Feb 19, 2013
Nutraceuticals: Big to biggest
With growing concern towards increase in lifestyle-based diseases and focus on health & wellness, the theme of prevention is better than cure is likely to prevail as the most important.
Not only that, it is also going to be the base for increased consumer expectation and demand for nutraceuticals, food for specific dietary uses and functional foods & beverages for their ability to address several diseases.
Growing healthcare and consumer awareness in India and the world has led to variety of terms appearing in the industry. Medi foods, vitafoods, functional foods, nutraceuticals, dietary supplements, and fortified foods to name a few. Of these variants – nutraceuticals is one of the fastest and speedily developing segments in the health food & beverage sector.
Definition
Experts define nutraceuticals as “non-specific biological therapies used to promote wellness, prevent malignant processes and control symptoms they can be broadly categorised based upon the products as vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, herbals / botanicals, non-herbals, proteins and fibres.”
In other words, nutraceuticals products provide health & medicinal benefits which includes prevention and treatment of diseases in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foodstuff. Nutraceuticals are particularly of interest to the present generation because they have the potential to substantially reduce the expensive, high-tech, disease treatment approaches presently being employed in Western healthcare.
The nutraceuticals industry is both a brainchild and product of the need for preventative personalised medicine. Born of consumer demand for better food, the industry continues to use consumers for inspiration. The nutraceuticals sector has moved from healthy diet additions to mandatory diet requirements specifically designed to consumer requirements.
S Siddiqui, senior F&B analyst, said, “Nutraceuticals have gained tremendous importance in the last few years in developing & developed nations. Mostly, the nutraceuticals products are high priced which offer additional profitable benefits to players when compared to traditional foods.”
Chart
Source: Frost & Sullivan
A white paper titled “Emerging insights on nutraceuticals - players and policy-makers” jointly, prepared by Grant Thornton and FICCI states consumers of nutraceuticals are demographically diverse: a malnourished child in a developing country, a young mother and her infant, an aged man / woman with prostate issues / severe osteoporosis, an ageing baby boomer who is willing to experiment with her food/ vitamin basket.
Globally, due to buoyant consumers acceptability, the US and Japan are the most developed markets for nutraceuticals. However, India, China and Brazil are developing nations which show huge potential for the nutraceuticals market.
Yesterday & today of nutra business
The industry research report titled “Global Nutraceutical Industry: Investing in Healthy Living,” has found that the global nutraceuticals market has seen maximum growth in the last decade. While, nutraceuticals as an industry emerged in the early 1990s, 2002-2010 has been the key growth period for the industry. From 1999 to 2002, the nutraceuticals industry grew at an annual average growth rate (AAGR) of 7.3 per cent, while from 2002 to 2010, the AAGR doubled to 14.7 per cent. The industry is expected to maintain comparable growth till 2015 driven by growth from India, China and Brazil. The report was jointly prepared by Frost & Sullivan and FICCI.
“Currently, worldwide nutraceuticals are gaining prominence and becoming a part of the average consumer’s daily diet. The key reasons for this have been the increased incidence of lifestyle diseases the world over, increase in life expectancy and inadequate nutrition due to the current lifestyle choices people make today. In fact, in developing nations, mortality due to nutrition-related factors is nearly 40 per cent, underscoring the need for nutraceuticals products, to balance the nutritional intake of the individual,” the report said.
“While the Indian industry is currently nascent, it has great potential and is expected to grow at a growth rate of 16 per cent year-on-year for the next five years. This makes it one of the key markets for entry for nutraceutical products and ingredient manufacturers,” it added.
Trends: Worldwide
According to Grant Thornton’s white paper, the ongoing trends in the nutraceuticals businesses are
Multiple micronutrient intervention studies: The ongoing research in various corners of the world aims to establish a link between single and multiple micronutrient intervention studies and diseases of the human body to arrive at a holistic nutritional approach for combat. The evidence supporting the role of interventions in the prevention of various diseases however is still evolving.
New Dimensions: The usage of nutrients has increased from traditional forms (foods, supplements and beverages) to new markets such as cosmetics, pet care, marine life, and sports.
• Antioxidants for longevity, immunity and vitality
• Increased demand from the highest risk categories of baby boomers
• Non-prescription-based cosmetics with medicinal (including anti-ageing) properties
• Functional and medicated confectionery foods and snack bars
• Fatty Acids (CLA and Omega 3, 6 and 9) and proteins & clinical evidence of their health benefits
• Pet nutraceuticals & sports nutraceuticals
• Functional additives - vitamins, proteins, fibres
Trends in India
Even with the lowest per capita GDP in the BRIC regions, India is poised to overtake China as the most populous country (also with the largest number of undernourished children in the world), and represents an extremely favourable market for the growth of nutraceuticals.
At population levels like ours combined with income disparities, the need for nutrition arises in each strata of our society. While approximately 42 per cent of all Indian children under age 5 suffer from malnutrition, nearly 300 million people are part of an expanding middle class. The middle-class level, with increased disposable incomes has become aware of the importance of diet and nutrition for long- term good health. Rajiv Chopra, president, DSM India, said, “Healthy habits need to start young. Only an appropriate blend of micro / macro nutrients in our diet can help us break through the health deficit.”
