Dec 13, 2015

The perils of pesticides - Maneka Gandhi


Last month a municipal gaushala in Patiala fed its cows the normal green fodder and 39 died within a few hours. A mob gathered and the gaushala workers, who had no hand in getting the feed that was supplied by a commissioned contractor, fled. The issue was taken up by communal elements and they took over the gaushala on the excuse that they could look after the cows better. Two days later, 27 more died. Only then did the local administration start looking at the source of the contractor’s feed. Till today neither he nor his suppliers have been arrested.
In September, scientists at the Central Food Toxicology Research Institute detected cancer-causing fungal toxins exceeding safety limits in samples of ultra-high temperature processed milk — milk considered to be extremely sterile and pure. This is a problem that has been highlighted by scientists for the last 10 years without having any action taken.
The poisonous compound is called aflatoxin M1 and it was found in 20 per cent of the samples of Ultra High Temperature-processed milk they examined. Earlier, studies in India over the past decade have identified aflatoxins in raw and pasteurised milk but this is the first report of aflatoxins in UHT milk, which is usually sold in tetrapacks as a shelf-stable product that needs no refrigeration until opened.
Scientists at the CFTRI selected 45 samples of UHT milk from brands sold across the country and found that aflatoxin M1 levels exceeding limits imposed by India’s Food Safety and Standards Authority in 10 out of the 45 samples of UHT milk, in six out of 45 samples of raw milk and in three out of seven samples of pasteurised milk. The raw and pasteurised milk was collected from suppliers across Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and the findings have appeared in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology.
High levels of aflatoxins in livestock feed such as maize residue and peanut cake seem to be the reason for the toxins in milk. This is not the first time that warnings have been given to the livestock sector. In northwest India in 1974, thousands of cattle died after eating mouldy maize with extremely high aflatoxin levels (ranging from 6,250 to 15,600 mg/kg). More than 40 years later, the dairy industry in India, which relies on milk supplies from livestock, does not test samples for aflatoxin before they pool the milk for industry-level processing. Since the late 1990s, reports of aflatoxins in milk have emerged from Thrissur in Kerala and Anand in Gujarat. Biochemists at the Indian Institute of Toxicology Research, Lucknow, had detected very high aflatoxin levels in samples of infant milk food, milk-based weaning cereals and liquid milk in 2004.
Aflatoxin-producing members of Aspergillus are common and widespread in nature. They can colonise and contaminate grain before harvest or during storage. Host crops, which include maize, sorghum and groundnuts, are particularly susceptible to infection by Aspergillus following prolonged exposure to a high-humidity environment or damage from stressful conditions such as drought. Humidity, moisture and poor storage conditions contribute to the growth of fungi and aflatoxins in livestock feed.
Researchers have reported high values “up to 3,300 micrograms per kg” of the fungal toxin aflatoxin B1 in livestock feed. Aflatoxin B1 is metabolised by animals and converted into aflatoxin M1, which is secreted in milk. Aflatoxins are also sometimes found in eggs and meat when animals are fed contaminated grains.
Since studies show that these aflatoxins are resistant to heat treatment, the object should be to reduce their intake. But while most developed countries have set maximum permissible limits for aflatoxin levels in livestock feed, no such mandatory limits exist for livestock fodder in India. The limit for aflatoxins in milk set by the European Commission is “0.05 microgram per kg”. Ninety per cent of our milk is higher than this. In 2006, the FSSAI imposed 0.5 microgram per kg limit on milk in India — 10 times higher than the EC limit. Even that is lower than what is currently found.
Recent studies conducted by the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics in South India revealed that aflatoxin levels were as high as 40 times the permissible limit. In a study published in the journal Food Control, researchers found that over 90 per cent of the milk samples used in the study contained aflatoxin M1 levels. In these studies, contamination of milk was found to be high in both rural and urban areas, across a cross section of the population. Children were found to be most susceptible to the adverse health effects of these toxins.
At least 14 different types of aflatoxin are produced in nature. Aflatoxin B1 is considered the most toxic and is produced by fungi called Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus parasiticus. These are among the most potent of carcinogens that cause more than 90,000 cases of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer each year. Consumption of aflatoxins can also lead to vomiting, abdominal pain, liver damage, convulsions, kidney, liver and heart disease and, in extreme cases, coma and death. Long-term aflatoxin poisoning in cattle leads to decrease in growth rate, lowered milk production and immune suppression. Some experiments have also shown high incidence of hepatitis B infection where dietary exposure to aflatoxins was prevalent.
Aflatoxins are strongly associated with stunting and immune suppression in children. In a 2015 study published by Mitigating Aflatoxin Consumption for Improving Child Growth, researchers established a relationship between aflatoxin exposure and linear child growth. The study focused on children in the last trimester of gestation to age two (the primary period of growth faltering), and studied 1,829 pregnant women who were enrolled from 2013 to 2014. Initial data collection found aflatoxin in the blood of all participants. The researchers reduced aflatoxin exposure by 50 per cent in all participants and found that the reduction led to improved growth in the children tested.
Feed refusal, reduced growth rate and decreased feed efficiency are the predominant signs of chronic aflatoxin poisoning in animals. In addition, listlessness, weight loss, rough hair coat and mild diarrhoea may be seen. Anaemia along with bruises and subcutaneous haemorrhages are also frequent symptoms of aflatoxicosis. Increased susceptibility to other diseases, increased abortions and rectal prolapse are also signs. But in our country, where vets are like hair on a near balding head, who is interpreting these symptoms?
How many of you know what food is being fed to the animals that give you milk? There are no pastures left in this country and cows/buffalos graze on the roadsides and on dirty human-rodden grass. All green fodder grown for animals is done so with pesticides. Remember that if UHT milk, which means milk that has been pasteurisd at very high temperatures, cannot remove the fungus, it is better not to drink the stuff at all.
To join the animal welfare movement contact gandhim@nic.in, www.peopleforanimalsindia.org 

