Food Interrupted

Disruption is throwing up new-fangled ways in which we negotiate food consumption. The city has its version

If it’s disruption the world is seeking – to bring in change and solution, a reinvention, to tide over existing stupor – then some initiatives in the local food scene are part of that bigger picture.

And I am not invoking fat tax. Troubling as it may be in a scenario that relishes fried and fast foods, it manages to train light on health, which is an equally keen obsession. It is quite another thing that the Minister may have the last laugh over the tax, but food has been clever bait. The food-health connect which earns him brownie points, is not new and has been growing in Kerala. Not only is the common availability of organic products in stores a pointer to a burgeoning consumer base, but also its large scale cultivation a sign of conscious disruption. If large tracts of land have changed to grow pesticide-free crops and are producing organic food then closer, in the city, this transformation is seen, beating urban blues in the greening of terraces, balconies and gardens. Grow bags are bywords throwing up seasonally, tomatoes, brinjals and what have you. The health food factor has caught on and today even organic milk is available.

If that, food wise, is replacing the old existing order then a few other initiatives too are disrupting the hackneyed scene. And gladly so.

Concept Stores

The opening of a frozen food convenience store, Buffet, in Panampilly Nagar that offers experiential tasting before purchase marks in more ways than one our changing mindset about the way we now consume food. It projects a clientele that is accepting of frozen products, as much as it is of fresh foods, being organic converts. It also signals the existence of a clientele that is rushed for time and needs quick-fix meals. The freshness of foods is critical and is ensured by scientific freezing.

When Wild Fish, a seafood boutique, opened late last year, it ushered the trend. Today the store, open seven days a week, has sales that any fresh catch fish stall may envy. The store has managed to provide the fastidious fish lover catch, cleaned, cut, deveined and also with options to cook it in a recipe of choice.

Farmer’s Market

The farmer’s market held on second Friday of each month at Gourmet House in Konthuruthy began as proprietor Cheeran Vargehse says, “because of demanding customers.” The idea common in the west and in some Indian metros the farmers’s market offers a chance to showcase local, Indian and imported food and related products. It is a meeting point for producers, brand exhibitors, customers, offering an opportunity to taste and buy, to inform and retail. This face-to-face meeting place of all stakeholders in the chain is enabling the movement of food in a way that it has not seen before. It is encouraging homemakers, SMEs, food start-ups, big banners et al to leverage the opportunity that has its origin in the traditional Indian ‘haat’ (weekly market) concept. Verghese says that almost 80 brands have registered with him ad that every month 20 are rolled on to the floor. Hence new products, big and small, imported, Indian or locally made, home made all find space.

Continental Vegetarian

Kerala’s love for non-vegetarian fare – beef, mutton, chicken, fish, and pork – is an established one but the foodies here are partial to vegetarian food too. It is seen in the existence of some vegetarian restaurants, in the city, for over several decades. These pure vegetarian outlets serving traditional Kerala fare – veg.meals, thali, have thrived and continue to do so. But alongside this we can see, in the last few years, the rise of North Indian chaat, a vegetarian snack, growing in its growing visibility and familiarity. In this backdrop Satish Menon began Ledhi, on South Janatha Road, Palarivattam, that serves continental vegetarian with tagline – ‘Veg is not that veg anymore’ and ‘Veg for non vegetarians’. Ledhi serves five different veg. cuisines – Italian, Pan-Asian, West-Asian, European and Indian.

Food online

If one was sceptical about ordering food online and door delivery, then it is high time we realise that the system is working well. Masala Box and Yummy Kitchens, to name a few, were pioneers in the trend of establishing a network of home chefs and connecting them with customers, offering quality and tasty fare. Daily Fish, an online seafood store has seamlessly fitted into the changed scenario and offers ‘as good as live’ ready to cook products.

Health food outlets

The city has had its tryst with health food outlets that began and shut shop. But they were ahead of the times. Santhosh Narayanan’s Jhivras in Kakkanad serves curated veg. food, which he terms ‘intelligent food’. It is mainly for working people, for corporates because their lifestyle requires that they eat healthy. The concept is having people eat out of their hands. Blend It, a juice outlet, offering a concoction of customised healthy juices has added to the trend.

The Baker’s revolution

One can almost feel the heaving dough as the city witnesses a flurry of home bakers produce and supply different types of breads, healthy and tasty to customers asking for more. The good old bread has become an instrument of disruption.

GM crops: Are they safe?

