FOOD SAFETY AT TEMPLES-THE NEW COURT DIRECTIVE IN KERALA

There are thousands of temples, mosques, churches and other centers of worship in India where free food is served to the devotees ad libitum. Many devotees feel gratified by this gesture because they consider the food offered in these holy places as symbols of blessing from the God. In almost all temples in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts of Karnataka state food is served after the pooja to thousands of people in specially made dining halls. Modern kitchens have been established in places like Tirupathi, Dharmasthala, Mantralaya and in many other major temples using latest stainless equipment and cooking and serving personnel maintaining reasonably good sanitation standards. It is not a surprise that not even a single case of food poisoning was reported from any of these temples during the last several years.

While fresh food preparations are made in modern kitchens, what is disturbing is the conditions that exist in preparation places where "sacred" prasadam is made in substantial quantities. In Tirupathi millions of Laddus are made in different sizes in kitchens which were not considered satisfactory till recently and it was only after the intervention of the internationally reputed CFTRI from Mysore in late nineteen eighties that some reforms started to improve the kitchen conditions. Fortunately to day these kitchens have installed many stainless steel gadgets for handling the materials though Laddu making by machines has not yet been fully achieved. Modernization is hampered by religious conservatism and age old blind traditions. Still Tirupathi management deserves appreciation in achieving a fair degree of modernization in kitchens under their control.

Sabarimala is another sacred temple in Kerala and along with Guruvayur attracts very large crowds of devotees from all over India through out the year. While these two temples do not serve any free meals to their devotees, Sabarimala temple prasadam in the form of Aravana Payasam and shallow-fried Neyyappam are in great demand. Travancore Devaswam Board (TDB) which controls this temple has been producing these products in facilities equipped with modern canning machinery and other mechanized gadgets. Still it has not been able to meet the increasing demand for these products from millions of devotees visiting the shrine when ever it is opened during the year. One is reminded of kitchens in gurudwaras  in Punjab where automatic roti making machines are reported to be working with capacity as high as 2000-3000 pieces per hour to serve at the Langars. It is a progressive sign that temple authorities are becoming more and more receptive to ideas of modernization.

Regarding Sabarimala, this shrine was recently in the news after about 28000 cans of Aravana Payasam were found blowing up due to fermentation of the product inside. This incidence raised serious doubts regarding the safety of the product, sanitation in the processing facilities and adequacy of the process deployed. In response to a Court directive as a result of a PIL case, TDB conceded in its testimony that the mishap occurred because of deficiencies in the process and negligence of the personnel on the shop floor. In its directive the Court directed the authorities to set up adequate Quality Control facility near the processing facilities for better control of the process and increased safety of the products. Here is a case where two processed products are served as prasadam, both of which are not considered technically sound. In spite of CFTRI offering technical help in early nineteen nineties the TDB spurned the same, continuing with its own way of doing it. The Neyyappam is another product which is in urgent need of reformulation and process modification as the current product is hardly edible though it is supposed to be a"divine" one! 

Technically Aravana Payasam is supposed to be a high sugar product and with right recipe it can be preserved in any container for a long time with no spoilage. The panchamrutam of Palani is another example of a high sugar product preserved on its own. Only the water activity has to be maintained correctly to prevent growth of bacteria, mold and yeast during storage. Why the TDB had gone for a sophisticated canning facility costing more than a crore of rupees investment is still not clear. All that is needed is a bottling facility worth about a few lakh, the equipment easily available locally. Normally canning process depends on thermal treatment and vacuum to preserve its contents whereas in bottled products preservation is achieved through osmotic pressure and water activity manipulation. With abundant reserves at its disposal, TDB can afford to truly modernize its prasadam preparation facility bringing it on par with ISO/HACCP certified  food industry standards. All that is required is a certain degree of commitment and a few dedicated technical personnel.

What is said about Sabarimala is true with regard to all big temples in India. Most of them make the preparations manually posing real risks to the devotees. While complete automation is not called for, many unit operations can be mechanized to reduce human handling as much as possible. It is ironical that many state governments are "nationalizing" many rich temples with high income and administering then under the Muzrai department staffed with hard core petty officials, interested only in "Hundi" collection  while no attention is given to invest in providing facilities to devotees who come from far away places for worship and solace.   

Supreme Court notices to Centre, states on PIL to check synthetic milk

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court today sought the response of the Centre and various state governments on a plea for checking sale of synthetic and adulterated milk and various dairy products.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia issued notices to the Centre and the state governments of Haryana, Rajasthan Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Delhi on a PIL which also sought framing of a "comprehensive" policy on the production, supply and sale of healthy, hygienic and natural milk.

