"OPERATION FLOOD" MODE FOR FRUITS AND VEGETABLES? WHY NOT?

The high food inflation which is being experienced in India during the last 2-3 years can be attributed to soaring prices of fruits and vegetables in the country and naturally this situation has a bearing on the health of the population. While per capita consumption figures based on total production and the current population may not be so alarming but it hides more than what is revealed! It is a tragedy that the country's government puts out figures of production not based on ground realities and most of the figures coming out of Krishi Bhavan are more an estimate than the real production figures. Probably no one really knows how much is produced, consumed and wasted for want of protective measures during harvesting, storage and delivery to the consumer. Under such a situation, is the country destined to be a case of "blind leading the blind" with no one able to provide real time solution to the problem?

If a search is made regarding country's production of fruits and vegetables annually, either there are widely varying figures or a set of figures are repeated by many authors, citing each other! If one goes by most quoted figures, India accounts for 12% of world production of fruits estimated at 600 million tons (MT) and 20% of global output of vegetables placed at 1000 MT. That means about 60 MT of fruits and 120 MT of vegetables. Every article on fruit and vegetables do not fail to boast that India is the second largest producer of fruits and vegetables behind China which reported a production of more than 600 MT last year, though these figures have not been independently verified. Assuming that Indian production estimates are accurate, does any one know how much of this reaches the consumer? That is another story!   

From time to time claims have been made from different platforms that the country was incurring a post harvest loss of 25-40% though there is no authentication regarding these estimates. Even the Prime Minister of the country declared last year that food losses in the country is 30%! According to most recent estimates (veracity suspect) India is "wasting" food to the extent of Rs 44000 crore out of which fruits and vegetables account for Rs 13300 crore because of various reasons, most of which is due to negligence, mismanagement, sub optimum infrastructure, low level of education of farmers, lack of investment, etc, etc! Assuming these figures may be some where near the truth, why is that successive governments did not take any pro-active action to correct the situation?

Of course Government did set up the National Horticulture Board in 1984, supposed to be for boosting the horticulture industry. Then there is the National Horticulture Mission presumably for achieving increased production of these perishable produce. What has been achieved so far is some thing of a mystery because wastage figures still hover around 25-40%! Government does not seem to be learning any thing from its past experience as reflected by the colossal failure of similar such Missions on oil seeds, pulses etc which saw wastage of enormous public funds without achieving any thing as shortage of edible oil and pulses is still continuing. Does this mean that India can never come out of this morass and save its population from shortage of essential protective foods in the daily diet? 

What is shocking is that country has a successful model to emulate in National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) led by the great Dr V Kurien which made this country top producer of fluid milk in a span of three decades. How did he achieve this feat? A simple answer is that he led a team of technical and managerial professionals who worked from a small town far away from Delhi's interfering bureaucrats! The cooperative milk federation called Amul is a standing testimony to the success of cooperative model for production, processing and marketing. There is no reason why such cooperative system cannot work in the case of fruits and vegetables also if honest attempt is made and government does not interfere with its funct. 

According to a recent study there are about 6300 cold stores in the country, most of which are established in just 4 states while the actual requirement to take care of country's production would be of the order of about 12000. Existing facilities can handle about 30 MT of perishables while what is needed is additional storage capacity of another 30 MT calling for an investment of the order of 60000 crore. Only a dedicated organization like Amul can mobilize such a huge investment and implement the cooperative production at the village level. It is imperative that cold stores are established near the production areas as well as near the consumption centers to maintain optimum quality of the produce. Further an efficient supply chain consisting of refrigerated or insulated trucks is a pre-requisite for the success of such an effort.

The much hated Agriculture Produce Market Centers set up in most states have outlived their utility and are becoming a captive facility for cheating the growers by thousands of agents who monopolize the auction activities. If the cooperative entity intended for supporting the growers becomes a reality, the producers have an alternative to sell their produce in a transparent way in stead of to traders or at the APMC yards, assuring them decent returns. If private dairies are working successfully in many states competing with state milk federations, why not private nt nt players compete with the proposed cooperative fruit and vegetable entity? It is time Government finds another missionary cum visionary like late Dr V Kurien to redeem the sad conditions under which almost all small producers of perishables work to day.       

V.H.POTTY

http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/

http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

HORMONE "LACED" FRUITS AND VEGETABLES-RISKY GROWING PRACTICES?

