It is a bitter truth that this tolerance is increasing day by day which is scary and not good for the country! If this intolerance debate is channeled to the food landscape in the country, people must be advised to be more intolerant towards harmful and fraudulent foods and pressurize the rulers to be more aggressive in bringing to books the food criminals who are holding the country to ransom!     
   .      

V.H.POTTY

http://vhpotty.blogspot.com

http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

THE GRATE FOOD SAFETY "MESS"-INDIAN SCENARIO!

India is known for the diversity of foods consumed by different ethnic groups spread across the country. In the absence of reliable figures, it has been suggested that there are over 5000 such foods and if variations in recipes is taken into account the number may go beyond 1 lakh. But no one can vouch safe for this number because the ethnic food sector is a much neglected one with hardly any attention from the government or the scientific community. According to National Association of Street Vendors (NASVI) there are over 10 million street vendors alone spread across thousands of towns and cities serving at least hundred different types of food preparations, mostly cooked and served on the side of major road net works frequented by people. Added to these there are over a million small, medium and big restaurants in the country with a decent roof over them attracting a billion customers every day. 

It is very true that Indians do not have the habit of frequently eating out side their homes and such eating when it happens may be far and few. It is estimated that number of visits to restaurants by a family may vary from once or twice a year to a week in a month depending the affluence and disposable incomes. Compared to earlier generations, many nucleus families emerging from the shadows of their parents are increasingly patronizing restaurants because of affluence and lesser time available for home cooking due to their work place demands. In contrast, in some countries, especially in South East Asia, the kitchen size is shrinking rapidly while in many new residential complexes no kitchen is provided at all making the population dependent on foods cooked away from home. 

Against such a background, India can rightly be "proud" that food safety poisoning cases are far and few compared to those in many "sanitized" countries like USA and Europe. This could be due to under reporting of food poisoning incidences or attributed to the "tough" gastrointestinal features that make them immune to even the worst quality of foods served to them! Whether the street food vendor or the under the roof food provider, there is much to be desired as far their hygienic and sanitation standards are concerned. Filthy kitchen, unsafe water and utensils, sub standard ingredients, unhygienic personnel, dirty serving tables etc make these eateries a veritable "danger" spots for those with weak stomachs! One redeeming feature is that Indian cuisine is basically "hot food based" with the heat killing most of the pathogens which might have contaminated the food before cooking. 

With free availability of cheap drugs that can control stomach upsets, most food related episodes never reach the doors of a physician or a hospital and therefore do not enter into record books. It is a fact that a few drugs which are banned all over the world are still available in the country across the counter of a pharmacy store and people do not seem to be so much bothered about minor episodes of stomach upset caused by consuming food preparations from a street vendor or a small time restaurant. Incidences of common diarrhea, jaundice and other GI related episodes, mostly caused by contaminated water are becoming less frequent with the popularity of bottled drinking water carrying the safety mark of ISI. 

When the FSSAI rules were promulgated every eatery was supposed to have a registration or license for operation and it is almost two years since the rules were promulgated. Though the time period for complying with these rules were extended from time to time, the government (GOI) assumed a belligerent posture refusing to give further extension for licensing beyond February 4 2014. However GOI eventually buckled under pressure from the food service industry extending the last date further to august 4 this year. Two critical questions that demand answers involve what the industry was doing for the last several years when the contours of the rules were being framed and why the FSSAI did not anticipate the so called problems being aired by the industry now?

A charitable view may be that FSSAI is conceding the point that operating the food safety system has some practical difficulties. If so extending the last date must be appreciated. But there is a feeling that no one in the country is taking FSSAI seriously and hence this prevarication and obfuscation! On the face of it the FSSAI provision for compulsory registration has a justification because this only can trace the origin of any mishap, if and when occurs, to its source. On the other hand every trade in a civic area requires local licensing and why this arrangement cannot be used in disciplining the eateries within their areas? It is argued that eateries are already burdened by many punitive rules under the state dispensation and FSSAI regulatory rules are obviously an added burden to them. It is as well that government of India has a re-look at the food regulatory regime in the country and address the problems of all stake holders.   

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

FOOD IMPORTS TO INDIA-A STORY OF BUREAUCRATIC MUDDLE AND RED TAPISM!

Mr Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India is now in the US trying to lure American investments in India and enable him to raise country's annual GDP growth to 7-8% in the near future. It is remarkable that he has a vision which no politician of yesteryear or at present ever had regarding the development of India but when one looks at the ground realities even this man can do only limited things. Raising hopes and dreaming is not a crime since it at least boost up the spirit of the citizens, albeit for a short period. India has at present a green horn, unproven and innocent minister put in charge of the portfolio of food processing industry vested with the mandate to develop this agriculture related sector in a way that would boost farmer income significantly. Alas, one can only sympathize with her because if last three decades' experience is any indication nothing substantial is going to happen in the foreseeable future!

