Beverages & Food Processing Times August 2020 by Advance Info Media & Events

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Vol. 13, Issue 03, August 2020,

20/-

Rameswar Teli urges to set up food-processing industries to North East entrepreneurs

nion Minister of State for Food Processing Industries RameswarTeli has requested all entrepreneurs/investors to invest in food processing industry. Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries RameswarTeli has requested all entrepreneurs/investors in the North East Region (NER) to visit the website of the Ministry (www. mofpi.nic.in) for further details and apply for assistance to set up food processing/preservation industries for benefit of the people in the region as well as a vibrant food eco-system in the region. The Ministry has so far sanctioned 53 food processing/preservation projects in the different States of the North East region in various supply chain component in the food processing sector with a total project cost of Rs. 980 crore and total subsidy commitment of Rs.480 crore. These projects will benefit about 3 lakh farmers in disposing of their surplus agri-produce and create direct and indirect employment opportunities for about 50,000 persons. So far, 16 projects have been completed and operationalized, benefiting about 70,000 farmers and creating direct and indirect employment for 6,500 persons. Hence food processing industries is being seen as a sector with great potential

in the North East which can provide immense employment opportunities also. The Government of India has been according topmost priority to north-eastern region (NER) for its overall socio-economic development. The Ministry of Food Processing Industries as per the policy of the Government and in tune with the overall priorities to the region, has also been earmarking 10% of its budget for the implementation of its schemes and programmes in the region for the development of food processing sector. The funds earmarked for the NER States under schemes of MoFPI, however, is not fully spent for want of suitable proposals from the region restricting thus the Ministry to not increase the allocation beyond the mandatory minimum 10% allocation. The MoFPI has sanctioned 16 new food processing /preservation and infrastructure projects with a total cost of Rs.230 crore with subsidy commitment of Rs.85 crore for Assam in the last one year. It includes three agro-processing clusters or ‘Mini Food Parks’ with the objective to create common modern food processing/ preservation infrastructure facilities for the processing/preservation units, 12 food processing/ preservation units and one backward and forward

linkage infrastructure. During the last one year, 177 food processing/preservation projects have been sanctioned in the country with a total project cost of Rs 2,800 crore and subsidy commitment of Rs 940 crore consisting of two ‘Mega Food Parks’, 19 ‘Agro Processing Clusters’, 22 ‘Cold Chains’, 127 ‘Processing Units’, three ‘Backward and Forward Linkages’ and four ‘Operation Greens’ for exclusive value chain development of tomato, onion and potato crops. The Ministry has been implementing its flagship scheme ‘Pradhan Mantri Kisan SampadaYojana’ (PMKSY) in the region. Under the scheme, creditlinked financial assistance as capital subsidy in the range of 35% to 75% of the eligible project cost (subject to a ceiling) is provided to support creation of modern infrastructure projects, food manufacturing units, value chain development, backward and forward linkages and food testing laboratories. Under the PMKSY, the north-eastern States enjoy special dispensation not only in terms of higher rate of subsidy but also other relaxations to attract the investors to take up suitable food processing/preservation projects to exploit the myriad opportunities associated with it. Whereas the rate of subsidy in general areas varies from 35% to 50% depending on the nature of projects,

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in the NER, the rate varies from 50% to 75%. Similarly, the minimum eligible project cost has been allowed at Rs.1 crore for setting up of Food Processing Units (FPUs) as against Rs.3 crore in general areas. Also, more time period for execution of projects is allowed in the region. Ministry of Food Processing Industries has recently launched the “Centrally Sponsored Scheme ‘Prime Minister — Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises’ (PM-FME)” under the ambitious ‘AtmaNirbhar Bharat’ (ANB) Abhiyan which is to be implemented over a period of five years from 2020-21 to 2024-25 with total outlay Rs. 10,000 crore. The NER States over the next five years will get Rs. 1,000 crore to directly assist 20,000 micro food- processing enterprises; of which, Assam alone will get Rs. 640 crore to cover about 13, 000 micro enterprises of the total 20,000 enterprises for the NER. The scheme adopts the approach of ‘One District One Product’ (ODOP) to reap benefit of scale in terms of procurement of inputs, availing common services and marketing of products. The States would identify food product for a district keeping in view the existing clusters and availability of raw material. Keeping in view the suitability of small investors, the PM-FME scheme will be a game changer in the food processing sector in the region, the PIB release added.

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Vol. 13, Issue 03 -August- 2020

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Vol. 13, Issue 03 -August- 2020

SNACKS NEWS

Achieved 90% accuracy in order forecasting: Rebel Foods

t has been Data science model entwined with Machine Learning algorithms that made it easier for Rebel Foods to forecast demand and order with a 90% accuracy level to state analytically. The Sequoia-backed company, Rebel foods, is a universal parent to cloud kitchen brands like Behrouz Biryani, Faasos, Mandarin Oak, SLAY, Sweet Truth, The Good Bowl and more. The company serves extensively with million orders in a month with over 3000 restaurants globally and 327 kitchens in India.

Being a new-age company with technology rooted in its DNA, Rebel food aims to deliver a seamless customer experience with no inventory wastage in the kitchens. “As a company, it is in our DNA to make datadriven decisions. Be it solving a business or a customer problem or launching a new product, data has always been the deciding force for us,” said Amit K. Gupta, CTO, Rebel Foods. “There’s a thin line between running businesses as usual and making a compromise, between a targeted attack on your company and the moment you first discover the breach, and between being

proactive and reactive to such breaches. The only way to be on the right side of the line is by using ‘time’ to your advantage. Predictive advantage is a measurement of the time difference between the creation of an AI cyber-security model, and the first time a threat is blocked by that same model in the wild...” added Gupta. As of today, Rebel foods has collected and organized data from past 5 years of orders from 35 various cities of India. As the company is expanding its business globally, simultaneously it is also collecting data from those cities as well. “We consolidate all the order data, behaviour data, and the questions we have been asked by customers and interaction data. On top of this, we run a data science ML algorithm to do to the demand forecasting and on the basis of the same, we do the inventory planning in each and every kitchen,” explained Gupta. Since the kitchens have a break-up of inventory for every dish they prepare and serve, the company can plan beforehand how much will be required on a particular day in the kitchen. Owing to such practice of pre-planning, Rebel

foods has minimized its food wastage drastically. “We have pretty good accuracy on these forecast owing to the amount of data we have. We have achieved 90 % accurate in demand and order forecasting at every kitchen level,” Gupta said. “Wastage for us is very minuscule. Because we rely a lot on data to predict these and it’s working beautifully in that part,” added Gupta. The technology teams have worked to have multiple systems integrated at Rebel Foods, Gupta believes in solving the problem statements faster in the food industry, an industry which has not been disrupted in the last 500 years. “We have to build a lot of systems in the house to give us speed in customizing those systems as per our need. The inventory taking system in the kitchens, for example, is a mix of automated and manual stuff. Automated because we use technologies like a barcode scanner. The machine is integrated with our software component where it automatically takes in the data into the system when you scan the product and there is some manual input also required where dashboards are provided to kitchen staff with a lot of checks and approval where they can put the inventory data in the system,” Gupta explained. He went on to add, “Everything has to be put in the consolidated system and there are approval mechanisms and checks and balances. At the

end of the day too, the kitchen staff scans the barcode and the systems get to know how much inventory is still left at the kitchen level”. “Our audience, the new generation is accepting technological advancements faster than ever. They expect us to provide them with a seamless experience through these advanced technologies. And the companies which do not embrace this change will ultimately be left far behind” he concluded.

Kraft pushes Mac & Cheese as pandemic breakfast to reach busy parents

raft Mac & Cheese is running a campaign to position its classic blue box dinner as a breakfast item during quarantine, including a new 30-second video ad and limited-edition packaging, the company revealed via press release. The campaign targets busy parents, 56% of which serve their kids Mac & Cheese for breakfast more often during pandemic lockdowns than previous months, per a Kraft study of 1,000 parents conducted this quarter. People can enter to win a free breakfast box by tweeting the hashtags #KMCforBreakfast and #Sweepstakes on Twitter or by visiting a microsite through Aug. 7. For every tweet, Kraft will donate 10 boxes to hunger relief charity Feed the Children, up to 1 million boxes. The prize pack includes the limited-edition box, a placemat for kids to color, a magnet with breakfast topping suggestions and a mug in which to serve the meal. Kraft is marketing its signature pasta product as a breakfast option after finding that parents are serving the meal in the mornings at higher rates during the pandemic. By creating a campaign to promote this option and position Mac & Cheese as a key breakfast solution for busy parents, the company could drive sales and help to normalize the behavior for parents who may not have considered it before.

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With limited-edition packaging that features the word “breakfast,” Kraft is nodding to this key demographic and acknowledging parents’ busy lives juggling working remotely while homeschooling and caring for children. The company is incentivizing people to participate on social media to win a free box, which may boost awareness. For those that enter on the microsite, Kraft can collect their contact information for future marketing campaigns that target parents. The new effort also has a cause marketing element in donating food to hungry children at a time when many consumers expect deep-pocketed brands like Kraft to give back to the community. Kraft has experienced sales momentum as people have stocked up on groceries and are eating out less due to the global health crisis. The company reported strong Q2 earnings, and Kraft Mac & Cheese is among those in the CPG’s portfolio that has attracted both new buyers and repeat purchases during the pandemic. Kraft recently revealed that 75% of new buyers since the pandemic started are still buying its products, suggesting longer-term loyalty the company can leverage even after the pandemic. Kraft reinforced in its Q2 earnings call that marketing will play a key role in maintaining that momentum.

Vol. 13, Issue 03 -August- 2020

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Vol. 13, Issue 03, August 2020,

20/-

‘We are ready to open,’ announced the retail and F&B leaders

anew. While Hegde is ready to reopen his business, Chandra said the National Restaurants Association of India (NRAI) has a robust playbook of SOPs to resume restaurants which are safer than what other industries follow. “Let the people decide whether they want to come or not,” said Hegde.

eeking an opinion from Punjab and Haryana, Delhi government on 20th August 2020, said that it would permit all the cafes, hotels, restaurants and clubs to serve alcohol. This initiative has given a new hope to the F&B industry in Bengaluru, whose business has almost been wiped out, with no hard drinks being served in restaurants, and pubs and bars not allowed to operate. Four industry leaders, 1. Manu Chandra –ChefPartner Toast and Tonic, The Fatty Bao and Monkey Bar and Executive Chef, Olive Beach, 2. Chethan Hegde – Partner 1Q1, 3. Vivek Prabhakar, co-founder Chumbak and 4. Umer Akhter, cofounder Koskii, shared their view what they were looking forward to in Unlock 4.0, was to open up businesses for the customers. According to the reports, the two hard-hit industries during this lockdown, Food & Beverage and Retail businesses opined that the government should consider and exercise ‘force majeure’ - a common

clause applied in contracts that typically set free both or more parties from liability or obligation when an extraordinary event or circumstance beyond the control of the parties, such as natural calamities, a war, strikes, riots, crimes, epidemics or accidents described by the legal term as an Act of God, prevents one or more parties from fulfilling their obligations under the contract. Hedge is concerned and waits for the opinion which should come from the government instructing them when they can start functioning, because re-opening a restaurant after six months is almost like opening up a new restaurant, so everything has to be started

Chandra said rents, licenses for which they’re paying but which they have not used, salaries, moratorium on loans… all have to be addressed by the government. “We can’t survive on delivery. It is not a golden goose for a brick and mortar business like us,” Chandra pointed out. Umar Akhter, cofounder and CEO of Koskii bridalwear informed, “We used to have around 1500 to 2000 brides walk in every month. Now we’re at -70 per cent to – 90 per cent. The biggest issue is our whopping rentals and of course, salaries for our employees.”

of Chumbak says things have gone to frustrating levels. “We have banged enough plates and lit enough diyas. Now the government has to first realize that a lot of business is interdependent on other businesses. For example, at a mall when a patron comes for shopping or watching a movie, they look for an entire experience. Firstly, the government has to allow everything to open and then it’s the consumers’ call whether to decide if they are going to a safe spot or not,” Prabhakar said. “Entrepreneurs need to know what are course of action of the government so that they can be prepared, subsidies or waive rents for a period, address the issue of loan moratoriums and consider force majeure. If there is no action now, the mortality rate of restaurants and retail will be very high”, said Akhter.

