The author throws light on some grim details about
the cow in India, the world’s largest producer of milk.
You know that child who
throws a terrible tantrum over a glass of milk. How he kicks and screams and
refuses to touch the stuff? Haven’t you wondered what the fuss is all about?
After all, it’s just a glass of milk.
It
turns out the child may just have the right idea. The business of producing
milk — indeed, the multi-crore rupee cattle industry it’s a part of — is
sustained by a process of relentless cruelty towards animals, from birth till
death, with little letup. Cruelty compounded by poorly defined, poorly
implemented methods and gross violations.
In 1998, India, hitherto a milk-deficient
nation, surpassed the U.S. as the highest milk-producing nation, a position it
holds till date. According to the Department of Animal Husbandry, Dairying and
Fisheries, the government has invested Rs. 2242 crore to help meet a national
demand of 150 million tonnes of milk by 2016-17. Millions of cattle will be
produced (mainly through artificial insemination) for this purpose.
This
will be done through “productivity enhancement, strengthening and expanding
village-level infrastructure for milk procurement and providing producers with
greater access to markets. The strategy involves improving genetic potential of
bovines, producing required number of quality bulls, and superior quality
frozen semen and adopting adequate bio-security measures etc.” Today India is
home to the world’s largest cattle herd, with 324 million head.
The government is positioning this as a
food security measure for the future. From the point of view of the animals,
though, unthinkable cruelty lies ahead.
That image of tender care and worship that
we are raised with, the image that is propagated in films and integrated with
our cultural values — that’s a myth. In reality, the life of a cow in India is
a horror show.
The first three stages of life — birth,
maturity and motherhood — happen with inhuman haste. The female calf is born.
She reaches puberty somewhere between 15 months and three years of age,
depending on the breed, and is then impregnated, increasingly through
artificial insemination.
Arpan Sharma, external relations in-charge
at the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations, builds
partnerships for better protection of animals by bringing together various
stakeholders such as industry, government and regulators. He says, “Due to poor
equipment and a lack of proper training, artificially inseminated cows
sometimes become infertile and develop infections with few to care for them.”
Soon,
the calf is born. While the cow is seen as a metaphor for motherhood, she is
rarely given a chance to experience its joys for very long. Calves are
separated from their mothers soon after they are born so that they don’t drink
up all the milk. Just what does this do to these docile creatures?
The American physician Dr. Michael Klaper,
the author of books such as Vegan
Nutrition: Pure and Simple and Pregnancy, Children, and the
Vegan Diet, provides an insight. “On the second day after birth, my uncle
took the calf from the mother and placed him in the veal pen in the barn — only
10 yards away, in plain view of the mother. The mother cow could see her
infant, smell him, hear him, but could not touch him, comfort him, or nurse
him. The heartrending bellows that she poured forth — minute after minute, hour
after hour, for five long days — were excruciating to listen to. They are the
most poignant and painful auditory memories I carry in my brain,” he said in a
2010 interview with the Northwest Veg, a non-profit organisation based in
Portland, Oregon.
Eileen Weintraub of Help Animals India and
Vishakha Society for Protection and Care of Animals, Vishakhapatnam, takes this
fact to its logical extreme. She states firmly, “With 1.2 billion people and
400 million vegetarians, anyone who does not have a vegan diet contributes to
the suffering of cows.”
***
I
once asked my mother, “If we take milk from cows, then what does the calf
drink?” She said the milk a cow produces is more than the calf requires, and
humans use what’s left over.
Apparently not. “The quantity of milk a
calf gets varies. By and large, unless the calf is what is called “replacement
stock,” it will get only the bare minimum necessary for survival. Often it will
not even get that,” says Sharma.
To
increase yield, the cows are also injected with Oxytocin, a hormone banned in
India under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act and section 12 of Food and
Drug Adulteration Prevention Act, 1960. “Studies around the world show that
cows injected with Oxytocin have a greater incidence of abortions, mastitis and
lower conception rates, and their calves suffer higher than normal infant
mortality and delayed puberty,” says Erika Abrams, founder of Animal Aid
Unlimited, an animal rescue organisation based in Udaipur.
And what happens to unwanted male calves?
This is where we wade into the red zone of this bloody business. “Milk cows
need to produce a calf every year and half those calves are male. While a
fraction of these are used to pull ploughs, others are butchered. Their skin is
used for leather, and their meat for local consumption and export,” says
Abrams. Calf leather comes from male calves of which India has a huge number.
The ones that live don’t fare much better.
With traditional backyard agriculture slowly giving way to ‘intensive dairy
farming’, hundreds of cows are confined for long periods within cramped, dark
and acrid quarters. “More times than not even where there is a lot of space they
are tied with a two-foot rope and in most cases all they can do is sit down and
stand up even if they are in the open,” says Nandita Shah, Director at Sharan,
Sanctuary for Health and Reconnection to Animals and Nature, Pondicherry. “At
some places in Mumbai, calves are tied outside till they die of starvation; so
technically they have not been killed.”
Divya
Narain, an animal rescue volunteer from Bhopal, says, “At the State-run animal
shelter in Bhopal, we often get recumbent little male calves, which have been
dumped on the streets to die.” In other words, male calves, more or less,
suffer an early death.
And what about cows? Cows and buffaloes can
be productive until about the age of 14 years. But in the existing set up, in
which cows are kept pregnant for almost 300 days a year, most of them dry up by
the age of five or six. And after spending most of her life being milked,
enduring hormone injections and the trauma of separation, the cow is sent off
to the slaughterhouse.
Twenty-eight
Indian states have cow-slaughter protection legislations in place. Unproductive
cows, therefore, are routinely trafficked to slaughterhouses in the states
where laws are less stringent or non-existent — Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya,
Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Lakshadweep, and especially Kerala. A large number
of cattle is trafficked to Kerala, under inhuman conditions, from the
neighbouring states as it is a major consumer of beef and does not have any
regulation pertaining to cow slaughter. Apuroopa Podhardha, the legal adviser
of People for Cattle in India (PFCI), a Chennai-based animal rescue group,
says, “Thirty animals are crammed into a truck meant for six. In some
instances, the legs of calves are tied and they are dumped in one on top of the
other. Furthermore, no provision for food or water is made”. Cattle are also
trafficked to West Bengal, from where they are taken to Bangladesh.
PFCI has conducted three cow-rescue
operations in Chennai. Podhardha’s colleague Arun Prasanna G. says, “The latest
delicacy in demand in the Middle Eastern markets is veal (the meat of a calf no
older than three months). Flesh of unborn calves is known to bear medicinal
value hence pregnant cattle are slaughtered.”