Above view may appear too harsh for many optimists who swear by the "potential" this sector has considering the exalted status India enjoys in production of milk, horticulture produce, plantation crops, sugar and cereals. Of course the legume crops scenario and oil seed front remain the Achilles heel for this country, India being the largest importer of vegetable oil in the world. Different "experts" may say different things when it comes to identifying why this dismal situation continues in spite of 67 years of independence! But the fact remains that the single biggest obstacle to food industry development is the government itself comprising short nosed bureaucrats and unimaginative politicians with their own selfish agenda. Look at the following report which appeared to day which speaks for itself the grim situation in this country when it comes to development of food processing industry.

"The story of 25,000 crores worth of food lying unused across the ports of India is one waiting to be told. We got in touch with people from the food industry to understand the current scenario regarding packaging and labeling of imported food products. Over 200 tonnes of chocolates, olives, alcoholic beverages, cured meat, cheese and other food products are catching dust in warehouses across the country. Products with a short shelf life are being pulled back and others are just sticking it out. There's plenty of ambiguity, lack of dialogue and absence of a well-articulated framework when it comes to rules and regulations regarding the food industry. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is responsible for laying down science-based standards for manufacturing, processing, distribution, sale and import of all food products. This regulatory body is the one point contact for all food manufacturers. We also tried to get in touch with the FSSAI over a number of days but did not receive a response. 


At first glance, everything appears to be in line. What could go wrong with a regulatory body trying to ensure that food imports meet Indian safety standards? For starters, the guidelines or regulations that the FSSAI follow are up to date. Mr. Amit Lohani, National Convenor for Forum of Indian Food Importers (FIFI) says, "The problem isn't that there are rules, but that these rules are old and irrelevant. The document that's being referred to is as old as 1954 and 1956. It's simply been rehashed to look new."  Makers of Lindt, the popular Swiss chocolate recently decided to pull out of the Indian market after a series of bruising losses. They saw six years of roaring success in the Indian market till they were struck by the FSSAI who asked them to comply with the labeling guidelines under the 'Food Safety and Standards Act, 2011'. In August 2013, three of their containers worth Rs.750 - 1000 crore (one third of which was chocolates) were held back. The FSSAI asked them to list down ingredients in descending order of composition by weight or volume. The company complied with the request and sent a fresh batch in January 2014 which also didn't make it past the ports because of a modified regulation which stated that chocolates with vegetable oil or fat could not be imported.  The food industry is already heavily regulated - and if an importer does not meet the labeling and packaging requirements, it's choked right at the point of entry. Food importers are growing tired of the exhaustive list of rules and regulations. This has set off an avalanche of lawsuits giving a bad name to the FSSAI, especially amongst those in the food industry.  In April 2014, a Starbucks shipment with two containers of flavoured-syrup was held back at the Mumbai port as the FSSAI felt that the product did not meet their basic requirements. A Starbucks spokesperson was quoted saying that the product in question met the requirements of over 64 countries and has been in supply for almost 40 years. Starbucks appealed to the Mumbai High Court which was quick in handing down its decision. The court asked FSSAI to release the shipment and also pointed out that they acted in an 'arbitrary and capricious manner.' "Mr. Amit Lohani from FIFI adds, "The dynamics and workings of the food industry have changed drastically. There are thousands of product categories and product sub-categories, each with its own unique manufacturing method. The FSSAI regulations aren't equipped to handle these which is what makes them regressive, not progressive." An importer of black olives who wishes to remain anonymous has been in business for over 20 years and tells us how his shipment of pasteurized olives was held back over the issue of salt content. "The minimum salt content in pasteurized olives needs to be between 1 to 1.5 %  but the products were tested against treated olives which are supposed to have a salt content of almost 5 %. The FSSAI was then informed that the salt content in pasteurized olives applies to international standards and is being tested against the wrong product. The FSSAI acknowledged this fact and released the consignment in question. But this problem can be repeated in the future with other importers because the rules are still the same. India is too small a market for big importers and this kind of hogwash approach will definitely drive away the big guns." Another interesting case is that of Canola oil. In April, large shipments of canola oil were held back for incorrect labeling. The labeling rules say that products need to use their 'scientific name' and not their 'trade name.' Canola oil happens to be the trade name and the scientific name is 'Rapeseed Oil'. Mr. Lohani said "A rule as vague as this suddenly wipes away years of marketing efforts that positioned the product as canola oil amongst consumers."  While food importers seem to be going through a world of trouble, so are restaurant owners. Chef Manu Chandra, Executive Chef and Partner at Monkey Bar said "Cured meats, ham, cheese and other products have disappeared from the market. We're being forced to look at alternatives which might mean we'll have to compromise on the taste, flavour and quality we've been offering so far. For many, this is a deal breaker." It is understandable that with increased awareness consumers want to know more about what's in their food. Nobody wants to stand in way of such kind of transparency. But current rules and regulations seem to be crippling the food industry instead of helping them deliver safe products."  ( http://cooks.ndtv.com/article/show/25-000-crores-worth-of-food-lying-wasted-598398)

This Blogger is not holding any brief for the importers of processed foods through this publication but is just raising this issue of food safety policies and all other things that go under the guise of regulations! From Day one since the so called food authority (FSSAI) was established it has been pointed out out that it is a "toothless wonder" capable of only putting road blocks for the growth of the food industry and this feeling is being reinforced by the above report in no uncertain manner. An unfortunate situation has been created in the country where no one is certain about the haphazard way this so called Authority is working and with millions of rupees invested by thousands of entrepreneurs in the food processing sector, their progress is check mated through unclear, ambiguous, dilapidated and impractical safety and quality standards. The implementing mechanism is so ineffective that only adulterators, fraudsters and dubious foods thrive in the country while honest entrepreneurs face enormous hurdles in staying alive in the market place. 