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Vol. 13, Issue 03 -August- 2020

FSSAI NEWS

Consumer Protection Act, 2019, Outlets in poor areas less likely comes into force; to meet food hygiene standards

he Consumer Protection Act, 2019, has come in to force from July 20, 2020. While briefing the media about the Consumer Protection Act, 2019 through video conference here, Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan said that this new Act would empower consumers and help them in protecting their rights through its various notified Rules and provisions like Consumer Protection Councils, Consumer Disputes Redressal Commissions, Mediation, Product Liability and punishment for manufacture or sale of products containing adulterant / spurious goods.

the new Act. This will simplify the adjudication process. A complaint will be referred by a Consumer Commission for mediation, wherever scope for early settlement exists and parties agree for it. Mediation will be held in the Mediation Cells to be established under the aegis of the Consumer Commissions. There will be no appeal against settlement through mediation. He said, as per the Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission Rules, there will be no fee for filing cases upto Rs. 5 lakh. There are provisions for filing complaints electronically, credit of amount due to unidentifiable consumers to Consumer Welfare Fund (CWF). The State Commissions will furnish information to Central Government on a quarterly basis on vacancies, disposal, pendency of cases and other matters. Paswan stated that the New Act also introduces the concept of product liability and brings within its scope, the product manufacturer, product service provider and product seller, for any claim for compensation.

He said that the Act includes establishment of the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) to promote, protect and enforce the rights of consumers. The CCPA will be empowered to conduct investigations into violations of consumer rights and institute complaints / prosecution, order recall of unsafe goods and services, order discontinuance of unfair trade practices and misleading advertisements, impose penalties on manufacturers/endorsers/publishers of misleading advertisements. Paswan further said that the rules for prevention of unfair trade practice by e-commerce platforms will also be covered under this Act. The gazette notification for establishment of the Central Consumer Protection Authority and rules for prevention of unfair trade practice in e-commerce are under publication. He added that under this Act every e-commerce entity is required to provide information relating to return, refund, exchange, warranty and guarantee, delivery and shipment, modes of payment, grievance redressal mechanism, payment methods, security of payment methods, charge-back options and so on including country of origin which are necessary for enabling the consumer to make an informed decision at the pre-purchase stage on its platform. He said that e-commerce platforms have to acknowledge the receipt of any consumer complaint within 48 hours and redress the complaint within one month from the date of receipt under this Act. He said that the New Act introduces the concept of product liability and brings within its scope, the product manufacturer, product service provider and product seller, for any claim for compensation. Paswan informed that the new Act provides for simplifying the consumer dispute adjudication process in the consumer commissions, which include, among others, empowerment of the State and District Commissions to review their own orders, enabling a consumer to file complaints electronically and file complaints in consumer Commissions that have jurisdiction over the place of his residence, videoconferencing for hearing and deemed admissibility of complaints if the question of admissibility is not decided within the specified period of 21 days. The minister said an Alternate Dispute Resolution mechanism of Mediation has been provided in

The Act provides for punishment by a competent court for manufacture or sale of adulterant/spurious goods. The court may, in case of first conviction, suspend any licence issued to the person for a period of up to two years, and in case of second or subsequent conviction, cancel the license. Under this new Act, besides general rules, there are Central Consumer Protection Council Rules, Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission Rules, Appointment of President & Members in State/District Commission Rules, Mediation Rules, Model Rules and E-Commerce Rules and Consumer Commission Procedure Regulations, Mediation Regulations and Administrative control over State Commission & District Commission Regulations. Paswan said that the Central Consumer Protection Council Rules are provided for constitution of the Central Consumer Protection Council, an advisory body on consumer issues, headed by the Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution with the Minister of State as Vice Chairperson and 34 other members from different fields.

ood outlets in the most deprived areas are less likely to meet hygiene standards than those in the least deprived regions of England and Wales, according to a study.

understanding of food hygiene practices. In urban areas, higher business turnover could be a driver of decreased probability of compliance, according to researchers.

Takeaways, sandwich shops and convenience retailers are significantly less likely to meet hygiene standards compared to restaurants.

Compliance by outlet type Supermarkets and hypermarkets are up to three times more likely to meet hygiene standards than restaurants, cafes and canteens. Takeaways and sandwich shops are 50 percent less likely to be compliant compared to restaurants.Results show that age and ethnicity have small but significant associations with hygiene standards, whereas deprivation, urbaness and outlet type have a larger and significant impact.

The study paper, published in the journal Health and Place, used statistics from the Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) alongside small area socio-demographic data and neighborhood characteristics. Researchers said based on bias and inaccurate data, food safety interventions have focused on the vulnerable, and fail to consider populations at risk due to negative neighborhood features. Datasets were collected from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) digital boundaries, ONS 2011 census, ONS 2011 UK Townsend Deprivation Scores, ONS Rural and Urban Classification 2011 and FHRS scores from October 2018. Food outlets are given a FHRS score ranging from zero, meaning urgent improvement required, to five, meaning very good. Display of scores is mandatory in Wales and optional in England. Link between compliance and deprivation Presence of non-white ethnicities is negatively associated with the probability of food establishment compliance. Results of modeling show that outlets in areas with a higher percentage of white individuals have an increased probability of compliance. Food outlets in the fourth and fifth sections of deprivation have statistically decreased probability of compliance, showing an association between compliance and deprivation. Probability of food site compliance decreases as deprivation increases, with those in the most deprived areas 25 percent less likely to meet hygiene standards compared to the least deprived areas. Outlets in areas with high percentages of individuals without access to a car, and zones with a high rate of overcrowded households have decreased probability of compliance. For establishments in rural hamlets and isolated dwellings the probability of compliance is 24 percent higher than those in an urban city or town. Premises within a multi-municipality area have a decreased probability of compliance and are 32 percent less likely to meet FSA hygiene standards. As rural areas have lower net-migration compared to urban ones, this could result in increased staff retention, more in-depth training, and a better

Takeaways, sandwich shops, small retailers such as convenience stores, and outlets in deprived and metroplex areas have significantly decreased probability of compliance compared to restaurants, cafes, canteens, and sites in affluent areas, rural areas, cities and towns. Populations of non-white ethnicity and those under 5 years of age should be considered at higher risk of exposure to a foodborne pathogen than white populations and individuals aged over 5 when eating outside the home, according to researchers. Findings show that supermarkets and hypermarkets are more likely to have better hygiene practices than smaller stores such as newsagents, which increases food safety risk for deprived populations and those who may not be able to shop far away from their home. Results could be used to prioritize inspections in places where the probability of compliance is lower. Increasing inspections in areas with a higher number of non-compliant outlets could decrease outbreaks. However, more inspections in deprived and primarily non-ethnic areas could be seen as an oppressive measure, which would place a larger burden on the proprietors, the scientists said.. “Based on our findings, we recommend that food establishment inspections are prioritized for takeaways, sandwich shops and small retailers such as convenience stores, especially in deprived and large urban areas. Conversely, restaurants, cafes, supermarkets, pubs, bars, hotels and guesthouses can be considered low risk, especially in more affluent and rural areas,” according to the research report. The study does not account for food ordered via online delivery services which typically have a larger network than establishments offering traditional delivery services or behaviors such as consuming food after its use-by date and not cooking it thoroughly.

Time limit set to display ‘’best before’’, “mfg date” for sweets on 1st Oct: FSSAI The Council, which has a three-year tenure, will have Minister-in-charge of consumer affairs from two states from each region- North, South, East, West, and NER. There is also provision for having working groups from amongst the members for specific tasks. In his concluding remarks, Paswan said that in earlier Consumer Protection Act, 1986, a single point access to justice was given, which is also time consuming. The new Act has been introduced after many amendments to provide protection to buyers not only from traditional sellers but also from the new e-commerce retailers/platforms. He said that this Act will prove a significant tool in protecting consumer rights in the country.

ood Safety and Standards Authority of India, FSSAI, on 24th July 2020 has extended dates by two months till October 1st 2020. This date is the deadline set for traditional sweet makers to display the ‘’best before’’ and “manufacturing date” of non-packaged or loose sweets on their tray or containers in their outlets. FSSAI, earlier had issued an order in this regard in February and later extended the deadline till August 1st. “In view of disruption and lockdown due to COVID-19 pandemic and representation received from sweets association and stakeholders, it has been decided to give a final extension to the date of enforcement for display of ‘’Date of manufacturing’’ and ‘’Best before use’’ from August 1 to October 1, 2020,” the FSSAI declared

in their order addressed to The commissioner of Food Safety of the States/UTs, All Central Licensing Authorities &CITO. During this period, sweets associations are advised to sensitize and build capacity of their members to implement the order from 1stOctober 2020, FSSAI added.

Vol. 13, Issue 03 -August- 2020

CHOCOLATE NEWS

“The rise of Ruby”, 4th variety of chocolate paces in ice cream

onsumers are always looking for new ways to enjoy ice cream and frozen desserts throughout the year. Swiss chocolate maker Barry Callebaut, Ruby chocolate, the “fourth type of chocolate,” unlockswhole new percept of taste for ice cream manufacturers with tremendous opportunities to explore the horizon for applications in ice cream industry. Meanwhile, July marks National Ice Cream Month in the US and in midst of global lockdowns and travel restrictions has led US nationals to consume ice cream and frozen desserts indicating increased sales.

we will continue to see indulgence, but it will be ‘permissible indulgence.’” “There is a significant opportunity for Ruby in the frozen dessert segment,” Pimbo stated. “We have already seen Ruby’s success in coatings for bars and cones, but there are many other applications for Ruby”. Ruby is used in ice cream decoration in form of flaked chips, still it can also to be used as a coating for bon-bon type, one-bite desserts, or in or around ice cream sandwiches or simply as a decoration or drizzle of confettis. The chefs at Barry Callebaut have extensively worked with Ruby to see which option matches the best when paired with it. “Ruby is naturally fruity, so it pairs well with berries but also with other fruits like citrus. Other pairings include nuts, spices, spirits and texture marriages with crunchy elements and seeds,” he stressed.

John Pimbo, Market Segment Manager for Ice Cream at Barry Callebaut, says the ice cream category has grown 20 percent over the past few months. “The data shows that consumers are nesting during COVID-19 and stocking their freezers with comfort food. With people staying at home more, we see the increased purchase and consumption of ice cream. Consumers are craving a feeling of togetherness, unity and less division. Dessert is a way to bring the family together, share quality time and create special memories. Ice cream has the power to do that,” he said. Barry Callebaut chef Martin Diez pegs Ruby ice cream coating as “a game-changer” for the market. The rise of Ruby He also flags nostalgic flavors being reborn, premium, “elevated” ingredients and exciting flavor pairings. “For example, instead of a strawberry ice cream bar, we expect to see more

“Ruby ice cream coating is a game-changer for the ice cream market,” asserted Martin Diez, a chef at Barry Callebaut. “The texture of Ruby allows you to taste all of its unique flavors and nuts like pistachios, which create a colorful green and pink composition perfect for a summertime treat.” Tracy Snider, Marketing Director for Human Nutrition & Health at Balchem, a US-based ingredients company, adds that, “There are many opportunities for Ruby chocolate in ice cream and frozen desserts, but also in bakery and confection applications. We are excited about our Ruby Chocolate Cherry Ice Cream concept that integrates the newest chocolate to bring forward a luxurious pink ice cream with a black cherry variegate and chocolate hearts targeting limited-time offering launches for Valentine’s Day 2021.” “We are aiming to bring new textures in flavor combinations that ‘wow’ the senses. Our popping variegate is a sensory kick and can be used as a coating, topping or a swirl. It’s my personal favorite at the moment and is featured in our Red, White & Blue Feature Flavor that is sure to be a summer favorite,” she explained.