Some key emerging trends in the Indian nutraceuticals space are
• Focus on wellness and preventive care.
• Increased awareness and health consciousness.
• Growth currently driven by the functional food and beverages segment.
• Health and wellness yet to reach the fat and oils segment.
• Increased accessibility through new distribution channels and greater visibility (example infant and sports nutrition).
• A large diabetic population (similar to Brazil and China).
• Vitamins used in several food fortifications.
• Mass market retailing is just getting off ground in India with FDI approvals and can represent a great way to market the nutraceuticals.
• One third of the population being vegetarian, protein supplements in the form of soya / rice / others can assume great significance.
• Flavoured, powdered milk fortified with vitamins and minerals is a recent trend. In other parts of the country, milk scarcity drives soya and skimmed milk demand.
Also, India and China have emerged as a key sourcing destination for natural ingredients. Each of the countries in the BRIC region is in different evolutionary stages of development and nutraceuticals are subject to differences in regulation, nutrition awareness, consumer demand, biological support and affordability. China and Brazil have an advanced regulatory framework for the approval of nutraceuticals and their advertising, although these differ somewhat in the specifics.
Top players
Our country can be viewed both as a developer and manufacturer of nutraceuticals ingredients and products, and as a strong emerging market for nutraceuticals. “Key stakeholders in the Indian nutraceuticals landscape need to focus on the following Critical Success Factors – providing access to food in the first place, ensuring the right quality and mix of food, weeding out adulteration, improving the general environment and ensuring the availability of clean drinking water for all,” Chopra added.
Key players in Indian nutraceuticals business include Zydus, Plethico (including subsidiary Natrol), Piramal Healthcare, Elder Pharma, Universal Medicare (Sanofi), Nandan, Tablets India Ltd, Hexagon Nutrition, Natural Remedies, Dabur, and Advanced Enzymes.
The international companies that are existent and growing in the Indian market are DSM nutritional products, Abbott nutrition, GSK, Amway, and Herbalife.
Not only that, it is also going to be the base for increased consumer expectation and demand for nutraceuticals, food for specific dietary uses and functional foods & beverages for their ability to address several diseases.
Growing healthcare and consumer awareness in India and the world has led to variety of terms appearing in the industry. Medi foods, vitafoods, functional foods, nutraceuticals, dietary supplements, and fortified foods to name a few. Of these variants – nutraceuticals is one of the fastest and speedily developing segments in the health food & beverage sector.
Definition
Experts define nutraceuticals as “non-specific biological therapies used to promote wellness, prevent malignant processes and control symptoms they can be broadly categorised based upon the products as vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, herbals / botanicals, non-herbals, proteins and fibres.”
In other words, nutraceuticals products provide health & medicinal benefits which includes prevention and treatment of diseases in addition to the basic nutritional value found in foodstuff. Nutraceuticals are particularly of interest to the present generation because they have the potential to substantially reduce the expensive, high-tech, disease treatment approaches presently being employed in Western healthcare.
The nutraceuticals industry is both a brainchild and product of the need for preventative personalised medicine. Born of consumer demand for better food, the industry continues to use consumers for inspiration. The nutraceuticals sector has moved from healthy diet additions to mandatory diet requirements specifically designed to consumer requirements.
S Siddiqui, senior F&B analyst, said, “Nutraceuticals have gained tremendous importance in the last few years in developing & developed nations. Mostly, the nutraceuticals products are high priced which offer additional profitable benefits to players when compared to traditional foods.”
Chart
Source: Frost & Sullivan
A white paper titled “Emerging insights on nutraceuticals - players and policy-makers” jointly, prepared by Grant Thornton and FICCI states consumers of nutraceuticals are demographically diverse: a malnourished child in a developing country, a young mother and her infant, an aged man / woman with prostate issues / severe osteoporosis, an ageing baby boomer who is willing to experiment with her food/ vitamin basket.
Globally, due to buoyant consumers acceptability, the US and Japan are the most developed markets for nutraceuticals. However, India, China and Brazil are developing nations which show huge potential for the nutraceuticals market.
Yesterday & today of nutra business
The industry research report titled “Global Nutraceutical Industry: Investing in Healthy Living,” has found that the global nutraceuticals market has seen maximum growth in the last decade. While, nutraceuticals as an industry emerged in the early 1990s, 2002-2010 has been the key growth period for the industry. From 1999 to 2002, the nutraceuticals industry grew at an annual average growth rate (AAGR) of 7.3 per cent, while from 2002 to 2010, the AAGR doubled to 14.7 per cent. The industry is expected to maintain comparable growth till 2015 driven by growth from India, China and Brazil. The report was jointly prepared by Frost & Sullivan and FICCI.