ANTI-GM crop campaignA Crop Circle created by Greenpeace on the outskirts of New Delhi in protest against GM crop in 2013.

While genetic engineering is an evolving field, there is no clear-cut idea about the impact of GM crops on human health and the ecosystem. Subsequently, the safety concerns over consumption of food from GM crops is the subject of a long-standing debate

The debate on GM crops or genetically modified crops is one of the longest-running ever since, the transgenic Flavr Savr tomato was approved by the FDA for marketing in the U.S. in 1994. While most scientists endorse the crops to be safe for consumption, activists and farmers have opposed the whole idea. While science argues that food from genetically modified crops is not inherently riskier to human health than conventional food, public concern is related to safety and regulation. Anything that goes against Nature is treated with caution.

Recently, more than 100 Nobel laureates wrote to Greenpeace, a non-government environmental organization, to stop the anti-GMO campaign. They specifically drew support to the Golden Rice, which is said to have the potential to reduce or eliminate much of the death and disease caused by a vitamin A deficiency (VAD). It is said to have the greatest impact on the poorest people in Africa and Southeast Asia

What are GM crops?

The crops whose DNA has been modified using genetic engineering techniques to introduce a new trait to the plant which does not occur naturally in the species, is called a GM crop. Genes carry the instructions for all the characteristics that an organism inherits.

The first genetically modified plant was produced in 1983, using antibiotic-resistant tobacco. In the case of the transgenic Flavr Savr tomato, it was instilled with the quality of delayed ripening. Research and development of GMOs have been going on for more than 30 years.

Why modify?

One of the main objectives is to improve crop protection, through the introduction of resistance against plant diseases caused by insects or viruses. Resistance against insects is achieved by incorporating the gene for a toxin production into the food plant. This toxin is currently used as a conventional insecticide in agriculture and is safe for human consumption, according to WHO.

The concerns

Allergic effects, gastronomical effects due to gene transfer and migration of genes are some of the concerns. The need for safety testing is widely felt.

Advantages

Genetically modified crops can improve yield, as they are disease-resistant. They are also resistant towards adverse weather condition and the crops can be modified to improve nutritional value.

Some of the food items created from GM crops include corn, soybean, sugar beets, potatoes, tomato, salmon and oils.

The Indian story

Bt cotton is the only genetically modified crop allowed in India. Cotton yield more than doubled in the first decade since its introduction in 2002. But the researches have found that the farmers did not find it to be that successful. Bt brinjal was cleared for commercialisation in 2009. But nothing came of it, as moratoriums were imposed by then Union environment minister Jairam Ramesh and his successor Jayanthi Natarajan following opposition from civil society groups and brinjal-growing states.

FSSAI Logo on a product means that FBO (Food Business Operators) adheres to safety rules and standards. Look out for the Logo!

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Pizza got nailed, chuckles parotta

The ubiquitous Kerala parotta, considered equally bad but conveniently ignored as they are "poor man's food".

Desi snacks and savouries that widen girth need to be taxed too, say health experts

KOCHI: Kerala 'fat tax' on pizzas, burgers and doughnuts with an aim to up tax revenue and improve health is being lauded as the first step by a state in India to check on junk food culture. Even as 'videshi' junk food is being taxed, people continue to devour desi high-calorie snacks and sweets made in bakeries and the ubiquitous Kerala parotta, considered equally bad but conveniently ignored as they are "poor man's food".

Health experts and dieticians who welcome the government 'fat tax', are of the view that if people's health is the prime concern, the state government should also focus on taxing desi junk food, besides ensuring that healthy food is available at a subsidized rate. There is also a need to create awareness on what is healthy.

"Desi junk food is as bad as non-desi counterpart. Calories are more or less the same. A problem with several food items here is that they are cooked in oil heated several times and hence not healthy. As for bakery goods, most of them are made with maida, which is not healthy," said Dr Susan Itty, chief clinical nutritionist, Aster Medcity, Kochi.

"A taxation plan on junk food is a good beginning. But the ideal situation would be when government taxes all high-calorie and high-sugar foods. Further, to motivate people to eat the right food, the amount earned as taxes from junk food should go towards subsidising healthy food," said Dr Sreejith N Kumar a diabetologist.

Kerala ranks third after Punjab and Gujarat in terms of obese population, according to health experts. In the case of diabetes too, Kerala tops other states in sale of drugs and insulin. Concerned over the neglect of food safety in terms of chemical, biological and nutrient content, the Indian Medical Association, Kerala State Branch, in 2015 came out with guidelines on safe and healthy food.