It is time that India dismantles its standards authority as it exists to day at the earliest and adopts entirely the standards laid down by international safety agencies like FAO-WHO Alimentarius Commission. An overseeing authority staffed by highly competent technocrats knowledgeable about food science and nutrition is put in place while the onus of implementing the standards are is put on the manufacturers with severe penalty for infarction.  

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

THE ROAD BLOCK FOR INNOVATION IN FOOD PRODUCTS-AN FSSAI CONTRIBUTION!

It is true that there are hundreds of products in the market with doubtful safety and quality credentials because of lack of oversight by the government agencies vested with the responsibility of safeguarding consumer health. Food industry is a cocktail of manufacturers ranging from home scale processors with limited capabilities to mega companies having deep pockets and to fit a common law for all of them may be difficult. But still a rudimentary protocol is necessary to control the industry for preventing marketing of food products which do not conform to safety standards of the land. This is where product identities are drawn for many items which are consumed regularly by the citizens. But logistically it many not be feasible to identify all the products for laying such standards. What about new products which are developed by entrepreneurs which do not fit into any of the existing standards? In India there was a system where new products appropriately called proprietary products needed to be registered with the authorities providing all the details about them and if there is no adverse response from the concerned authorities they can be marketed. But with the setting up of FSSAI (an Authority with very little credibility) the rules of the game have been changed and new products approval will not be automatic any more.   

According to industry observers such a step can really sound death knell for innovations knowing the leaden footed nature of the FSSAI. Any action requiring approval from government agencies in India is a time consuming effort and no wonder there are hundreds of projects in India worth about 7 lack crore investment during the last 44 years which have been delayed for a few years to a few decades. Such a sorry situation may not be fatal to the government though it is the citizen who suffers! The story is different when it comes to private investors who spend their own resources to develop new products but wait for long time to get clearance for selling them in the market! Besides the widespread prevalence of corruption can favor some players while honest entrepreneurs are stuck in the approval "logjam". If there were time bound decision making regime, such a situation would not arise and this can be expected to provide a level playing field to every one, small as well as big.

The standards and safety bench marks now prevalent in the country do not cover even 50% of the products consumed by Indian consumers and if the new rule is implemented industry will have to discontinue manufacture of thousands of products currently marketed by it. For example most products of ethnic nature do not have quality standards embedded in the statute books and how can the traditional food sector market these products without getting approval from the Authority? Sadly the FSSAI has neither the technical competence nor the administrative muscle to carry out these activities and there exists the possibility of serious disruption to the food manufacturing activities in the country if the new proposal is implemented strictly. With coordination between the state food standards departments which are supposed to implement central policies, and the FSSAI at Delhi practically non-existent it is going to be the industry and the consumer who will be bearing the consequences of such adventure on the part of FSSAI.

Interestingly the writ if FSSAI runs only with organized industry which markets prepackaged foods while those selling food without a label or address are at liberty to peddle any thing whether unsafe or sub standard! Just because the organized food industry declares every thing on the label including their address, they are easy targets for punitive action while faceless peddlers of food get way with murder! Even to day there are thousands of retail traders who sell food products loose to the consumers with no burden of proof regarding the safety of the wares they sell. What protection the consumer is provided by FSSAI? Nothing! If India is competing with China for the "honor" (or dishonor?) of being the capital of food fraudsters and adulterators it is because of the operation of these traders with no real fear of the authorities. Of course those consumers who build long association with their retailers near their sojourn are not usually cheated because of the loyalty factor but casual buyers can be a convenient target for food fraud activities. Advent of multinational retailers and big Indian retail players may alleviate the situation to some extent as most of them sell only packed products. What is disturbing however is a new trend where even these large players are offering many foods in "loose" condition under the guise of reduced prices! 

Recent policy promulgation by FSSAI to compel all food manufacturers to register with the agency and get a license for dealing with food may be intended to trace the origin of food frauds. It is doubtful if this will really work because many microenterprises do not operate from the same address and have the ability to change their address frequently unlike larger players. There appears to be a misconception that licensing will take care of all the ills of the country whether in food sector or other areas of commercial activities. Before enacting any new regulations, government must justify the same and in the case of licensing itself there exists a system of local licensing of all manufacturers and dealers of food  with local authorities which is adequate enough to exercise vigilance if it is made to work efficiently. if these local bodies can transfer their data to FSSAI that can create a national data base for monitoring the activity of food industry as well as traders. Where is the need for a centralized licensing system?   