New TVC emphasises Cadbury Dairy Milk Crispello is best enjoyed sharing

ondelez India, the makers and bakers of some of India’s favourite snacking brands – Cadbury Dairy Milk, Cadbury Bournvita, Oreo and so on, recently released a new TVC for its finger-format chocolate brand Cadbury Dairy Milk Crispello. The new TVC – “Crispello Breaking Barabar Sharing” emphasises that the four chocolatey crunchy fingers are best enjoyed when shared with four friends.

There is a notable percentage of consumers pivoting away from dairy due to dietary restrictions or lifestyle choices. Barry Callebaut is ramping up to meet this need with a variety of bases, inclusions and flavor concepts, Pimbo said. In terms of eating lifestyles and product solutions for the current marketplace, Pimbo said, “Consumers may be realizing that staying at home may have translated into COVID-19 ‘pounds’, they will be looking to clean up their eating habits by turning to new lifestyle eating choices such as keto, paleo and less dairy”.

Ruby chocolate-coated ice cream bars,” he notes. “Consumers will be looking for familiarity and

“We are ready for this influx of customers, with plant-based chocolate inclusion product solutions. We see additional concepts emerging with consumers wanting to eat healthier and boost their immune systems through probiotics and other nutrients, inclusive of ice cream and dessert NPD,” Pimbo emphasized.

Commenting on the launch of the new film, Anil Viswanathan, director- marketing (chocolates), Mondelez India, said, “Cadbury Dairy Milk Crispello is our young ‘made in India’ innovation in the crispy-eat segment that banks on the strong equity of Cadbury Dairy Milk. We aim to predominantly cater to the Gen-Z consumer base who are a key consumer cohort for the brand as they showcase a potential desire to explore multi-textured and newer eat experiences to relish chocolate in different avatars. With the new proposition of “Crispello Breaking Barabar Sharing”, we want to connect with our consumers through slice of fun moments that they enjoy with their friends, serving as a reminder to

share the Cadbury Dairy Milk Crispello fingers equally. The idea of sharing that the brand reinforces, bolsters our values of togetherness and collective joy.” Conceptualised by Mondelez India and Ogilvy India, the new TVC witnesses a gang of five friends sitting in the car, going on a road trip when one of them unwraps the chocolate that catches everyone’s attention except the one friend who has fallen asleep. To ensure ‘Barabar Sharing’ the rest of the friends pull up a prank and start making the ‘psss’ sound to get rid of the extra member. The sound urges the sleepyhead tojump out of the car in a hurry to relieve himself and that’s when the others break the Crispello into four equal parts enjoying the delicious taste of chocolate with a crunchy experience. Through this youthful and playful campaign, the brand celebrates the spirit of sharing by encouraging the youth to enjoy the lip-smacking chocolate while crunching with their bunch. SukeshNayak, chief creative officer, Ogilvy India, said, “When a Cadbury Dairy Milk Crispello is opened, it needs to be shared equally. And one can go to any lengths to do so. This fun quirky spin on ‘sharing’ sets the tone for Crispello. It speaks to the youth in a language they understand best – humour.”

Vol. 13, Issue 03 -August- 2020

NEWS

Did you know these 5 Indian foods got GI tags?

id you know India has the maximum number of GI tags for foods and agriculture produce! GI (Geographical Indication) tag is basically a measure, which defines the region of origin of a food or agricultural produce. It further signifies the origin of a product as an intellectual property of that region. What makes it so important is that the GI tag of one country cannot be claimed by other countries.

the world. This is because Kashmiri Saffron is cultivated with utmost care and is handpicked and sorted manually, which retains its aroma, taste and texture. Gobindabhog Rice It is absolutely impossible to imagine Payesh or BasantiPulao without this unique rice variant. This slightly small in size variant of rice received the famed GI tag in the year 2017. Another natural produce from West Bengal- GobindaBhog rice has been a quintessential element of the Bengali cuisine. The cultivation of this rice happens in several regions like Hoogly, Birbhum and Burdwan. Darjeeling Tea One of the finest variants of tea around the world got this accolade in the year 2004-2005. It was one of the first products to receive the famed GI tags for its unique aroma and muskyspiced flavour, which has a fresh soothing taste.

Indian foods that got the GI tags recently You will be amazed to know that India has amassed huge fame in the International platform with around 365 GI tags. GI Tags represent geographical indication of a food, spice or a natural resource that represents a particular region. The concept of GI tag was introduced in the year 2013 and it was given to foods, natural and agricultural produce and handicrafts that gave a region it’s identity. The tags were given under the act of Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act,1999. Foods that got the GI tags recently India has been famous for its rich resources, culinary culture and artistic excellence. Interestingly, till date India has received as good as 365 GI tags and the number of foods, spices and herbs have topped the list. From Black rice to Saffron, here are a few foods that have received the GI Tags and got huge fame across the globe. 03/7Kashmiri Saffron Kashmir Saffron recently got a GI tag for its premium quality and its enticing aroma. Kashmir is one of the major exporters of Saffron across the world and the quality and aroma of the Saffron makes it the most expensive variant around

Manipuri Black Rice Manipuri Black rice also known as Chakhao got its GI tag recently in 2020. This is yet another

variant of rice, but with double the nutritional value and its unique black colour boasts of its rich antioxidant qualities. This rice variant from Manipur is not only loaded with nutrients, but also has a nice aroma and nutty flavour, which makes it super delicious. Bikaneri Bhujia It is impossible to talk about tea in India without mentioning the snacks and savouries, and Bhujia happens to be a quintessential savoury served with tea. Bikaner in Rajasthan got a GI tag for the most popular Bhujia in the year 2010.

‘Samaara Tea’the Export brand from JivrajTea Companyenters local market

fter 30 years of serving to international market, with a wide variety of tea, Samaara Tea from Jivraj family enters the Indian market. Jivraj Tea Company is one of the leading Indian tea companies known for unique aroma and regular tea blend prior to 1947.

entering an online market in India and introducing its strong tea through channels i.e., like Amazon. in, Paytm, Flipkart. The entire range of teas will be available online on various platforms. The online market is the perfect solution to the ongoing times of pandemic.

Samaara Tea is exported to over 25 countries such as USA, UK, Canada, South Africa, Singapore, KSA, Bahrain, Qatar and UAE with sales of over Rs. 7 crore in a span of just 3 years. After serving abroad, the brand is all set and ready to cater Indian market where tea symbolizes hospitality and is enjoyed as the first beverage early in the morning. It has increased production by 30% to reach Indian audiences. Currently, its production capacity is 3 lakh kg and the brand aims to increase it to 5 lakh kg in next 6 months. Initially started in Gujarat, the premium quality tea stems from 100% pure Assam blend with the goodness of nature infused and having an unparalleled quality and taste. Samaara Tea has a global footprint and offers a variety of teas such as black tea, green tea and tea bags, it also keeps introducing new products and flavours. With a turnover of over Rs. 7 crore, the brand is

Dheer Shah, CEO, Samaara Tea, quotes, “We are excited to enter our home-ground via online channels. We are one of the first tea brands in India to have only an online presence. Although we are present in over 25 countries, we are entering a diverse market of India and are extremely excited to see how things unfold. We cater to both the tea and coffee drinking generations with our strong purest tea. Our premium tea range includes premixes, tea leaves, green tea, tea bags, etc. Our goal is to provide a beautiful symphony of flavours and textures to the tea lovers globally. Samaara Tea has the perfect fusion of age-old traditions that are infused with contemporary taste and strong colour. The packaging also helps in retaining the aroma of tea. We hope that our range which is available on our website & Amazon will make shopping for tea accessible, simply through a touch of a button.”

Almond tops as a natural food for bakery, confectionery and snacks

lmonds have retained their place at the top of the tree in Europe for the fifth time running as the number one inclusions for confectionery, snacks and bars categories, according to Innova Market Insights’ research. The organisation’s latest annual report showed that last year, the nut variety took a 40% market share within the segment, and experienced double-digit growth in new product development (up 12%) over the last year. In total, 5,416 new ranges containing almonds were introduced across Europe in 2019 compared to 4,837 in 2018, with confectionery being an especially strong area of growth as consumers demand a greater array of natural choices within product series. Europe was the second fastest growing region for almond new product development after AsiaPacific and was also the leading region for almond introductions for the ninth consecutive year. In 2019, the region led the way with 44% of global almond introductions. Almost 90% of these introductions were in the confectionery, snacks, bakery, bars, dairy and cereal categories. The surprise this year was that for the first time in the report’s history, dairy appeared in the top five categories for new product introductions with almonds, with 334 introductions in 2019 compared to 214 in 2018. Dairy now holds a 7% share of total new almond product introductions in Europe. The report shows that Germany, France, and the UK were the leading European markets, making up more than 2,000 almond introductions in 2019, and are in the top five countries globally, alongside the United States and India. The UK, France, and Germany all experienced growth on the previous year and Italy was the EU market that saw the most significant growth, with a 20% increase in almond introductions compared to 2018. Emerging categories that experienced growth across one or more of the European markets include spreads, sports nutrition, desserts and ice-cream and soft drinks.

“This annual report captures the evolving work that goes into developing new products. It provides reassurance and validation behind using an ingredient like almonds, and reinforces consumer demand,” says Lu Ann Williams, director of Innovation at Innova Market Insights. “If you’re making a shortlist of ingredients to include in product development and you see these numbers, they should give you a lot of confidence. Almonds continue to show growth and expansion into new markets because they have undeniable consumer appeal and align with desirable health and texture claims.” The report also revealed that health claims were observed more frequently on introductions with almonds compared to total food introductions. This was true in the UK particularly, with nine of the top ten health claims appearing more frequently in almond introductions compared to the global average. “Vegetarian” was the top health claim in the UK, appearing on 45% of almond introductions. This was followed by “vegan” (34%),” glutenfree” (34%) and “high fibre” (27%). “Gluten free” and “organic” featured in the top three health claims on products with almonds in France, Italy and Germany and “vegan” labelling also featured prominently on almond products in Germany and France. “The many forms and formats of almonds makes them appealing to manufacturers across a wide range of categories. It’s no surprise that almonds continue to be a popular ingredient due to their versatility and nutrition, but the ways in which manufacturers expand almond usage across categories is more impressive every year,” says DarielaRoffe-Rackind, director, Europe and Global Public Relations at the US-based Almond Board of California. “As consumer needs and preferences shift toward better-for-you, plant-based and natural ingredients, almonds simply offer product developers freedom to continually explore and identify opportunities for innovation.” – Visit Almonds.com to view an info graphic highlighting key data from the report.

Flavonoids in fruits and veggies & Aspirin may aid to prevent colorectal cancer

he Experts in field of research and medicine assert that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables and a daily dose of aspirin have one thing in common: both can help prevent colorectal cancer. Still the world scientists are struggling since decades to find the source of this inhibition of cancer cell growth where life is at threat.

fruits and vegetables. Only 40 to 50% of aspirin and less than 15% of flavonoids are absorbed in the bloodstream, Gunaje explained. Therefore, substantial amounts of aspirin and flavonoids reach the intestines, where host and bacterial enzymes degrade the compounds. This process results in simpler phenolic acids, specifically hydroxybenzoic acids, or HBAs, that may contribute to colorectal cancer prevention. “Plants also have the capacity to make these metabolites. Fruits and vegetables are loaded with free HBAs, which act as antioxidants and also help the plants fight infections,” Consumption of fruits and vegetables in the diet is another source HBAs, Gunaje informed.

