Sep 22, 2017
How to eat without feeling guilty this festive season
Every time we eat festive sweets and savouries, it is accompanied by a feeling of guilt. It’s fried. It’s loaded with sugar. It’s high on carbs. It’s not healthy
Over the last few years, though, it has become possible to indulge ourselves without feeling guilty.
The festive season has arrived. And if you are like me, in the past couple of weeks, you would have gorged on sweet modaks during the 10-day Ganesh festival; meethi sevaiyan or sheer khurma on Bakr-Id; and payasam or ada pradhaman during Onam. And these do not even cover half the sweets that you would have indulged in.
Over the next four months through Navratri, Dussehra, Diwali and Christmas, there will be a number of occasions to buy, gift and even make at home traditional sweets and savories like besan ladoos, chakri and mathris.
This represents a dichotomy between our love of eating and the need to eat healthy. Every time we eat festive sweets and savouries, it is accompanied by a feeling of guilt. It’s fried. It’s loaded with sugar. It’s high on carbs. It’s not healthy.
Over the last few years, though, it has become possible to indulge ourselves without feeling guilty. At least that’s what retailers and marketers would have you believe.
Health and wellness is one of the fastest growing categories in India. Go to any supermarket store and look at the shelves. There are rows after rows lined with healthy food and beverage options. They include cereals, juices, low-fat dairy products, low-carb snacks, diet colas, dark chocolates, baked chips, sugar-free sweets, baked chakris, roasted crisps, multigrain biscuits and breads, oats, quinoa, ragi and other cereals.
About a year ago, I followed a gluten-free and vegan diet for a month. After a few days of eating moong dal khichri and jowar and ragi bhakris with vegetables, I started to look for alternatives that met my new dietary requirements. I found zoodles, a pasta replacement, and chocolate cake made with quinoa flour and almond milk for dessert. Everything that I was avoiding from breads to pasta to dessert and dairy was available in an alternative format suitable to my diet. Needless to say, I indulged.
Even traditional sweets and savouries are available in a new avatar as diet chips, diet chivda and baked chakri at any large super market or specialty food stores. These alternatives claim to reduce, replace or limit either the sugar or oil used in making them.
In retail stores like Neelam Foodland in Khar, Mumbai, diet, baked and roasted savouries like roasted baked besan sev (gram flour crips) and low fat makai (corn) chakri make up 25-30% of overall sales. The category accounted for just 5% of its overall sales three years-ago, says Manoj Gaikwad, 32, a member of the second generation at the 37-year-old family business, which caters largely to the urban rich and claims it can deliver its products all over the world.
According to Gaikwad, three years ago, there were less than 100 units that made up the category. Today there are close to 700 items and the list is steadily growing.
So, how healthy are these emerging alternatives?
Although marketers claim that their products are healthy, they may not be telling the whole truth. For instance, not all diet and baked items are oil-free. They could be semi-fried. “It’s not possible to make a baked chakri,” says Prabhod Halde, president-elect, Association of Food Scientists and Technologists, explaining that the technology to make oil-free food is not yet being used.
Also, something that has less oil could instead have high salt content. Even the kind of artificial sweetener used presents its own share of complexities. If it’s low on carbs, it could be high on preservatives.
So, what’s the solution? The key is awareness—reading labels. Make sure to buy products with the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) certification. “If the FSSAI certification and the nutri-table is missing, then it’s best to avoid such packaged items, no matter what the claims,” says Nandan Joshi, head, health and nutrition science, Danone India.
The labelling, which is usually different from the claims made on front of the pack, will tell the whole truth, says nutritionist Sheryl Salis, who has written and spoken about food fraud at various forums.
Some of the common claims made on mass produced breads and biscuits which are marketed as healthy include oat biscuits and multigrain breads. The percentage of oats or whole cereals in such packaged foods is usually 4-12%. Even flavoured yoghurt and packaged fruit juice considered to be healthy are usually high on sugar. Likewise flavoured makhana will need to be sprayed with oil to absorb the spices.