Looking from another angle the FSSAI evolved standards do not permit creation and marketing of healthy products as these are based on old concepts and understandings of nutrition science. During the last few years the yardstick for good health has changed dramatically with sugar, fat and salt becoming pariahs as far as health pundits are concerned, obviously because of their proven role in fostering many health disorders like Diabetes, CVD, Blood Pressure, Kidney ailments etc. Obviously it is unfair on the part of authorities to insist on minimum amounts of these ingredients in any food product. Take a product like ice cream which is mandated to contain a minimum amount of fat and sugar and industry developing healthier products containing less fat or sugar is bound o be penalized for violating the existing standards! There are many such products which have no business to be there in the market if nutrition becomes the corner stone of any standards frame work. One has to appreciate the dilemma of the food standards and safety agencies in balancing the needs of the nutrition science and that of the food technology before evolving safety related policies and standards.   

Why not think differently and simplify the food safety regime dramatically without compromising on essential things? Why not evolve a guideline that will draw two set of lists, one negative and the other positive, for the industry to follow while manufacturing food products in the country. Negative list must contain all those additives, processes, practices and conditions industry must avoid while the positive list includes desirable additives, safety aspects, nutritive ingredients addition, etc for bettering the quality of the products in general. There can be a general standard which defines any food and what they should not contain or if present the maximum limits. The onus of quality must be left to the industry and each product must confirm to the data presented in the labels. If FSSAI is truly a functional organization they must centralize the data on labels of all manufactured products with the address of the manufacturers for correcting misdeeds if any, on a continuous basis. This has to be a 24x7 activity for which adequate infrastructure must be created. Such commitment only can earn the confidence of the consumer in the long run.  

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

TECHNOLOGY STARVATION-THE GROWTH CONSTRAINT FOR FOOD SECTOR

Encouraging establishment of food industries is always a daunting task. Even under the best of conditions, an industry will sprout only if there is adequate entrepreneurship among people. India is not a country with dearth of entrepreneurs having necessary motivation and drive and still the food processing sector lags behind with only those with deep pockets succeeding in establishing viable processing units, that too in some parts of the country. Naturally the question that begs for an answer is why this sorry situation in the country?

It is known that for viable industries to come up, it requires existence of a multifaceted environment which is a pre-requisite. While entrepreneurship is necessary among the people, other inputs like technical support, policy support, marketing experience and financial strength are absolutely necessary. If Indian past is considered Indians are entrepreneur-wise a capable people and the vast number of micro enterprises in sectors like food processing working across the country even without any prop from the government, though not most efficiently,  is a standing testimony to this truth. It is another matter that after unleashing the forces of economic liberalization or promoting capitalism since last two decades, big industrial players seem to be destroying the smaller players for getting market dominance. Where is the much cherished Khadi and Village Industries Commission supported manufacturing enterprises to day? Practically vanished. Why?

Reasons are not far to seek. First and foremost the food entrepreneurship is being smothered in the country due to technology starvation as new entrepreneurs brimming with business ideas have no where to go to seek the basic need of a venture, viz the manufacturing technology for establishing a viable production unit. Though there are more than 800 District Industry Centers (DICs) in practically every district in the country, they have been neglected, especially during the last two decades with most of them languishing as non-functional entities. Another equally important issue is the government support, rather lack of it at present, that is vital for success of any industry. Whether it is Ministry of Food Processing Industry (MFPI) in New Delhi or the State Food Industry Departments, the typical "Babu" approach and an inertia laden mindset, very little ground level help is forth coming to propel the entrepreneurial community. Added to this the draconian measures under the new heavily bureaucratized show piece of GOI viz The Food Safety and Standards Authority (FSSAI) have a chilling impact on new entrepreneurs.

What is tragic is that with a special purpose vehicle (SPV) like MFPI set up by the GOI as early as 1989-90 and with vast funds available at its disposal for bringing in a revolution in the food processing sector, it has unfortunately become a tightfisted book keeper. Those who sought funds from MFPI know the back breaking job of actually realizing the grant due to time consuming procedures and bureaucratic interference. Though MFPI is to be lauded for some of its schemes which appear excellent at least on paper, the fact that it is not able to disburse the budgeted funds fully year after year tells the real story. For example who can find fault with its much acclaimed National Mission for Food Processing (NMFP) where in it can extent up to Rs 10 crore for new enterprises setting up cold chains and cold storage units as a subsidy? Still why not much enthusiasm is seen among the prospective entrepreneurs in tapping this source of funding?

As said earlier money alone cannot sustain an industry. What is critical is technology without which entrepreneurs cannot even plan a project in food processing. For multinational companies they have the wherewithal to access technology from their own parent companies or from global sources by investing large sums of money. What about the micro enterprises and small companies? Where will they go? The domestic technology sources supported by public funds do not even allow these "chota" people even entering their "palaces" or "ivory towers", let alone help them with technologies and technical inputs. There are no incubation centers in food sector in India unlike in many other countries as GOI did not bother to finance such centers in Universities or industry corridors during the last several decades of neglect of this vital sector.