“Currently, worldwide nutraceuticals are gaining prominence and becoming a part of the average consumer’s daily diet. The key reasons for this have been the increased incidence of lifestyle diseases the world over, increase in life expectancy and inadequate nutrition due to the current lifestyle choices people make today. In fact, in developing nations, mortality due to nutrition-related factors is nearly 40 per cent, underscoring the need for nutraceuticals products, to balance the nutritional intake of the individual,” the report said.
“While the Indian industry is currently nascent, it has great potential and is expected to grow at a growth rate of 16 per cent year-on-year for the next five years. This makes it one of the key markets for entry for nutraceutical products and ingredient manufacturers,” it added.
Trends: Worldwide
According to Grant Thornton’s white paper, the ongoing trends in the nutraceuticals businesses are
Multiple micronutrient intervention studies: The ongoing research in various corners of the world aims to establish a link between single and multiple micronutrient intervention studies and diseases of the human body to arrive at a holistic nutritional approach for combat. The evidence supporting the role of interventions in the prevention of various diseases however is still evolving.
New Dimensions: The usage of nutrients has increased from traditional forms (foods, supplements and beverages) to new markets such as cosmetics, pet care, marine life, and sports.
• Antioxidants for longevity, immunity and vitality
• Increased demand from the highest risk categories of baby boomers
• Non-prescription-based cosmetics with medicinal (including anti-ageing) properties
• Functional and medicated confectionery foods and snack bars
• Fatty Acids (CLA and Omega 3, 6 and 9) and proteins & clinical evidence of their health benefits
• Pet nutraceuticals & sports nutraceuticals
• Functional additives - vitamins, proteins, fibres
Trends in India
Even with the lowest per capita GDP in the BRIC regions, India is poised to overtake China as the most populous country (also with the largest number of undernourished children in the world), and represents an extremely favourable market for the growth of nutraceuticals.
At population levels like ours combined with income disparities, the need for nutrition arises in each strata of our society. While approximately 42 per cent of all Indian children under age 5 suffer from malnutrition, nearly 300 million people are part of an expanding middle class. The middle-class level, with increased disposable incomes has become aware of the importance of diet and nutrition for long- term good health. Rajiv Chopra, president, DSM India, said, “Healthy habits need to start young. Only an appropriate blend of micro / macro nutrients in our diet can help us break through the health deficit.”
Some key emerging trends in the Indian nutraceuticals space are
• Focus on wellness and preventive care.
• Increased awareness and health consciousness.
• Growth currently driven by the functional food and beverages segment.
• Health and wellness yet to reach the fat and oils segment.
• Increased accessibility through new distribution channels and greater visibility (example infant and sports nutrition).
• A large diabetic population (similar to Brazil and China).
• Vitamins used in several food fortifications.
• Mass market retailing is just getting off ground in India with FDI approvals and can represent a great way to market the nutraceuticals.
• One third of the population being vegetarian, protein supplements in the form of soya / rice / others can assume great significance.
• Flavoured, powdered milk fortified with vitamins and minerals is a recent trend. In other parts of the country, milk scarcity drives soya and skimmed milk demand.
Also, India and China have emerged as a key sourcing destination for natural ingredients. Each of the countries in the BRIC region is in different evolutionary stages of development and nutraceuticals are subject to differences in regulation, nutrition awareness, consumer demand, biological support and affordability. China and Brazil have an advanced regulatory framework for the approval of nutraceuticals and their advertising, although these differ somewhat in the specifics.
Top players
Our country can be viewed both as a developer and manufacturer of nutraceuticals ingredients and products, and as a strong emerging market for nutraceuticals. “Key stakeholders in the Indian nutraceuticals landscape need to focus on the following Critical Success Factors – providing access to food in the first place, ensuring the right quality and mix of food, weeding out adulteration, improving the general environment and ensuring the availability of clean drinking water for all,” Chopra added.
Key players in Indian nutraceuticals business include Zydus, Plethico (including subsidiary Natrol), Piramal Healthcare, Elder Pharma, Universal Medicare (Sanofi), Nandan, Tablets India Ltd, Hexagon Nutrition, Natural Remedies, Dabur, and Advanced Enzymes.
The international companies that are existent and growing in the Indian market are DSM nutritional products, Abbott nutrition, GSK, Amway, and Herbalife.
Healthy oil – How to find one
Of late, there has been a plethora of information available on the online media that guides consumers about the right cooking oil to use. If you visit a retail mall or look at the Internet, the claims and counter claims made by these vegetable oil manufacturers can make your head twirl. Not only that, there are infinite opinions about the best cooking oils by self-styled nutritionists and health experts. Anyone and everyone who is a writer and has access to the Internet claims to be an expert on cooking oil. Strange isn’t it? How do you decide which is the right cooking oil for your home? What are the health benefits of these cooking oils? These are important questions for which one seldom finds the right answers.
Claims
There is an incredulous youtube clip by a famed nutritionist who rubbished the entire oil refining process to say that double filtered oil is the best oil to be used for cooking as it preserves all vitamins, nutrients and minerals. I am sure that the distinguished professors and alumni of UDCT (University Department of Chemical Technology), an engineering college in Mumbai that conducts a full-time degree course in oil technology, will freeze in disbelief on hearing such misinformation to gullible consumers. While nutritionists can certainly claim to be experts on nutrition related matters, they cannot lay siege to rubbishing the technology that has been in existence for decades. Sadly, this is only an example of the Internet becoming a medium for false propaganda and misinformation about cooking oils.