"There is an alarming increase in the rate of lifestyle diseases notably diabetes, obesity, hypertension and cancer. There is a very disturbing upward trend in cardio-vascular diseases like heart attack and stroke. Water and food-borne communicable and toxin related diseases are also still prevalent. Food preference is undoubtedly playing a huge role in this regard. Scant attention is being paid to food safety and child nutrition," states a note by IMA, Kerala.

The state health department is toying with the idea of creating awareness about healthy eating habits. "It is important that people know the exact calorie content of what they are eating. We will work out a plan by which this awareness can reach people," said health minister K K Shailaja. Endocrinologist Dr RV Jayakumar said that nothing will change until government ensures that the prices of healthy food is subsidised.

"You get to eat junk food at a much cheaper rate than healthy food. Two Kerala parottas in the morning will ensure that a person doesn't feel hungry the whole day. When you look at the economics, having unhealthy food is a better option than healthy food like fruits. Till the government brings down the prices of healthy food and ensures that it reaches everyone, 'junk tax' will only remain a means for the government to earn extra revenue".

Why FBOs need to control hair contamination

According to food regulators the term food includes foods, beverages, bottled water and nutritional and functional products so none of these products can contain hair.

When eating out at a restaurant if you find human hair in your food you are likely to be disgusted. You will lose your appetite and straight away leave the restaurant and never return. The same applies to finding human hair in processed or packaged foods. You are likely to dump the entire contents into the dustbin no matter how expensive. Human hair is made up of the protein keratin, which also makes up the outer layer of the skin and nails. In itself keratin might not pose a problem but the truth is that besides feeling nauseated hair can lead to contamination in foods and of course finding hair in food casts a shadow on the reputation of the brand.

To ensure food safety FSSAI has established hygiene and sanitation guidelinesas per Schedule 4 of the regulations which mentions that human hair must be controlled from falling into exposed foods in eating establishments as well as in food processing and manufacturing plants. According to food regulators the term food includes foods, beverages, bottled water and nutritional and functional products so none of these products can contain hair.

How hair causes contamination

You will be surprised to note that hair is one of the most commonly found ‘foreign bodies’ in food. Foreign body means any extraneous matter found in food which is not a part of the ingredients. Therefore any foreign body found in food means that the food is contaminated and not fit to eat. Human hair is termed a physical as well as a microbiological contaminant because besides being extraneous matter, it can also lead to the growth of microorganisms in the food. Oil, sweat, residue of hair treatment chemicals and shampoos, dyes or any other organic matter sticking to the hair becomes a breeding ground for pathogens when left in processed foods for long periods of time. A report published by the National Institute of Science, Technology, and Development Studies, New Delhi on human hair waste states that hair could contain a number of toxic chemical contaminants. These contaminants reach hair from the environment and so these same toxic substances can reach food from human hair.

Risk involved

Hair in food also poses a physical risk as a person can choke on it, it can get stuck in the throat or cause nausea and vomiting. However, besides the physical aspect hair is a potential route of Staphylococcus aureus contamination from the human scalp. Human hair can transmit ringworm as well as fungal infections if a person is infected by these. Staph aureus, as it’s often called, is a type of bacteria that can be found on the skin and hair as well as in the noses and throats of people and animals. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention states that the most common way for food to be contaminated with Staphylococcus is through contact with food workers especially when foods are prepared by hand and not cooked. Hair in salad or cut fruits, sandwiches and chutneys could pose a problem as hair can remain in these foods for hours. There is a heavy stigma attached to any food that contains hair, be it at a restaurant or in home-made pickles. The popular sun dried chips &papads can easily be contaminated with foreign matters including hair as they are left to dry in open, but finding human hair in the restaurant food would be due to the lack of good personal hygiene practices.

Human hair is shed constantly

According to Hair Foundation, Queen’s College, Oxford University, England every human being with hair on their heads, sheds between 100-150 hairs every day at a constant rate. Therefore a person doing an eight hour shift will lose around 33-50 hairs. Multiply this by the number of personnel working in the restaurant or manufacturing plant and you can calculate the pathogen risk to food. This figure is attributed to only hair from the head but hair can reach foods from the arms, beards, moustaches and even from the chest. Hair from the arms can travel into baked products from flour that has to be kneaded with the hands. Anything that enters food from the body parts of human beings is a potential contaminant. Therefore people working in restaurants, bakeries and food processing units have to follow strict hair control measures.