It is time that GOI wakes up to this reality and do some introspection regarding the lacunae in the system. Opening a NIFTEM or calling other existing moribund public funded R & D organizations by other fancy names does not solve the problem. There has to be a vibrant technology generating system that will ensure continuous development of efficient small scale technologies for new industries as well for the existing industry for upgrading their operations which can only revive the food entrepreneurship in India.    

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

FOOD ADVERTISEMENTS-FSSAI TO BE LAUDED FOR ACTION AGAINST VIOLATORS

World over a significant segment of food industry indulge in unethical practices including mislabeling and misleading advertisements making tall claims about the virtue of their products with no supporting evidence. A vigilant overseeing mechanism can haul up the delinquents for their wrong practices. But it is the advertisements, especially in the electronic media, that become dangerous to vulnerable consumers who believe in them. There is no official technical vetting of the contents of TV commercials before telecasting and this "free for all" arrangement is a win-win situation for both the product promoters and the telecasting companies. Such promoters are so unscrupulous that they indulge in saturation advertisements targeting children and unassuming house wives and unfortunately there are no guidelines for the telecasters in accepting sponsored ads with misleading contents. The Chairman of the Press Council is more interested in politicking than disciplining the reckless media! The latest initiative by FSSAI in clamping down on such culprits is indeed laudatory and must be appreciated.

Why should there be any restriction on such advertisements when most of these are based on some information gleaned out from the literature? Answer is very simple. The claims are often exaggerated and some times misinterpreted and the way the commercial ads are designed, it carries some conviction with the viewers, most of them being children and house wives. Many parents tend to be swayed by  ceaseless ads which are cleverly juxtaposed with popular serials and other programs creating a lasting image of the products promoted. Such impressions, carried as a baggage when going for shopping, translate into buying some of them involuntarily! Imagine who will not be swayed by claims that promise to make their children taller and healthier or make children more intelligent and brainy! 

It is right on the part of FSSAI to find these ads "misleading and deceptive". Take for instance the claims of a brand of Multi-grain Noodles', which unabashedly proclaim day in and day out that the product has nutritional benefits s or for that matter , a brand of cooking oil which promises "healthy heart"!  In still another case FSSAI filed against the advertisements of two brands of beverages for claiming that they provide three times more stamina than an ordinary chocolate drink though the manufacturers concerned do not have any scientific evidence to support such a claim! Citizens in this country must have been fed up by advertisements by a multi national company that its product, containing more than three dozen nutrients, is a "complete food" though there is no such thing in the world as a complete food. Health pundits all over the world want consumers to adopt a diverse diet containing whole grains, fruits and vegetables and unsaturated oil containing foods. If a product containing no grains, no dietary fiber, is claimed as a complete good, it is both unethical and borders on criminal misrepresentation. 

One of the most difficult tasks of a consumer when going for shopping, is to decipher what is presented on the label. Assuming that the consumer has the necessary time and patience to read the label completely the message coming from such labels is often confusing. Many times the information is printed in very small prints which are next to impossible to read, let alone understand. There is no uniformity with regard to the declaration of MRP, pack weight, ingredients, nutritional data, manufacturing date and "best before" date. This is where iconic representation of the quality of a product can be of great help to millions of consumers, especially those who does not understand English or other languages. 

It is one thing to issue notice and another thing to follow it up through deterrent action and whether FSSAI has the necessary determination to punish these culprits remains to be seen. The list of brands against whom notices have been issued includes some of the giants in food product manufacturing and their political clout cannot be under estimated. With most of the legal luminaries, commanding astronomical fees, rushing to take up cases of all hues and colors, no matter how morally or ethically they are not factual, FSSAI can be expected to have a full fight on their hand if these cases are really pursued to their logical end. Here are best wishes for this "Authority" to succeed.

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

HAMPERING INITIATIVES FOR NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT-INDIAN POLICY!

All India Food Processors' Association (AIFPA) based in Delhi is supposed to be an anchor point for pleading cases for the food industry by acting as an interface between the government agencies and the manufacturers. As its representative character is very wide, what it says has some relevance and its views are heard by the government though the response has always been one of ignoring their feelings during the time of taking decisions. This government shows same attitude to technical organizations like Association of Food Scientists and Technologists (AFST[I]) which is the largest body in Asia, representing thousands of scientists and engineers with experience in various facets of food processing and packaging. Still these bodies have a remarkable reservoir of patience and perseverance in pursuing matters of interest to the industry. 