Prasanna
says, “In many slaughterhouses, the act of slaughtering involves smashing the
head of a cow with a sledgehammer, which renders it unconscious; then skinning
it; and or hanging it upside down so that all the blood can be drained from the
slit jugular vein, then skinning it live.” In a recent raid in an illegal slaughterhouse
in Chennai recently, there were 20 cattle. “We could only rescue six of them.
The police insisted we file a complaint first, which gave the cattle owners
time to hide the remaining cows.” The slaughterhouse owners received an
anticipatory bail.
***
According
to the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, India has 3,600 slaughterhouses,
nine modern abattoirs and 171 meat-processing units licensed under the meat
products order. These do not include the numerous and ever-growing number of
illegal and unregulated slaughterhouses, estimated to be more than 30,000.
According to the U.S Department of Agriculture’s report on Livestock and
Poultry: World Markets and Trade, India became the biggest beef exporter in the
world in 2012(till October) with 16,80,000 tonnes of beef and veal exports,
followed by Brazil with 13,94,000 metric tonnes and Australia with 13,80,000
metric tonnes of exports. In 2013, India’s beef exports are forecast 29 per
cent higher to a record 2.16 million tonnes, accounting for nearly a quarter of
world trade.
“The
government gives subsidies to slaughterhouses because beef exports are a gold
mine,” says Prasanna. A US beef export federation study states India exported
$1.24 billion worth of meat in the first half of 2012. According to Tamil Nadu
Veterinary and Animals Sciences authorities 1.4 million tonnes of cattle were
legally slaughtered in 2012 nationwide.
“One dead animal is worth approximately Rs.
30,000. Tissues from a cattle’s heart are used to rebuild livers. Horns and
hoofs are used to make buttons, skin is used for leather, flesh for meat, tail
is used for fertility treatment, bones are used for whitening sugar, and
producing gelatin,” says Prasanna.
In states such as Madhya Pradesh, where cow
slaughter is illegal, trafficking is rife, and the dry cattle that are not
transported are let loose on the streets, where they live the last days of
their lives foraging in dustbins, eating plastic-infested garbage and drinking
polluted water from open drains.
The
government runs several goshalas, shelters for old cattle, across
the country, but these are too few and are not governed by serious norms. Suma
R. Nayak, an advocate and a trustee of the Animal Care Trust, Mangalore, says, “Goshalas have started to operate
along the lines of dairy farms; only accepting healthy, productive cows.”
For all this, milk may not even be as rich
in calcium as we have been led to believe. Amy Lanou, Ph.D., Nutrition Director
for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington, D.C.,
says, “The countries with the highest rates of osteoporosis are the ones where
people drink the most milk and have the most calcium in their diets. The
connection between calcium consumption and bone health is actually very weak,
and the connection between dairy consumption and bone health is almost
non-existent.”
Also, the growing numbers of cattle casts a
heavy shadow on the environment. Bovines produce methane when they pass gas. It
is estimated that a bovine produces, depending on the breed, anywhere between
100 litres to 500 litres of methane a day. This is equivalent to the per-day
carbon dioxide emissions of a car. India’s huge bovine population makes methane
a dangerous pollutant.
There is also the ecological problem.
Producing fodder for 324 million cows puts immense strain on scarce land and
water resources.
The Humane Society of India’s report
states: Animal agriculture occupies 30 per cent of the earth’s total land area.
Approximately 33 per cent of total arable land is used to produce feed crops,
in addition to vast areas of forested land that is clear-cut to graze or grow
feed for farmed animals.
What, then, is the alternative? Narain, who
is also a major in Ecology from the University of Oxford, suggests a
plant-based diet.
“The
government is using taxpayer money to subsidise dairy products (and indirectly
the leather and beef industries). What it should be doing is to promote the
production of protein-rich plant-based foods such as legumes, soybeans, pulses,
fruits and nuts using the land and water resources that are otherwise used to
produce cattle feed. That, and only that, will work if we are to put food on
the plates of our starving children.
Source: THE HINDU, Author : Anusha Narain
Minute Maid's guava flavour launched in 200ml and one-litre Tetra pack
Coca-Cola India has launched the guava-flavoured
variant of its fruit juice brand Minute Maid. It will be available in
Delhi, Kolkata, select towns in Punjab and Uttar Pradesh in a 200ml
Tetra pack priced at Rs 20 and the one-litre Tetra pack priced at Rs 85.
The cola major is attempting to penetrate the non-mango product category through its Tetra pack range, and over the next three months, the product is expected to be available in over 10,000 premium grocery stores and modern retail outlets.
Speaking about the launch, Neeraj Garg, vice-president, juice business and South West Asia Operations, Coca-Cola India and South West Asia, said, “This year, we have aimed to bring in the taste and richness of the guava flavor with Minute Maid Guava Flavour to our loyal consumers.”
“Freshness of fruit is the core of the Minute Maid brand portfolio. That is the reason the fruit itself is the star in our new campaign. Minute Maid Guava Flavour has been an innovation in the category for Indian consumers, and captures the richness and taste of the guava that we love.”
The cola major is attempting to penetrate the non-mango product category through its Tetra pack range, and over the next three months, the product is expected to be available in over 10,000 premium grocery stores and modern retail outlets.
Speaking about the launch, Neeraj Garg, vice-president, juice business and South West Asia Operations, Coca-Cola India and South West Asia, said, “This year, we have aimed to bring in the taste and richness of the guava flavor with Minute Maid Guava Flavour to our loyal consumers.”
“Freshness of fruit is the core of the Minute Maid brand portfolio. That is the reason the fruit itself is the star in our new campaign. Minute Maid Guava Flavour has been an innovation in the category for Indian consumers, and captures the richness and taste of the guava that we love.”
Delhi awaits new facilitation centre: Licensing & registration of FBOs
THE licensing and registration of food business
operators (FBOs), an exercise which is in progress in other parts of the
country for the last one-and-a-half years, has still not started in New
Delhi. The reason for this is said to be that the department of food is
awaiting the completion of furnishing of the new facilitation centre
coming up at Mayur Bhawan in Connaught Place.
It is pertinent to mention here that the deadline for licensing and registration expired, a couple of months ago, but was extended by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) till February 2014. Thus while three months of the extended deadline have already passed, the furnishing is yet to begin. Nevertheless, it has been learnt that the department has taken some steps for the giant task and appointed designated officers for the purpose of keeping an eye on the progress, once the work starts.