May be it’s time to revisit our beliefs. After years of being told that ghee consumption was a cause of high cholesterol, we now hear that it is good for health. Likewise for egg yolk.
So instead of falling prey to research studies and marketing claims, maybe it’s time to return to our roots. “Home food is better than processed food which comes with preservatives to enhance shelf life,” says Sulakshana Mane, a professor at Sir Vithaldas Thackersey College of Home Science’s department of food, nutrition and dietetics at SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai.
Follow a balanced diet and practise moderation during the festive season. Go ahead and celebrate. Eat a gulab jamun and make chakris at home. But make sure you keep away from second helpings.
Shop Talk will take a weekly look at consumer trends, behaviour and insights.
Illegal tomato sauce making unit raided; one held
The SOT (Special Operation Team) of Malkajgiri raided the unit of tomato sauce, which was preparing sauce in ‘unhygienic’ conditions at Medipally. They seized material including tomato paste (200 litres), tamato sauce (200 litres), sodium benzoide packets (5kgs), acetic acid (35 litres) and colouring agents (5 litres) from the manufacturing unit.
According to police, the accused Bhagwan Singh ( 24), owner of Maa Gayatri Food Enterprises, Boduppal, Medipally and native of Bihar and his partner Swaminadh Singh, also a native of Bihar (absconding), used to prepare the sauce and sell it fast-food centres, bakeries, shops and food courts at cheaper prices.
“Further, they are not having any documents from the concerned authority for manufacturing and trading of the tomato sauce into the market thereby violating FSSAI rules and regulations.
Since, consumption of such unhygienic stuff could pose hazardous and dangerous to the public health, a case has been registered against them in Medipally Police Station under sections 420, 188, 272, 273 IPC,” informed SOT I inspector, Naveen Kumar.
In Rural markets of valley, sale of 'adulterated foodstuff goes unchecked'
The consumers are complaining that the concerned authorities have not planned a comprehensive crackdown against those involved in the devilry.
The people from Kupwara, Baramulla, Sopore, Islamabad and other towns informed that sale of substandard and highly adulterated foodstuff including cooked and uncooked items is going on unnoticed.
One of the doctors from the Baramulla district said that the sale of highly adulterated daily use commodities is a major cause behind a number of ailments particularly involving stomach and kidney.
People alleged that majority of local restaurants, shopkeepers, bakers, fast food centres and vendors have been selling unhygienic foodstuff in extremely unhygienic conditions mainly because none of the concerned government authorities is giving due attention to provision of hygienic and clean foodstuff to consumers.
The concerned authorities have been doing almost nothing to safeguard poor public from food and water-borne diseases including viral hepatitis (A&E), gastroenteritis, diarrhea and dysentery, said one of the social activist.
Pleading anonymity, one of the officials said that it is strange that the high-ups in the government have been elaborating a lot to improve healthcare services for public but doing almost nothing to eliminate causes behind ailments. It is ironical to take action on effects instead of removing causes, he said.
It is important that the authorities has not planned any crackdown against local hotels, shopkeepers and vendors selling unhygienic foodstuff while there is also no regular check on sale of food adulteration.
However the divisional administration higher ups told KNS that they are working hard to check sale of substandard and adulterated foodstuff in the markets.
They added that the concerned staff is collecting samples of food items regularly in routine from markets and send those to laboratory for quality checking.
FCS&CA Minister Chowdhary Zulfikar said that the government is committed to curb the food adulteration in the state. “I have directed the field officials to regularly collect samples of various items and get these checked. We have intensified surveillance across the state and initiated a cross-verification of surveillance work by sending food safety officials outside their jurisdictions for inspection,” the minister maintained.
It is to also pertinent to mention here that the State High Court has recently directed Government to make food testing laboratories at Srinagar and Jammu functional by providing required manpower under Food Safety and Standard Act of 2006. “Respondent State has to forthwith initiate action in setting up testing laboratories, as directed by the Court, one at Srinagar and one at Jammu. We hope and trust that, two laboratories would be made functional,” a division bench of the court comparing Justice M H Attar and Justice A M Magrey had said while hearing a suo-moto PIL.