The newly anointed Food Laws in the country are supposed to safeguard the health of the citizens in the country without unduly harming the operational atmosphere of the processing community and a balanced approach is always preferred in all countries. Under the pretext of integrating diverse rules and regulations that controlled and monitored different sectors of food industry under various ministries which were in vogue till recently, a monolithic body was set up under the exalted banner of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), predominated by die-hard bureaucrats with no knowledge of the dynamics and technical complexities of the food industry and a set of rules and regulations were promulgated after an "exhaustive" planning of more than 6 years. Unfortunately this agency has only "Authority" to promulgate laws but no teeth to enforce the standards as the State governments only have the necessary infrastructure to operate in their areas. The result is that a "free for all" condition has been created with adulterators and fraudsters having a field day with no restraint on their nefarious activities. The judicial bodies in the country are passing stay orders in different parts of the country because of the badly drafted laws by the FSSAI.

Interestingly the "Babus" in FSSAI, used to wielding indiscriminate power, is passing orders, one after the other, many not in tune with the laws approved by the parliament which are considered injurious to the interests of the small scale food handlers and industry. Here is a typical example of its latest heavy handedness which deserves to be condemned in no uncertain terms, as pointed out by AIFPA in their letter to the government..  
-Sub-section (3) of Section-31 of FSS Act-2006 states that the prescribed fee is to be paid along with the application for grant of license. In pursuance to this, Schedule 3 under Regulation 2.1.3 of FSS (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulations-2011 stipulates the fee to be charged for Registration/ License for new or renewal.


-Sub-section (4) of Section-22 of FSS Act-2006 regarding Proprietary/Novel Foods does not stipulate any fee for obtaining license for Proprietary/Novel Foods. More so, no-where in the entire Section-22 on "Genetically Modified Foods, Organic Foods, Functional Foods, Proprietary Foods, etc.", there is any stipulation for charging/ payment of any fee for such type of foods. As such, the action of charging fee of INR 25000 for 'New Product/Ingredient Approval' is not justified and may please be immediately withdrawn.


- Perusal of Section-16 of FSS Act-2006 regarding "Duties and Functions of Food Authority"does not mention anywhere a provision under Section-16 of FSS Act-2006 or elsewhere in the Act of having given any authority to the Food Authority to impose any such fee as is being demanded now for 'New Product/Ingredient Approval'.


- Clause (o) of Subsection (2) of Section-92 of FSS Act- 2006 regarding "Power of Food Authority to make regulations" stipulates charging of fee, while making application for obtaining license only. No-where under these provisions, the Food Authority has been empowered to impose such fee of INR 25,000 for 'New Product/Ingredient Approval'. 


- Regulation 2.12 of the FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations-2011 regarding Proprietary Foods does not also stipulate any such fee for 'New Product/Ingredient Approval'.  Even under Section-37-A of the repealed PFA Act-1955 and Regulations made there under, there was no stipulation for charging any fee for 'New Product/Ingredient Approval' in the past.


 -Where in any of the provisions of FSS Act-2006, there is any expressed or implied provision that the Food Authority can charge any type of fee from Food Businesses / Food- Business-Operators for 'New Product / Ingredient Approval' except License/Registration Fee.


- Charging of non-refundable fee of INR 25,000 along with application for 'New Product/Ingredient Approval' and an additional amount of INR 25,000 in the case of products falling under the "Category-B" involving risk assessment and establishment of its safety violates the very provisions mentioned under Section-18 regarding "General Principles of Food Safety" of Chapter-III of FSS Act-2006.


-Charging of INR 25,000 for 'New Product / Ingredient Approval' will kill innovation in the food sector and FBOs will not be able to bring out processed food products of high quality and safety both for domestic and international markets.


-Charging of such high fee will also put financial burden on micro, small and medium enterprises, intending to introduce new products in the market. For example, a very experienced Petty-Food-Business-Operator of having developed a new recipe will not be in a position to pay one time fee of INR 25,000 plus INR 25,000 in the case of products falling under the "Category-B", due to his financial position. Therefore, an Advisory on 'New Product / Ingredient Approval' is counter-productive to the concept of fast growth and development of Food Processing Sector in the country and must be withdrawn immediately.

The above piece is quoted from a "pleading" letter to FSSAI by AIFPAI imploring the "Authority" to stop such punishing steps which can only destroy the industry. Already India is a country which does not invest much money on food research and most of the technologies operating in the country are foreign originating, heavily mechanized and automated and to which small entrepreneurs have no access. The morbid public funded R & D bodies do not count much in providing much succor to the technology hungry micro and small scale enterprises in the country as they have scientists, especially the leaders, considered "square pegs in round holes" with very little insight into the working of food industry and inappropriate background to develop what is needed by the industry.

Is it not a tragedy of Himalayan proportion that the food sector is being suffocated from both sides, government as well as the scientific agencies, not encouraging to develop new industries? What logic one can use to charge exorbitant license fees and irrational fiscal impositions on the industry, especially the domestic ones which are more and more being sidelined by giant foreign players with strong financial muscle and wide international resources? Look at the domestic research scenario and how can the public funded R & D think of patenting their processes expecting huge financial gains, making it beyond the reach of thousands of small enterprises which find the dice heavily loaded against them? Whether it is CFTRI, DFRL or NDRI the prevalent system encourages these agencies to be highly secretive and put high price tags on their laboratory based processes! Unless there is a total overhaul of domestic R & D organizations with proven industry oriented food experts heading them and governments at both State and Central levels declare a moratorium on taxing food products, India is destined to become a "free for all" anarchic country with every multinational company including the Chinese capturing the market, sending most of the present indigenous players into oblivion!