K J R Burman, food safety commissioner, Delhi, explained to F&B News, "The centre at Mayur Bhawan would act as a facilitation centre for the purpose of licensing and registration for the districts where our officials would help and guide the applicants in filing of the papers." He felt that the delay was due to logistical difficulties.
Meanwhile, the biggest hurdle in the process of licensing and registration was the manpower, so the office of the Delhi food safety commissioner decided to make the whole process online. For this as well, the nod by the Food Safety and Standards authority of India (FSSAI) was still awaited by the authorities, though the State Bank of India had agreed to help the department in deposition of fees and so on.
While there were reports of the beginning of the process, Burman clarified that full-fledged operations would only start when the facilitation centre would get furnished with all the necessities. He informed that only those FBOs who operate within and outside Delhi needed Central licences. Therefore they applied for the same and their matter was considered while the FBOs operating in Delhi needed to wait further.
He suggested that the focus of the department would remain the big players of food business having turnover of more than Rs 12 lakh, for which the licensing fee ranges from Rs 2,000 to Rs 7,500, depending upon criteria like the annual turnover in terms of money and in terms of volume or import or export of food items.
Burman said, "For those categories, FBOs need various kind of licences like regional licensing or Central licensing." At Mayur Bhawan, facilitation would be provided to FBOs for all 11 districts of New Delhi.
Though it was still not clear as to how many FBOs would be operating in the national capital, Burman said that he expected the numbers on the lines of Mumbai, where some 1.5 lakh licensing and registrations were done so far.
Burman said that his department had done a lot of homework and hoped that efforts put in by the department would bear fruit.
It is pertinent to mention here that the deadline for licensing and registration expired, a couple of months ago, but was extended by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) till February 2014. Thus while three months of the extended deadline have already passed, the furnishing is yet to begin. Nevertheless, it has been learnt that the department has taken some steps for the giant task and appointed designated officers for the purpose of keeping an eye on the progress, once the work starts.
K J R Burman, food safety commissioner, Delhi, explained to F&B News, "The centre at Mayur Bhawan would act as a facilitation centre for the purpose of licensing and registration for the districts where our officials would help and guide the applicants in filing of the papers." He felt that the delay was due to logistical difficulties.
Meanwhile, the biggest hurdle in the process of licensing and registration was the manpower, so the office of the Delhi food safety commissioner decided to make the whole process online. For this as well, the nod by the Food Safety and Standards authority of India (FSSAI) was still awaited by the authorities, though the State Bank of India had agreed to help the department in deposition of fees and so on.
While there were reports of the beginning of the process, Burman clarified that full-fledged operations would only start when the facilitation centre would get furnished with all the necessities. He informed that only those FBOs who operate within and outside Delhi needed Central licences. Therefore they applied for the same and their matter was considered while the FBOs operating in Delhi needed to wait further.
He suggested that the focus of the department would remain the big players of food business having turnover of more than Rs 12 lakh, for which the licensing fee ranges from Rs 2,000 to Rs 7,500, depending upon criteria like the annual turnover in terms of money and in terms of volume or import or export of food items.
Burman said, "For those categories, FBOs need various kind of licences like regional licensing or Central licensing." At Mayur Bhawan, facilitation would be provided to FBOs for all 11 districts of New Delhi.
Though it was still not clear as to how many FBOs would be operating in the national capital, Burman said that he expected the numbers on the lines of Mumbai, where some 1.5 lakh licensing and registrations were done so far.
Burman said that his department had done a lot of homework and hoped that efforts put in by the department would bear fruit.
Thames Water seeks views on plan to recycle sewage into drinking water
UK’s Thames Water has asked its customers to offer
feedback on its plans to recycle sewage back into drinking water in
order to cope with growing demand.
The company wants to hear people’s views on the proposal as part of its consultation on 2015-to-2020 business plan.
In the document it says: “One possibility (to cope with demand) is wastewater recycling.”
It adds, “This process is already common practice in many parts of the world. It involves putting treated effluent from a sewage works through a further process which would allow the water to be returned to a river at higher than usual quality and pumped out again downstream. It can then be treated to drinking water standards and put back into supply, rather than lost to the sea.”
The company wants to hear people’s views on the proposal as part of its consultation on 2015-to-2020 business plan.
In the document it says: “One possibility (to cope with demand) is wastewater recycling.”
It adds, “This process is already common practice in many parts of the world. It involves putting treated effluent from a sewage works through a further process which would allow the water to be returned to a river at higher than usual quality and pumped out again downstream. It can then be treated to drinking water standards and put back into supply, rather than lost to the sea.”
Bakery industry looking at producing better quality & quantity quickly
With the demand for bakery products growing
exponentially across the country over the past few years, the bakery
industry has been experiencing an upward spiral with changes in product
pattern as per emerging trends.
In fact change is the key word right now in the bakery industry when it comes to ingredient variants, machines & equipment and marketing services.
The Indian bakery industry is the largest of the food processing industries, estimated to be over Rs 7,000 crore accounting for a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15%. The industry has traditionally been and largely continues to be in the unorganised sector contributing over 75% of the total production.
Line production
In almost all south Asian countries, particularly in India and China, the line production of baked products is increasing, with the number of traditional craft bakeries churning or kneading out products like biscuits, cakes, rusk or commercial breads and also home bakeries on the rise providing their neighbourhood with personalised products and adding personalised creative value. The bakery industry, valued at Rs 69 billion, has achieved the third position in generating revenue among the processed food sector in the country. Bread and biscuits hold about 82 per cent of the total share of the bakery industry.
Beginning with ingredients, we see a major shift from the use of plain flour (maida) to whole wheat, multigrain or fortified flours. Although Indians have learnt baking from the Europeans and the Europeans did use all purpose or plain flour for baking, the time has come where Indians should bake with whole wheat flour which is healthy and rich in nutrients for consumption; the Indian consumer needs to customise their mind and taste buds and adapt it to a healthier alternative. This means by altering the basic ingredient, processes, techniques and equipment the service and marketing strategies will witness change.
Today many leading retail chains have food courts with bakeries and cake shops alongside. The consumers seek more luxury products with low fat, better appeal, better taste, with more natural or organic ingredients like multigrain, fresh fruits, chocolate or milk. There is rapid change in food preferences from end-consumers to gear up with the pace of changing demand - definitely a challenge the industry faces.
Market share
The market share of organised line production is about 20-25%, which is growing. This offers a plethora of opportunities for the technology providers in the country. Bakery units are unevenly spread in all major states of India. The bakery units are mainly concentrated in Maharashtra, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh.
