Rats, cockroaches found in hostel storeroom

When officials of Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) raided the men’s hostel for Scheduled Castes students in Mettur on Tuesday, what they found was rats and cockroaches in the stocked items.

A team led by T. Anuradha, District Designated Officer, Tamil Nadu Food Safety and Drug Administration Department inspected the hostel and found rats and cockroaches roaming freely on the goods.

Bad odour emanated from the kitchen because of poor maintenance.

Officials asked the cook to clean the storeroom and maintain cleanliness in the kitchen. The warden was asked to maintain hygienic conditions.

Earlier, based on a complaint from people that rotten non-vegetarian items were sold in hotels, the team raided two hotels in the bus stand area and seized five kg of chicken and destroyed them.

They warned the hoteliers to maintain hygiene and serve quality food to customers. The team seized 12 kg of adulterated tea power, 50 packets of expired chips, and banned gutka and panmasala items.

The shopkeepers were warned of action if they continued to sell the banned and adulterated items.

2.5 tonnes of banned tobacco products seized at Sowcarpet in Chennai

CHENNAI: The Department of Food Safety and Drug Administration seized 2.5 tonnes of banned tobacco products at Sowcarpet here on Tuesday.

The seizure has exposed that the sale of gutka and pan masala products are rampant across the city despite the crackdown on it by the department. Several shops in the city continue to sell these banned products at inflated prices.

Based on a tip-off, officials raided three private godown at Sowcarpet and found several bags of banned tobacco products.

District food safety officer S Lakshmi Narayan said that the seized tobacco products from two godowns were worth of Rs 8 lakh. "We have destroyed the products in Kodungaiyur dumpyard and also served notices to them".

There has been a spurt in smuggling of chewing tobacco products from neighbouring states after the state imposed a ban on the products. Several tonnes of tobacco products were seized by the department since the state government banned the sale of gutka and pan masala in May, sources said.

The large commercial establishments continue to store such banned products and selling through various retail shops at exorbitant rates.

"There is a huge demand for the products in Chennai and other parts of the state. So we have decided to intensify the raids across the city to confiscate such banned products" said Lakshmi Narayan.

Health experts say migrant labourers constitute the major chunk of pan masala users in Chennai and that such products are among the major cause for the increasing incidence of mouth cancer

Take steps to enforce food safety Act: HC to Chief Secy

Ishfaq Tantry
Tribune News Service

Srinagar, November 19
Expressing dissatisfaction over with the compliance report submitted by the government, the J&K High Court has directed the Chief Secretary to take “meaningful” steps for implementing the provisions of the Food Safety Standards Act, 2006, in the state.

The direction was issued by a division Bench of the High Court on Monday while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking a direction commanding the respondents to implement the Food Safety Standards Act, 2006, and the Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011.

On October 7, the High Court in its orders had observed that there is a complete go-bye to the provisions of the Act and the Rules as revealed by the procedure adopted for taking samples and testing of the stock in respect of food which has been found misbranded or adulterated.

Observing that there is no proper mechanism to check adulteration in the state, the court had directed the Chief Secretary to take a review of the ground realities and accordingly file a comprehensive report showing compliance of the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 and the Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011 and regulations.

“Though the Chief Secretary had filed the compliance report as directed earlier, however the Bench was not satisfied with it. It has now directed him to take meaningful steps for implementing the provisions of the Food Safety Standards Act, rules and regulations,” said Syed Tassaduq Khawaja, one of the petitioner counsels advocate.

He said the Chief Secretary had been directed to file a fresh compliance report in this regard by the next hearing.

What the PIL says

The PIL had sought court directions commanding the respondents to implement the Food Safety Standards Act, 2006, and the Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011

It had been submitted that the non-implementation of the Act and Rules by the state government was a grave issue and there is need of for a serious relook into the issue to check adulteration of food items and eatables

The government has often come under criticism for lack of seriousness on the implementation of the Food Safety and Standards Act in the state

EOW begins preliminary inquiry against NCDEX

The Economic Offences Wing (EOW), on Tuesday, said it had initiated preliminary inquiry against the National Commodity and Derivatives Exchange (NCDEX), following a case filed for alleged non-delivery of black pepper.