According to Jayarama Gunaje, an Associate Prof of SDSU’s Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, the answer may lie in the compounds produced when the body breaks down, or metabolizes, aspirin, and flavonoids present in

Identifying the metabolites and the gut bacteria responsible for degradation of aspirin and flavonoids will help scientists develop probiotics and possibly supplements to help prevent colorectal cancer.

Vol. 13, Issue 03 -August- 2020

NEWS

Magnum offers its ice cream in recycled plastic tubs and containers

environment. By the end of 2020, Magnum is said to use an estimated 1, 60,000kg of food grade material of certified recycled plastic.

he Britain ice cream brand ‘Magnum’ has launched its ice cream tubs range in the UK using packaging containers made from recycled plastic. This follows the campaign that was focused for controlled plastic use last year. Magnum is the first ice cream brand to use recycled polypropylene plastic. The Company informed that the tubs and containers will be rolled put across Europe in 2020 and globally

in 2021.

The purpose of the initiative by Magnum brand is being communicated on-pack with a new icon on all Magnum tub lids as well as directions printed on it as to how the tubs can be recycled after use. Due to the pandemic and lockdown, there has been more of an in-home consumption a n d considering that Magnum said the introduction of the sustainable tubs will help people reduce their impact on the

CCPA: not in favour to reduce import duty on tea

he Consultative Committee of Plantation Associations (CCPA), the temple body of tea associations in India, has requested Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal not to reduce import duty on tea as any action in that direction will disturb the equilibrium of the industry resulting in unfavourable consequences.

Tea imports From Nepal into India is governed by a Free Trade Agreement allowing such teas to be imported without payment of import duty, the letter further added.

This move of recycled plastic by Unilever is a larger global packaging commitment to reduce the usage to half the company’s use of virgin plastic, by reducing the use of plastic packaging by more than 1, 00,000 tons and increasing the production and its use of recycled plastic by 2025. Andre Burger, vice president foods and refreshments, Unilever UK&I, said, “We’re proud to be the world’s first ice cream brand to pioneer this ground-breaking technology.

Through this new approach, we hope to lead the food and refreshment industry towards a more sustainable future. The new logo across all our tubs will help create awareness around our sustainability commitment and reassure Magnum lovers that they can indulge in a delicious Magnum ice cream whilst making a sustainable choice to reduce their environmental impact too.”

CCPA chairman,Vivek Goenka in a letter addressed to Goyal said that any such move will lead to erosion of domestic prices and subsequently affect the economic viability of the tea gardens and livelihood of lakhs of people. According to CCPA, reduction in import duty, now 100 per cent, will pave the way for cheap tea to flood the market which will have disastrous effect on local prices. The letter also mentioned that Indian tea production over the last decade has increased rapidly primarily due to the emergence of small tea growers who contribute nearly 50 per cent of overall production to the market.

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The letter stated that while annual production of the beverage is around 1400 million kg, 250 million kg are exported and domestic consumption level is nearly 1100 million kg.The ratio of consumption level has not grown with balance of the production.

According to CCPA, Sri Lankan tea which competes with Indian orthodox tea in the international market enjoys a concessional import duty of 7.5 per cent upto an import level under a trade agreement. Tea being imported for re-export are subject to nil import duty in India, CCPA said adding that inspection structure should be strengthened to ensure that the influx of teas through imports conform to the prescribed FSSAI quality norms and compliances. In this connection, Nepal teas being sold as Darjeeling Tea is depressing prices in the domestic market, it said, adding that reducing import duty on tea and granting easier access to imports will prove harmful to the domestic industry.

Vol. 13, Issue 03 -August- 2020

NEWS

MP’s impulsion to include its Basmati Rice for GI tagging will hurt India globally

ndia alone stands in the global platform as the only producer of premium Basmati rice. Shares with no other country other than 18 districts of Pakistan can call any of its produced rice as ‘Basmati’. Madhya Pradesh (MP) govt is building pressure on the central govt to get Geographical Indication (GI) tag for Basmati rice produced in 13 districts of MP. The All India Rice Exporters’ Association (AIREA) has appealed to the government to preserve and safeguard the integrity of one of the most cherished national produce of India called ‘Basmati rice’. AIREA argues that if MP is included in the GI list of Basmati crop then it will not only harm the reputation of Indian Basmati as a whole, but also the national interest.

As per GI of Goods (Registration & Protection) Act in 2003, ‘reputation’ to a geographical area is central to the recognition of a GI product and only seven states have that credit. Even if the rice grown in MP has all the required characteristics of being GI or maybe even better than Basmati rice grown in the traditional growing areas, the same would not still entitle such rice to be qualified to get Basmati rice GI claim. Basmati and any rice which is grown outside the designated area cannot be called Basmati. What efforts are being undertaken by the MP to grab the GI tag? Striving hard to get the GI tag, MP had put up an appeal in Madras High Court where its plea was turned down February this year. Earlier too in 2016, Intellectual Properties Appellate Board (IPBA) in Chennai had given the decision in favour of the APEDA, which is not in favour of including MP in the GI list. Despite the rejections, MP has been repeatedly whisking and raising an agitated talks through political and bureaucratic channels. Many vendors and traders from MP are selling the rice from MP using the IGP images on their packages – though MP is far away down south of the IGP, said

According to the APEDA, GI tag is given to a product, which natural or a manufactured product, originating from a specific geographical area due to which it possesses unique characteristics and qualities. GI tag is basically an assurance that the product is coming from that specific area. It’s kind of trademark in the international market.

AIREA.

In May 2010, APEDA, a statutory body under the Ministry of Commerce, got this certification for the region located in Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) below the Himalayan foothills, spread across seven states from Himachal Pradesh, J&K, Punjab, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Western UP (26 districts) and Delhi.

It had been a tough battle for the country to protect Basmati name from the encroachment of other nations where all had come out on international market claiming their own descriptions of Basmati rice.

According to APEDA, the origin and reputation of Basmati rice as a ‘long grain, aromatic rice’ from the IGP is found in tradition, folklore, scientific and culinary literature and political and historical records. They said it took hundreds of years for Basmati producing state to become famous e.g. Dehraduni Basmati, Amritsar Basmati and Tarawari basmati. All of these brands have not become popular in one day as they are producing Basmati for hundreds of years. The reason why Madhya Pradesh want its rice to be included under the GI list is MP falls in the Madhya Bharat Pathar and started cultivating varieties of Basmati rice only around the middle of the first decade of this century. MP claims that its Basmati rice possesses the same characteristics and qualities as that of the Basmati rice grown in the IGP. The state also claims that nearly 80,000 farmers of the state are growing Basmati in 13 districts and exporting worth Rs. 3,000 crore on annual basis. AIREA said that MP cannot be included in GI Tag because under WTO’s TRIPs (Trade-Related aspects of Intellectual Property rights) agreement, physical attributes are not enough for a product to earn GI tag and that reputation in linked with the geographical region is essential and authoritative.

The inclusion of MP in the GI list will definitely harm India and its farmers and the interests of seven states which grow Basmati with GI tag. Exporters say that with the inclusion of MP, the ramifications will be disastrous.

It was only the GI tag that has protected India’s Basmati, because it has been grown from time immemorial in the IGP area of India and 18 districts of Pakistan’s Punjab, said Nathi Ram Gupta, President, AIREA, adding that this indisputable fact alone has enabled India to win the cases across globe. “If MP is allowed to be included, it will nullify APEDA’s efforts made earlier to secure and protect Indian Basmati since 1995 by taking up over a 1,000 legal actions in nearly 50 countries, spread across all the continents. APEDA has spent over Rs 200/300 crores in promoting Basmati rice, defending its GI status and shaping it into a global brand,” said Vijay Setia, the former President AIREA. “The day we give a green signal to MP, Pakistan will grab the opportunity to start sowing Basmati all across the country. China will be equally benefitted. Not to talk about all those 50 and more nations who had been unequivocally restricted from calling any of their aromatic rice’s with even “Basmati-like” names,” said senior officials at APEDA. “If Basmati loses its premium tag it will deprive over 20 lakh farmers of seven states from the economic premium of growing this unique product. So, the commercial considerations cannot, therefore, be allowed to be sacrificed at the altar of expanding the area of GI,” said a senior APEDA official.

Include Vitamin A-rich foods in your diet: says FSSAI

onsume Vitamin A rich, plant-based food for good immunity and improved vision,’ says FSSAI.

The food that we eat plays an important role in ensuring our health and physical fitness. In the wake of pandemic, health experts and dieticians are talkingon eating healthy foods to boost immunity, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) recommended some vitamin A-rich, plant-based foods to be included in our diet. “Consume Vitamin A rich, Below are the certain foods that FSSAI suggested with health benefits: Sweet potato: Rich in vitamin A and C, sweet potatoes are high in nutrients and fibre content helps people with obesity, high cholesterol and hypertension. Orange-fleshed sweet potato is an important source of beta-carotene, the precursor to vitamin A. A good source of fibre is light on guts to reduce constipation. Papaya:This tropical fruit is rich in vitamin A and C, apart from potassium, antioxidants and fibre. When eaten on an empty stomach, papaya helps clear the digestive tract of toxins and smoothen bowel movement. The presence of digestive enzymes also help keep disorders like bloating and constipation at bay. Keeps liver, kidneys and other

vital organs healthy and free of ailments. Tomato: This veg-o-fruit agri product is rich in vitamins and glutathione. Tomato helps fight carcinoma and keeps other life-threatening diseases at bay. Its antioxidant properties also improve skin health. Tomatoes is full of vitamin C, K, iron, folate, potassium and other nutrients. Carrot:This vegetable when eaten raw keeps the digestive system strong and prevent constipation due to the fibrous quality. Carrots are known tokeep blood sugar levels under control. Additionally, they have heart-protective antioxidant called lycopene. Mango: A fruit so rich in vitamin A, E and C and fibre helps in digestion and the regulation of blood lipid levels and checking cholesterol levels. Besides, the bioactive compound mangiferin also helps fight several diseases like cancer and heart diseases. Green leafy vegetables: The highest source of fiber and iron is found in leafy vegetables. These are also rich in vitamin C, vitamin B6, Magnesium, Potassium and vital salts. They further contain antioxidants which help control blood pressure levels and improve eye health. FSSAI has recommended adding green leafy vegetables to one’s diet to boost immunity and fight mal-nutrients at basic level..

A vegetarian or vegan product gives no guarantee of being healthy: says as expert

here has been a wide propagation of meatsubstitute production in recent years with everyone opting to go vegetarian. But according to an expert from a top American hospital, Cleveland Clinic, is warning that just because a product is vegetarian or vegan, it does not necessarily mean it is healthy for consumption. Dietitian Camille Skoda, RDN, LD. says: “There’s a new generation of faux meat products that are highly processed to mimic the look, flavour and texture of the real thing. For anyone who’s looking to pare back their meat consumption, these products can help ease the transition, but some are far healthier than others.” She suggests looking for plant-based proteins. While good-quality meat can provide your body with a plethora of different vitamins, minerals and nutrients, plant-based proteins have their own unique set of benefits, Skoda says. “Having one meatless meal per day, or one meatless day in a week, can help you to diversify your diet, add fibre, and include other sources of protein,” she says. Whole-food sources (pulses and cereals) of plant protein, such as beans, lentils, nuts, seeds and whole soy, provide fibre and prebiotics to help your gut stay healthy. They also contain sustainable carbohydrates and healthy fats that can help balance blood sugars, Skoda adds. Researches and studies have also linked plant-based diets with lower risk of cardiovascular disease and other health benefits. Many packaged meat substitutes are made with healthy, whole-food plant proteins and ingredients, but not all of them are.Hence, Skoda advises consumers to study the ingredients panel carefully before consumption. “Some of these products have added preservatives, sugars, inflammatory oils or other ingredients that we don’t want,” Skoda says.She recommends considering personal dietary needs and looking at the nutrition panel to determine the following: • What is the protein source? “Some meat substitutes are made with pea protein or beans, which is great,” Skoda says. “Others are made with soy protein isolate (a processed form of soy) or wheat gluten. Those are the ones you want to avoid.”