As per this nutritionist, the refining process destroys all nutrients in the oil. Even if we agree that this statement may have some element of truth, what the nutritionist is missing is that the refining process also removes harmful toxins from the oilseeds. This is not to say that refining a vegetable oil is akin to throwing the baby along with the bath tub.
With appropriate process control, it is possible to retain the vitamins and nutrients in an oil. Many manufacturers also fortify the oil with minerals, nutrients and vitamins. So, where is the problem? On the contrary, double filtering or triple filtering of oil cannot claim to remove the toxins from the oils. Filtration is a physical process while refining is a chemical process.
The edible oil industry has been associated with processes like solvent extraction of the vegetable oil, RBD (refining, bleaching and deodorisation), hydrogenation etc. from time immemorial. So, to rubbish this technology is ludicrous. However, we have to agree that in India, we still suffer from regulatory inertia when it comes to implementing standards for the edible oil industry. There is so much oil adulteration happening in India that it is sad that no concrete action has been taken by the government or ministry of health to stem this rot.
Standards
There are no clear cut standards either for the solvent extraction process or the RBD process. Even if we have one, there is lot of ambiguity if these processes or standards are being followed by Indian manufacturers – a large number of whom are from the unorganised sector.
Look at the number of sesame oil (til oil) brands that we have in India. Most of these brands are not fit for human consumption and so, knowledgeable households use them for lighting lamps. But what about the uninitiated? Barring one popular brand in the south that charges a premium for its oil and claims that it is an oil that is good for the heart, no other til oil brand sold in a city like Bangalore comes close to comparison. One shudders to think about the health impacts if such oils are consumed by the ignorant population just because they are cheap.
The CSE report
An investigative report made by the Delhi-based Centre for Science & Environment (CSE) in 2009-10 made some alarming revelations. A random testing of popular vanaspathi and cooking oil brands in north revealed that most of these contained high levels of trans fats. Trans fats are banned in all countries except Denmark where an upper limit of 2% has been stipulated. This means that no cooking oil sold in Denmark should contain more than 2% of trans fats. Trans fats are formed when an oil is hydrogenated to make it more stable so that it can have a prolonged shelf life.
Trans fats are harmful because they can reduce the amount of HDL (good) cholesterol in your blood, cause infertility in women, lead to health complications like diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. The CSE lab tested the samples and found that in India, some of the brands have as much as 13-20% of trans fats.
The matter gets exacerbated further when you note that we don’t even have any law banning trans fat or any law that stipulates a standard for trans fat in an oil or vanaspathi. This has complicated matters so much so that it is the public who suffers in the end. Most of the labeling, the CSE report found out, was completely misleading. Either there was no correlation between what was found on the pack label and the actual lab test results or in some cases, important data was conveniently missing. The lack in product integrity standards was appalling. CSE alleges that many manufacturers have influenced the government to go slow in these matters leading to a compromise in the health of the nation.
Which is the best – sunflower oil or olive oil or ricebran oil
There are as many opinions on this topic as the number of stars in the sky which actually compounds the confusion. Let us take a quick peep into the facts already known to us. The National Sunflower Association maintains that sunflower oil is light in taste and supplies more vitamin E than any other oil. Sunflower oil is a combination of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats with low levels of saturated fat. It has a reasonably good frying performance.
In the US, oil manufacturers have used scientific breeding methods to create different hybrid varieties of sunflower oil namely - High Oleic Sunflower Oil; Nu Sun Sunflower Oil; and Linoleic Sunflower Oil.
The difference between these grades is that each of them contains a different proportion of oleic acid in them. Chemically, oleic acid is a fatty acid molecule that has a single double bond. Linoleic acid is a molecule that has two double bonds and linolenic acid has three double bonds. Any student of chemistry will tell you that the more the number of double bonds in a molecule, higher is the susceptibility of the molecule to oxidation at high temperatures. What is wrong with oxidised products? Oxidised products are carcinogenic and toxic. This is the reason why oils that contain a high proportion of linolenic acid (3 double bonds) are seldom suited for frying. This is also the reason why nutritionists will advice you against reheating the oil again and again.
Contrary to what is being touted, no vegetable oil contains cholesterol. So, if someone is claiming that their cooking oil contains no cholesterol, he is saying that for the entire vegetable oil family. Cholesterol is a source of fat in animal products and byproducts like milk, ghee, and eggs. However, some cooking oils help the good cholesterol in the blood stream to increase.
Reports & research
Sunflower oil has phytochemicals, minerals and vitamins (Folate, Vitamin E, Selenium, Iron, Zinc) that lowers the bad cholesterol (low density lipo protein). As per the report by National Sunflower Association, 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil contains 9.9 mg Alfa Tochopherol equivalent vitamin.
