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Cows pumped with antibiotics, treated as milk machines in dairies: Report

Most cows are kept in cramped enclosures in dairies, and pumped with antibiotics and hormones to produce more milk, exposing consumers to diseases, said a report of India’s apex animal protection organisation.

Cows live in cramped, poorly ventilated and dark enclosures in more than one-quarter of the dairies in leading milk-producing states, according to a survey conducted by the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations.

Most cows are kept in cramped enclosures in dairies, and pumped with antibiotics and hormones to produce more milk, exposing consumers to diseases, said a report of India’s apex animal protection organisation.

The Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations (FIAPO) surveyed 451 milk-producing centres in 10 states, a reality check of distressing conditions in which cows are treated as milk-producing machines.

The survey covered 49 dairies in Rajasthan’s four districts -- Alwar, Jaipur, Jodhpur and Bikaner – housing 1232 cattle. Bringing out the home truths behind India’s ‘white revolution’, FIAPO demands regulation of milk-producing dairies by the Centre and state governments.

The survey was done from June 2016 to March 2017 and the report -- CATTLE-OGUE -- was released on October 26.

“It is not just the animals which are getting exploited but also the consumers of milk and dairy products. Poor conditions recorded in the investigation raise serious questions on the safety and quality of milk in the market,” said FIAPO director Arpan Sharma.

Cows live in cramped, poorly ventilated and dark enclosures in more than one-quarter of the dairies; injuries from slipping in their excreta are common – 64.1% dairies have “ill, injured and distressed cattle,” the report said.

“Poor veterinary care and illegal use of drugs and hormones like oxytocin to increase the milk let-down are prevalent. An evident delinking of humane treatment of cattle as sentient beings is being noticed as a result of the rising demand for milk and milk products,” the report said, raising a question mark on the sustainability of India’s global leadership in milk production.

Cattle are separated from calves (male calves die within the first week in 25% of dairies), receive little veterinary care and are injected with drugs in almost 50% of the dairies, the report revealed. Unproductive cattle are sold to farmers or slaughterhouses by 62.9% dairies.

A shocking revelation was the use of khalbaccha, an effigy made by stuffing a dead calf with hay. “Because of strong maternal bonds, the mother often stops lactating if the calf has died. Hence a khalbacchas are used to mimic the presence of a calf and continue milking.”

Dairy cattle in urban areas get little access to soft ground in 78% dairies. “We have urged state governments to outlaw keeping of cattle within municipal limits and also enact conditions for keeping animals in other areas,” Sharma said.

The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is silent on conditions that need to prevail at the point of milk production. “FSSAI regulations pertain only to milk processing, which is only half the story. The Centre needs to amend the Registration of Cattle Premises Rules 1978 to introduce conditions for the holding of cattle in commercial dairies,” Sharma said.

Under ‘Operation Flood’ in 1970, milk production in the country increased from 22 million tonnes in 1970 to 104 million tonnes in 2008.

Key findings in Rajasthan dairies:

•Male calves are routinely sold for slaughter, or abandoned on the streets. Almost 43% dairies did not have any surviving male calf.

•Calves are separated from mothers almost immediately after birth, so that the milk can be sold.

•A hormone, called oxytocin, is used to keep the mothers lactating; this is painful to cattle.

•87% dairies in Rajasthan were seen to keep their cattle tied to short tethers at all times.

•Almost 52% of the dairies had hard flooring, causing the animals to suffer from lameness and joint problems.

•Because of exploitative practices, animals were going “dry”. This is the main reason why India is the world’s 2nd largest beef exporter in the absence of raising beef cattle.

6 hotels shut after students fall sick

KOCHI: A team of officials from the department of health, food safety department and the health division of the Kalamassery municipality on Saturday conducted checks at hotels and food stalls near the Cochin university of science and technology campus, following reported instances of jaundice at the hostels here.

As many as 15 shops were inspected in the drive and six out of them were given closure notice. The inspection team was headed by district health officer P N Sreenivasan. Officials said that stale food was found even from food stalls inside the campus and they were issued warnings to improve hygiene.

"At least two students have confirmed of having jaundice in the university. From talking to the students we have learnt that they were having food from the eateries near the university. The inspections were conducted following this," said A S Nawas, health inspector.

Officers said that some of the shops mixed cooked food with uncooked food. "Stale food were found stuffed inside freezers and many expired products were seized in the drive. The outlets lacked health cards and proper licence as well," said an officer adding that closure notices were issued after finding the violations.