• Does it contain simple ingredients? Some of the newer faux meat products contain hard-topronounce ingredients like methylcellulose (a thickener) and soy leghemoglobin (a genetically engineered protein). For the healthiest options, look for ingredient labels that contain mostly recognizable whole foods. • How much protein does it have? Ideally, you want to eat about 20 gram of protein per meal, Skoda recommends. “If you plan to use this product as a protein substitute, look for one that will provide you with at least 10 to 15 gram of protein, assuming that some of the other foods you’re pairing it with will also help you get to that 20 gram,” she says. • What is the sodium and sugar content? While meat substitutes are usually free of cholesterol, some are higher in sodium than meat and may contain added sugars. Another option, she suggests, is to stick to the classics, such as tofu. Packaged plant-based products that imitate beef and chicken may be a convenient 1:1 substitute at a barbecue, but there are plenty of other plant proteins that can be easily incorporated into a person’s everyday diet. Her suggestions are to swap out meat in a recipe for: • Tofu, which is made from the whole soybean (rather than an extract) and is considered a complete protein. Skoda recommends choosing one that is non-GMO or organic and tossing it into a stir-fry, or crisping it in the oven. • Tempeh, which is a good option for someone who does not like the mushy texture of tofu. It is also made from whole soybeans but has the added benefit of being fermented, which may help with digestion and absorption of nutrients. It is also generally higher in protein than tofu and provides ample amounts of calcium, iron and manganese. • Lentils and beans, which are a good source of fibre and nutrients. Skoda advises tossing them on top of a salad, using them in soups and stir-fries, or making a bean-based veggie burger at home. “However, if you’re following a lower-carb eating plan, know that beans also contain carbohydrates,” Skoda adds.

EVENT NEWS

Vol. 13, Issue 03 -August- 2020

Asia Fruit Logistica goes totally virtual this pandemic

sia Fruit Logistica shall not take place this time in actual form due to the viral spread. Instead, the event will shape up into a new mode of digital format of virtual expo in November 2020.

world borders are closed and business travel is very difficult. SoAsia Fruit Logistica ON is our response to these challenges. It’s in the very best interests of every single exhibitor and trade visitor at Asia Fruit Logistica.”

This event is named‘Asia Fruit Logistica ON’ that and it aims to give the thousands of exhibitors and visitors that would normally attend in physical form a platform for them to connect, do business and to continue to grow their business in Asia this season.

Asia is the world’s largest and fastest growing market for fresh fruits and vegetables. Asia Fruit Logistica has facilitated to promote this growth in Asia and also globally as the primary meeting stage for global suppliers and buyers from across Asia for more than ten years. This will also be the case in 2020 as nothing can deter the hopes of the event.

“Asia Fruit Logistica ON has arisen out of the of COVID-19 challenge,” explains Will Wollbold commercial director of Asia Fruit Logistica. “Especially after the past months, you will know that there’s a solution for every problem in business, and Asia Fruit Logistica ON is our solution for you to achieve your business goals in Asia. It has become clear now that we can’t host our physical event in Singapore in November, so we’re working hard with a specialist software company based in Asia to develop Asia Fruit Logistica ON as a digital alternative.” Andrew Phua, Executive Director, Exhibitions and Conferences, Singapore Tourism Board, adds: “Asia Fruit Logistica continues to be a valued partner for Singapore, and we are proud that they have teamed up with a leading Singapore tech company to build their digital event.” “Its important buyers and sellers come together in Asia this year too,” explains Wollbold. “Of course, we’re disappointed, we’ve worked very hard with our expo partners in Singapore, but all over the

As done is yester decade, Asia Fruit Logistica ON is all about bringing buyers and sellers together digitally. This event is using the latest software for business matchmaking, meeting and seminars scheduling. In short, this virtual show will offer the best suitable contacts for your business, and then will help you to schedule formal business meetings right there at the time you want to have them during the trade show on days of 18th to 20th November 2020. Asia Fruit Logistica organizing team and its global network of representatives are in constant touch with every exhibitor and participants and all potential new companies. The event team is contacting them to discuss how they can maximizetheir presence on the digital participation at Asia Fruit Logistica ON. The registration and trade visitor’s booking will notified soon.

Vol. 13, Issue 03 -August- 2020

CRUNCHY CRUNCH

“ India�s Only Monthly Newspaper for Food, Beverage & Allied Sectors

www.agronfoodprocessing.com

Vol. 13, Issue 03, August 2020,

Why Papad’s popularit cuisine won’t fade

20/-

utting Food Safety First with Robots brings in a revolution in food industry. But can robots lead the fight against contamination in food production lines?

Various centres reporting contaminations and violation of acts reports that around 70% of all foodborne diseases are caused by contaminated individuals. Food so touched by human hands leads to petrification while the food is still in early stage. Microbes multiply at an alarming frequency and this multiplication at quick rate is the matter of immediate study to salvage food industry from harmful bacteria . The question is how can food manufacturers can best manage the risks that human workers pose to food quality and safety? Automation is the remedy to save the industry and it explains how the latest advancements in robotics are integral components to preventing cross-contamination in food production. Food safety should always be a top priority for food producers. According to a study, it is found that each year roughly one out of six Americans get sick, or 48 million people, of which 128,000 are hospitalized and 3,000 die, from foodborne diseases. Therefore, food manufacturers must now prioritize measures to avoid contamination of meat and poultry products and fresh fruits and vegetables. Contamination can easily be transferred to food from workers, even those following hygiene methods at food plants. Put simply, food workers can easily spread pathogens with their hands, despite wearing gloves. Plus, the shoulder-to-shoulder nature of the work makes cross-contamination more likely to occur while workers process food. In fact, Salmonella and Campylobacter, two bacteria commonly associated with meat and poultry, accounted for 70% of the reported 2019 illnesses analyzed by the CDC. So, what can food manufacturers do to reduce the likelihood of cross-contamination? The soft approach One way is by implementing soft robots. Historically, the adoption of robotic automation has been relatively slow in the food industry, largely due to the variability of the products the sector produces. Food products, especially raw meat, tend to be irregular in shape, slimy, slippery, and delicate, which makes handling difficult for robots. Meanwhile, conventional robots are usually too strong to handle the most delicate items, which is why most manufacturers still rely on human workers to handle produce. However, with human labor comes the risk of food being contaminated, which is why an alternative is required. Enter soft robotics. In contrast to robots built from rigid materials, soft robots are built from materials like silicone, the polymer material known for its viscosity and elasticity, and have mechanical properties that resemble those of living tissue. Typically, they have soft pneumatic joints that produce both linear and rotational movements, which are useful with grippers, robotic arms and other mobile robots. Soft robots have proved useful in accomplishing tasks that require increased flexibility and adaptability and help to improve safety when working around humans. For example, soft robots equipped with gripper end attachments can handle delicate fruits and vegetables without causing damage or waste. A soft robot with an air pressure controlled robotic arm can carefully grasp produce without bruising the food, which would otherwise destine it for the bin. Online food retailers are already using soft robots to pick food for deliveries. One such company is the US food manufacturer Taylor Farms, which runs an automated warehouse that uses robot pickers to efficiently handle delicate foods. Way to washdown Better managing the risks of human contamination on food production lines can reduce the spread of germs. But it’s also important to ensure that the robots themselves don’t contribute towards contamination. For example, JMP Solutions, a company that provides robots for the food and beverage processing industry, has designed two robots that can wash down an entire workcell, and each other. The robots conduct a thorough washdown at the end of each operating cycle with high-powered water. In addition to eliminating the risk of contamination, these robots also function without electricity to ensure a safer cleaning process. Robots can play a vital role in ensuring that quality and safety of food produce remains a top priority for manufacturers. Not only can robots augment the jobs of human workers, they could also greatly support efforts to manage cross-contamination on the production line — and perhaps even help to make the CDC’s 70% figure a thing of the past.

We may no longer dry papads at home in summer, but this uniquely Indian product deserves to be celebrated.

amana Maharshi, whose 140th birth anniversary falls this year, was at 29 already a sadhu when his mother came to stay. Sri Ramana warned her not to expect help from him, yet one day she asked him to help make appalams, the South Indian papads which families prepare and dry during summers. He refused to interrupt his meditations, but perhaps to compensate composed a song linking papad-making to a spiritual journey. The song Appalamittup Para accurately describes the making of appalams, including local details like the use of the juice of pirandai, a cactus-like creeper (Cissusquadrangularis), and the seasoning of zeera, pepper and hing.

that airports were reported to resemble grocery shops. Some communities are particularly associated with papads. Sindhis famously eat papad anytime and with anything, and this can’t be unlinked from the fact that papads are one product that is easy to make in their arid, and now lost, homeland. Earlier a marriage into a Sindhi family, a wedding baraat was usually greeted with just papad and sharbat: “The idea was that rich people should not be allowed to do what the poor man could not afford”.

Just as the mind must pound away at the self, papad dough must be kneaded and “then with the rolling pin of Shanti, roll out on the platter of evenness”. Finally the self, like papads, must be “fired by the flames of wisdom’s enquiring… thus you can have the papad and eat it too!”

Students are another type of community who have valued papads. As a student in London, Dr. B.R. Ambedkar sustained late-night studies with papads cooked on his room heater. A friend explained how in her Mumbai hostel they used a hot iron to cook papads pressed between a towel. Some officegoers use the canteen microwave to make papads, even if this lacks the savoury of slight charring that comes from an open flame.

It is no surprise that papads are used for philosophy in India. They are a uniquely an Indian product, made and consumed across nearly every region of the country, and appreciated abroad as an excellent Indian innovation. “It is not bad, even to a novice,” says Hobson-Jobson, the compendium of British Indian terms, in an entry for Popper Cake. In 2017 the Wiggles, an Australian children’s music group, released the Pappadum Song video, which consists of them just singing that one word, and crunchingpapads.

Originally most papads were made with urad or other dal flours, but over time they have been made from every kind of starch, from rice to potatoes to tapioca and, now, of course, you can buy quinoa papads. Innovations like this tend to cover up the fact that some traditional varieties are becoming harder to find, like the strip-like Parsisarias or the nests of fermented wheat noodles made in Maharashtra called kurdaya. While not flat like most papads, they serve the same role of providing a crunchy contrast to curries and rice.