Industrially advanced states like Maharashtra and West Bengal have large number of bakery units. In the organised bakery sector, more and more ingredients and finished products are processed using large machines with computer-controlled systems giving uniformity in product quality and resulting in lesser wastage.
An increasing number of bread improvers are already offered as oil-based and water-based ingredients, so that they can be processed automatically. This is one reason why over the last two-three years, developed bakeries have replaced margarine (solid fat) with liquid oils for certain products (in the production of toasted breads, for example).
The shift
Till the last decade, bakery industry’s development was slow due to the lack of skilled manpower & technology, poor quality ingredients, outdated baking technology, and deprived competition, whereas the early 21st century has proved to be a landmark for the industry. Throughout this decade we have seen a colossal shift from manual production to the use of automation. Setting up a bakery business might look costlier but in the long-term it benefits not only financially, but also in providing job opportunities to many and develops the consumption habits of the vicinity. The bakery sector offers returns of 300 times if one can run their business tactfully.
The trend in traditional equipment is witnessing a deep decline as compared to new kinds of equipment with high speed production capacity are being used today in modern baking units. This equipment produces better quality and quantity within a shorter duration of time; for example, deck and reel ovens are being replaced with rotary rack ovens, which are economical in fuel consumption and easy to operate thereby making it convenient for them to be operated by semi-skilled workforce.
Similarly traditional mixer-blenders are being replaced with spiral or high-speed mixers giving better emulsification quality and thereby saving time. Equipment is available easily at an affordable price with usage of lesser power or fuel thereby making it cost-effective. Various types of tabletop mixers with state-of-the-art technology are being used for production of cakes and biscuits.
New technology, superior equipment and better quality of ingredients require specially trained skilled labour well-versed with the latest technology. Specialised manpower training should be a mandate and available at the workplace. IBCA provides 13 different short-term and long-term courses in baking and baking technology.
Further, new methods of continuous kneading are logical for line production. Continuous kneading is mostly applied in production lines with a high output of a restricted number of products (deep-frozen products, for example). The traditional tunnel oven also remains the standard for industrial line production whereas multi-level ovens based on thermo-oil are winning market share in medium-sized bakeries with restricted space and a large range of products.
Baking used to be done by bakers using individual raw materials like flour, water, sugar, eggs, fat, salt and other minor ingredients to enhance products. Although baked products stay much longer than most of the other cooked foods, there are problems one faces time and again. Today as a commercial baker, one needs to develop more variants of products, consistently at the least possible time and achieve profit. The problem is solved by large commercial companies offering pre-blended mixes like bread, cakes, cupcakes, doughnut, creams, frosting, filling, and toppings. These premixes cover a variety of products, help in reducing labour time, result in lower storage, lower inventory, more variants, easy working, consistent quality and reduction of specialised manpower.
In fact change is the key word right now in the bakery industry when it comes to ingredient variants, machines & equipment and marketing services.
The Indian bakery industry is the largest of the food processing industries, estimated to be over Rs 7,000 crore accounting for a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15%. The industry has traditionally been and largely continues to be in the unorganised sector contributing over 75% of the total production.
Line production
In almost all south Asian countries, particularly in India and China, the line production of baked products is increasing, with the number of traditional craft bakeries churning or kneading out products like biscuits, cakes, rusk or commercial breads and also home bakeries on the rise providing their neighbourhood with personalised products and adding personalised creative value. The bakery industry, valued at Rs 69 billion, has achieved the third position in generating revenue among the processed food sector in the country. Bread and biscuits hold about 82 per cent of the total share of the bakery industry.
Beginning with ingredients, we see a major shift from the use of plain flour (maida) to whole wheat, multigrain or fortified flours. Although Indians have learnt baking from the Europeans and the Europeans did use all purpose or plain flour for baking, the time has come where Indians should bake with whole wheat flour which is healthy and rich in nutrients for consumption; the Indian consumer needs to customise their mind and taste buds and adapt it to a healthier alternative. This means by altering the basic ingredient, processes, techniques and equipment the service and marketing strategies will witness change.
Today many leading retail chains have food courts with bakeries and cake shops alongside. The consumers seek more luxury products with low fat, better appeal, better taste, with more natural or organic ingredients like multigrain, fresh fruits, chocolate or milk. There is rapid change in food preferences from end-consumers to gear up with the pace of changing demand - definitely a challenge the industry faces.
Market share
The market share of organised line production is about 20-25%, which is growing. This offers a plethora of opportunities for the technology providers in the country. Bakery units are unevenly spread in all major states of India. The bakery units are mainly concentrated in Maharashtra, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Uttar Pradesh.
Industrially advanced states like Maharashtra and West Bengal have large number of bakery units. In the organised bakery sector, more and more ingredients and finished products are processed using large machines with computer-controlled systems giving uniformity in product quality and resulting in lesser wastage.
An increasing number of bread improvers are already offered as oil-based and water-based ingredients, so that they can be processed automatically. This is one reason why over the last two-three years, developed bakeries have replaced margarine (solid fat) with liquid oils for certain products (in the production of toasted breads, for example).
The shift
Till the last decade, bakery industry’s development was slow due to the lack of skilled manpower & technology, poor quality ingredients, outdated baking technology, and deprived competition, whereas the early 21st century has proved to be a landmark for the industry. Throughout this decade we have seen a colossal shift from manual production to the use of automation. Setting up a bakery business might look costlier but in the long-term it benefits not only financially, but also in providing job opportunities to many and develops the consumption habits of the vicinity. The bakery sector offers returns of 300 times if one can run their business tactfully.
The trend in traditional equipment is witnessing a deep decline as compared to new kinds of equipment with high speed production capacity are being used today in modern baking units. This equipment produces better quality and quantity within a shorter duration of time; for example, deck and reel ovens are being replaced with rotary rack ovens, which are economical in fuel consumption and easy to operate thereby making it convenient for them to be operated by semi-skilled workforce.
Similarly traditional mixer-blenders are being replaced with spiral or high-speed mixers giving better emulsification quality and thereby saving time. Equipment is available easily at an affordable price with usage of lesser power or fuel thereby making it cost-effective. Various types of tabletop mixers with state-of-the-art technology are being used for production of cakes and biscuits.
New technology, superior equipment and better quality of ingredients require specially trained skilled labour well-versed with the latest technology. Specialised manpower training should be a mandate and available at the workplace. IBCA provides 13 different short-term and long-term courses in baking and baking technology.