Bugs and Approvals, another controversy brewing with Baba Ramdev’s Noodles?

While many dismiss these initial reports, there is no denying that incidents like these could snowball into a bigger controversy.
Yoga guru Baba Ramdev planned to take on the instant noodles market with his 'healthy alternative' you could have instead - Patanjali Atta (wheat) noodles. Few weeks into the launch, and the noodles is already getting into trouble, just like the man himself.
According to Zee News reports, bugs were found in a packet of Patanjali's Atta noodles in Jind, Haryana. These bugs were spotted inside a sealed pack and the customer is reportedly gearing up to sue the company.
Also, India's food regulator, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has said that Ramdev's company Patanjali Ayurved didn't have approvals for instant noodles before it's launch. Patanjali officials however said it is not required to get a product specific approval to launch instant noodles. They argue noodles falls under the 'pasta' category, and they had a license for the same.
While many dismiss these initial reports, there is no denying that incidents like these could snowball into a bigger controversy. Patanjali noodles has huge potential in a market where people are increasingly looking for quick and easy meal. While a sizeable chunk of the pie is hooked onto Maggi, Patanjali's low prices give it the edge in an increasingly crowded market. Most of it's products sell at 30-50% cheaper rates than it's peers from multinational brands.

Did not order Maggi ban, FSSAI tells SC

"The High Court erred in coming to the conclusion that the show-cause notice was a ban order," the FSSAI argued in its appeal against a Bombay High Court lifting the ‘ban’ on the Maggi noodles.
In a twist to the Maggi noodles ban case, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on Friday told the Supreme Court that it had never, in the first place, banned Nestle India’s popular household two-minute snack.
Instead, the FSSAI said it only issued a show-cause notice to the company, seeking an explanation about the “excess” lead levels in its products and, secondly, why it had made a “false declaration of no added MSG (Monosodium glutamate) when its products contained MSG.”
“The High Court erred in coming to the conclusion that the show-cause notice was a ban order,” the FSSAI argued in its appeal against a Bombay High Court lifting the ‘ban’ on the Maggi noodles.
Seeking a stay of the High Court judgment, that has paved the way for Maggi's return, the top food regulator said “harm may be caused to consumers of the products, which will have an adverse effect on human health and life in the country.”Apprehensions raised by the FSSAI prompted a Bench led by Justice Dipak Misra to direct the Nestle and the Maharashtra government to respond by Jan. 13.
The FSSAI, represented by Attorney-General Mukul Rohatgi, explained that it had only asked the company to stop further manufacture, production, import distribution and sale of its noodle variants in public interest during the period of consideration of the notice. This, it contended, would hardly have the effect of a “ban order,” especially when Nestle had already issued a press release declaring that it was recalling its products under the scanner for excessive lead content. Nestle went on to destroy over 25,000 tonnes of Maggi products.
The FSSAI argued that the company, instead of replying to the show-cause notice, moved the Bombay HC.
‘HC order fallacious’
The High Court had interpreted the FSSAI notice as a ban order, and concluded that banning the company's products without even affording it an opportunity to be heard was against the basic principles of natural justice.
The FSSAI termed the High Court order as “fallacious.” It asked how a notice issued in public interest could be described “arbitrary, unreasonable, lacking transparency” by the High Court. That too when the High Court itself has recorded the fact that out of 82 samples, 30 had lead levels in excess of permissible limits.
The Food Authority said the High Court had erred in disregarding the reports of two notified and NABL-accredited labs (Kolkata and AVON) that levels of lead were over the limit. It said the HC has committed a mistake by asking the company itself to provide the fresh samples for testing instead of asking a neutral authority to do so.