It is rather amusing to read a recent report about a GOI Minister writing to a Secretary in his own Ministry asking for strict action against farmers who use a hormone called Oxytocin in fruits and vegetable gardens to obtain higher yield of the crops! The news were splashed across every newspaper in the country and Television Channels got a scoop on their hand to attract listeners. Probably the minister achieved the purpose of putting across an image of a concerned politician. Really? Unfortunately no one seems to have looked deep at the issue before coming to any conclusion. No doubt Oxytocin is a natural hormone involved in smooth delivery and stimulation of breast milk in new mothers after delivery. Synthetic versions are available in the market for use by medical professionals but what is interesting is the claim that it is available in the grey market for less than 5% of the cost at which same is sold under prescription!

Oxytocin is used as an injection for cows for smooth delivery and increased milk yield but such a practice is frowned upon because of the intense discomfort suffered by the animal. According to the country's law Oxytocin has been classified as a Schedule H drug which is banned for use in animals though illegally dairy cattle are given the injection by many owners to improve milk yield and increase farm profit. It is not clear as to how the substance is sold at 50 paise a vial in the grey market because the process of making Oxytocin is not that simple and probably the materials offered illegally are stolen from somewhere. With only one manufacturer making this injectable hormone in the country, there is possibility that vast quantities are smuggled into the country across international borders on which the GOI does not seem to have any control.

Coming to the concerns expressed by the junior Health Minister about misuses of Oxytocin, it is not clear whether he is more concerned about the drug rule violation because of which the hormone is available easily in the market or about the health of the citizens who might be affected by consuming fruits and vegetables produced by "injecting" the mammalian hormone into the plant. According to the pharmo kinetics of the drug, produced by the pituitary gland, it cannot reenter the brain once it is released into the blood stream due to the blood-brain barrier. Similarly any amount of oxytocin consumed through the oral route cannot enter the blood stream due its inability to get across the GI tract. If this is so how can a vegetable produced using Oxytocin injection into the plant can be of any risk to human life? If some of the reports are to be believed Oxytocin can cause stomach pain, nausea, vomiting and irregular heart beat. And it can also create funny reaction like increased love and stimulated sexual activity, provided it finds its way into the blood. This is not to condone the ill-advised practices of the growers in resorting to such illegal activities in their relentless pursuit of easy money.

There is no clear evidence that injection of Oxytocin into plants that produce crops like Watermelon, Pumpkin, Cucumber and Brinjal can achieve higher productivity from the plants. From where the farmers have picked up this practice, if true, is not clear. Even if such practices give more fruits per plant or the crops have better quality attributes, the totality of the situation needs to be looked into from a scientific angle. It is hard to believe that the plant can transport this substance to tissues which regulate yield and quality of the crop produced. In stead of writing a letter to his Secretary, the Minister ought to have brought this to the attention of agricultural experts to investigate into such reports. Probably ICAR may be curious to know more about this episode and if there is some truth scientific investigation can be launched to get to the bottom of this controversy.

V.H.POTTY

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

FOOD AND COLORS-A HEALTHY CONNECTION

Why is that some foods in nature are strongly colored and others are colorless or mildly colored? Many food constituents present in different concentrations have specific roles to play during germination, growth, maturity and senescence. If it is so the multitudes of colors with different hues, represented by different chemicals contained in these foods, must have definite roles during the life cycle of the plants that produce them. Organoleptically, human beings like foods that have bright colors and this may be the reason for the development of the food color industry. From a plethora of manufactured dyes and tints available for edible use a few years ago, the number has dwindled to a handful because of the long term toxicity associated with the use of artificial colors. Shift from synthetic colors to natural colors is a logical corollary to the realization of the dangers of using artificial color adjuncts during food processing.

One of the strong reasons for nature to produce colored fruits and vegetables might be the compulsion of sustaining each species through spreading the progeny to far and wide. Just like the colored flowers attracting bees, insects and birds which carry the pollens and seeds through long distances for propagation, colored fruits and vegetables also may be attracting birds, squirrels and similar creatures as a food material and they serve as propagating agents for the plants. Still it is a mystery why each plant is endowed with characteristic genetic apparatus to produce same colored flowers or fruits or vegetables. It is understandable that plants contain chlorophyll which gives them the distinct green color of varying intensity, vested with the responsibility of fixing CO2 for bio-synthesis of starch in presence of solar light and generating the life-sustaining oxygen in this planet. Plants are responsible for producing a significant portion of the oxygen in the atmosphere while cleaning up the green house gas CO2 responsible for global warming.