The plea filed by a group of citizens, led by Swami Achyutanand Tirth of Uttarakhand, said synthetic and adulterated milk and milk products are prepared using urea, detergent, refined oil, caustic soda, white paint etc which, according to studies, are "very hazardous" to human life and can cause serious diseases like cancer.

It said a January 2011 survey report by Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) from different cities in 33 States revealed that out of total 1,791 random samples taken 1,226 samples were found not fit for human consumption.

"It means on national level 68.4 percent of milk samples were found adulterated. In states of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh, 88 percent of milk samples were found adulterated. The said study indicated presence of adulterants like fat, 'solid not fat (SNF)', sugar, starch, urea, detergents, formalin etc in milk samples," it said.

The PIL filed through advocate Aunurag Tomar said alarming situation and imminent danger to public health requires immediate action on the part of the Central government and the state governments to ensure supply of healthy, hygienic and natural milk to the citizens of India.

"The situation is now alarming and required immediate and concrete action on the part of Central government as well as the concerned State governments to stop spreading this poison of synthetic milk," it said.

Apex court issues notice on supply of adulterated milk

New Delhi, May 9 (IANS) The Supreme Court Wednesday issued notice to the central and five state governments on a public suit seeking a complete curb on the sale and supply of synthetic and adulterated milk and its products like ghee, khoya and paneer.
An apex court bench of Chief Justice S.H. Kapadia, Justice A.K. Patnaik and Justice Swatanter Kumar issued the notice on a petition by Swami Achyutanand Tirth seeking a direction to the central and state governments to ensure the supply of healthy, hygienic and natural milk and milk products.
Besides the central government, the notice has also been issued to the Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana and Rajasthan governments.
Swami Achyutanand Tirth who is the head of the Haridwar-based 'Bhuma Niketan Ashram' in Uttarakhand has contended that "apathy and inaction" of the central and state governments in taking "effective and necessary" measures in curbing the sale of synthetic (chemically prepared) and adulterated milk was violative of the fundamental Right to Life guaranteed under Article 21 of the Indian constitution.
The petition said that synthetic milk was being prepared using materials like "urea, detergent, refined oil, caustic soda etc." which are poisonous and cause serious diseases like cancer.
The petition said that synthetic milk is also known as "white poison".
The petitioner has sought the framing of a comprehensive policy with regard to the production and sale of healthy, hygienic and natural milk to the people.
Citing various instances of synthetic milk causing havoc in the five states, the petition said that inaction on the part of the central and state governments have contributed to the rapid growth of chemically-made milk which is now commonly sold in the market.
The petition referred to the survey by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) which had taken random samples from different cities in 33 states. The FSSAI report released Jan 2, 2011, said that out of a total 1,791 samples, 1,226 were found to be unfit for human consumption.
The petition said that this means that at the national level, 68.4 percent of milk samples were found to be adulterated.
Describing the situation as "alarming" and requiring "immediate and concrete action", the petition sought direction to the central and the state governments to stop the supply and sale of poisonous synthetic milk and its products.

What food labels don't say

NEW DELHI: Walk through the aisles of any grocery superstore, and as you explore the massive range of packaged food that surrounds you from every corner, you might think you've stepped into a hub for all that is healthy. Colourful labels on boxes of cream cookies scream "sugar-free", chocolate cereal bars are "made with wholegrains", there are "fat-free" gummy bears and licorice sticks, and "all natural" fruit juices. It seems almost too hard to go wrong.

But behind each claim, no matter how boldly displayed on package labels, is the fine print that questions its legitimacy, and begs to ask - just how healthy is what you're eating everyday? "Most claims on labels are incorrect, not scientifically proven, or highly exaggerated," says Dr Anoop Misra, director, Fortis-C-DOC Centre of Excellence for Diabetes, Metabolic Diseases and Endocrinology. "Unrelated claims also tend to be misleading. Candy is obviously fat-free, but advertising that makes consumers overlook the fact that it is pure sugar," adds fitness expert Raghav Pande.

He also gives the example of simple breakfast cereal. Sure, it says it's made with whole grains, rich in fibre and other nutrients, and will help battle the bulge, but a look at the list of ingredients, printed in small letters at the back of the box, suggests otherwise. "Most cereal is packed with sugar, high-fructose corn syrup, and additives, which are not part of any healthy diet," says Pande, adding that all processed foods are made for higher shelf life, and in the process, real nutrition is destroyed.