SC seeks response from Nestle India, Maharashtra on FSSAI’s plea

The Supreme Court on Friday sought a response from Maggi noodles manufacturer Nestle India Ltd. and Maharashtra on a plea filed by food regulator FSSAI against the Bombay High Court verdict lifting ban on nine variants of the fast food and asking the company to go for fresh tests.
A bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Prafulla C. Pant fixed the plea of Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for hearing on January 13 when it will consider its prayer for stay of the High Court verdict.
The present petition is being filed… seeking special leave to appeal against impugned judgement dated August 13/ modified on September 4, passed by the Bombay High Court... vide the judgement, the High Court had quashed the show cause notice (of FSSAI) on the ground that the same violated the principles of natural justice and also passed directions permitting the respondent company (Nestle India) to sell its products if its samples passed fresh tests...”
“Respondent company has been permitted to choose the samples of its products to be given for testing and the High Court has listed out the laboratories that were suggested by the respondent company to carry out the tests, thereby vitiating the very purpose of testing any product under the (Food Safety and Standards) Act,” FSSAI said in its plea.
Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for FSSAI, said that the laboratories, accredited under the statute, should be allowed to conduct tests on such food products.
The regulator, seeking a stay on “the operation of the impugned final judgement” of the High Court, raised the question of law saying “whether the main duty of the authority (FSSAI) is to regulate or monitor the food products at any stage of production and whose primary concern has to be the safety of the food products being consumed in the country?”
The plea further said whether a show cause notice can be set aside by the High Court in “writ jurisdiction” without first directing the FSSAI to respond to the allegations made in the notice.
The Bombay High Court had on August 13, lifted the ban slapped by food regulators on Nestle India’s nine variants of the fast food in the country while asking the company to go in for fresh tests.
The regulator, in its plea, objected to the observation of the High Court that its notice asking the company to stop manufacturing and sale of Maggi products was violation of the principle of natural justice when it is evident that the firm itself had stopped manufacturing and sale even before the issuance of the notice.
The High Court had allowed Nestle to go in for fresh test to ascertain whether lead content in the popular snack is below permissible limit.
This will be done by sending five samples of each variant of the instant noodles to three independent laboratories in Punjab, Hyderabad and Jaipur which were accredited with National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL), it had said.

Atta noodles: Ramdev's Patanjali among 2 firms served FSSAI

Two ayurvedic firms including yoga guru Ramdev's Patanjali Ayurved Ltd have been served notice by the government for violating food safety norms in manufacturing atta noodles, Health Ministry J P Nadda said today. 
"The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India(FSSAI) has issued a notice to M/s Patanjali Ayurved Ltd and M/s Akash Yog Health Products Pvt Ltd on November 19 asking them to show cause as to why action should not be taken against them for violating the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act...For manufacturing, relabelling and marketing Patanjali atta noodles without obtaining valid approvals," Nadda said in a written reply to Lok Sabha. 
Ramdev had launched the product with the aim to capture the noodle market by branding his product as healthier and more affordable than other instant noodles available to consumers. 
Instant noodle Maggi was banned earlier this year for five months after some samples were found to have dangerous levels of monosodium glutamate and lead. However, it returned to shops after a clean chit from labs.