Red colored fruits like tomatoes contain Lycopene which gives it the distinct hue during ripening and it is recognized that Lycopene offers protection for humans from diseases like prostate cancer, heart ailment and lung disorders. Purple crops like beets, egg plant, red cabbage and red pepper, containing anthocyanin group of chemicals are considered good for a healthy heart. Orange colored foods like carrots, winter squash, sweet potato and others contain alpha-carotene and beta-carotene good for the eyes. Blue colored crops like blueberries, plum, raisins etc are rich in anthocyanins, phenolics, isoflavones, flavinols, catechins, ellagic acid and minerals like magnesium and are considered excellent protective foods. Yellow and green crops such as spinach, collard, corn, avocado, etc get their color mainly from lutein and zeaxanthine which are known to improve eye health. Green cruciferous vegetables which include broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, kole etc contain valuable sulforaphane and isothiocyanates blessed with the ability to inhibit the adverse action of oxyradicals, responsible for the generation of carcinogens in the body and development of cancer. There is a class of crops with neutral or light color such as garlic, onion, sprouts, celery, asparagus, etc which contain allicin and some antioxidants with powerful anti-tumor properties. There are many health experts who advocate regular consumption of the seven groups of colored fruits and vegetables to keep away all the diseases that afflict the modern society.

Interestingly widespread apprehension about the long term effect of using artificial colors in foods on health has led to the emergence of color concentrates extracted from fruits, vegetables, flowers and seeds. One of the earliest used natural colors is annatto dye, extracted from annatto seeds, a forest produce available in plenty in India. Progressive elimination of many coal tar dyes from the list of permitted edible colors compelled the industry to look for alternate natural sources considered much safer. To day a wide choice of natural colors is available from sources like beetroot, safflower, blue grapes, alfa grass, parsley, spinach, carrots, red chilli, caramel, carbon black. blackberry, blackcurrant, kokum fruit, turmeric, etc. Though some of them have the advantage of being nutraceuticals also, the poor tintorial power necessitates use of large dosages which some times adversely affect the organoleptic quality of the end product. Efforts are called for in enhancing their color intensity through molecular modification by application of synthetic organic chemistry and modern physical chemistry.

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

NATURALLY OCCURING "ASPIRIN"-REALLY?

It is well known that the Bayer Pharmaceuticals made enormous fortune selling Aspirin for decades, being the prime mover in the market. The role of Aspirin, also known as acetyl salicylic acid or 2-(2-acetyloxyphenyl) carboxylic acid in preventing heart attacks, reducing inflammation and relieving pain is well documented. No one will believe that the beneficial effect of chewing the bark of Willow tree in easing aches and pains, discovered in 5th century BC is the basis for the modern wonder drug, Aspirin. More recent discovery, in early 19th century AD that the active ingredient responsible for the effect was Salicylic and subsequent efforts to improve upon the efficiency of Salicylic acid resulted in the successful synthesis of Acetyl salicylic acid or Aspirin later. Acute digestive problem resulting from consumption of Salicylic acid as a pain reliever was the motivating factor to look for less problematic derivatives from this chemical.

The two basic functions of Aspirin are: (1) inhibition of Cyclooxiginase-2 enzyme ( Cox-2) at the cellular level which is responsible for production of Prostoglandins, the pain messenger to the brain and production of this messenger is reduced by Aspirin when pain is caused due to injury and consequent inflammation due to fluid excretion (2) reduced synthesis of prostaglandins and thromboxane involved in blood clotting on consumption of aspirin, also prevents aggregation of platelets responsible for arterial blocks. These twin advantages make regular consumption of Aspiring a daily routine for millions of people across the world.

Salicylic acid is present in varying amounts in many natural foods such as radish, green pepper, tomato, broccoli, cucumber, squash, raisins, apricots, cantaloupe, black berries, blue berries, guava, dates, orange, black pepper, cinnamon, cumin, ginger, turmeric, mustard, fenugreek, almonds, peanuts, coconuts and a few others. Salicylic acid is effective only in relieving pain and does not have the properties to prevent platelet aggregation like Aspirin. It may be too presumptuous to assume that consumption of plenty of fruits and vegetables reduces the risk of Cardio vascular disease or colorectal cancer solely because of Salicylic acid though its ability of reducing inflammation of the cells in general can be a contributing factor.

Human body is also capable of converting benzoic acid to salicylic acid and some preserved foods provide the source for benzoic acid. Sodium benzoate is a safe preservative approved for use in many low pH foods in almost all countries at 0.1% level. How ever a few countries like Korea does not allow benzoates in foods and the precise reason is not known. There are conflicting views regarding the role of benzoates in damaging a vital part of DNA in the chromosomes and evolution of Benzene, a potential carcinogen when Ascorbic acid is present in the same product. EU countries are considering phasing out benzoates eventually due to such controversies. Cranberries, prunes, cinnamon, apples and a few other foods contain benzoates in small concentrations.