In 1915, when cash and commodities were collected to support Indian soldiers in the Great War, the Times India (ToI) reported “tins of papads” among the donations. In 1935, when the first air services from India were starting, ToI noted that consignments included pearls, mangoes, betel nuts and papads. Decades later, immediately after 9/11, when a panicked US banned air passengers bringing any food products, so many pickle and papad packets were discarded by Indian travellers

In Theresa Devasahayam’s study When We Eat What We Eat: Classifying Crispy Foods in Malaysian Tamil Food, she argues that “the texture of crispy foods arouses emotions of play, pleasure and delight differently from other foods.” Because they are seen as fun rather than filling, they aren’t taken as seriously as other foods. This may be why the habit of making them at home has faded. Even orthodox households, which are always careful to make most of their food at home, were

Vol. 13, Issue 03 -August- 2020

ty in Indian e away

generally willing to buy papads made outside. Today, it is women’s cooperatives like Lijjat that famously command this market, but there have always been communities who made them professionally, like the so-called Appala Chettis from Thrissur in Kerala who moved to Madurai district around 1950 and made it a centre for papad production. Professional papad-makers have driven innovations in ingredients and flavours, but they now risk being swamped by the money and marketing of snack-food giants that offer an array of crispy foods that don’t even need cooking. Some restaurants like Bombay Canteen have tried showcasing papads, which is welcome, but sometimes it feels that the way they choose to do so, offering a papad and pickle platter as free welcome dish, reinforces the marginal status of papads. Perhaps we need to rediscover the traditional dishes made with papads like the Paporer Dalna made in Bengal where papads are cooked with potatoes, or similar Gujarati dishes made by treating raw papads like a kind of pasta, to eat in soupy, spicy stews. There are dishes made with crumbled papads, like pappadam pazham, a delectable mash of bananas, sugar, rice and ghee topped with crisp-fried papad crumbs, or the parathas stuffed with crumbled papads you can find in Old Delhi. Skilled cooks can shape papads into cups or rolls that are stuffed with spicy fillings. We may no longer have the time (or the terraces) to make papads in summer, but this should not mean ignoring the many varieties and valuesof such an intrinsically Indian ingredient. Preparation: Papad or papadum is a tortilla like preparation that can be fried or roasted. It is eaten as a snack or accompaniment with Indian meals. Vegetables, tomatoes or onions are often added on top for flavor. It is usually made from urad flour mostly but can also be made from chickpeas, lentils and rice flour. Papads made of urad dal or moong dal are the most common ones but there are quite a few other varieties also available. Here are 10 of them you must try. 1. Aloo Ka Papad: Made with boiled and mashed

CRUNCHY CRUNCH

potatoes and salt, these thin discs are famous across Punjab, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. Alooka papad is also a popular snack served during Holi. 2. Shakuli: A simple yet delightful treat from the Hills. Shakuli is a popular papad of Himachal Pradesh, and is a common accompaniment with a typical Himachali Thali. A paper thin fried delight made of refined flour and salt. It is so light that we bet you can’t stop at one. 3. Kali Mirch Papad: If you love the hot and pungent notes of black pepper, then the Kali Mirch Papad will be the perfect crispy treat for you. It is best to use it to make the Punjabi Masala Papad topped with onion, chillies, tomatoes and chaat masala! 4. Bajra Na Papad: Made with goodness of bajra flour and salt, this is a popular crunchy delight of Gujarat. 5. Nachni Papad: A famous Maharashtrian delight, Nachni Papad or Nagli Papad is made with goodness of ragi flour. The rich brown colour and a slightly more course texture of this papad distinguishes it from the others. 6. Garlic Papad: A dal papad with the pungent flavor of garlic. One bite into this crunchy goodness and you can’t stop munching. Popular across Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, garlic papad comes along with a hint of spices. 7. ElaiVadam (South Indian Rice Papad): Traditionally prepared in South Indian homes, this is a common accompaniment with rice, sambhaar and pickles. It is made with rice and salt and people also add soaked sabudana pearls and some masala into the batter. 8. Khichiya Papad: In Gujarat, rice papads are known as Khichiya Papads. The papad is often enjoyed with curries or just by itself with heaps of ghee. 9. Hing Papad: The Hing or Asafoetida Papad is also one of the variants of western belt of the country. With its distinct flavour and aroma, it is a delight when had along with simple dal and rice. 10. Sabudana Papad: Tiny white sabudana or tapioca pearls are used across the country. This papad is especially enjoyed during festive occasions and fasts like the Navratris. How to make papadum dough Papadums, or papads, can be made with a variety of flours. Overall, there seem to be two distinct ways of making the dough: 1. Knead the flour with some water into a quite stiff, inflexible dough ; leave it to hydrate until you roll it into thin papadums – this method is used for legume flours such as lentils or chickpeas 2. Cook the flour (with some water) until it thickens up, this dough is quite sticky and soft compared to that of method 1 – you will find this method being used for flours from rice, potato and tapioca So why are there two methods? This has to do with the behaviour of the different types of flours and the fact that you need a strong enough dough to hold the very thin papadum together. Some flours need to be cooked on forehand to ‘activate’ the starch. Without cooking the flour, the starch will not be able to help keep the dough together. This is the case for the potato and rice. Flours from legumes on the other hand don’t need this activation. They can already form a sturdy dough without any other step needed. Rolling it super thin The most important part of the papadums is to roll them out very thinly. The only way to do that though is if you’ve got a dough that is sturdy enough to be rolled out so thinly. If ever you need to roll out a dough so thinly, it is almost always better to rest the dough. By resting it, the flours can properly hydrate with the water and stabilize. (Note: Papads generally don’t contain wheat flour, so there’s no relaxing of gluten!) Drying the papads Some papads (such as the chickpea), can be prepared right after you’ve rolled them out. However, more common is to leave them to dry out. By drying the papads you extend the shelf life of them by weeks or months. As discussed before, drying out foods and thus lowering the water activity, prevents the growth of spoilage

microorganisms. As a result, you can make dozens of papads in one day, leave them to dry and have enough papads to eat for some time to come! When you’re drying the papads it’s important that they dry quick enough but not too quickly. You shouldn’t dry them in a hot oven, since it will start cooking some of the papads already. Better is to dry them in a slightly warm oven if your house is cool or just leave them in an airy spot in the sun (protected from insects). This way, the moisture can slowly leave the papad, likely curling up. If you want to keep them perfectly flat you’ll need a system to keep them flat during drying, while allowing the moisture to escape. Cooking the papadums The dried papad doughs are crispy, they break up but they’re not yet really crispy. They won’t shatter when you bite into them. To make the characteristic final super crispy papads you need to cook them. There are several ways to do so, the three most common one being: frying in oil, baking on top of a stove fire or, in the microwave! Deep frying

control of the heat of the flame, how high above the flame you hold it and how well you’re able to judge cooking. That said, the slight char on the papadum does give it a unique flavour. Microwaving papads There is another way to prepare papads without any oil or fire: cooking them in the microwave. Just place them, covered with some kitchen towl, in the microwave for about 1 minute (depends on your microwave) and it will crisp up. A microwave works very different than a hot pot

of oil. It doesn’t necessarily make the papadums very hot. Instead, a microwave is great at moving water molecules and heating them up quickly. As a result, the microwave quickly heats up that little bit of moisture in the papadums. The moisture evaporates and expands, forming those air bubbles. The heat will help make the dough flexible enough for those bubbles to be formed. The reason it works so well is again the thinness of the papadums. Since it is so thin, it is very easy for the microwave waves to heat all the water, it doesn’t have to penetrate deep into any texture. You might notice that some parts of the papadum don’t crisp up. This is because the microwave literally has waves going through the machine which intersect and cross over. As a result, there will always be hot and cold spots in a microwave. A well designed microwave will have less issues, as will one with a rotating plate. If you do see this though, just slightly reposition the papadum and turn on for a few more seconds. The movement will help it move out of a hot/cold spot.

You can fry papadums by dropping them in hot oil (at least 160C, preferably 180C) and just leave them in there for a few seconds. When you drop them in, you will see it sink down, a lot of air bubbles forming and then see the papadums rising back to the top. It literally takes seconds to fry them. The final crisped out papadums has a lot of small little bubbles, is super crunchy and full of flavour. If you’ve added spices to the papadums earlier on, frying them in oil will develop some of these flavours as well. So what happens during frying? The hot oil is a lot warmer than the boiling point of water. As a result, water evaporates as soon as it contacts the hot oil. Since a papadums is so thin, the remaining moisture in the papadums evaporates almost as soon as hits the oil. Once that burst of moisture has evaporated, the papadums will start to brown slightly, indicating that it’s time to take it out, or risk burning! Papadums will burn really easily if you don’t pay attention since they are so thin and since there’s so little moisture to evaporate! Over an open stove flame If you’re an experience papadum maker, you can probably fry them about a stove flame. However, this is quite a tricky method. The heat from the flame will soften the dough, which is necessary for the moisture inside to evaporate and expand. However, that also means the papadum might bend, before it has time to crisp up. Cooking papadums above an open flame requires very good

How come a microwave is able to crisp up a papadum? You might have learned that you should not put crispy foods in the microwave. It will cause your crispiness to disappear and instead turn softer and soggier. Whereas this is definitely true for a whole lot of foods such as pizza or samosas, it is not the case for papadums. So why is this the case? Well, those other food contain a lot of moisture. The only part that does not contain as much moisture is the crispy crust. By microwaving the food though, the moisture from the inside (e.g. your soft samosa filling) will move to the outside. As a result, your crust contains more moisture and is less crispy. Papadums on the other hand barely contain any moisture at all. The moisture can’t really move from one place to the other. Since it’s so thin, the only place it can go to is away from the papadum! Papadums (besan/chickpea)

Vol. 13, Issue 03 -August- 2020

Ingredients • 110g chickpea flour (besan) • 40g all-purpose flour • pinch of salt • 1 tsp cumin seeds • 1/4 tsp baking powder • 70g water (you might need adjust +/- 10g) Instructions Making the dough 1. Blend all the dry ingredients into a bowl to ensure spices and salt are distributed well. 2. Add about half of the water to the dry mixture and knead it through. 3. Continue adding water until you have a very firm, sturdy dough that doesn’t crumble apart too easily and can be shaped into a ball. You do not want it to become sticky. 4. Once you’ve got a firm dough, cover it with a bowl or plastic wrap and leave to rest for at least 30 minutes. This gives the moisture chance to distribute evenly within the dough and makes it easier to knead. 5. Knead the dough by hand and roll it into a log. Using a knife or dough scraper, cut the log (see photo) into smaller pieces. 6. Roll the dough with a rolling pin until it is very thin, less than 1 mm. Thinness is very important here! A thinner papadum will be crispier and more fragile. If the dough sticks too much, use a little bit of all-purpose flour to dust the rolling pin and work surface. Drying 1. Place the rolled out dough onto a baking tray (or similar surface). Try not to cover the dough slabs with one another, it will prevent them from drying out well.

OIL NEWS

2. Leave to dry in a warm area. Placing them in direct sunlight or a breezy area will help them dry out. While drying they will curl up. The drying time depends a lot on your climate. It can be done in a matter of hours or take more than a day. Frying 1. Pre-heat a shallow layer of oil (you’ll need about 1cm (1/4 inch) in height only) until it’s 180C. If you don’t have a thermometer, pre-fry a piece of dried dough. It should start bubbling and crisping up in a matter of minutes. 2. Once the oil is to temperature, add a dried papadum. It will start bubbling away almost immediately. Once it floats to the surface and has some air bubbles (will happen within 10 seconds) flip it over, leave for a few more seconds and then take out. Leave to cool down on a paper towl. It’s best to just fry one at a time. Eating 1. Time to eat them! They work great with chutneys, mint sauce, yogurt, and lots more. 2. The fried papadums don’t keep well. Only fry those you plan on eating right away. The unfried/ dried version can be stored for months on end if stored in a dry cool space. Notes In the content we describe a few other ways to cook/fry the papdums: above an open flame or in the microwave. Those methods also work for these papadums! What are you waiting for? Now that you have the round up, start munching already.

Reflecting the global popularity of Indian food, a number of Indian words like ‘keema’ and ‘papad’ have been accepted in the Oxford English dictionary for the first time. The ninth edition of the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary, has included over 240 words from Indian English. Many of these new words are commonly used in Indian kitchens such as ‘keema’ (finely chopped meat), ‘papad’ (thin wafer) and cooking ingredients like ‘curry leaf’. “English is a global language and carries influences from all over the world. Indian food is popular all over the world. We did these inclusions in the dictionary to reflect the global usage of words,” Patrick White, Head of ELT Dictionaries and Reference Grammar at Oxford University Press said. Over 60 per cent of the new Indian English words come from Hindi. These new words were selected based on the frequency of their use and are assessed by experts from all over the world. 19 x 15 cm

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India Reports Highest Import of Edible Oil in July 2020

his pandemic saw a high consumption of edible oil during lockdown as people sought to kitchen resulting in the surge of demand, hence India reports highest import of edible oil in July 2020.

While India largely imports palm oil from Malaysia and Indonesia while demand for soy oil, sunflower oil is met by Brazil, Argentina, Ukraine, and Russia. The country bought 13.47 lakh tons of edible oils in July last year.

Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEA) reported the highest increase in import of edible oil in July. SEA has noted a jump of 13 per cent in edible oil import to 15.17 lakh tons on a yearon-year basis. The Mumbai based association said that the increase would compensate for the low imports during April- May period. SEA mentioned that the soybean oil imports increased to 4.84 lakh tons in July from last year’s 3.19 lakh tons. While soybean oil imports surged 52% from a year ago, sunflower oil imports

SEA has contradicted the SOPA’s proposal of imposing quantitative restrictions on the import of sunflower and soybean soil. It said that the limitation would flood the markets with palm oil, hammering the demand for domestic oilseeds. Further, it noted that lowering soybean seed prices will harm the interests of the soybean growing farmer too. Suggesting the solution, it said that imposing import duty on all oils will ensure that farmers get a price above MSP from markets and government agencies thus a check is maintained over it.

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increased by 4% to 2,08,747 tons. Apart from this, the import of palm oil registered the most significant increase as its shipments were 8.24 lakh tons as against 8.12 lakh tons a year ago. However, RBD Palmolein imports have declined after imposition of restrictions on imports of refined palm oil in January 2020.

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CORPORATE NEWS

Vol. 13, Issue 03 -August- 2020

Exploring the sustainability Unilever dissociates in most of the Indian sugar industry of its tea; keeps Lipton brand

esearchers analyzed the interconnected food, water and energy challenges that arise from the sugar industry in India - the second-largest producer of sugar worldwide - and how the political economy drives those challenges. Generations of political support for sugar cultivation have helped India become the secondlargest producer of sugar worldwide. Now, the country’s commitment to renewable energy could create additional benefits, like conserving natural resources and providing better nutrition to the poor. Stanford researchers conducted the first comprehensive analysis of India’s sugar industry and its impact on water, food and energy resources through the lens of its political economy -- that is, how entrenched political interests in sugar production threaten food, water and energy security over time. The results show that a national biofuel policy encouraging production of ethanol made directly from sugarcane juice may make India’s water and energy resources more sustainable. Using sugarcane juice instead of molasses would also free up land and irrigation water for growing nutrient-rich foods. The research was published July 24 in Environmental Research Letters. “There are spillover effects between sectors, unintended consequences,” said co-author Rosamond Naylor, a food security expert and the William Wrigley Professor in Stanford’s School of Earth, Energy & Environmental Sciences (Stanford Earth). “It’s very instructive to think about the connection between food, water and energy because the solution may not be in the sector you’re focusing on.”

Moving toward renewables Somewhat analogous to the corn industry in the U.S., which has shifted about 40 percent of its output to ethanol production in recent years, policymakers in India -- many of whom benefit financially from the sugar industry -- are currently exploring how to use sugarcane to increase energy independence and shift toward renewable energy use. The Indian government has set a goal to increase the ethanol-to-gasoline blending rate from its current rate of about 6 percent to 20 percent by 2030 and introduced several policies to promote production of ethanol from sugarcane. The increased blending rate is a “desirable goal for improved energy security,” the researchers write. However, its effects on human health and the environment will largely depend on which sugar product ends up being the main feedstock: juice extracted from crushed sugarcane, or molasses, a by-product from sugar processing. India’s national policy on biofuels only recently began allowing use of sugarcane juice in ethanol production, in addition to molasses. “If the energy industry continues to use molasses as the bioethanol feedstock to meet its target, it would require additional water and land resources and result in the production of extra sugar,” said co-author Anjuli Jain Figueroa, a postdoctoral researcher in Earth system science. “In contrast, if the industry used the sugarcane juice to produce ethanol, the target could be met without requiring additional water and land beyond current levels.” Using sugarcane juice to create ethanol could also help alleviate government spending to subsidize sugar and sell it below cost in its public distribution system. Entrenched incentives

The public distribution system of sugar in India dates to the 1950s, when frequent famines plagued the country. Back then, sugar helped to meet basic calorie requirements. But today -- with micronutrient deficiency leading to illness, disabilities and even death -- the Indian government is more concerned with nutrition. “In India right now, even poor populations have met their basic calorie needs,” said Naylor, who is also a senior fellow at the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment. “They have been able to buy sugar at subsidized prices, but meanwhile they don’t have access to adequate protein and micronutrients for cognitive growth and for physical well-being.” Sugarcane cultivation in India has expanded in part because of policies that incentivize production, including a minimum price, guaranteed sales of sugarcane and public distribution of sugar. These regulations have become entrenched over many generations, making the crop highly profitable to the 6 million farmers in the country, but the emptycalorie crop reduces the amount of resources available for micronutrient-rich foods. “Using scarce natural resources to produce a crop that doesn’t fulfill nutritional needs for the second most populated country in the world can place pressure on the global food system if more and more food imports are required to meet the rising demand in India,” Naylor said. Balancing act The researchers focused their analysis on Maharashtra in western India, one of the country’s largest sugarcane-producing states. Sugarcane cultivation in Maharashtra has increased sevenfold in the past 50 years to become the dominant user of irrigation water. The study found that in 2010-11, sugarcane occupied only 4 percent of Maharashtra’s total cropped areas but used 61 percent of the state’s irrigation water. Meanwhile, irrigation for other nutritious food crops remained lower than the national averages. “Irrigation of sugarcane in our study region is about four times that of all other crops and has doubled from 2000 to 2010. This resulted in about a 50 percent reduction of river flow over that period,” said co-author Steven Gorelick, the Cyrus Fisher Tolman Professor at Stanford Earth. “Given that this region is susceptible to significant drought, future water management is likely to be quite challenging.” As part of continued efforts to examine the Indian sugar industry and its impacts, lead author Ju Young Lee, a PhD student in Earth system science, also developed satellite imagery analyses to identify sugarcane from space. “Despite the importance of sugarcane in the water, food and energy sectors in India, there are no reliable sugarcane maps for recent years and in time series,” Lee said. “Using remote sensing data, I am developing current time-series sugarcane maps in Maharashtra -- an important step forward.” Scarcity or abundance? The agricultural area of Maharashtra is considered drought-ridden, and yet in September 2019, the region experienced major floods that killed 21 people and caused 28,000 residents of Pune city to evacuate. While the researchers started the FUSE project in Maharashtra with an explicit focus on drought management, their objectives expanded to include flooding after witnessing the devastation of Pune during their research period, presenting “a far more difficult water management problem,” according to co-author Steven Gorelick. “Climate projections over the next 40 to 80 years suggest maybe a 10 percent increase in rainfall, but much greater variability -- and that variability is what worries me the most, in terms of future management of both floods and droughts,” Gorelick said.

nilever plans to disassociate itself in most of its tea business following a half-yearly review by placing them into a separate entity, said the company’s spokesperson during recent hearings. The changes will be seen in Unilever divesting the Lipton brand in some areas while retaining it in other markets, thus shuffling the teas according to the markets. Unilever said it is planning to retain its tea business in India and Indonesia, where the company’s Lipton brand is popular, as well as in its ready-to-drink tea with joint venture with PepsiCo. The partnership between the two companies has PepsiCo focus on Lipton’s ready-to-drink beverages while Unilever handles the leaf tea. Each company owns a 50% stake accordingly. “It does present a change going forward potentially with regard to the Lipton brand because if there is a different owner or a more separate operation of the Lipton brand in hot tea or leaf tea rather, then there’ll be some need for some form of special arrangement,” Graeme Pitkethly, Unilever’s CFO, said in a Seeking Alpha transcript during the earnings recently. “But given the essential difference between the two categories of ready-todrink tea and leaf tea, we’re sure that that’s very manageable.” Earlier in January 2020, Unilever announced that it was conducting a “strategic review” of its global tea business. Now in mid-year, the company has finally reached a decision where it is ready to divest much of the slow-growing business but will keep the best parts. As consumers have opted for more herbal varieties like black tea, which accounts for two thirds of the CPG giant’s tea segment, has fallen out of favour.

Allied Market Research estimated the global tea market size was valued at $55.1 billion in 2019 and could reach $69 billion by 2027, a CAGR of 6.6%. “Increase in trend of coffee consumption and fluctuating prices of raw materials caused by unpredictable climatic conditions act as the major restraint for this market,” the firm said. “On the contrary, growth in demand for herbal tea and introduction of new flavor and variety of tea is anticipated to provide growth opportunities for the tea market.” Just like Nestlé, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo and Kellogg, Unilever has been increasing their portfolio with healthier options while discarding brands that are sluggish in growth. “It’s one of those joint ventures where each party brings unique experiences, Unilever in terms of the brand and marketing capability and Pepsi in terms of their expertise in bottling and distribution, and it has worked very, very well for a long period of time,” Pitkethly told analysts. “And that principally is the reason why we’ve left that out of the conclusion of the strategic review.” Market Analysts told Reuters that Unilever could eventually sell the tea business it is spinning off, or bring on a minority investor. As for the tea parts it is keeping involving Lipton, they told the news service that Unilever could sell the brand to a third party and license it back for the Indian and Indonesian businesses. It could then choose to sell its stake in the joint venture to PepsiCo. But as Pitkethly said, Unilever likes the success of the business in these areas. Unilever probably is in no haste to act despite looming convolutions involving the Lipton brand.

AgTech India’s new focus on food safety and traceability

ith traditional agriculture in India making a historic shift to next gen technology like farm automation, Artificial Intelligence, GIS mapping, satellite imagery and big data analytics, the preference for ERP solutions is on a rise owing to the complete visibility of data and product life cycle across the entire supply chain from producer to consumer for agriculture-based businesses.

Agri Tech platforms like FarmERP have worked with companies in the past to source fresh produce directly from the farmers to the consumers an entirely digital supply chain to map all the operations. By providing the farm operators with an end to end digital and easy to use solution that covers the entire gamut of operations right from raw materials, to plantation, to harvesting, crop scheduling, scouting, processing, up until it goes for packaging and sales; ERP platforms are the future of food safety. Food Traceability is vital to the food supply chain in order to keep a tab on the hygienic production and distribution. Traceability refers to the functions that trace the flow of foods throughout the production, processing and distribution stages.

Traceability helps to locate a product at any stage within the supply chain, because of which it becomes imperative for producers to have integrated systems in order to ensure effective control of the operations to avoid any form of contamination. Lack of visibility in sales and production cycles have been one of the major loopholes in the Fresh fruits and vegetable production industry. Mismanaged inventories result in failure to meet the evergrowing demand for fresh fruits and vegetables. This has propelled the sector to make a tectonic shift from manual supervision to digital farm management platforms like Farm ERP to manage inventories, reduce losses associated with spoilage and work on sales forecasting, procurement strategies & ensuring food traceability & safety through a digital supply chain. FarmERP is one of the most trusted ERP software solutions implemented by global leaders in the fresh fruit & vegetable industry. It offers high levels of technological support and features that can simply curb shelf-life and inventory-related losses, which boosting profits in fresh produce businesses. Farm ERP enables to provide traceable fresh produce to its clients & their customers through its agriculture management software with transformative technologies such as block chain, AI, ML, GIS, etc. This gives consumers the transparency of backtracking and understanding the route of their food from farm to fork.