Maggi row: Supreme Court issues notice to Nestle India on FSSAI’s appeal

After a favourable HC order, Swiss giant Nestle had relaunched its instant noodle on November 9.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday sought a response from Nestle India on an appeal by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) against lifting the ban on popular instant Maggi noodles.
A bench led by Justice Dipak Misra waived off the formal notice as Nestle’s counsel Harish Salve accepted the notice and said he would file a reply to the petition by January 5.
Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, who appeared for the FSSAI, said he was not pressing for an immediate stay of the Bombay High Court order but, he wanted to draw the court’s attention towards the difficulties being faced by the good regulator in view of the HC order. The bench agreed to examine FSSAI’s contentions on January 13.
After a favourable HC order, Swiss giant Nestle had relaunched its instant noodle on November 9.
The FSSAI, in its petition, has questioned the “sanctity” of the samples provided to the government-approved labs for the re-test, contending that the High Court had asked Nestle to provide samples whereas it should have been picked up randomly from the market. As per the sources, seeking Maggi samples from Nestle vitiated the entire procedure of re-testing and that a neutral authority should have ideally lifted the samples.
Further, the petition has claimed that the Bombay High Court allowed substantial changes in its order when Nestle filed a plea for correction of the original order on the ground of there being certain typographical errors.
“This led to a substantial impact on the outcome of the proceeding before the High Court,” FSSAI officials said.
They added that stacking Maggi back on shelves without a fresh permission from the authorities also amounts to a breach of a pertinent provision in the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
In August, the High Court had quashed the orders of FSSAI and Maharashtra food regulator FDA, which had banned nine variants of Maggi noodles in the country. It had said that the principles of natural justice were not followed in executing the ban as the manufacturer was not given a hearing. The court had allowed Nestle to go in for fresh testing of five samples of each variant of the noodles at three independent laboratories in Punjab, Hyderabad and Jaipur which were accredited with National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).
It had clarified that these samples would be taken out of the 750 samples preserved by the company following the ban and if the lead content was found below permissible limits by the three labs, Nestle India will be allowed to manufacture Maggi noodles. Subsequently, Nestle had announced that tests done on fresh Maggi samples provided to government approved labs were found safe and retail sales would start shortly.

Excessive usage of chemicals found in ginger cultivation, processing

Officials seize 100 kg sulphur cubes, 10 kg calcium hypochlorite from processing units
Indiscriminate application of harmful chemicals to brighten the colour of ginger came to light during a raid by the officials of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on ginger processing units in the district on Saturday.
The officials raided four units in the district on Saturday, including three units at Ripponpet and one at Ayanur village. During the raid, the officials were shocked to see that sulphur and calcium hypochlorite, also known as bleaching powder, being extensively used in the processing of ginger.
The officials seized 100 kg sulphur cube and 10 kg calcium hypochlorite from the processing units. K. Krishnappa, District Food Safety Officer, told The Hindu that according to Food Safety Act, usage of sulphur and calcium hypochlorite for processing food is an offence.
Samples of ginger from the units had been sent to laboratory for tests. If the tests were to confirm the presence of traces of chemicals in the samples, then stern action would be initiated against the owners of the processing units.
The area of cultivation of ginger has expanded rapidly across the district. The total area under ginger cultivation stood at 2,000 acres in 2008 and it had increased to 16,000 acre,s now.
Under traditional methods of processing, ginger tubers are soaked in water and the rhizomes on it will be peeled off with the help of bamboo knives, coir or sea shells. As the ginger gets discoloured due to bacterial and fungal wilt infection, it used to fetch low prices in the market. To prevent discolouring, ripening and rotting in ginger, harmful chemicals like sulphur and calcium hypochlorite were being used during processing.
After washing the tubers with a solution mixed with calcium hypochlorite, they were placed in air-tight chambers by burning sulphur. The Sulphur dioxide gas released in the chamber removes the dark spots and gives bright color to the ginger.
The people residing in the vicinity of ginger processing units in Ayanur village had recently developed breathing problems and allergy. They had lodged a complaint with the Department of Health and Family Welfare, blaming the usage of sulphur in ginger processing unit as the reason for their health disorders. Based on the information provided by the officials of the Department of Health and Family Welfare, the FSSAI officials raided the units.The usage of chemicals in the processing of ginger ha also caused pollution in water bodies that were in the vicinity of ginger processing units. Last year, toxic foam had frothed from Kerekatte tank on the outskirts of Shikaripur owing to the release of liquid waste from the ginger processing units.
Following this incident, the Shikaripur Town Municipal Council had shutdown three ginger processing units0 that were responsible for polluting the tank.
Pesticides are used indiscriminately even during ginger cultivation. A study by the experts from the Centre for Ecological Sciences of Indian Institute of Science and Vrikshalaksha Andolan had revealed that the land in Malnad region was becoming barren and water bodies, including Tunga, Bhadra and Varada rivers, getting polluted owing to excessive usage of pesticides in the cultivation of ginger.
According to Food Safety Act, usage of sulphur and calcium hypochlorite in food processing process is an offence.
K. Krishnappa,, District Food Safety Officer