Further, new methods of continuous kneading are logical for line production. Continuous kneading is mostly applied in production lines with a high output of a restricted number of products (deep-frozen products, for example). The traditional tunnel oven also remains the standard for industrial line production whereas multi-level ovens based on thermo-oil are winning market share in medium-sized bakeries with restricted space and a large range of products.
Baking used to be done by bakers using individual raw materials like flour, water, sugar, eggs, fat, salt and other minor ingredients to enhance products. Although baked products stay much longer than most of the other cooked foods, there are problems one faces time and again. Today as a commercial baker, one needs to develop more variants of products, consistently at the least possible time and achieve profit. The problem is solved by large commercial companies offering pre-blended mixes like bread, cakes, cupcakes, doughnut, creams, frosting, filling, and toppings. These premixes cover a variety of products, help in reducing labour time, result in lower storage, lower inventory, more variants, easy working, consistent quality and reduction of specialised manpower.
Opportunities in food processing industry in northern India going north
Northen India, comprising diverse geographical
regions from high mountains to flat gangetic plains, provides a lot of
agricultural diversity and opportunity for the food processing industry.
From fruits like high quality apple to king of rice - Basmati and hub of dairy and meat industry, northern India comprising mainly of plains of Uttar Pradesh, hills of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and J&K along with fertile land of Punjab and Haryana is a hub of variety of foods.
Demand for critical tech
According to an expert, the region has ample opportunity in the food processing industry and therefore the demand is also rising for critical technologies related to equipment and machinery for the same. Also there is change in dynamics of the local industry functions. They are now on lines of multinational companies, want to add new lineup of products, particularly in the dairy industry.
The growth was around 25 per cent last year while according to the industry estimate, the market of food processing industry equipment and machinery was $1billion in 2010 and the growth has been 10-15% in recent times overall in India, wherein the imported machinery accounts for more than 90%.
There was a demand of 15-20 tonne per hour processing capacity in recent times amongst the big players which reflects the growth in the food processing sector for which the average requirement would cost around $8-10million.
However, the Indian version of equipment starts around Rs 20,000 onwards for the small and medium industries.
Main exporters
The main countries exporting equipments to India include the US having the largest share, followed by Germany, Italy, the UK and Holland providing mainly three types of machinery, processing machinery and equipment, packaging machinery and utility services.
Dr Kalyan Goswami, secretary-general, All India Food Processor’s Association (AIFPA) told that the major share of imported machinery is with processing and packaging part with around $1.2billion of cost.
“US provides all kinds of processing machinery solutions particularly in meat and poultry, diary, fruits and vegetable processing while Germany is providing packaging solutions and in confectionery segment,” he told.
Even, recently a US company Dover made foray into India. It is said to be providing largest refrigeration and cold chain solutions in the world.
Expansion
In northern India, the processing industry is witnessing expansion with governments incentivising the industry and providing support. While the hilly regions of J&K, Himachal and Uttarakhand excel in fruits juices, jams, dry fruits processing units, big states like Uttar Pradesh have zones for Basmati rice, and meat processing units in the western part, mango processing units in central UP while litchi processing units in eastern UP.
“Even Bihar has created litchi zones including districts like Muzaffarpur, Champaran, Betia, Madhepura, and Maharajganj. Bihar produces 75% of the litchis in India and a number of processing units has come up in recent times,” said Dr Goswami.
Also a new trend has come up in UP with cities like Kanpur and Lucknow emerging as exporters of ready meals to Gulf countries. “They export Kalmi Kebab to Gulf countries. Certainly for exporting purpose, they need right equipment and machinery to support the demand,” he said.
Even mango, which is hard to export in its raw form, has a huge export potential in the processed form, according to him.
Besides, the states like J&K, Himachal, and Uttarakhand are organic states. And the agro produce there is of much higher quality as compared to others. There are also opportunities in export of such processed food items while specialised processing equipment is needed for the same.
New areas
New areas of food processing create demands for newer types of machinery and equipment, for example, for processing of healthy juices and mango pulp. Northern India is one of the big producers of milk in India comprising UP, Haryana and Punjab but lacks technology for some key components of the dairy industry, which if provided would improve quality, according to an expert.
The meat processing industry could be a big change particularly in UP, which has started exporting exotic dishes like kebabs. Also emphasis of the government is on clean and hygienic meat production, this would provide impetus to the processing equipment industry to invest. However experts suggest that simplification of critical technology is required to involve, small and medium entrepreneurs.
According to an Italian Trade Commission report, some equipment for emulsion for nuggets and sausages, tandoori, kebab and curry products, value-added cuts from meat and cheaper packaging machines could change the fortunes of the meat industry in India.
Meanwhile, Indian manufacturers state that there are ample opportunities. Last year the growth in northern India was around 25% for RTS Juicers and IQF plants.
Mukesh Mohan Agrawal, VP, marketing and sales, Bajaj Process Pack Ltd, informed that a lot of enquiries were coming from Bihar and Rajasthan. “A lot of processing units in Bihar are coming up for litchi and tomato processing while in Rajasthan vegetables and fruits related plants are coming up,” he said.
He added that inquiries are coming from dairy industries, which want to add new flavours to their products. “The dairy industry is experimenting with their products a lot. On the lines of international brands, they now want to add flavours of fruits to their dairy products,” he said.
From fruits like high quality apple to king of rice - Basmati and hub of dairy and meat industry, northern India comprising mainly of plains of Uttar Pradesh, hills of Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and J&K along with fertile land of Punjab and Haryana is a hub of variety of foods.
Demand for critical tech
According to an expert, the region has ample opportunity in the food processing industry and therefore the demand is also rising for critical technologies related to equipment and machinery for the same. Also there is change in dynamics of the local industry functions. They are now on lines of multinational companies, want to add new lineup of products, particularly in the dairy industry.
The growth was around 25 per cent last year while according to the industry estimate, the market of food processing industry equipment and machinery was $1billion in 2010 and the growth has been 10-15% in recent times overall in India, wherein the imported machinery accounts for more than 90%.
There was a demand of 15-20 tonne per hour processing capacity in recent times amongst the big players which reflects the growth in the food processing sector for which the average requirement would cost around $8-10million.
However, the Indian version of equipment starts around Rs 20,000 onwards for the small and medium industries.
Main exporters
The main countries exporting equipments to India include the US having the largest share, followed by Germany, Italy, the UK and Holland providing mainly three types of machinery, processing machinery and equipment, packaging machinery and utility services.