“We have received the complaint against NCDEX and begun preliminary inquiry against the exchange for mineral oil content in black pepper and pending contract,” EOW Additional Commissioner of Police Rajvardhan Sinha told reporters here.

Kalmirch Vyapari Association (KVA) Vice-President Vinit Chopda told PTI that the organisation lodged a complaint against NCDEX with EOW, 8-10 days ago for non-delivery of black pepper.

He alleged the NCDEX had stored in its accredited warehouses black pepper contaminated with mineral oil and burnt diesel oil. “The adulteration had been confirmed by the Food and Safety Standards Authority of India — FSSAI in Kerala,” he claimed.

In its response against the complaint, NCDEX said it had so far not received any query or correspondence from any police authority.

“It appears that the complaint has been filed by Kalimirch Vyapari Association (KVA) comprising several entities. “The FSSA has sealed stocks deposited in the exchange approved warehouses in response to a complaint filed by Betul Oil for alleged contamination. The order of the Food Safety Commissioner has been stayed by the Kerala High Court and the matter is sub-judice,” NCDEX said in a statement.

Despite high distributor margins, organic food sector in India growing

Increasing awareness and considerable acceptance for processed organic food products are opening up opportunities for Indian companies, despite the prevalence of high distributor margins (estimated to be between 25 and 30 per cent), according to participants at the 2013 essay of the BioFach India International Organic Fair, a three-day event that concluded recently.

“There is no doubt about the existing market potential for the organic food processing industry. The market is showing continuous growth since 2007, and there is an upward since 2010,” representatives of such companies as Morarka, Sresta, Nature Bio Food, Mother India Farm, Amira Foods, Terra Firma, Sri Sri Ayrveda, Tamil Nadu Organic Certification Department and Jyothiraditya Biosolotions Pvt Ltd, pointed out.

According to Kriti Mehrotra, director, Organic Tattva (a part of Mehrotra Consumer Products), “Organic food products are now seen as the quickest-growing category. In fact, the consumption of organic was a phenomenon in the United States and Europe. Now, we see India catching up on this front. The scene is positive and there are significant growth prospects. People are aware of the bane of adulteration and the need for healthy, safe products, which drives them to pick up products off the shelf.”

Navin Kalra, head, international business, Moraka Organic Foods Limited, shared a similar sentiment. “There is a huge potential in India and the global markets for the growth of the organic food processing sector. We are witnessing 200 per cent growth, and this is because the products are accepted, and the consumers and customers return for more,” he said.

“There is considerable emphasis on organic farm production and marketing, which have surfaced as important sectors in India as they have in developed countries. The business of organic processed products and their ingredients are seen to be a critical strategy to facilitate sustainable development,” Kalra added.

Sresta Natural Bio-products is one of India’s largest organic food companies and promoters of 24 Mantra, one of India’s leading organic brands. Its managing director, Rajashekhar Reddy too was convinced that India was an important supplier of organic food ingredients and processed foods.

According to K C Raghu, “Processed organic food products is the way forward to ensure a healthy India and as a source of preventive medicine. Therefore, one sees a huge influx of focussed entrepreneurs storming into the space with a value-added range.”

The Indian organic food industry was pegged at $189 million in 2011, and is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 45 per cent, to reach $1,733 million by 2017.

Currently, the urban metros are generating much of the growth. Organic Tattva's fastest-growing products are wheat flour, pulses, spices, sugar and jaggery.

“We see wheat flour doing well in the northern states, and rice and ragi in the southern markets. In the eastern region, there is a demand for rice, and western India indicates considerable interest in both rice and wheat,” said Kalra.