How to register for food license in India
Introduction
FSSAI or food safety and standards authority of India is the body governing all the food items in the country. With a population in billions, it is impossible for the government to check the food products being sold individually. Hence, this authority was created in order to maintain and provide healthy food to each citizen.
In this article, we will be discussing the procedure for food license registration in India. So if you are a trader, manufacturer, exporter etc in food business then continue reading. We will be explaining what are the requirements of food license.
What is Food license?
Food license in India is mandatory for all those dealing with items related to food. From a manufacturer to a retailer everyone has to get food license. It is the 12 digits unique number provided by the government to every registered manufacturer, trader, exporter or retailer. Once the license number is obtained it must be printed on the food products of the business.
Type of food license in India
There are 3 types of food license in India which depend upon your turnover and type of business. The 3 type is –
Basic registration,
State license, and
Central license.
We will be discussing these in details below but before let us understand why it is important to divide food products into 3 different categories.
Which food license one should acquire?
Hence, the first step for FSSAI registration is to check the eligibility of your business. So let's discuss the type of licenses to identify your business type.
FSSAI basic registration – If you are a small business worried about the cost and complications of registration in food license in India then we have good news for you.
The small business having a less than Rs.12 lakh are only required to get the basic registration and are not required getting state or central food license.
If in any a business is confident that their turnover will be above 12 lakhs then they have an to apply for state license away.
State FSSAI license – If you are a medium-sized business with turnover between 12 lakhs and 20 crores then you are required to register under state license. A maximum number of licenses fall under this category only.
If you have businesses which are in more than one state then you are required to get a for each state individually and a central food license for .
Central FSSAI license – Businesses with a turnover of 20 crores and above are required to get a central license. This category is for big businesses and enterprises.
People who are doing food business internationally will also register under the same. Hence anyone doing import or export of food items has to apply for food license in .
Procedure to get food license in India
The registration in FSSAI is a long and slow procedure that is why most people will suggest you take a professional's help. Especially if you are applying for state or central license as there are so many forms and undertakings to be provided that one may not understand.
Not to worry we will be talking about the procedure in an easy and understandable manner so that each and every reader will be able to grasp the meaning and procedure of food license in India.
1. Visit the official website of food license
The first step is to open the official website of FSSAI which is -https://foodlicensing.fssai.gov.in/index.aspx and click on apply now ( right-hand side of the page)
2. Proceed to file food license application
After accepting the undertaking you will be redirected to a new window.
Once you are on the new page select the state you want to register into like Delhi, Maharashtra, Gujarat etc.
After selection of state, this screen will appear on and you have to select from the multiple options.
The option is to first select the business type – manufacturer, Importer etc. and then select the food product you are dealing in. Like milk, vegetable oil. Slaughterhouse etc. You can also select multiple options.
2.Then you will be required to sign into the website and fill the appropriate application form for your business. For example form B for a state license.
The following documents are to be attached in the application –
Passport size photo of the applicant
Identity proof like voter ID card, pan card, driving license etc.
Address proof – rent agreement if rented or electricity bill if owned.
Authority letter with name and address of the nominated person
Declaration form
List of food category desired to be manufactured.
Layout plans and measurement etc.
3. Cost for food license registration
The last step is to make the payment for your application. The fee structure is different for all 3 categories. The applicant will be able to make the payment through online transfer, DD or cash deposit.
The fee structure for food license in India is as follows –
Basic license – Rs.2000/-
State license – Rs.5000/-
Central License – Rs.7500/-
Please note that the price quoted above is only government fee and for 1-year registration. If you wish you register for more than a year you can do so but the fee will vary. You can apply for a license maximum of 5 years.
Food license registration for small business
Even if you are a small business operating from your house you must register under FSSAI. There are different types of food license in India for different types of businesses. Let us discuss them to understand them better.
Conclusion
If you are someone or know someone who has doubts regarding food license in India then email us at info@hubco.in for a free consultation
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