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

             

TRADITIONAL AND ETHNIC FOODS-THE FSSAI DAMPENER!

Copying from the West is a culture deep rooted in India and thinking and acting original keeping in view country's rich past do not seem to have crossed the minds of government policy makers in any field of activity. Is it not an anachronism that many laws that operate in the country to day are enacted originally by the British long long ago and except for tinkering with them no major attempts have been made to re-write many of them to adapt to Indian conditions. Even the fact that Britishers themselves have scrapped or drastically modified them from to time taking into consideration changes taking place over a time does not seem to be ringing any bell with the powers who call them selves as "government". India boasts of a talented man power pool that is second to none and they are capable of revolutionizing the governance to meet the aspirations of the common man. Unfortunately the vice like grip the bureaucracy has on the government does not allow such capable people to come any where near the power center.

The above comment must be seen in the context of the launching of the brand new food safety law last year with much hope and fanfare, raising huge expectations of the citizenry that they get relief from the massive adulteration of food at every stage in the food chain. It is almost an year since these laws have come into force but the frenetic pace at which the food adulteration industry is growing does not seem to be abating. At least the erstwhile Prevention of Food Adulteration Act had evoked some fear among the adulterators but the present condition which is more like a half way house is spawning new operators engaged in tinkering with the day to day food available in the market putting the lives of people in greater danger. Many operating provisions of food safety act are being challenged in judicial courts for their constitutionality and a sub-par infrastructure to support the field inspectors, that too few in number, makes the situation dicey for many criminals and crooks who are flooding the market with spurious foods of potential health damage to the citizens.

There are agencies like USFDA of the US, EU Food safety authorities, WHO-FAO Codex committee, ISO etc which have elaborate standards and safety norms and every country has the right to promulgate its own laws keeping in view its requirements under conditions that exist there. It is a fact that food is a diverse portfolio and the cuisines and product categories vary widely from one country to another and the chemical, physical, microbiological, sanitary and culinary aspects vary enormously among them. In evolving any standards of identity massive compositional data are required which can be generated only within the country and it is here hard work and scientific endeavor are called for. Unfortunately such data are hard to come by and any country aspiring to create its own food standards must strive to generate adequate and dependable data base on the foods consumed there for ages    

It is no secret that there are a number of issues concerning the interpretation and implementation of the latest food safety regulations put in place in India and probably over a period of time based on experience of working them at the ground level further clarity may emerge. But a close look at these regulations reveal a pattern that is both disturbing and disquieting. It is not difficult to lift en masse many provisions  from western regulatory regimes applicable to may modern foods like biscuits, bread, beverages, modern snacks like potato chips. But when it comes to traditional ethnic foods the regulators have no where to go and the easiest course is to omit them from the ambit of such regulations putting the onus on the industry to provide the data. There is an absolute poverty of ideas when the regulatory body classifies the entire ethnic foods as proprietary foods and it is shameful that the country's rich heritage foods, thousands in number, being relegated to obscurity under the new food law!  

The "funny"rule regarding  the necessity of prior approval of new food products / ingredient by the Food Businesses falling under Central Licensing Authority has created a lot of curiosity, anxiety and perplexity especially amongst the Food Business Operators who are manufacturing and selling Ethnic or Traditional Foods across the country over centuries by using latest manufacturing processes and processing aids etc. Most of the Ethnic or Traditional Foods which are not falling under the Food Categorization System adopted by FSSAI in their Food Safety & Standards (Food Products Standards & Food Additives) Regulations-2011 "shall be treated as Proprietary Foods and hence may be the subject matter of discussions/approval at any stage or time of implementation of the Regulations unless their (Ethnic or Traditional Foods & Food Additives) proper categorization under Food Safety & Standards (Food Products Standards & Food Additives) Regulations-2011 is not evolved/notified".   

Is it implied that Indians should shun their own foods and patronize western foods for which product identity is available in the rule book? Or does it mean that all ethnic foods are dangerous to eat and therefore must be under stricter vigilance by the "Authority"? There are many universities and food research institutions in the country where competent food scientists are working and it is a tragedy that government of India and its enforcement agencies do not demand for data to be generated and standards evolved within a time frame. Proprietary foods are normally new products created by the industry and asking for registration of such products is understandable. But products that existed for centuries cannot be considered proprietary foods by any stretch of imagination. The industry is justified in raising this issue and it must force the "Authority" to relax this provision. Probably these foods can be categorized as "others" and only a set of general guidelines to ensure their safety should be enforced. The primary concern should be to see that they are not injurious to the customer. This provisional situation can continue till each and every product is "standardized" by public sector food laboratories or by the manufacturing industry. Once major traditional products are "mapped" it will be easier to evolve standards of identity based on these data. 