“However, it is not all rosy for the organic processed food product sector. High retail margins of 25 per cent, poor payment commitment and increased credit facility are serious challenges. There is also no support from the government to look into the business of processed organic foods,” the spokespersons of Organic Tattva and Moraka Organic Foods pointed out.

Changes in consumer preferences driving food additive segment in India

The changing lifestyles and hectic work schedules have spawned a large market for processed and packaged convenience foods. The booming organised retail sector further extends the reach of processed foods. The changes in eating habits and the frequent introduction of new products and product lines, particularly in the functional food and beverage market for low-fat, low-calorie products, spells growing opportunities for the food additives market.

The market also finds encouragement in supportive government measures, such as policies to promote easy access to loans for small-scale food processing industries. Analysis of Indian Food Additives Market – a new study from Frost and Sullivan – found that market revenues, which stood at $484.2 million in 2012, are expected to reach $897.7 million in 2017. The study covered the food additive classes of flavours, colours, preservatives, emulsifiers, stabilisers and sweeteners.

Among these segments, flavours account for 47 per cent of the market; while sweeteners – which are growing at the rate of 25 per cent – contribute the least. However, the latter is expected to become increasingly popular in the coming years. Flavours are expected to grow at 13.9 per cent, synthetic colours at 7.4 per cent, natural colours at 12 per cent, preservatives at 15 per cent and food emulsifiers at 10.1 per cent.

“The additive industry in India is veering towards natural emulsifiers and nature-derived colours,” said Frost and Sullivan’s chemicals, materials and food research analyst. He added that this change in preferences emanated from the increasing health consciousness among Indians. However, natural food additive manufacturers find it difficult to source raw materials due to the lack of the centralised supply chain system and presence of multiple sourcing points.

The study found that the participants could forge partnerships with cooperatives and invest in contract farming to counter this issue. Such strategic alliances and joint research and development (R&D) could also lower the prices of nature-derived products and lead to customised pre-mixes with application specific combination of flavours, colours and other additives for clients.

Some of the market restraints include the lack of cold storage infrastructure, an advanced logistics and transportation system for perishable goods which leads to substantial wastage of agro-produce, adversely affecting farmers and natural food additive manufacturers. In response, the Indian government has allowed 100 per cent foreign direct investment (FDI) to attract large industry groups to invest in developing cold chain logistics.

“Ironically, certain government policies could stifle innovation,” the analyst noted. “For instance, the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006, which governs the food additives segment, permits only certain colours that are certified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS),” he added.

Nevertheless, continuing product and process innovations in the food and beverage sector would motivate the additives market to expand its product portfolio, along with the entry of global participants would serve as market drivers, and can lead to an increase in market consolidation. As smaller retailers from the unorganised sector are acquired, the margins of larger manufacturers will improve.

Dubai's World Trade Centre to organist and host '14 edition of Gulfood

Gulfood 2014 – one of the world's largest annual food and hospitality shows – is slated to take place at Dubai's World Trade Centre (which is also its organiser) between February 23 and 27, 2014. It will commence at 11am on all the five days. On the first four days, it will conclude at 7pm, and on February 27, 2014, it will conclude at 5pm.

About 4,200 exhibitors are likely to participate in the show next year. There would be 110 international pavilions, and the area covered by the show would be about 1,13,398sq m. Over 77,609 trade visitors, representing 152 countries, would visit next year's show, which indicates a 13 per cent increase compared to its previous essay. About 3,864 chefs will compete at the event.

There will be four categories of exhibits – beverage and beverage equipment; food and drink (which includes organic food and drink); food service and hospitality, and restaurant and cafe (which would focus on design, the creation of interiors, the essentials of business innovation, product selection and technology).

Manpasand Beverages chalks out plans to up production and distribution

Manpasand Beverages, one of India’s leading fruit juice companies, has drawn up aggressive expansion plans to increase its production facilities and significantly increase its distribution reach across the country, especially in rural and semi-rural regions.