However, a lot of research has pointed out that use of sunflower oil also leads to reduction in the good cholesterol (high density lipo protein). This is where the problem lies. LDL cholesterol is bad because it increases the risk of coronary heart disease.
US manufacturers conducted research to modify the breeding techniques to alter the fatty acid composition in sunflower oil. Experts however warn that such genetically-modified oils are not healthy. NuSun is the mid-oleic sunflower oil that contains less saturated fat (less than 10%) than linoleic sunflower oil and has 55-75% oleic acid, 15-35% linoleic acid. Linoleic sunflower oil is the original sunflower oil. It is a polyunsaturated oil with low saturated fat levels, light taste and high in vitamin E. It has 65% polyunsaturated fatty acids. It contains an omega 6 fatty acid linoleic acid. This essential fatty acid is a nutrient which our body needs but cannot make. This type of oil contains 21% oleic acid and 11% saturated fat. Due to high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), this oil is susceptible to oxidation during commercial usage, especially frying.
High oleic sunflower oil is high in oleic acid which is a monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA). It contains minimum 80% oleic acid. It is stable and is used for applications in bakery, frying and as a spray coating oil for cereals and dried fruit. High oleic hybrids have been recently developed. The benefit is that higher intake of MUFA can increase the level of HDL (good cholesterol) without raising the levels of LDL (bad cholesterol).
Research scientists point out the fact that sunflower oil contains a high proportion of omega 6 fatty acids for which the primary source is vegetable oils. Omega 3 fatty acids are present in seafoods and flaxseed oil. For proper metabolism in our body, there is a need for a proper balance between omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. However, of late, there has been a prevalence of more of omega 6 fatty acids than omega 3 because omega 3 is only available from limited sources.
Excess omega 6 fatty acid tends to be stored in body fat while excess omega 3 is excreted. Omega 3 fatty acids lower the risk of heart disease and stroke, increase concentration, help in prevention of rheumatoid arthritis and prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Overdosing of oils rich in omega 6 (sunflower oil), which keep the blood cholesterol levels down can double the risk of dementia. If you are using sunflower oil in your diet, you have to ensure that you get enough omega 3 fatty acids in your diet to balance it out. Omega 3 fatty acids are found in fish, fish capsules, olive oil, flaxseed oil, and walnuts.
Omega 3 fatty acids increase the production of good HDL cholesterol. The mechanism of action is not yet clear, but the primary effect of omega 3 fatty acid is to inhibit the production of triglycerides by liver. However, medical experts warn that an overdose of omega 3 fatty acids can lead to harmful side-effects.
Olive oil
Considered as “Liquid Gold,” olive oil is an important component of a Mediterranean diet. It helps lower bad cholesterol and also helps in reduction of blood pressure due to the presence of oleic acid and polyphenols that are good antioxidants. Oxidised Low Density Lipoproteins (OLDL) is an important contributor to atherogenesis – the process of plaque build up in arteries that can lead to atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries). Some of the refined olive oils may not have these polyphenol antioxidants. Research has proved that olive oil can arrest cognitive decline associated with ageing. It improves memory and helps in reducing the fat around the tummy.
The first pressing of olives gives Extra Virgin Oil, the second pressing gives Virgin Oil. In the next step, we filter and refine olive oil to get pure olive oil. Extra light olive oil, is obtained after considerable processing. The quality of Extra Virgin Oil is supreme and therefore it is a staple component of the Mediterranean diet.
Ricebran oil
The use of ricebran oil for edible purposes is a truly a remarkable innovation in edible oil technology. In the 90s, Ricebran oil was used more for making soaps and greases. Ricebran oil, left by itself, would decompose quickly due to the presence of enzyme like lipase and at room temperature, one would have ricebran oil, with almost 50% free fatty acid in it. However, extensive research has resulted in producing ricebran oil for edible purposes.
Ricebran oil is becoming more popular in Asian countries like Korea, China, Taiwan, Japan, and India. As it is rich in Monounsaturated fatty acid (Oleic acid), it can lower cholesterol. The presence of oryzanol in ricebran oil arrests the increase in cholesterol levels in blood. Due to presence of oleic acid, ricebran oil is quite stable as it does not decompose at higher temperatures to form toxic compounds.
Soyabean oil has a high level of PUFA and so it cannot be used for frying. If it is used for frying, it can generate toxic compounds.
The final word
It is important to use oils that are stable at the temperature we use them. One should avoid refrying the oils. Oils enable absorption of fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K. Oils are also a good source of energy and provide number of health benefits too.
Mono unsaturated fatty acids lower level of bad cholesterol and triglycerides without lowering good cholesterol levels. Polyunsaturated fatty acids lowers both good and bad cholesterol. When saturated fats are consumed in excess, it increases the levels of bad cholesterol and allows fat to be deposited on the walls of the blood vessels.
So, the best option, as per experts is to mix oils to derive maximum benefit from cooking oils. A number of blended oils are available in the market. Or one can use two different types of oils on alternate days for cooking. Often we forget that the junk food that we eat spoils the healthier eco system in our body and we end up blaming the cooking oil for the same. At the minimum, we have control on the amount of cooking oil that we use in our kitchen, but what control do we have when we go for eating food outside?