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

  

THE CHAOTIC FOOD SAFETY SCENARIO-THE INDIAN LANDSCAPE

In spite of the super power tag in the world landscape, assiduosly being sought after by India, the ground realities that exist in the country speak a different story. Patriotism is an inbuilt trait generated from early childhood and is supposed to be fostered at the schools through right education but it cannot be demanded by a government which does not respect the citizen or does things which do not inspire self respect and pride of being the citizen of that country. India is precisely at this juncture to day with kids and youngsters not knowing fully the culture, tradition and past history of this once great country. The basic human quality of compassion and fellowship is fast dwindling and the frenetic urbanization that is taking place is creating a people with indifference, selfishness and inhuman qualities. Many people may not agree with such a portrait of this country while many others will swear by this assertion.

Series of financial scams that shook the country recently are shaking the very foundation of the moral and ethical values cherished by a honest society and it is all the more shocking that those in power are in a denial mode, refusing to recognize the deteriorating atmosphere in the country not conducive to transparent, honest and peaceful living any more. Be it the judicial system, political set up, the fourth estate or the armed forces, no one seems to be acquitting themselves creditably before the people's court. It is the perception among the masses that country's resources are being looted or squandered with very little benefit flowing to the so called "aam aadmi". In the food front inflation is gnawing at the very existence of poor people unable to keep up with rising prices and it is naive to blame the condition to globalization, openly welcomed by the country two decades ago. While Indian citizens are willing to pay international prices to buy the essential needs, will the government ensure that they get incomes comparable to citizens in wealthy countries? 

The brand new food safety regulations, ushered in after 5 years of "incubation" does not seem to have done even a wee bit to rein in food adulteration exposing the citizens to the dangers posed by the flourishing food frauds industry! Neither the infrastructure nor the determination to tackle this menace is evident in any part of the country and "merry go around" of the food adulterators is continuing with impunity. Added to this, the ill-drafted Food Safety Act is being challenged by some "money hungry" food industry groups in the judicial courts rendering many provisions inoperative, at least for the time being. The proud fact that more than 90% of retail trade and 75% of processing taking place in the unorganized and small sector is turning out to be a nightmare for the consumers as many of the products turned out by them rarely conform to food safety laws. The state machinery for safety vigilance is woefully inadequate and fraudsters get away by default. 

In one of the reports emanating from Delhi it was said that each and every day,what "hundreds of wholesale traders at Delhi's Azadpur Mandi, a sprawling, chaotic market where trucks blare Bollywood music, porters haul huge brown sacks of fruit and vegetables and hawkers ply tea and cigarettes" are doing, can put any body to shame. Fruits are laced with calcium carbide. for ripening before selling to thousands of unsuspecting customers and the traders do not seem to feel any guilt in doing it because it has become a habit with them since long, going on unchecked or unchallenged by safety authorities. They are least concerned that ripening of fruits with carbide can be dangerous to consumers despite being told that it causes cancer. Probably it may be a simple calculation or common sense that they have neither heard nor seen any body dying of eating fruits ripened with carbide! Added to this they are bewildered by so much noise being made by people about what they are doing and on top of this they have to pay bribes to all and sundry to keep their business running!.

If one talks to food safety officials, they have their own story. Many of them are not well conversant with basics of food safety and are not convinced that what is being done by the trade is some thing dangerous. They agree that use of carbide is banned by FSSAI, but from a practical point of view empathize with the trade because fruits arriving from distant places in raw condition require to be made market ready by controlled ripening and the present practice of carbide ripening is the only method they know about. The traditional practice of smoke ripening or the modern etheral ripening technology does not seem to be ringing any bells in their head due to ignorance or convenience!  Similarly lacing sweets with dangerous non-permitted artificial colors or adulterating high value spices with a variety of unsafe substances or mixing cheap oils with costly ones or tampering with genuine ghee goes on with no fear about retribution. It is a shame to hear the country's premier safety enforcement body at Delhi announcing from the roof top that milk adulteration is rampant in many states and blaming the state agencies for this sorry state of affairs!. The ingenuity of adulterators is truly amazing and India may be the only country in the world "producing" milk without a cow or a buffalo! The fraudsters' milk, sold widely in many parts of the country, is simply a white colored concoction made from a blend of palm oil, detergent, urea and other ingredients and it is intriguing as to how people are accepting such products readily. 

FSSAI is a new body created to shoulder the task of safeguarding the health of consumer from adulterators and economic fraudsters but it is hampered by sub-critical number of qualified and experienced personnel. Ideally for a population of the size India has, this agency may require at least a hundred thousand ground level staff and is it not a pity that it has not even 2% of this requirement at present! The laboratory infrastructure is dilapidated and unless their number is increased dramatically, capabilities raised several fold and facilities modernized quickly, the chaos and drift that that are the hall marks of food safety enforcement regime obtaining at present will go on and on till perpetuity with 'no light at the end of the tunnel".   

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