The company, established about a decade ago by first-generation entrepreneur Dhirendra Singh, plans to invest over Rs 100 crore over the next one year even as it continues on its fast-paced growth to take its sales to Rs 1,000 crore in the next three years.

Singh, who serves as Manpasand's chairman and managing director, said, “We expect strong growth in the future, as there is a huge opportunity in the packaged beverage market.”

“This is being fuelled by a rise in disposable income, changing lifestyles and a burgeoning younger middle class. We are expanding our manufacturing facilities as demand for our products far outstrips our existing capacities,” he added.

“Manpasand is also further expanding its distribution network across India. The beverages industry is expected to see 35-40 per cent growth in foreseeable future. Over the next five years, we expect the fruit drink industry's size to double to between Rs 12,000 crore and Rs 15,000 crore,” Singh added.

Besides its flagship brand Mango Sip (which has become the fourth-largest mango drink brand in the country), the company has a basket of 25 product variants, and a strong presence in the Tier-2, semi-rural and rural markets in India.

Manpasand’s products are present in over 20 states through 200,000-plus retailers, 2,000-plus distributors and 200-plus super stockists. Its manufacturing facilities are located at Vadodara in Gujarat, Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh and Dehradun in Uttaranchal.

Food R&D could create promising tech transfers, says Prof Rajasekharan

According to Prof Ram Rajasekharan, director, Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysore, food research and development is poised to create better quality, nutritious value-added products, safe, attractive packaging concepts and avenues for promising technology transfers.

He added that a visible trend was the endeavour to garner much of the nutrition from food for disease management and preventive health. “There is a huge demand for organic foods, nutraceuticals and functional foods. Now the need for innovation in food R&D empowers the scientific community. This is because a lot of science and technology gets into creation of food products, equipment for food processing and its packaging,” he told F&B News in an interaction.

“We are well-prepared at CFTRI in devising our food R&D gameplan. Both the globalisation and the economic slowdown have generated only opportunities for growth-driven initiatives. Funding for food research has not seen a lull in the current economic environment either from national or international fronts,” Prof Rajasekharan said.

“In fact, there is substantial attention to novel processes in production to economise time and the cost of technologies. This is primarily because food is indispensable and there is a constant need for quality, convenience and taste. Acceptability and awareness are the cornerstones of food R&D. The requirement for affordable technologies, maximizing use of indigenous ingredients and bio-friendly processes are seen to be the future growth drivers,” said the CFTRI chief.

“The present scenario in India and worldwide portrayed a boom in food research with increasing investments across markets for processed foods, especially for the traditional foods through eco-friendly technologies,” informed Prof Rajasekharan.

There is no dearth of human capital and technically-qualified scientific personnel to generate potential partnerships between research institutes and industry.

The concept of food industrial clusters could strengthen the knowledge interface and facilitate productivity. In this regard, the CFTRI chief viewed food parks as a viable cluster for the growth of food processing, but lamented that many of these in the country were based on real-estate models.

“We need to change the equity structure of food parks. The need of the hour is to assess the potential of small, medium and large food companies coming together, and mutually benefiting from operational efficiencies under one roof. Food parks need to be seen as knowledge zones to create feasible concepts in food processing and related technologies,” he added.

“Now, CFTRI is chipping its expertise to ensure that all its machines designed and developed by its scientific and technology experts could be used by farming and small-medium entrepreneurs free of cost,” Prof Rajasekharan said.

“All these equipment and processes at our pilot plants in the institute would make a significant impact on the future of food processing in the country. It would not just help save initial investment for entrepreneurs, but be a learning ground on the efficiencies in operation,” he added.

“Millets are the future for India. CFTRI has developed a number processes and value-added products that could benefit the consumer and profit the industry,” he pointed out.

“Therefore, CFTRI is a hub, not just for food technologies, but also to provide standards in nutrients for range of processed foods,” Prof Rajasekharan added.