Now, Patanjali noodles also under food safety scanner

DEHRADUN: After state food authority gave clearance to Maggi noodles in Uttarakhand on Wednesday, Ramdev's Patanjali noodles has come under the scanner of the authorities due to controversies over an insect allegedly being found in the sealed packet of the noodles. As per Haridwar food commissioner's office, samples of Patanjali noodles will be sent for testing soon.
On the directions of the Uttarakhand health minister Surinder Singh Negi, the food safety department has come into action. Food safety department (Haridwar) designated officer Mahimanand Joshi said, "We have received verbal orders from the minister. Within two days, we shall get the samples collected for testing. We have not done sampling of Patanjali noodles till date, but it has become necessary after complaints have come from different parts of the state."
Acharya Bal Krishana of Patanjali, said, "These are all rumours. No one has come up with proper evidence till date. It's a strategy to malign our image. The maggi issue is not clear because at one point it was being reported that the packet was sealed and then it was said that bugs were identified in cooked Maggi."
Health minister Negi told TOI, "As the product is being manufactured in our state, it becomes our moral duty to check the product. Also, the news over bugs being found makes for a strong reason for us to ensure that whatever is being manufactured in Uttarakhand is free from controversies and is healthy. Sampling would only clear the doubts of people who have raised question on the atta noodles."
After Nestle's 2-minute noodles was banned in the country, yoga guru Ramdev tried to make the most out of the opportunity by launching his Patanjali Atta Noodles. But within a day of its launch, FSSAI officials said the atta noodles' manufacturers were not in possession of product licence.

Street food vendors undergo training in Delhi

More than 500 vendors from all over India participate in training programme
New Delhi: People, especially foreigners, visiting Delhi often complain of the Delhi Belly syndrome, even as most enjoy the gorgeously tempting street food sold at every nook and corner of the city.
To beat the negative tummy experiences, more than 500 street food vendors from all over India joined a mass training programme on food safety and hygiene, held at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Thursday.
Pledging to work towards ensuring food hygiene and safety ahead of the three-day (December 11-13) food festival, the vendors hoped to do good business all year round.
Dalchand Kashyap, a vendor selling chaat (spicy snacks) for the last 24 years said, “I have learnt a lot from such workshops. The authorities even arranged to send me to Singapore early this year to learn the basics of hygiene, upkeep of food and also how to neatly display it.”
A third generation street food vendor, Kashyap said, “It has added to my income as, seeing the hygiene level I maintain, people from far off places too come to me to savour the snacks and appreciate my food habits.”
Organised by the National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI), the workshop was addressed by Dr Mrinalini Darswal, Food Safety Commissioner in the Delhi government.
Appreciating the work undertaken by NASVI, she pointed out that she had witnessed remarkable change in street vendors’ attitude. “The fact that they use caps to cover their heads, clip their nails and keep them clean and use gloves to serve food, has added to their professionalism.”
The event was also attended by S.S. Gill, special secretary, Ministry of Urban Development, Bimal Dubey, Director, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, Dr Atreyi Ganguli, World Health Organisation officer, municipal executives, health officers, dietitians and nutritionists.
Speaking to Gulf News, Anurag Shankar, programme manager of NASVI, said, “Street food vendors add to the country’s economy in a substantial way. Serving all — from a cart puller to an office executive, even though they know to cook, due to lack of education, are not familiar with cooking and serving standards. Training them will keep the masses healthy.”
With a membership of over 750,000 vendors, NASVI has been aggressively working with roadside entrepreneurs to promote the depth and diversity of India’s street food for the last 20 years. But of late, it has also begun focusing on health and nutrition for all.