Preventing hair contamination

FSSAI has strict guidelines for following good hygiene and sanitation practices including wearing of nets and caps to prevent hair from entering foods. In most countries, people working in the food industry are required to cover their hair because it can contaminatefood. Complete capture hairnets are now available that has led to the decrease of hair falling into foods. Some countries even have rules for wearing beard and moustacherestraints especially for those with long beards and moustaches as people tend to touch them absentmindedly which could cause hair to fall into foods. Good manufacturing practices advise that all personnel wearhairnets, headbands, caps, beard covers or other effective hair restraints so hair does not come into contact with exposed foods.

Is your food safe?

When consumers find hair in foods they are likely to wonder what other possible contaminant the food could contain and if it is safe to eat. Hair in food is like a sign which tells consumers about the poor hygiene standards maintained by the Food Business Operator (FBO). It brings the restaurant, product or brand adverse publicity which could result in loss of sales. FBOs need to ensure food safety, by complying with FSSAI regulations so their brand is protected. To gain consumer trust in their products they have to take all measures to prevent any kind of contamination.It is therefore important to address all personal hygiene issues because in food preparation and food manufacturing plants there are a number of personnel who can transfer contaminants to food. Contaminants can be transferred from the body, skin, mouth, hands or hair to the product or from clothing, footwear, utensils and other tools used in daily food preparation activities.

Food safety: FSSAI unveils initiative for scientific cooperation

NEW DELHI, JULY 14: 

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has launched a new initiative called the Food Safety Knowledge Assimilation Network, which will be a framework for scientific co-operation for food safety and nutrition.

Information exchange

In an official statement, FSSAI said that the network will establish a framework for scientific co-operation by exchange of information and co-ordination of research activities in the country. The regulator has got about 90 research proposals from various scientific institutions for taking up R&D studies in the areas of food safety and nutrition.

At a workshop held in Delhi and attended by nearly 100 scientists, 44 proposals were discussed and 13 projects were identified which fell within the objective and responsibilities of FSSAI and will be getting an outlay of ₹5 crore.

Five dangerous food additives that are banned in many countries, except India!

Not long ago the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) banned use of potassium bromate as food additive in wake of a Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) study flagging their harmful effects on health, including causing cancer.

Yet, the buck doesn't stop here, it is said that more than 3000 different chemical additives are being used in food processing, which create havoc on your health. Busy lifestyle and rapid industrialisation have spurred demand for packaged foods, widening the array of proccesed foods that are loaded with artificial additives available in your supermarkets.

Food additives are substances added to food to preserve flavor or improve its taste and appearance. Unfortunately many of these enhancers are also known to cause cancer.

Here are some food additives that are being used in India, despite banning them in many countries due to side effects . 

Propyl gallate

A common food additive that acts as a preservative can be found in edible fats, oils, baked goods, meat product, chewing gum and ready-to-make soup mixes as well as in cosmetics. Research has shown that this additive may be carcinogenic and also an endocrine disruptor. It is banned in many countries.

Artificial food dyes

Artificial dyes, which are added to foods to enhance their color, can be found in thousands of foods, including breakfast cereals, cakes, sports drinks and even candies. Basically made from chemicals derived from petroleum, food dyes can cause brain cancer and cell damage. Artificial dyes may also have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children. Banned in Norway, Finland, Austria, UK, France these dyes are being used in India.

BHA and BHT

BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene), banned in the UK, Japan and many other European countries, are widely used by the food industry as preservatives. Although assumed to be safe in low doses, they may contribute to carcinogenicity. These preservatives are found in cereal, baked goods, packaging, cosmetics, snack foods, chewing gum, meats, butter, dehydrated potatoes, beer and many more.

Arsenic

As per WHO, arsenic is a natural component of the earth’s crust and is widely distributed throughout the environment in the air, water and land. It is highly toxic in its inorganic form. And rice has higher levels of inorganic arsenic than other foods. It is banned only in the European Union. While the arsenic content in white basmati rice from California and India is much lower than other types, it has been linked to cancer, skin lesions, cardiovascular disease, neurotoxicity and diabetes.

Olestra

Olestra is a 'fake' fat found in foods like chips and french fries. It can have a harmful effect on your health by negating the body's ability to absorb essential vitamins. This fat substitute is banned in the UK and Canada.