Meanwhile, David Peter, registrar of Cusat said that he was yet to get any official complaints. "No complaints relating to such diseases has been received as of now," said Peter.

Health officials said that the shops which were closed on Saturday would only be allowed to open again after adhering to all the safety standards as per norms.

India's indigenous cheeses have crafted a savoury comeback: Tracing their journey to gourmet stardom

Kashmiri cuisine is well-known for its heady mix of spices, culture and tradition, and the streets of Jammu bear witness to this. Vendors line the roadsides selling their dishes but there’s one in particular that is a must-try — the Kalari kulcha. Few have heard of it, and fewer have tasted it. Not your usual Parmesan or Brie but equally exciting, Kalari is an indigenous Indian cheese made in Kashmir. A large round slice of this cheese is fried or grilled in oil and served between two slices of bread or pao, with various chutneys — and voila! you have Jammu’s very own Kalari kulcha.

From relative anonymity to occupying starring roles in gourmet cuisine, India's indigenous cheeses have undertaken quite the journey — and no, we're not talking about the ubiquitous paneer. After years of neglect, when this cottage industry was almost set to vanish, a sudden surge of demand and awareness has led to a belief that maybe our chefs can save this piece of tasty history from oblivion. “Using indigenous Indian cheese is the current trend. We have a number of such varieties and are striving to preserve them and create awareness,” says Mumbai-based cheese curator Mansi Jasani. Her passion for everything cheesy led to this interesting job profile and an initiative called The Cheese Collective.

From relative anonymity to occupying starring roles in gourmet cuisine, India's indigenous cheeses have undertaken quite the journey. Seen here: round cakes of smoked Bandel cheese being sold at Rs 8 per piece in New Market (the erstwhile Hogg's Market) in Kolkata

Chefs — travelling to nooks and corners of the country, incorporating local flavours and ingredients and creating unique styles — have had a huge role to play in the resurgence of indigenous cheeses. Take for instance Mumbai-based chef Prateek Sadhu, who recounted how his childhood experience came into play at his restaurant Masque, a farm-to-table uber gourmet restaurant. “I have grown up eating Kalari as a snack, served with local Kashmiri bread alongside. The entire philosophy at Masque revolves around ingredients from within India, including those growing around the Himalayan region. So right from Kalari to locally-produced cheeses from Pahalgham, we have tried to incorporate these by giving them our own spin — like a cheese brûlée which literally means burnt cheese. It’s basically cheese custard with pistachio nuts, almonds and we do a seasonal jam and sourdough bread,” says Prateek.

These risqué ventures work out because the foodies of today are themselves aware of the ingredients used and conscious of its origins. “Industrialised cheese was almost killing the 200-year-old cottage industry of Indian indigenous cheese. The current generation was exposed to packaged cheese attractively sold to induce a buying pattern, but not to our own local ones,” says chef Sabyasachi Gorai who serves indigenous cheese at his Armenian restaurant, Lavaash by Saby in New Delhi. “Today, the clientele is more excited and intrigued when I serve indigenous cheese, curious to know more and open to the flavours. One has to remember that such curated gourmet cheese comes with a sharp, strong taste, unlike the milky-bar effect of packaged cheese,” Sabyasachi adds.

Believe it or not, the government had a hand in the revival of Indian indigenous cheese. In 1984, it banned the import of animal rennet — taken from the stomach of newborn calves, killing the animal in the process — used in cheese-making. However, since economic liberalisation in 1991, packaged foreign brands entered the market and the lines blurred. In April 2016, the Beauty Without Cruelty organisation filed a complaint with the government when it found Amazon India selling bottles of liquid animal-derived rennet, which were then removed. In 2011, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) cracked down on the cheese import industry. Not only did it ban all imported cheese which used animal rennet but also declared that all milk and milk products coming into the country must be heat-processed to kill bacteria. This sounded the death knell for most raw milk cheese, except highly-processed ones.

Chefs began to opt for Indian indigenous cheese rather than low-quality imported ones. This opened up the market for this cottage industry to make a comeback. “Since Indian cheese was not a commercially viable product, with very low and localised profit, businesses didn’t cater to it. Today there are more takers as many restaurants commercially use varieties of Indian cheese. Over the past three years, I have noticed a considerable rise in price,” says Sabyasachi. He recalls how the Kalimpong cheese, initially made by a priest in Sikkim and available locally there, is today made in the quaint hill-station of the same name in West Bengal and available in only one store in Kolkata’s New Market (the erstwhile Hogg’s market), and nowhere else in India.