The million dollar question is whether eating large quantities of fruits and vegetables can be a substitute to taking low doses of Aspirin every day. Obviously no, because of the ineffectiveness of naturally occurring salicylic acid to prevent blood clotting in arteries and consequent blocks leading to myocardial infarction (MI). One may have to live with the known side effects of taking Aspirin, viz slow bleeding in GI tract and consequent lowering of hemoglobin content in the blood, if preemptive action is needed against MI, especially amongst vulnerable population. The fact still remains that many other benefits that can accrue on liberal intake of fruits and vegetables more than justify their consumption daily.

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

"FIVE A DAY" MANTRA-THE SUREST WAY FOR SALVATION!

The startling report that one out of 8 people in Great Britain never eats vegetables is a shocking revelation as to the irresponsible life style spawned by modern living. As meat eaters, due to easy availability of these foods which often are cheaper than vegetables, they may be depending on meat, fish and egg to attain satiety without giving any thought to the consequences of such unbalanced diets. While such anomalies in rich nations are more due to ignorance about basics of food and nutrition, in a country like India the problem must be more acute since reliable data are scarce on this aspect. But consumption of fruits and vegetables must be very low considering the horticultural scenario in the country. According to knowledgeable officials of the Ministry of Agriculture, GOI, a whopping 72% of fruits and vegetables go waste, though it is not clear from where they got this startling data. Probably this must have been the basis for starting the jumbo program called Horticulture Mission for which an astronomical sum of Rs 150 billion was allotted an year ago. Looking at the ground realities, the annual production of fruits and vegetables,in the country could hardly register an out put of around 120 million tons (mt) and if 72% is wasted what remains for consumption is grossly inadequate to provide the minimum nutrition to the people. The projected annual requirement is estimated at 150 mt by 2010 but if wastage is kept in mind it could be double this figure. Why some people are so much obsessed with fruits and vegetables(F & V)? There are very strong reasons based on good science.

Fruits and vegetables are low in calories, do not have cholesterol, are rich in potassium that controls blood pressure besides other critical minerals like calcium, iron and magnesium, have plenty of dietary fiber guarding against GI tract diseases, contain critical vitamins A, E, Folic Acid and a variety of phytochemicals which are considered most protective chemicals for human beings against all diseases. It is no wonder that the westerners have realized the value of F & V as a survival mode and are taking up massive campaigns to persuade their population to eat these protective foods five servings a day to save them from the modern day life style disorders which are assuming epidemic proportions.

The phytochemicals that are present in F & V are a group of health promoting chemicals with properties of antioxidants, blood sugar regulation, anti carcinogens, immunity boosters, antibacterial, anti fungal and anti viral, lowering of cholesterol and anti inflammatory. These include carotenoids, phenolic compounds, glucosinolates, saponins, sulfides, phytosterols, phytoestrogens, mono terpenes and protease inhibitors. The sheer variety of these phytochemicals in F & V is staggering and combinations of different vegetables/fruits consumed regularly in high quantities can insure human life from any disease known to man! In India there are more than 60 varieties of vegetables, 40 types of green leaves and 50 varieties of fruits grown wildly as well as cultivated. The relative immunity of rural population against modern day diseases probably can be attributed to the easy access to fruits and vegetables in rural areas. In contrast urban population depends on only a few items that stand the rigors of transportation and reach the city markets in reasonably good condition, for their supply.

Is the slogan " five a day" relevant to India? A serving is about 120 gms and five servings will add up to 600 gms. With prices of fruits going through the roof, will it be possible for a family of 4 to buy almost 2.4 kg of fruits and vegetables every day? What will be the cost factor? What are the priorities for the family? Such questions cannot be wished away easily. But those who can afford to buy them, they must do it without losing any more time. Fruits and vegetables guarantee a life without ever entering the portals of an hospital!

What can the food technologists and the Governments do to promote more and more consumption of fruits and vegetables in the country? There is an urgent need to develop cut fruits and vegetables, preferably different blends, ready to eat with reasonably good shelf stability since preparing them at home is tedious and time consuming. On an average it will take 2-3 hours to prepare the materials ready to eat and this is a disincentive for the consumers with limited time for the kitchen. Reliance Fresh started this trend but seems to have faltered on the way, probably due to logistical and economic reasons. New products development based on F & V, which can be palatable and attractive to consumers, especially youngsters.must get priority at GOI R & D Institutions and Universities. Governments must encourage such operations by the industry by liberal financial incentives and if necessary even subsidizing the products similar to the grain and milk subsidies in vogue. In Bangalore at leas diced and preserved vegetables with 21 days life were available for some time but the concept did not seem to have caught on significantly. This agenda must be pushed at any cost for the sake of a secured future for the country.

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