But what makes packaged food unhealthy also makes it more in demand. "People have little time to prepare healthy meals, and end up consuming a lot of packed food. It's all about convenience," says Dr Misra. "They don't realize, or can't help the fact, that the food they are consuming is full of preservatives, carbohydrates and fats, and without any redeeming nutritional quality," he adds.

Rphit Duggal, who runs an imports business, only recently began to read between the lines. "I would often get swayed by all the claims made on labels, but when I became serious about losing weight, I decided to educate myself. I realized that packaged food is not a healthy form of eating," says Duggal, who has since reduced his consumption of processed foods.

Even so, the industry is thriving. Accounting for 32% of the total food market in India (according to latest figures available at the Ministry of Food Processing Industries' website), the processed food market is only set to grow with increased urbanisation. With 100% foreign direct investment allowed in the sector, the Confederation of Indian Industry estimates potential of attracting $33 billion investment in ten years.

And in a city where studies have consistently shown high levels of obesity, misleading claims only add to a bigger problem. A recent study, jointly conducted by Diabetes Foundation (India), National Diabetes Obesity Cholesterol Foundation (N-DOC), and Fortis, and published in the Scientific Journal September last year, reveals about half were obese, 51.6% had high LDL cholesterol, and 68.9% had abdominal obesity.

Though the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India set labeling and packaging regulations, and food standards, there is still grey area that the industry often exploits. "The laws in our country are excellent and technically sound, but there needs to be more clarity on application of law. Clarity comes with judgments, but that doesn't happen here because there are no convictions," says Bejon Misra, former member of FSSAI, and founder of Healthy You Foundation.

He says that since consumers are the most vulnerable - helpless, unaware, and often without the resources to take on offending companies - the government needs to be more proactive. "They need to have education programmes through radio, television, and other media, in regional languages as well to familiarize consumers with labeling terms. At present, they're overloaded with information they don't understand," he says.

Following a National Conclave on Defining Healthy Food and Beverages in 2010, his foundation proposed a front-of-pack labeling system, along the lines of an international model currently accepted in about 50 countries, to make it easier for consumers to identify nutritious food. If passed, any food that qualifies as healthy, based on mandatory requirements, will carry a logo at the front of the package. But the proposal is yet to take off.

The problem here doesn't end with Indian processed goods, as labeling regulations worldwide have shown ambiguity. Claims like "made with real fruit", "made with whole grains", "lightly sweetened", and "good source of fibre", are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration either, says a report by consumer advocacy group, Center for Science in the Public Interest.
Common food label claims to be wary of

Made with whole-wheat/Wholegrain/

Multigrain

Picture yourself sitting with your morning cup of coffee, biting into a toasted slice of wholewheat bread. You might feel proud of your "healthy" choice, but a closer look at the ingredients may reveal otherwise. Since no regulation controls the amount of wholewheat flour that needs to be in baked goods for them to be labeled as, that slice of bread could easily have more refined flour than anything else. The same holds true for wholegrain claims. Multigrain also seems to tantamount to whole-wheat or wholegrain, but it just means that several grains have been used to prepare the item, whole or refined

Low-fat/Fat free

You're standing in line to pay your grocery bills, and at the checkout counter is a colourful bag of candy, screaming out to you. And it says fat free! If it sems too good to be true, that's because it is. Fat in labels simply means sources of vegetable, animal, or milk fat. So while it's entirely possible the candy you're reaching out for is fat free, the vast amount of sugar in it will negate any diet

Made with real fruit

Candy, beverages, cereal, and snacks often claim to contain "real fruit", and though there's no denying that fruit is good for you, the kind that comes in packaged products is certainly not. The content of real fruit in the items is mostly negligible, and usually in the form of highly processed fruit juice concentrate, which may as well be sugar

Trans-fat free

There's enough hype around trans-fat -- they raise bad cholesterol (LDL), lower good cholesterol (HDL), and are there in almost all processed foods to extend shelf life. So anything without trans-fat must be good, right? But for a product to be labeled as trans fat free, the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labeling) Regulations, 2011, states that there needs to be less than 0.2 grams of trans fat per serving. Eating more than a single serving a day over several days could easily make you consume more trans-fat than you think. And trans-fat free doesn't mean the product cannot contain saturated fats, which are equally bad

Serving size

This is one gimmick that even the most conscious consumer falls for. The calories, fat, or sugar content of a product may seem pretty reasonable, but they can quickly add up when the serving size suggested is unrealistic. Because, honestly, who stops at just two cookies, or half a cup of ice cream?

