K C Raghu, managing director, Pristine Organics, said
that Indian farms lands were the victims of the medicalisation of
agriculture, and the extensive use of chemicals and fertilisers are
proving to be a bane in food produce.
“From the use of early flowering agents like cytokinin and nitrobenzene, to fumigants like methyl bromide and aluminium phosphide, to artificial ripeners like calcium carbide, ethylene, acetylene and ethephon, to hormones for cattle like oxytocin, rBGH, trenbolone acetate, to veterinary antibiotics like amoxicillin, erythromycin, virginiamycin, vancomycin, streptomycin, tetracycline, choletetracycline and ceftiofur, they are all harmful,” he said.
“Further, there are also the residue limits of banned pesticides in foods which have a serious detrimental health impact. For instance, cabbage, okra, capsicum and grapes have been detected of having the residual content of cypermethrin; brinjal with heptachlor; cardamom with quinalphos; wheat, pears and cauliflower with aldrin; rice with chlorfenvinfos and dichlorvas; bananas with chlorodane, and oranges and apples with dichlorvas,” Raghu added..
“There is a great deal of disconnect of knowledge in matters of agriculture, food processing, nutrition and healthcare system,” he stated at the recently-concluded Bangalore Chambers of Industry and Commerce (BCIC)-organised event on functional foods and nutraceuticals.
“India is a treasure trove of biodiversity, be it cereals, pulses, fruit and vegetables or herbs. The knowledge of ayurveda exists to bolster many of the benefits. We may have to position foods as such with all their bounty to explore the market. Partial information on foods may not carry us for a long as we have to be true to ourselves. As for nutrition, refined, segregated, separated and purified contents are less efficacious and sometimes harmful,” Raghu pointed out.
“The only answer is to view and research the functionality of organically-grown traditional foods. The reality is that these traditional organic foods need to be positioned as functional foods and nutraceuticals,” he pointed out.
Another important factor to derive the benefits of nature is to maintain as much bio-diversity as possible. This is because bio-diversity is the bedrock of good nutrition.
Even the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) recommended a move from food to nutrition, and not vice-versa. In this context, Raghu also highlighted that even the quality of milk from cows depended on the grass fed because of the residue of pesticides in the earth, which was also a serious cause for concern in the case of grazing cattle.
“From the use of early flowering agents like cytokinin and nitrobenzene, to fumigants like methyl bromide and aluminium phosphide, to artificial ripeners like calcium carbide, ethylene, acetylene and ethephon, to hormones for cattle like oxytocin, rBGH, trenbolone acetate, to veterinary antibiotics like amoxicillin, erythromycin, virginiamycin, vancomycin, streptomycin, tetracycline, choletetracycline and ceftiofur, they are all harmful,” he said.
“Further, there are also the residue limits of banned pesticides in foods which have a serious detrimental health impact. For instance, cabbage, okra, capsicum and grapes have been detected of having the residual content of cypermethrin; brinjal with heptachlor; cardamom with quinalphos; wheat, pears and cauliflower with aldrin; rice with chlorfenvinfos and dichlorvas; bananas with chlorodane, and oranges and apples with dichlorvas,” Raghu added..
“There is a great deal of disconnect of knowledge in matters of agriculture, food processing, nutrition and healthcare system,” he stated at the recently-concluded Bangalore Chambers of Industry and Commerce (BCIC)-organised event on functional foods and nutraceuticals.
“India is a treasure trove of biodiversity, be it cereals, pulses, fruit and vegetables or herbs. The knowledge of ayurveda exists to bolster many of the benefits. We may have to position foods as such with all their bounty to explore the market. Partial information on foods may not carry us for a long as we have to be true to ourselves. As for nutrition, refined, segregated, separated and purified contents are less efficacious and sometimes harmful,” Raghu pointed out.
“The only answer is to view and research the functionality of organically-grown traditional foods. The reality is that these traditional organic foods need to be positioned as functional foods and nutraceuticals,” he pointed out.
Another important factor to derive the benefits of nature is to maintain as much bio-diversity as possible. This is because bio-diversity is the bedrock of good nutrition.
Even the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) recommended a move from food to nutrition, and not vice-versa. In this context, Raghu also highlighted that even the quality of milk from cows depended on the grass fed because of the residue of pesticides in the earth, which was also a serious cause for concern in the case of grazing cattle.
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