A spoonful of stevia

India is just waking up to the leaf that sweetens, but its slightly bitter aftertaste could put off potential users. Globally, consumption of stevia has been low
Next Diwali or Christmas, when you shop for fruit juices, drinks, yoghurt and lassi, a ‘Made with Stevia’ label on packaged beverages and dairy products may grab your attention.
Approval from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) last month has propelled companies to explore products made from stevia, a natural sweetener, derived from a plant that is both grown locally and imported from countries that have a tropical and sub-tropical climate. Companies plan to roll out a few options initially, growing the range depending on consumer interest.
Amul India, for instance, plans to unveil stevia products in a calibrated manner. The company has begun trials to see if it can roll out a stevia-based dairy product. “We would like to take our time to formulate the right product because our experience shows taste is of prime concern to consumers,” said MD, RS Sodhi.
Indeed, some consumers may find stevia’s mildly bitter aftertaste unappealing. Kishore Pasari, 62, a South Mumbai resident who has been suffering from acute diabetes for the past 25 years, said the taste is a downer for him. “I’ve tried putting the leaf in tea as a substitute for sugar but the taste puts me off and does not satisfy the sugar craving.”
Priya Shah, (22, name changed), an obesity patient, said she would rather not eat sweets than consume stevia-made desserts or beverages. “Either you indulge or you don’t,” she said.
Taste or health?
While taste is an issue with some consumers, the health benefits are immense. For one, it is healthier than aspartame, an artificial sweetener commonly known as ‘chemical poison’. “Excess consumption of aspartame can lead to deterioration of brain and nerve cells. Stevia on the other hand, is 100 per cent herbal, helps to lower blood pressure and does not aggravate blood sugar levels,” said Pooja Goel, a Bandra-based nutritionist.
In the past few years, health-conscious consumers have increased their preference for grains like ragi and bajra. Similarly, nutritionists and experts expect consumers to warm up to the benefits of stevia in the coming years. Hence, the success of stevia will depend on how consumers respond and whether a diabetic India makes the seemingly right choice.
Stevia is also a good flavour enhancer, said Leena Mittal of Herboveda India, wholesale suppliers of stevia and stevia-based products. “It’s a great substitute for aspartame. We’ve replaced cane sugar with stevia in lemon water and some desserts and you can’t tell the difference.”
Here’s the secret of how Herboveda India has managed to cut the bitter aftertaste. Stevia comes from a leafy green plant and its leaves contain compounds called steviol glycosides and rebaudioside. The former is 200 to 400 times sweeter than table sugar and leaves a slightly bitter aftertaste, but reubaudioside apparently has no such flavour. Herboveda India imports this Korea and China.
Food and beverage companies in India are willing to spend on sourcing stevia and exploring this untapped market, provided they get a right product formulation. Delhi-based Mother Dairy is one such example, and is eager to explore a domestic health-conscious market. “The FSSAI move is a positive one and we will now hasten the process of formulation,” said S Nagarajan, CEO, Mother Dairy.
The company is into research and development and is hopeful that in 12 months, it will have innovated a beverage product in the beverage category using stevia. Currently, it offers more than 12-14 varieties of fruit juices and drinks under the brand name Safal.
Getting the formula right
A lot of factors will need to be considered while formulating the right product, though, said Dr TSR Murali, R&D head, Mother Dairy. On the one hand, it would have to be zero calories, nutritional and healthy and on the other, it has to be delicious and have a shelf life.
That can be quite a challenge, as globally too companies are struggling to hit the market with a perfect product.US companies, which began early in offering stevia products, have managed to create an industry size of just $200-300 million in seven years. Given the initial excitement, it was expected to be worth a a billion dollars but its bitter aftertaste has generated a slow response.
The USFDA approved the use of stevia extracts in 2008. The global volume consumption of stevia products is just about 1,019 tonnes in 2014 as compared to 925 tonnes in 2013 (see chart), according to data provided by Euromonitor International. There is no data available for India as it’s a market that is just beginning to open itself to the stevia experiment. However, even globally, manufacturers haven’t designed any product that is 100 per cent stevia-based and offers great taste, said Mother Dairy’s Dr Murali.
Mother Dairy could roll out a beverage if initial research indicates a consumer acceptable product and medium complexity in development, he added.
It would need trials in adapting it to both categories of fruit juices and dairy products like lassi. “The acid types and levels in each product are different and we have to test it on both product categories to see the best mix, suitability and shelf life,” he said.
Even though companies are doing a toss-up between taste and health, consumers may be opening up to the idea. “The more the merrier! I have no diabetes and a zero-calorie dessert means I can keep them coming,” said Biju Gupta, a dessert lover.
The writer is a freelance business journalist
While taste is an issue with some consumers, health benefits are immense. For one, it is healthier than aspartame