Educate yourself

Adjust all nutritional values according to the amount you actually consume Stay away from products containing hydrogenated oils. Hydrogenation converts healthy, unsaturated fats into trans-fat Check for added sugars - corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, rice syrup, dehydrated cane juice, fruit juice concentrate, barley malt syrup, maltodextrin, and usually anything ending in 'ose' Remember ingredients are listed in descending order by of their composition by weight or volume Consume as much whole food as possible. Otherwise stick to products with ingredients that you understand

'Companies' claims about food products in ads to be regulated'

The Food Standard and Safety Authority said advertisers cannot make claim unless the company does study and generate adequately valid scientific data

Hyderabad: In a bid to restrict deceptive advertisements, particularly with regards to food articles such as weight-loss or weight-gain drinks, the Food Standards and Safety Authority of India (FSSAI) is going to make it mandatory for the manufacturers to display scientific evidence on the package, reports PTI.

According to B Sesikeran, director at National Institute of Nutrition and chairman of Scientific panel on Food Labelling said the panel recommendations will be notified in a month and after that it will seek public opinion before amending the existing Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011.

"New food labelling regulation will have a lot of things such as if a health drink claims that children will grow taller with the drink then they will have produce evidence to prove their claim," Mr Sesikeran told reporters on the sidelines of 'Technology as Driver of Growth: Ensuring Farm Productivity' a panel discussion organised by IndoAsiancommodities.com.

"We are going to regulate advertisements also. They cannot make claim unless the company does study and generate adequately valid scientific data. Otherwise, claims have to be removed for the advertisement," he added.

He said there is also a proposal to display nutritional values on the hotel menu cards.Though it is not mandatory for the hotels initially it may become a rule after three years, Mr Sesikeran explained.

"Particularly salt, sugar, iron and fat values should be displayed against each food item the hotel offers. Initially, we will ask them to do it voluntarily," he said.

Meanwhile, the NIN has undertaken a project to assess food values in Indian food items, including vegetables across the country. Mr Sesikeran said the teams are now touring across the country to collect food sample to analyse.

"The study was done many years ago. Now with the newer technologies and new foods adding to the food basket and the composition of existing food is also changed over the years because of the different farming practices," he said.

Once the date is generated it will help forming a regulation and the project will take two years to publish the data, he added.

Earlier in the panel discussion, the participants felt the need to introduce newer technologies to increase agriculture productivity.

Research on to make Kesari dal safe for consumption

HYDERABAD: With research on Kesari dal proving beyond doubt that its consumption would result in paralysis, scientists are now exploring the possibility of removing toxicity from the dal at the cultivation stage itself so that it can be safely consumed by common man.

An international conference on 'Recent trends in Lathyrus Sativus research' will be organised in the city on November 8-9, 2012 on how to facilitate consumption of Kesari dal, without the toxicity that leads to paralysis. "The benefits of consumption of Kesari dal are plenty. But our experiments had proved that consumption of high quantity of Kesari dal would result in paralysis, but we are not stopping at that," said Dr Arjun L Khandare, deputy director, Food and Drug Toxicology Research Centre (FDTRC), National Institute of Nutrition (NIN).

At the request of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), NIN had conducted studies on a goat at the Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University (Angrau) feeding it with huge quantities of Lathyrus grain, which are known to contain a particular neurotoxin called Oxalyl diaminopropionic (ODAP). This resulted in the goat developing paralysis.

The study had been undertaken at the instance of the planning commission due to the demand made by some activists to lift the 50-year-old ban on cultivation of Kesari dal in the country. Some states like Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal, however, allow cultivation of Kesari dal. According to Dr Khandare, Lathyrus Sativus is a rich source of protein, carbohydrate, arginine and non-protein amino acid homoarginine, which makes it versatile compared to other available pulses. "In fact, it can be cultivated without water also. Kesari dhal is also less expensive compared to other dals available in the market," Khandare said.

The question before scientists now is to make consumption of Kesari dal safe. For this purpose, an international conference is being organised by NIN-ICMR in the city in which researchers, agriculturists, farmers, biomedical scientists, toxicologists, clinicians, food and feed technologists from the country and abroad are expected to participate. It may be mentioned here that Kesari dal was a popular food crop in the world until it was proved that consumption of it would result in neurolathyrism.