So, as customers, we have to decide the healthier options among the available variety of cooking oils and seek the counsel of experts in the field. We also need to remember that moderation is the best way to preserve one’s health when it comes to the use of cooking oil.
Claims
There is an incredulous youtube clip by a famed nutritionist who rubbished the entire oil refining process to say that double filtered oil is the best oil to be used for cooking as it preserves all vitamins, nutrients and minerals. I am sure that the distinguished professors and alumni of UDCT (University Department of Chemical Technology), an engineering college in Mumbai that conducts a full-time degree course in oil technology, will freeze in disbelief on hearing such misinformation to gullible consumers. While nutritionists can certainly claim to be experts on nutrition related matters, they cannot lay siege to rubbishing the technology that has been in existence for decades. Sadly, this is only an example of the Internet becoming a medium for false propaganda and misinformation about cooking oils.
As per this nutritionist, the refining process destroys all nutrients in the oil. Even if we agree that this statement may have some element of truth, what the nutritionist is missing is that the refining process also removes harmful toxins from the oilseeds. This is not to say that refining a vegetable oil is akin to throwing the baby along with the bath tub.
With appropriate process control, it is possible to retain the vitamins and nutrients in an oil. Many manufacturers also fortify the oil with minerals, nutrients and vitamins. So, where is the problem? On the contrary, double filtering or triple filtering of oil cannot claim to remove the toxins from the oils. Filtration is a physical process while refining is a chemical process.
The edible oil industry has been associated with processes like solvent extraction of the vegetable oil, RBD (refining, bleaching and deodorisation), hydrogenation etc. from time immemorial. So, to rubbish this technology is ludicrous. However, we have to agree that in India, we still suffer from regulatory inertia when it comes to implementing standards for the edible oil industry. There is so much oil adulteration happening in India that it is sad that no concrete action has been taken by the government or ministry of health to stem this rot.
Standards
There are no clear cut standards either for the solvent extraction process or the RBD process. Even if we have one, there is lot of ambiguity if these processes or standards are being followed by Indian manufacturers – a large number of whom are from the unorganised sector.
Look at the number of sesame oil (til oil) brands that we have in India. Most of these brands are not fit for human consumption and so, knowledgeable households use them for lighting lamps. But what about the uninitiated? Barring one popular brand in the south that charges a premium for its oil and claims that it is an oil that is good for the heart, no other til oil brand sold in a city like Bangalore comes close to comparison. One shudders to think about the health impacts if such oils are consumed by the ignorant population just because they are cheap.
The CSE report
An investigative report made by the Delhi-based Centre for Science & Environment (CSE) in 2009-10 made some alarming revelations. A random testing of popular vanaspathi and cooking oil brands in north revealed that most of these contained high levels of trans fats. Trans fats are banned in all countries except Denmark where an upper limit of 2% has been stipulated. This means that no cooking oil sold in Denmark should contain more than 2% of trans fats. Trans fats are formed when an oil is hydrogenated to make it more stable so that it can have a prolonged shelf life.
Trans fats are harmful because they can reduce the amount of HDL (good) cholesterol in your blood, cause infertility in women, lead to health complications like diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. The CSE lab tested the samples and found that in India, some of the brands have as much as 13-20% of trans fats.
The matter gets exacerbated further when you note that we don’t even have any law banning trans fat or any law that stipulates a standard for trans fat in an oil or vanaspathi. This has complicated matters so much so that it is the public who suffers in the end. Most of the labeling, the CSE report found out, was completely misleading. Either there was no correlation between what was found on the pack label and the actual lab test results or in some cases, important data was conveniently missing. The lack in product integrity standards was appalling. CSE alleges that many manufacturers have influenced the government to go slow in these matters leading to a compromise in the health of the nation.
Which is the best – sunflower oil or olive oil or ricebran oil
There are as many opinions on this topic as the number of stars in the sky which actually compounds the confusion. Let us take a quick peep into the facts already known to us. The National Sunflower Association maintains that sunflower oil is light in taste and supplies more vitamin E than any other oil. Sunflower oil is a combination of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats with low levels of saturated fat. It has a reasonably good frying performance.
In the US, oil manufacturers have used scientific breeding methods to create different hybrid varieties of sunflower oil namely - High Oleic Sunflower Oil; Nu Sun Sunflower Oil; and Linoleic Sunflower Oil.
The difference between these grades is that each of them contains a different proportion of oleic acid in them. Chemically, oleic acid is a fatty acid molecule that has a single double bond. Linoleic acid is a molecule that has two double bonds and linolenic acid has three double bonds. Any student of chemistry will tell you that the more the number of double bonds in a molecule, higher is the susceptibility of the molecule to oxidation at high temperatures. What is wrong with oxidised products? Oxidised products are carcinogenic and toxic. This is the reason why oils that contain a high proportion of linolenic acid (3 double bonds) are seldom suited for frying. This is also the reason why nutritionists will advice you against reheating the oil again and again.