Consumer tribunal allows tests on Maggi samples in FSSAI storage

The government’s request was opposed by Nestlé India, which has indicated that it wants to get on with business after the Bombay high court set aside the ban
New Delhi: India’s apex consumer tribunal has accepted the government’s plea for testing the Maggi Noodles samples kept by Nestlé India Ltd at the food regulator’s storage in Lucknow around the time the product was banned from the market in June.
The government’s request to the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) was opposed by Nestlé India, which has indicated that it wants to get on with business after the Bombay high court set aside the ban, and its products were found safe by accredited laboratories.
“We are disappointed that the Hon’ble Commission has today given Order directing further testing of 16 samples..,” said a Nestle India spokesperson. in a statement. “In recent months alone, Nestlé India has conducted over 3,500 tests representing over 200 million packs in both national as well as international accredited laboratories for testing and all reports are clear.”
Maggi noodles were banned by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for allegedly containing a flavouring agent and lead in excess of prescribed norms.
The Bombay high court lifted the ban in August, conditional to fresh testing of the noodles that would be produced at the company’s plants. Those cleared the tests, and Nestlé has relaunched the noodles with much fanfare and to an overwhelming reception from the market. The food regulator has appealed that the Bombay high court’s order in the Supreme Court.
Meanwhile, the government and the Indian arm of the Swiss MNC have continued to fight it out in the NCDRC, which on Wednesday allowed the fresh testing. The accredited lab for conducting the tests to determine levels of lead and monosodium glutamate (MSG) is likely to be decided on Thursday.
The samples were initially to be sent to an accredited lab in Mumbai, but this was opposed by Nestlé India, which told the court that the lab was not adequately equipped to test for levels of lead.
The process of sending samples is set to begin on 14 December and the report will be produced before court on 12 January, along with the test report of 13 samples sent to the Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) in Mysore.
The government, which has initiated action against Nestlé India on behalf of consumers in the apex consumer court, on 23 November sought permission for further testing of 31 batches of Maggi at an accredited laboratory to settle the question of safety. These samples are from the stock that Nestlé India kept at an FSSAI godown in Lucknow.
A bench of the NCDRC comprising justices V.K. Jain and B.C. Gupta, which heard the case, reserved its decision on 1 December and asked the government to submit a list of accredited and recognized laboratories where the tests could be conducted.
On 15 October, the NCDRC ordered tests on 13 samples of the noodle at the Central Food Technological Research Institute. The results are awaited.
Nestlé India contested the government application, claiming it would amount to exceeding the scope of the case placed before the consumer forum.
“It is an adversarial litigation and must be restricted to the scope of pleadings,” Nestlé India said in its legal filings.
The government continued to press for testing, saying that it was the first case of its kind where the concern of consumers was being voiced in the interest of justice.
It claimed that testing was justified under the provisions of the Consumer Protection Act, 1986.
The government, in a class action suit, has claimed a compensation of `640 crore from the company, alleging unfair trade practices, false labelling and misleading advertisements.

HC questions disparity in sending samples to labs by FSSAI

NEW DELHI, DEC 9: 
The Delhi High Court today questioned the food safety and standards authority (FSSAI) why there was a disparity in the number of samples sent for testing to government labs vis-a-vis private labs.
A bench of justices Badar Durrez Ahmed and Sanjeev Sachdeva raised the query after it was told by an NGO that while lakhs of samples are sent to 68 private labs across the country, the four government-run labs only get a few thousand each.
“Why this disparity? Why not send more to government labs? Do the government labs not have the capacity? Why are you not then upscaling the capacity?” the court asked FSSAI.
NGO Lok Jagriti, represented by advocate Govind Jee, also claimed that the government-run labs were not well-equipped and even the staff there did not have the proper training.
He also sought that independent scientific panels be set up, as stipulated under the FSSA Act, for coming up with standards for food additives, flavourings, processing aids and materials in contact with eatables, among others.
The authority responded that such panels are already in place. It, however, said it has no labs of its own and was dependant upon four Food Research and Standardisation Laboratories (FRSL) which were set up under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act.
It also said that all the labs it used for testing were accredited with the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).
The court, thereafter, directed that anything that is prohibited under the FSSA Act and rules and regulations framed under it, but which is permitted under the Codex Alimentarius - a collection of internationally recognised standards relating to foods, food production and food safety - or any other global standard, would be prohibited as per Indian law.
On the disparity in number of samples sent for testing to private and government labs, the court noted that the concern raised was with regard to authenticity and reliability of the reports of private labs.