The scientists are now focusing to make Lathyrus Sativus safe for consumption by reducing the ODAP to very low level using detoxification methods and also through genetic modification. This will make it a very highly beneficial food supplement and cost-effective as well. Such a move by scientists should bring cheer to Dr Shantilal Kothari, president, Academy of Nutrition Improvement, Nagpur, who has been spearheading a movement in the country for lifting ban on the cultivation of Kesari dal.

Drive to register food vendors falls flat

The administration had announced with much fanfare that each and every food vendor in the city, big or small, would be required to get a licence as part of their efforts to ensure food safety. Two months down the line, however, only a dozen vendors have been registered under the Food Safety Standards Act 2006.

In the second week of March, a special seminar was organised on the Food Safety Standards Act 2006 and it was decided that the Act will be implemented in the entire district making it mandatory for all food businesses to register themselves.
While only 131 registrations have been done, including small hotels and ice-cream parlous, only about 35 licences have been issued. And such is the state of affairs ahead of the fast-approaching August 4 deadline set by the district health authorities to register all food vendors and issue a licence.
The health authorities, however, are still hopeful that things would fall, in place. Surinder Singh Punia, the district food inspector, said, "Whenever we start a new project, it takes time to spread awareness. We had initiated the project well and people have started started responding. Things would be better in the days to come."
On the other hand, the commissioner of the food and drug administration department, CR Rana, accepted the fact that Gurgaon was lagging behind.
"We know that Gurgaon has not kept pace. But I have asked the concerned officials to pull up their socks. I would review the work by next month."
As per the Food Safety Standards Act 2006, every businessman with a turnover of R12 lakh and above in the food industry needs to get a license for selling edible
products. Those in a business with a turnover of less than R12 lakh need to get registered with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

These fruits are artificially ripened

With the onset of summer, almost all fruits typical of this season have flooded the City markets.

But have you noticed off late that the shiny yellow bananas, papayas and mangoes you get home, turn out to be only partially ripe and not so tasty. Also, if you overdose on them, they not only cause stomach upset but even mouth ulcers and throat infections.

This is no co-incidence. A lot of fruit are being ripened artificially with the help of unhealthy chemicals. As for the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) which is supposed to control these malpractices, it seems disinterested in stopping the trend.

In fact, a lot of fruitsellers in the City openly declare that they use prohibited chemicals like calcium carbide and, according to them, consuming fruit ripened with it will do no harm. A fruit vendor in Azadpur mandi in North-west Delhi, who did not wish to be named, challenged Metrolife, “If you get me a papita in Delhi today which has not been artificially ripened I will

return the money you paid for it. It is impossible to get naturally ripened banana, papaya and mango in Delhi because they are brought in from neighbouring states, and if they are brought in ripe form, they will be rotten by the time they reach the consu­mer.” He also adds, “Just wash the fruit well before having it. The powder (calcium carbide) will go away.”

Food experts agree with this argument to some extent. Harbans Wadhwa, a food technologist at VOICE- a voluntary consumer organisation, says, “It is true that the fruit and vegetable mandis of Delhi like Azadpur, Keshavpur, Okhla, Ghazipur and a smaller morning market in Daryaganj receive their wares from states as far as
Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. If climacteric fruits like apples, bananas, plums, peaches etc., which continue to ripen after being picked, are brought in ripe, they will have very little shelf life. But for this, the authorities have allowed the use of ethylene, a gas naturally produced by fruit in closed chambers. Unfortunately, fruitsellers are not doing that because it involves extra expenditure. Calcium carbide, on the other hand, comes for as little as Rs 25-30 per kilo and can ripen 10 tonnes of fruits overnight.”
The effects of the usage of calcium carbide, low-grade petroleum wax and fruit hormone injections like Ethephon are extremely dangerous. Fruitsellers are constantly coming up with newer methods to ripen and preserve fruits while bypassing the law.

Dr. Neha Saxena, a nutritionist with VIMHANS, says, “The byproduct of calcium carbide - acetylene is used in gas welding of steel goods. It’s carcinogenic. In short term it can cause discomfort to asthmatics and respiratory problems, but in the long run it results in cancer. In fact, that is the problem of urban life. You consume adulterated things and fall ill in subsequent years. Then you keep consulting doctors wondering what caused the problem, never realising it could have been a simple fruit.”

The use of calcium carbide to ripen fruits is prohibited under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India laws but one rarely ever hears of any raids or arrests. In fact, when Metrolife contacted Anil Mehta, Deputy Director, FSSAI, asking him on the number of arrests in this regard this year, he simply replied, “I don’t know,” and disconnected the phone.

Surely, Delhi needs a more efficient monitoring agency to be saved from lethal fruits.