Contrary to what is being touted, no vegetable oil contains cholesterol. So, if someone is claiming that their cooking oil contains no cholesterol, he is saying that for the entire vegetable oil family. Cholesterol is a source of fat in animal products and byproducts like milk, ghee, and eggs. However, some cooking oils help the good cholesterol in the blood stream to increase.
Reports & research
Sunflower oil has phytochemicals, minerals and vitamins (Folate, Vitamin E, Selenium, Iron, Zinc) that lowers the bad cholesterol (low density lipo protein). As per the report by National Sunflower Association, 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil contains 9.9 mg Alfa Tochopherol equivalent vitamin.
However, a lot of research has pointed out that use of sunflower oil also leads to reduction in the good cholesterol (high density lipo protein). This is where the problem lies. LDL cholesterol is bad because it increases the risk of coronary heart disease.
US manufacturers conducted research to modify the breeding techniques to alter the fatty acid composition in sunflower oil. Experts however warn that such genetically-modified oils are not healthy. NuSun is the mid-oleic sunflower oil that contains less saturated fat (less than 10%) than linoleic sunflower oil and has 55-75% oleic acid, 15-35% linoleic acid. Linoleic sunflower oil is the original sunflower oil. It is a polyunsaturated oil with low saturated fat levels, light taste and high in vitamin E. It has 65% polyunsaturated fatty acids. It contains an omega 6 fatty acid linoleic acid. This essential fatty acid is a nutrient which our body needs but cannot make. This type of oil contains 21% oleic acid and 11% saturated fat. Due to high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), this oil is susceptible to oxidation during commercial usage, especially frying.
High oleic sunflower oil is high in oleic acid which is a monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA). It contains minimum 80% oleic acid. It is stable and is used for applications in bakery, frying and as a spray coating oil for cereals and dried fruit. High oleic hybrids have been recently developed. The benefit is that higher intake of MUFA can increase the level of HDL (good cholesterol) without raising the levels of LDL (bad cholesterol).
Research scientists point out the fact that sunflower oil contains a high proportion of omega 6 fatty acids for which the primary source is vegetable oils. Omega 3 fatty acids are present in seafoods and flaxseed oil. For proper metabolism in our body, there is a need for a proper balance between omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids. However, of late, there has been a prevalence of more of omega 6 fatty acids than omega 3 because omega 3 is only available from limited sources.
Excess omega 6 fatty acid tends to be stored in body fat while excess omega 3 is excreted. Omega 3 fatty acids lower the risk of heart disease and stroke, increase concentration, help in prevention of rheumatoid arthritis and prevent Alzheimer’s disease. Overdosing of oils rich in omega 6 (sunflower oil), which keep the blood cholesterol levels down can double the risk of dementia. If you are using sunflower oil in your diet, you have to ensure that you get enough omega 3 fatty acids in your diet to balance it out. Omega 3 fatty acids are found in fish, fish capsules, olive oil, flaxseed oil, and walnuts.
Omega 3 fatty acids increase the production of good HDL cholesterol. The mechanism of action is not yet clear, but the primary effect of omega 3 fatty acid is to inhibit the production of triglycerides by liver. However, medical experts warn that an overdose of omega 3 fatty acids can lead to harmful side-effects.
Olive oil
Considered as “Liquid Gold,” olive oil is an important component of a Mediterranean diet. It helps lower bad cholesterol and also helps in reduction of blood pressure due to the presence of oleic acid and polyphenols that are good antioxidants. Oxidised Low Density Lipoproteins (OLDL) is an important contributor to atherogenesis – the process of plaque build up in arteries that can lead to atherosclerosis (hardening of arteries). Some of the refined olive oils may not have these polyphenol antioxidants. Research has proved that olive oil can arrest cognitive decline associated with ageing. It improves memory and helps in reducing the fat around the tummy.
The first pressing of olives gives Extra Virgin Oil, the second pressing gives Virgin Oil. In the next step, we filter and refine olive oil to get pure olive oil. Extra light olive oil, is obtained after considerable processing. The quality of Extra Virgin Oil is supreme and therefore it is a staple component of the Mediterranean diet.
Ricebran oil
The use of ricebran oil for edible purposes is a truly a remarkable innovation in edible oil technology. In the 90s, Ricebran oil was used more for making soaps and greases. Ricebran oil, left by itself, would decompose quickly due to the presence of enzyme like lipase and at room temperature, one would have ricebran oil, with almost 50% free fatty acid in it. However, extensive research has resulted in producing ricebran oil for edible purposes.
Ricebran oil is becoming more popular in Asian countries like Korea, China, Taiwan, Japan, and India. As it is rich in Monounsaturated fatty acid (Oleic acid), it can lower cholesterol. The presence of oryzanol in ricebran oil arrests the increase in cholesterol levels in blood. Due to presence of oleic acid, ricebran oil is quite stable as it does not decompose at higher temperatures to form toxic compounds.
Soyabean oil has a high level of PUFA and so it cannot be used for frying. If it is used for frying, it can generate toxic compounds.