Dr Kalyan Goswami, secretary-general, All India Food Processor’s Association (AIFPA) told that the major share of imported machinery is with processing and packaging part with around $1.2billion of cost.
“US provides all kinds of processing machinery solutions particularly in meat and poultry, diary, fruits and vegetable processing while Germany is providing packaging solutions and in confectionery segment,” he told.
Even, recently a US company Dover made foray into India. It is said to be providing largest refrigeration and cold chain solutions in the world.
Expansion
In northern India, the processing industry is witnessing expansion with governments incentivising the industry and providing support. While the hilly regions of J&K, Himachal and Uttarakhand excel in fruits juices, jams, dry fruits processing units, big states like Uttar Pradesh have zones for Basmati rice, and meat processing units in the western part, mango processing units in central UP while litchi processing units in eastern UP.
“Even Bihar has created litchi zones including districts like Muzaffarpur, Champaran, Betia, Madhepura, and Maharajganj. Bihar produces 75% of the litchis in India and a number of processing units has come up in recent times,” said Dr Goswami.
Also a new trend has come up in UP with cities like Kanpur and Lucknow emerging as exporters of ready meals to Gulf countries. “They export Kalmi Kebab to Gulf countries. Certainly for exporting purpose, they need right equipment and machinery to support the demand,” he said.
Even mango, which is hard to export in its raw form, has a huge export potential in the processed form, according to him.
Besides, the states like J&K, Himachal, and Uttarakhand are organic states. And the agro produce there is of much higher quality as compared to others. There are also opportunities in export of such processed food items while specialised processing equipment is needed for the same.
New areas
New areas of food processing create demands for newer types of machinery and equipment, for example, for processing of healthy juices and mango pulp. Northern India is one of the big producers of milk in India comprising UP, Haryana and Punjab but lacks technology for some key components of the dairy industry, which if provided would improve quality, according to an expert.
The meat processing industry could be a big change particularly in UP, which has started exporting exotic dishes like kebabs. Also emphasis of the government is on clean and hygienic meat production, this would provide impetus to the processing equipment industry to invest. However experts suggest that simplification of critical technology is required to involve, small and medium entrepreneurs.
According to an Italian Trade Commission report, some equipment for emulsion for nuggets and sausages, tandoori, kebab and curry products, value-added cuts from meat and cheaper packaging machines could change the fortunes of the meat industry in India.
Meanwhile, Indian manufacturers state that there are ample opportunities. Last year the growth in northern India was around 25% for RTS Juicers and IQF plants.
Mukesh Mohan Agrawal, VP, marketing and sales, Bajaj Process Pack Ltd, informed that a lot of enquiries were coming from Bihar and Rajasthan. “A lot of processing units in Bihar are coming up for litchi and tomato processing while in Rajasthan vegetables and fruits related plants are coming up,” he said.
He added that inquiries are coming from dairy industries, which want to add new flavours to their products. “The dairy industry is experimenting with their products a lot. On the lines of international brands, they now want to add flavours of fruits to their dairy products,” he said.
Aurangabad FDA seizes 900kg 'special barfi' from unlicensed luxury bus
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Maharashtra
officials in Aurangabad seized 30 bags of sweets, each weighing 30kg,
from a private luxury bus that arrived in the city's Cidco area from
Ahmedabad.
The sweets, locally marketed as special barfi, were estimated to be worth over Rs 1 lakh, and were brought to the city in unhygienic conditions. The company that owned the bus was fined Rs 15,000 for not having procured licence under the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006.
Chandrashekhar Salunkhe, joint commissioner (food), FDA, Aurangabad, said, “About 900kg of special barfi was seized following a tip-off, and samples of the same were sent to the laboratory for analysis. We are awaiting the results of the test, based on which further action will be taken.”
“The sweets, which had travelled for about 10 hours in humid temperatures alongside tubes, tyres and other rusted material, were to be delivered at Parbhani. While transporting food, it should be stored in clean and dry conditions with other food items only,” he added.
Workshop
Meanwhile, Salunkhe and other senior FDA, Aurangabad, officials attended a workshop on the disadvantages of using calcium carbide for fruit ripening, organised in the city by the state food regulator recently.
Speaking at the workshop, agricultural equipment supplier Ganesh Kulkarni said, “More than 95 per cent of the fruit sold in the local markets are artificially ripened. Consuming these may take a toll on the health of the consumers.”
“Although the government has banned the use of the chemical to accelerate the ripening of the fruit, many traders and fruit growers continue to use calcium carbide for the purpose to make a bigger profit,” he said.
Kulkarni said that those who consume the fruit become susceptible to a host of ailments, including mouth ulcers, gastric problems and skin rashes. “In the long run, it could also cause asthma and cancer,” he added.
“In artificially-ripened fruit, only the outer layer becomes yellowish and the inner part remains raw. Calcium carbide is used to ripen huge quantities of mangoes, bananas and other fruit,” Kulkarni said.
“Unscrupulous traders want to make a quick buck by bringing in artificially-ripened mangoes before those which go through the natural process of ripening (which takes longer) to enter the market,” he added.
Kulkarni propagated the scientific method of ripening, stating that it could be done using ethylene and under controlled conditions of temperature and relative humidity. He said, “The growers can get a uniform appearance and quality of ripe fruit under these conditions.”
He explained that fruit are exposed to ethylene under controlled conditions, a uniform rate of ripening could be achieved. “When growers use calcium carbide, it reacts with moisture in the air and releases acetylene, which stimulates the ripening process. It changes the colour of fruit very fast, but the inner part does not get sweet. But when natural ethylene is used under controlled conditions, the fruits ripen as a whole,” he added.
Milind Sewalikar, a fruit grower who adopted safe methods for ripening, also shared his experiences with the participants. He said growers could use simple and cost-effective techniques in place of calcium carbide, adding that there are other methods available for growers.
“We can control the temperature and humidity to achieve the desired results,” Sewalikar added.
The sweets, locally marketed as special barfi, were estimated to be worth over Rs 1 lakh, and were brought to the city in unhygienic conditions. The company that owned the bus was fined Rs 15,000 for not having procured licence under the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA), 2006.
Chandrashekhar Salunkhe, joint commissioner (food), FDA, Aurangabad, said, “About 900kg of special barfi was seized following a tip-off, and samples of the same were sent to the laboratory for analysis. We are awaiting the results of the test, based on which further action will be taken.”
“The sweets, which had travelled for about 10 hours in humid temperatures alongside tubes, tyres and other rusted material, were to be delivered at Parbhani. While transporting food, it should be stored in clean and dry conditions with other food items only,” he added.