Kalimpong cheese on sale; it is priced at about Rs 1,000 per kilogram

Not only has the taste and craft been saved, but these varieties of cheese from different regions of India come with their own unique slice of history and culture. Food historian Pushpesh Pant writes that cheese as a dairy product was sold as a commodity on the Silk Route. There are textual references of cheese dating back to the Kushan period: “the use of solids obtained from the mixture of warm milk and curds”. While the warrior community was served this ‘solid’, the thin liquid (whey) was given to the poor.

Bandel is a small town in West Bengal which was colonised by the Portuguese. They happened to introduce cheese, which today is called Bandel and comes with a smoky taste and flavour. Also believed to have a Portuguese influence is Surti cheese made in Surat, Gujarat. Churu is a soft and pungent cheese, used in Bhutan to make its signature national dish, Ema Datshi. Churu means “rotten cheese” and it’s strong smell and flavour is used in meat preparations. Churrpi is made in the Himalayan regions from yak’s milk. Topli nu paneer is a Parsi preparation which used to be a must-have at weddings but today is supplied by only a handful of people in Mumbai.

Temperature, climatic conditions and lasting capacity played a huge role too. Other than the regions in the mountains where the temperatures are much cooler, the rest of India concentrated on other dairy products like ghee, butter and curd which could be preserved in warmer climates. Interestingly, locals say that Kalari cheese was discovered when the nomadic cattle community of Kashmir, the Gujjars, travelled with their milk from the cooler regions in the mountain to the warmer plains. The difference in temperature naturally split the milk from which they made Kalari, and used the whey to make another ricotta-like cheese called Kudan.

Coming back to the present, the dilemma that one faces with Indian cheese is how to use it, and in which cuisine. Other than local dishes, chefs have been experimenting to create new pairings, like Prateek’s cheese brûlée. Other than the usual usage in salads and crumbles, one can also mix it up with local ingredients. Sabyasachi tried a unique combination where he used the Bengali nolen gur, or date palm jiggery, instead of maple syrup with his serving of Indian cheese.

So next time you go for cheese shopping or are at a restaurant, remember to ask for the desi variety.

Odisha forms Steering Committees to implement FSSAI Guidelines

The Health & Family Welfare Department in Odisha has decided to form State and District level steering committees to FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) guidelines.

The state-level committee will be headed by Chief Secretary. It will have 7 other members, including the Secretaries of Panchayatiraj, Urban Development and Health departments. State Food Safety Commissioner will be the convener of the committee.

At the district level, Collectors will head the committees. The six-member committees will also have the CDMO of respective districts.

DB directives in PIL against use of calcium carbide in fruit ripening

JAMMU, Oct 28: In a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Voice for Rights against use of calcium carbide in artificial fruit ripening, Division Bench of State High Court comprising Justice Dhiraj Singh Thakur and Justice Sanjeev Kumar has impleaded Director Horticulture Planning and Marketing Department as party respondent and sought action taken report from him.

“Pursuant to the directions passed vide order dated 20.09.2017, compliance report has been filed on behalf of Controller, Drugs & Food Control Organization by H A Siddiqui, Senior AAG with regard to the action taken against the vendors etc who had been found indulging in violating the various provisions of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 Rules & Regulations, 2011”, the DB observed.

“Reference to order dated 20.09.2017 would show that action was also desired by this Bench in regard to cancellation of the allotments made in favour of the traders, who had been found indulging in the usage of calcium carbide for ripening of fruit. On this, Sr. AAG submits that action can only be taken by the Director, J&K Horticulture Planning & Marketing Department”, the DB further observed.

Accordingly, Division Bench impleaded Director Horticulture Planning & Marketing Department as party respodent and issued notice to Tarun Sharma, Government Advocate for submitting a report with regard to the action taken report on behalf of the Director pursuant to order 20.09.2017.

“Sanjeev Kumar, Assistant Controller, representing the Controller, Drugs & Food Control Organization submits that the organization has already taken an action against those persons, who had been found indulging in the adulteration of the milk and milk products. A detailed report shall also be filed stating the number of challans that had been preferred against the persons during the last six months with the name of court where the same are presently pending”, the DB said and directed the respondents to file a monthly action taken report in terms of order dated 20.09.2017 before the next date of hearing.