The final word
It is important to use oils that are stable at the temperature we use them. One should avoid refrying the oils. Oils enable absorption of fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K. Oils are also a good source of energy and provide number of health benefits too.
Mono unsaturated fatty acids lower level of bad cholesterol and triglycerides without lowering good cholesterol levels. Polyunsaturated fatty acids lowers both good and bad cholesterol. When saturated fats are consumed in excess, it increases the levels of bad cholesterol and allows fat to be deposited on the walls of the blood vessels.
So, the best option, as per experts is to mix oils to derive maximum benefit from cooking oils. A number of blended oils are available in the market. Or one can use two different types of oils on alternate days for cooking. Often we forget that the junk food that we eat spoils the healthier eco system in our body and we end up blaming the cooking oil for the same. At the minimum, we have control on the amount of cooking oil that we use in our kitchen, but what control do we have when we go for eating food outside?
So, as customers, we have to decide the healthier options among the available variety of cooking oils and seek the counsel of experts in the field. We also need to remember that moderation is the best way to preserve one’s health when it comes to the use of cooking oil.
Rs 3 lakh fine imposed for selling spurious Ghee
JAMMU: In a land mark judgement, the Additional District Magistrate Kishtwar, R.K Shavan in the capacity of Adjudicating Officer under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006, on Monday imposed rupees three lakh as penalty on a firm and distributors for selling spurious ‘Desi Ghee’.
The Adjudicating Officer also directed the firm to remove all spurious ghee items from the market as the same was hazardous for consumption.
As per the case, ‘Deep Classic Cooking Medium’, commonly projected as Desi Ghee was found misbranded and unfit for human consumption.
From the samples, it was found that the ghee lifted by Food Safety Officer was misbranded.
A Challan was produced before the Court of Additional District Magistrate who after hearing the case, imposed the penalty of Rs 3 lakh.
The manufacturer, “Tapan Agro industries Pvt. Ltd Dayal Bagh Agra was penalized with a fine of 1.40 lakh and the main distributors Bodh Raj- Vishno Das Gupta of Nehru market Jammu, was penalised with Rs one lakh, while as food business operators –Jughal Kishore, of Janta Atta Store and. Narinder Kumar of Paras Ram Narinder Kumar of Kishtwar were penalized with Rs 30,000 each.
It was also established during the arguments that this brand of Deep Ghee was already found adulterated two years ago but the case was still pending in the court and the manufacturer was supplying misbranded item without any deterrence or accountability.
The adjudicating officer had not only imposed a fine of Rs three lakh but also directed the manufacturer “Tapan Agro industries Ltd. Agra (UP)” to recall/ withdraw food articles from the market immediately .
The court of Adjucating Officer while delivering the judgement, held that in order to free the society from the menace of adulteration, such cases need to be dealt with iron hands.
Soon after the decision, two offenders food business operators deposited Rs 60,000 as fine in the court.
Sajjad Hussain Gagroo, Food Safety Officer and Tariq Ahmed designated officer appeared from prosecution side.
Deep Desi Ghee found adulterated, manufacturer, distributor penalised
Kishtwar Feb 18: In a land mark judgment, the Additional District Magistrate Kishtwar, Rajesh Kumar Shavan (KAS) has imposed Rupees 3.00 lakhs as penalty on “Deep Classic Cooking Medium” commonly known as Deep Desi Ghee under the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006.After hearing to the prosecution, which also presented reports of samples Desi Ghee which were sent to Jammu for their quality analysis, DM Rajesh Kumar Shavan found that Deep Desi Ghee was not fit for human consumption and it was not as per the standards of Food Safety and Standards Act 2006. He thus imposed a penalty of Rs 3 lakhs on Deep Desi Ghee.
During hearing of the case, as per the report of Public Food Analyst Jammu, ADM Kishtwar found guilty the manufacturer / distributor and the food business operators. The manufacturer “Tapan Agro industries (Pvt. Ltd) Dayal Bagh Agra (U.P)” has also been penalized with a fine of Rs. 1.40 lakh. The main distributors Bodh Raj Vishno Das Gupta 7C Nehru Market Jammu who distributed the food articles to Kishtwar has also been penalized as a fine of Rs 1.00 lakh.
Apart from this, the food business operators, Jughal Kishore son of Chuni Lal Gupta (Janta Atta Store Shaheedi road Kishtwar ) and Narinder Kumar son of Paras Ram (Shaheedi road Kishtwar) have also been penalized with rupees thirty thousand each. The adjudicating officer not only imposed a fine, but also directed the manufacturer “Tapan Agro industries Ltd. Agra (UP)” to recall/ withdraw the food articles from the market immediately after issuing notice in the national daily under intimation to the court.
The adjudicating officer while delivering the judgment has held that in order to free the society from the menace of adulteration such cases need to be dealt with iron hands. Soon after the decision, the two offender’s food business operator’s deposited sixty thousand fine in the court. Sajjad Hussain Gagroo Food Safety Officer Kishtwar and Tariq Ahmed designated officer appeared from prosecution side.
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