Workshop
Meanwhile, Salunkhe and other senior FDA, Aurangabad, officials attended a workshop on the disadvantages of using calcium carbide for fruit ripening, organised in the city by the state food regulator recently.
Speaking at the workshop, agricultural equipment supplier Ganesh Kulkarni said, “More than 95 per cent of the fruit sold in the local markets are artificially ripened. Consuming these may take a toll on the health of the consumers.”
“Although the government has banned the use of the chemical to accelerate the ripening of the fruit, many traders and fruit growers continue to use calcium carbide for the purpose to make a bigger profit,” he said.
Kulkarni said that those who consume the fruit become susceptible to a host of ailments, including mouth ulcers, gastric problems and skin rashes. “In the long run, it could also cause asthma and cancer,” he added.
“In artificially-ripened fruit, only the outer layer becomes yellowish and the inner part remains raw. Calcium carbide is used to ripen huge quantities of mangoes, bananas and other fruit,” Kulkarni said.
“Unscrupulous traders want to make a quick buck by bringing in artificially-ripened mangoes before those which go through the natural process of ripening (which takes longer) to enter the market,” he added.
Kulkarni propagated the scientific method of ripening, stating that it could be done using ethylene and under controlled conditions of temperature and relative humidity. He said, “The growers can get a uniform appearance and quality of ripe fruit under these conditions.”
He explained that fruit are exposed to ethylene under controlled conditions, a uniform rate of ripening could be achieved. “When growers use calcium carbide, it reacts with moisture in the air and releases acetylene, which stimulates the ripening process. It changes the colour of fruit very fast, but the inner part does not get sweet. But when natural ethylene is used under controlled conditions, the fruits ripen as a whole,” he added.
Milind Sewalikar, a fruit grower who adopted safe methods for ripening, also shared his experiences with the participants. He said growers could use simple and cost-effective techniques in place of calcium carbide, adding that there are other methods available for growers.
“We can control the temperature and humidity to achieve the desired results,” Sewalikar added.
New study highlights role of insects for food and feed consumption
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“Forests contribute to the livelihoods of more than a billion people, including many of the world’s neediest. Forests provide food, fuel for cooking, fodder for animals and income to buy food,” Graziano da Silva said.
“Wild animals and insects are often the main protein source for people in forest areas, while leaves, seeds, mushrooms, honey and fruits provide minerals and vitamins, thus ensuring a nutritious diet.”
“But forests and agroforestry systems are rarely considered in food security and land use policies. Often, rural people do not have secure access rights to forests and trees, putting their food security in danger. The important contributions forests can make to the food security and nutrition of rural people should be better recognized,” Graziano da Silva said.
Frittered critters – wild and farm-raised insects
One major and readily available source of nutritious and protein-rich food that comes from forests are insects, according to a new study FAO launched at the forests for food security and nutrition conference. It is estimated that insects form part of the traditional diets of at least 2 billion people. Insect gathering and farming can offer employment and cash income, for now mostly at the household level but also potentially in industrial operations.
An astounding array of creatures
With about 1 million known species, insects account for more than half of all living organisms classified so far on the planet.
According to FAO’s research, done in partnership with Wageningen University in the Netherlands, more than 1900 insect species are consumed by humans worldwide. Globally, the most consumed insects are: beetles (31 percent); caterpillars (18 percent); bees, wasps and ants (14 percent); and grasshoppers, locusts and crickets (13 percent). Many insects are rich in protein and good fats and high in calcium, iron and zinc. Beef has an iron content of 6 mg per 100 g of dry weight, while the iron content of locusts varies between 8 and 20 mg per 100 g of dry weight, depending on the species and the kind of food they themselves consume.
First steps for the squeamish
“We are not saying that people should be eating bugs,” said Eva Muller, Director of FAO’s Forest Economic Policy and Products Division, which co-authored “Edible insects: Future prospects for food and feed security”.
“We are saying that insects are just one resource provided by forests, and insects are pretty much untapped for their potential for food, and especially for feed,” Muller explained.
Farming insects sustainably could help avoid over-harvesting, which could affect more prized species. Some species, such as meal worms, are already produced at commercial levels, since they are used in niche markets such as pet food, for zoos and in recreational fishing.
If production were to be further automated, this would eventually bring costs down to a level where industry would profit from substituting fishmeal, for example, with insect meal in livestock feed. The advantage would be an increase in fish supplies available for human consumption.
Bugs get bigger on less
Because they are cold-blooded, insects don’t use energy from feed to maintain body temperature. On average, insects use just 2 kg of feed to produce 1 kilo of insect meat. Cattle, at the other end of the spectrum, require 8 kg of feed to produce 1 kg of beef.
In addition, insects produce a fraction of emissions such as methane, ammonia, climate-warming greenhouse gases and manure, all of which contaminate the environment. In fact, insects can be used to break down waste, assisting in the composting processes that deliver nutrients back to the soil while also diminishing foul odours.
Enabling policies lacking
However, legislation in most industrialized nations forbids the actual feeding of waste materials and slurry or swill to animals, even though this would be the material that insects normally feed on. Further research would be necessary, especially as regards the raising of insects on waste streams. But it is widely understood by scientists that insects are so biologically different from mammals that it is highly unlikely that insect diseases could be transmitted to humans.
Regulations often also bar using insects in food for human consumption, although with a growing number of novel food stores and restaurants cropping up in developed countries, it seems to be largely tolerated.
As with other types of food, hygienic production, processing and food preparation will be important to avoid the growth of bacteria and other micro-organisms that could affect human health. Food safety standards can be expanded to include insects and insect-based products, and quality control standards along the production chain will be key to creating consumer confidence in feed and food containing insects or derived from insects.
“The private sector is ready to invest in insect farming. We have huge opportunities before us,” said Paul Vantomme, one of the authors of the report. “But until there is clarity in the legal sphere, no major business is going to take the risk to invest funds when the laws remains unclear or actually hinders development of this new sector,” he explained
Bangalore’s Grand Mercure to host mango festival from May 17 to 26, 2013
In tune with the mango season, Grand Mercure,
Bangalore, is hosting a mango food festival. The festival will be held
from May 17-26, 2013.
As part of the special festival menu, the outlet will offer soups like Mango Gazpacho, Minty Mango and Crunchy Ginger Veloute and starters such as Oriental Mango Shrimp Salad, Carpaccio of Mango, Fresh Ground Pepper and Sea Salt, Ceviche of Basa, Tomato Aioli, Mango Slaw and Mango Glaze, Breaded Goujons of Fish, and Curried Mango Ketchup.