In this context, Prof Rajasekharan viewed the mid-day meals scheme as a programme to prevent hunger and boost nutrition.

“CFTRI was ready to team up with the state governments in providing the much-needed quality food to keep much of the calorie and protein deficiencies at bay with its advanced research in the field,” he said.

Kamani Oils launches Lite range, comprising Foodlite, Pufflite & Klite

Kamani Oils recently launched the Lite range, comprising three products, namely Foodlite; Pufflite, and K-Lite.

Foodlite

With public attention focussed on health, food manufacturers are looking for healthy alternatives. Keeping in mind these parameters, the research and development (R&D) team at Kamani Oils manufactured Foodlite, a three-in-one culinary oil.

It can be used for frying and cooking while at the same time not compromising on the health quotient.

The key features of Foodlite include low absorption; high smoke point; re-usability; non-greasy, healthy, and a long shelf-life.

Pufflite

Pufflite is a trans-free bakery shortening that can withstand high ambient temperatures and is characterised by excellent plasticity.

An ideal option for healthy khari/puff products, Pufflite contributes to better taste and volume of the products, besides adding to its nutritional value due to zero trans-fats and zero cholesterol.

K-Lite

It is a premium trans-fat-free aerated multi-purpose shortening.

It can be used for baked goods, including cupcakes, cakes, biscuits, brownies and icing.

Its features include taste and visual appeal; convenience and cost-saving, and the health benefits of trans-fat-free shortenings

An ideal replacement for margarine, it gives you spongier, lighter cakes and crumblier, crispier cookies.

Commenting on the launch, Prakash Chawla, director, Kamani Oil Industries said, “We, at Kamani Oil Industries, consistently work towards delivering better, healthier and customised oils and fats for food and related industries.”

“The Lite range consists of three products, which can be used by chefs across the country to obtain palatable, visually-appealing and healthy products. We are sure that these products will be well received,” he added.

Sresta launches 24 Mantra organic whole-grain cookies in four flavours

Sresta Natural Bio-products Pvt Ltd, an integrated organic food company encompassing farming, processing, research and development (R&D), exports and domestic retailing, launched a whole new range of organic cookies under its brand 24 Mantra. The launched marked Sresta’s entry into the snack category in India.

Made from 100 per cent whole grains (whole wheat, jowar, rice, little millet, foxtail millet and flax), with zero per cent maida and no trans-fats, 24 Mantra organic cookies are available in four flavours – Fruit and Nut, Ginger Snap, Spice and Nut and Cashew Rich. It is available in a 150g pack priced at Rs 90.

Speaking on the occasion, Rajashekhar Reddy Seelam, founder and managing director, Sresta Natural Bio-products Ltd, said, “It is a great feeling to add healthy yet another organic item in our food basket. A great-tasting product coupled with a brand that welcomes people towards healthy habits, 24 Mantra is proud to contribute a healthy natural portion in your daily intake.”

“With no maida and trans-fats, the cookie is a healthy option for people of all ages. We hope people would like our new product, and help us bring more such products for a healthy lifestyle,” Seelam said. N Balasubramanian, the company's chief executive officer, said, “Sresta has been constantly adding healthy food items to its kitty, and we wanted to bring organic cookies to our customers since long.”

“The ingredients have been selected with utmost care, so that we provide healthy food items to our customers. Our aim is to come up with a range of organic snacks, so that people can enjoy healthy food. We also intend to highlight the benefits of such food items, so that more people adopt organic food products, which are safer and better alternatives to conventional food products,” he added.

24 Mantra Organic Cookies would be available at all the leading retail outlets across India, including the exclusive 24 Mantra Organic Stores in Hyderabad; Godrej Nature’s Basket, Spencer’s; Heritage; Hyper City; Metro; Q Mart; Aditya Birla More; Auchan; Ratnadeep; Balaji Grand Bazaar and Food Bazaar.