The outlet promises a totally different aspect of the fruit in the main course. Desserts would be prepared by chef Vimal Vikraman.
As part of the special festival menu, the outlet will offer soups like Mango Gazpacho, Minty Mango and Crunchy Ginger Veloute and starters such as Oriental Mango Shrimp Salad, Carpaccio of Mango, Fresh Ground Pepper and Sea Salt, Ceviche of Basa, Tomato Aioli, Mango Slaw and Mango Glaze, Breaded Goujons of Fish, and Curried Mango Ketchup.
The outlet promises a totally different aspect of the fruit in the main course. Desserts would be prepared by chef Vimal Vikraman.
Cocoberry frozen yogurt brand introduces meal offerings, take-away parfait
Cocoberry, the frozen yogurt brand, has introduced new meal offerings and take-away parfait.
According to a press release, with this move, the company is trying to make its products available any time of the day. The menu includes ‘Regular Yogurt Meals’ and ‘Frozen Yogurt Meals.’ While the former encompasses: ‘Yogurt on the go’ and ‘Anytime Fruit cup’; the latter covers: ‘Very Berry Parfait Meal,’ ‘Fruit Fantasy Parfait Meal,’ ‘Choco Pom Yum Bombs Meal,’ ‘Rainbow Chasers Meal,’ and ‘Blue Berry Cup Cake.’
“Our brand is about guilt-free indulgence and we wanted to offer a convenient healthy meal option without sacrificing taste. With the onset of summer, we are hoping to expand our consumer base to include a larger segment including working professionals and mothers,” explained G S Bhalla, founder and CEO, Cocoberry.
According to a press release, with this move, the company is trying to make its products available any time of the day. The menu includes ‘Regular Yogurt Meals’ and ‘Frozen Yogurt Meals.’ While the former encompasses: ‘Yogurt on the go’ and ‘Anytime Fruit cup’; the latter covers: ‘Very Berry Parfait Meal,’ ‘Fruit Fantasy Parfait Meal,’ ‘Choco Pom Yum Bombs Meal,’ ‘Rainbow Chasers Meal,’ and ‘Blue Berry Cup Cake.’
“Our brand is about guilt-free indulgence and we wanted to offer a convenient healthy meal option without sacrificing taste. With the onset of summer, we are hoping to expand our consumer base to include a larger segment including working professionals and mothers,” explained G S Bhalla, founder and CEO, Cocoberry.
Tiruchirappalli civic body to impart training on food safety & hygiene
The Tiruchirapalli Municipal Corporation will start
training members of the city's community groups on food safety and
hygiene. V P Thandapani, the corporation's commissioner, said this at a
valediction of the state-level training programme on detection of food
adulteration, co-organised by the Concert Trust (a voluntary
organisation) and the Union ministry of consumer affairs.
“It is essential that people are sensitised on the need to prevent adulteration in food products and ensure hygiene. The corporation has formed community groups to take up the maintenance of public toilets and other assets. Training on food safety will be imparted to the members of these groups in association with the Concert Trust,” he added.
It was noted that although the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) has been in existence since 2006, the expected impact of the law has not been felt, owing as much to oppositions from certain sections of the society as to the lack of awareness about the safety of food products. It is widely believed that the World Health Organisation (WHO) laid too much emphasis on food safety.
R Santhanam, former secretary, consumer protection, opined, “In India, which has a low per capita income, people tend to look only at the price and not the quality. Even the affluent are done in by attractive packaging and pricing, and do not enquire about the quality of products. There are several ways to check the adulteration of food, but people are not aware of them.”
The speakers at the function concurred that although the country has always had laws in place to curb adulteration in food, their enforcement has not been strict. However, laws alone would be insufficient to keep the malpractice in check. It is imperative to raise awareness among the people. The absence of information, and not technology, is a constraint in checking adulteration.
The best trainees were felicitated at the valediction, and an exhibition of photographs on food safety was held. R Desikan and G Santhanarajan, the Concert Trust's chairman and director (foods) respectively, addressed the gathering. Consumers were informed that they could lodge complaints with the trust by dialling its helpline number (044-66334346).
Incidentally, the Concert Trust had earlier conducted the training in three phases. In 2011-12, it was held at about thirty-nine places in thirteen districts. It is estimated that over 1,192 women benefited from the programme – they were exposed to various aspects of checking food adulteration.
During the aforementioned training programme, the participants detected adulteration in about 151 food products, and identified about 152 labels as being defective as per the Food Safety and Standards Rules (FSSR), 2011. The matter was subsequently taken up by the food safety commissioners and the controller of legal metrology, who are said to have initiated action.
“It is essential that people are sensitised on the need to prevent adulteration in food products and ensure hygiene. The corporation has formed community groups to take up the maintenance of public toilets and other assets. Training on food safety will be imparted to the members of these groups in association with the Concert Trust,” he added.
It was noted that although the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) has been in existence since 2006, the expected impact of the law has not been felt, owing as much to oppositions from certain sections of the society as to the lack of awareness about the safety of food products. It is widely believed that the World Health Organisation (WHO) laid too much emphasis on food safety.
R Santhanam, former secretary, consumer protection, opined, “In India, which has a low per capita income, people tend to look only at the price and not the quality. Even the affluent are done in by attractive packaging and pricing, and do not enquire about the quality of products. There are several ways to check the adulteration of food, but people are not aware of them.”
The speakers at the function concurred that although the country has always had laws in place to curb adulteration in food, their enforcement has not been strict. However, laws alone would be insufficient to keep the malpractice in check. It is imperative to raise awareness among the people. The absence of information, and not technology, is a constraint in checking adulteration.
The best trainees were felicitated at the valediction, and an exhibition of photographs on food safety was held. R Desikan and G Santhanarajan, the Concert Trust's chairman and director (foods) respectively, addressed the gathering. Consumers were informed that they could lodge complaints with the trust by dialling its helpline number (044-66334346).
Incidentally, the Concert Trust had earlier conducted the training in three phases. In 2011-12, it was held at about thirty-nine places in thirteen districts. It is estimated that over 1,192 women benefited from the programme – they were exposed to various aspects of checking food adulteration.
During the aforementioned training programme, the participants detected adulteration in about 151 food products, and identified about 152 labels as being defective as per the Food Safety and Standards Rules (FSSR), 2011. The matter was subsequently taken up by the food safety commissioners and the controller of legal metrology, who are said to have initiated action.
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