Vol. 13, Issue 03 -August- 2020

ARTICLE

A Scoop of Ice Cream Evolution in India

ce Creams have enticed generations of people, having journeyed over centuries from ‘matka’ to chic gourmet plates of today’s Indians.This dairy product has constantly Anurag Jain, Busniess Director South Asia, Dupont Nutrition & Bioscience e v o l v e d , with 2020 being another watershed year in light of hot summer lockdown days and renewed importance of hygienic formats of consumption. Notably, today, with summers back, ice creamshave regained their status as king of desserts in India. While ice creams transcend seasons, in India it is particularly during summers when its diverse population beats high temperatures with chilled ice creams. Be it at home or an ice cream parlor, during evening walks or family picnics- ice creams have been a favorite form of indulgence in India

for centuries. This is rightfully so, given India is world’s largest milk producer and accounts for more that one- fifth of the world’s dairy production. However, this abundance doesnot transfertothe ice cream sector in terms of consumption. In fact, the per capita consumption of ice creams in India remains as low as 400 ml. Whereas countries like the US or China have shown higher per capita consumption in comparison despite not being key dairy producers like India . Clearly, there is scope for expanding India’s ice cream consumption, provided we successfully mitigate issues of coldstorage chain; as well as the challenge of significant number of people not having refrigerators at home for ice cream storage. However, India, although slowly but steadily, is experiencing a growth in the socio-economic status of both the State and its people. This is epitomized by an improved coldchain infrastructure, increased disposable income and fast-changing lifestyles. Considering this, ice cream manufacturers in India are stepping-up their product innovation and technology to meet the demands of the evolving consumers. Today’s consumer while progressive

and modern in his outlook and thinking is still rooted in his traditions. This gets translated to his choices as well. For instance, a variety of flavors and formats globally across the board are welcome. Yet even when sitting in a gourmet restaurant he might order a ‘Gulab jamun’ flavored ice cream (or any other local flavor). This consumer insight has resulted in constant product innovation, which as per reports , in recent years has transformed the Indian food landscape and in particular the ice cream market and its production. According to Mintel’s Ice Cream Indian Consumer 2019 report , manufacturers are driven purely by consumer factors such as a desire for excellent mouthfeel, high melt resistance, healthy goods (low on calorie), and unique compositions- to

create creamy and rich textured products. This holds true especially for the traditional Indian ice cream, Kulfi, which has enjoyed attention of at least 57% of consumers last year. Evidently, indulgence is on the rise with consumers increasingly trying out newer categories of ice cream like Kulfi. Whether it is flavor or format (in cup, stick or cone), people are keen to indulge in brand-new version of their kulfi ice creams which -is flavorful and unique but at the same time reminding them of their roots. Mintel’s research shows that 25% of total consumers and approximately 30% of young consumers aged 18-24 like trying new flavors of ice cream. Furthermore, 41% of 18-24-yearoldswould like to try ice cream with added fruit pieces and 35% of them would like added nuts/ biscuits. Traditional flavors are especially popular among youngsters who want to enjoy a palate such as that of paan or tamarind, even when dining gourmet. In fact, 13% of the ice cream launches in India from 2014-16 were in traditional Indian flavor segment. for the young generation it is all about getting in touch with their roots, for the older generations kulfi brings back good old childhood memories. Traditional indulgence clearly then is on the rise with a new-found interest among Indian consumers, both young and old alike; albeit with a unique twist and increased variety in flavors and format. A significant percentage of Indian population is also increasingly inclined towards healthy and premium options. Whether it is the fat content or sugar levels, all are evaluated by the consumers. With 2020, presenting new challenges in terms of health, consumers have become all the more cautious opting for diet-friendly ice creams, but then again often are found to swindle in favor of rich creamy indulgence. The need of ice cream innovation is two-fold then: health and indulgence. However, given we are living in times of a communicable virus, the need arises to create formats which do not soil one’s belongings or hands. This raises concerns about the melt resistance properties of the ice creams. A mess-free format of their favorite kulfis and ice creams, which have improved melting properties, and do not result in any unforeseen germ-prone situation is then an attractive proposition for future consumers. Thus, there is a sincerity towards health which is not just limited to the calorie-count or nutrient -profile alone, but also towards hygiene factor which otherwise inadvertently can lead to unforeseen health conditions. Clearly, it is time to rediscover ice creams and give them cosmetic and functional makeover which can help build a product profile -that matches consumer expectations. Partnering with food ingredient organizations such as DuPont who have the insights and technology to bring essential innovations that meet consumer needs can be key. Backed by wide range of portfolio, proprietary research, local presence, and a reservoir of functional systems solutions, DuPont can help create kulfis and ice creams which taste great, have high melt resistance and are premium in every sense. Whether it is mess-free format, creaminess or the overall product quality, developments beyond the manufacturing process are the need of the hour. In the end, it is not all about eating delicious desserts but also about eating right.

Vol. 13, Issue 03 -August- 2020

DAIRY NEWS

First of IVF buffalo calves born amidst lockdown; great boost to Indian dairy

K Trust has announced India’s first set of IVF buffalo calves born on a large buffalo farm situated near Rahu, at Taluka-Daund, Dist-Pune. This first-of-its kind creativity was pioneered by JK Bovagenix, an initiative of the trust, operational in the field of animal husbandry and is currently implementing ‘Cattle and Buffalo Breed Improvement Programme’ throughout the country on progressive approach. Five IVF buffalo calves that took birth from four buffaloes on Sonawane Buffalo Farm near Pune, also have its first case of twin buffalo calves born through IVF in India. These calves are of Murrah breed which is one of the world’s most renowned buffalo breeds. JK trust, is a social initiative of Raymond Group, thatis successfully implementing various cattle breed initiatives that are in line with ‘Rashtriya Gokul Mission’. GautamHariSinghania, CMD, Raymond Group informed, “This is one of its kind initiative that upholds the potential to give a significant boost to our national dairy production. It is imperative that in today’s context we conserve our indigenous cattle and buffalo breeds, as the milk given by them contain higher nutritional value to fight diseases. Also, increasing the Indian dairy produce can usher in more growth at the grassroot level

across Indian villages”. According to the report data, during the last one and a half year, the trust has been fundamental to establish 94 IVF pregnancies from a Gir donor cow called ‘Gauri’ in a span of 16 months which is from April 2019 to July 2020. Out of 94 IVF pregnancies, 64 are at JK Trust’s Farm and the rest 30 are at farmers’ doorsteps. Till now, 39 calves are born and remaining calves are expected to be born in later this year. This latest initiative is a breakthrough in cattle reproduction, as a cow normally produces a maximum of only 8-10 calves in her entire fertile lifespan. This IVF programme will pave the way for rapid multiplication of superior female animals at a much faster pace and lead India in animal husbandry field. Dr.Shyam Zawar, CEO, JK Trust, said, “India has more than 109 million buffaloes that are 56% of the world’s buffalo population. India is also home to Murrah, one of the world’s most renowned buffalo breeds and using Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) in buffaloes can enable India to multiply the population of genetically superior buffaloes resulting in higher quantity milk yield. Though, In-vitro Fertilization (IVF) in buffaloes is comparatively difficult than cows, the latest Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) needs to be popularized and should be used in buffaloes.”

Dwindling poultry industry needs Rs. 20,000 cr to recover from Covid rumours

n India, chicken prices at the farm gate plunged as much as 70%, forcing farmers to cull large numbers birds causing severe loss in business.

India’s poultry industry is in dire state and needs a solid cash after prices decreased earlier this year on speculation fanned by social media that chickens could spread the coronavirus, according to one of the top poultry keepers. “Chicken prices at the farm gate plummeted as much as 70% in March from January, forcing farmers to cull large numbers and causing huge losses”, said Suresh Chitturi, vice chairman and managing director of Srinivasa Farms Pvt. Prices have now recovered to just above production costs, but banks are still not willing to lend, he said. Chitturi further said, “Farmers need up to 200 billion rupees ($2.7 billion) in loans. Bank financing is crucial to the $14 billion industry which directly or indirectly employs 5 million people and supports 25 million producers. With an annual output of 95 billion eggs, India ranks second in the world”.

“We don’t want any freebie,” said Chitturi, who is also the chairman of the International Egg Commission. “We just need the cash to expand and we will pay back the money. We have seen an increase in demand recently and prices are also good because of a shortage in supplies,” he emphasized.

“Aavin has reduced procurement by 50% and also reduced the payment for each litre claiming that fat content in milk is low. Since fat content is low, instead of paying the fixed Rs. 31 per litre, they pay us only Rs. 21 to Rs. 22 per litre,” said district president Eashwaran. “This reduced payment also has been delayed for all farmers. Those who have one to two cows have outstanding payments of Rs.

iva Ayurveda has unveiled the new A2 ghee made with the nutrient-preserving ‘Bilona Churning Process’. The churning being bidirectional enhances the medicinal properties of ghee. Ayurveda has been known for herbs/foods that help in boosting immunity. The company has come up with a vital nutritional support for the entire family. The new product is made from the highest quality A2 milk of gir cows, according to the company. The ghee is a source of healthy amino acids, vitamins such as B2, B12, B6, C, E and K. It also possesses Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty-acids, which are beneficial in making the brain, heart, nervous system and eyes healthier. Omega-3 and -6 have been known to reduce risk of neurological problems such as ADHD and other behavioural problems in growing children. It is also helpful

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, chicken consumption in India is seen shrinking about 8% from last year to a three-year low of about 4 million tons in 2020. By contrast, demand in China will probably climb by 11% to a record of more than 15 million tons, while U.S. consumption is forecast to rise to an all-time high of over 17 million tons, stated the department.

20,000 to Rs. 25,000 and some farmers are yet to receive more than Rs. 60,000,” he added. Aavin has reportedly claimed about low revenues for low procurement and delayed payments, while farmers informed that the hundreds of outlets belonging to Aavin in the district are functioning as tea shops instead of milk stores. Yet another group of farmers have forwarded a petition to the collector, requesting the authorities to divert the high-tension power-line being laid from Virudhunagar to Coimbatore right over agriculture fields. This passing of high electric tension cables will drastically affect cultivation and productivity, they fear.

in reducing blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels. The product has essential macro and micro nutrients that fulfil the daily dietary requirement of the body and provides rejuvenation support for better cognitive and neurological functions. It is available in packs of 300ml and 1,000ml across all leading stores and online at store.jiva.com for Rs. 725 and Rs. 1,999.

To make cattle supplements, Cargill invests $15 mn in Maharashtra

argill India, initially in 2019 had posted a revenue of USD 1.2-1.3 billion, has set up a high-pressure hydrogenation plant in Kurkumbh to manufacture bypass fat which is already in production process. The commercial production of the supplement has already started and shall be marketed under the global brand named ‘Carfe’.

per cent. He said the company aims to capture noticeable market share. This product is already available in developed dairy cattle markets globally and will now be domestically manufactured at Cargill’s new bioindustrial plant at Kurkumbh and will be made available to all the dairy farmers and feed manufacturers all over the Indian Territory. The bioindustrialplant will also manufacture specialty vegetable oil-based waxes for industrial use and application, marketed under the brand name ‘Agri-Pure’. This by-product will have its application in tyre, plastic and candle industry. Around 80-90 per cent of the volume in this plant will be bypass fat, he informed.

“The industry won’t survive if it doesn’t get the funding as there is a risk of default on existing loans totaling as much as 250 billion rupees. We were beaten by rumors which almost killed the poultry business. I’d be making good money if I were in the U.S. or China as people there are consuming more poultry to have good protein intake,” he said.

Dairy farmers criticize Aavin Dairy for lessening procurement group of farmers from Tirupur poured milk on the streets in protest against the Aavin management. Accompanied with 60 other farmers, six farmers of the Tamil Nadu Vivaisaigal Sangam in a protest poured litres of milk in front of an Aavin cooperative office at Veerapandi Pirivu.

Jiva Ayurveda launches A2 Ghee made with nutrientpreserving process

“India has been the largest milk producer in the world for over two decades but milk productivity per animal is still low in comparison to the world average”, Pethaiyan said. US food major Cargill stated that it has invested USD 15 million (around Rs. 112 crore) to set up a plant in Maharashtra to manufacture health and nutrition supplement bypass fat for dairy cattle. “We have made a total investment of USD 15 million to set up this plant. It has an annual capacity of 35,000 tons, making it one of the largest facilities to manufacture bypass fats and specialty waxes in the country,” said Keerthy Pethaiyan, regional director, Cargill Bioindustrial, India in a virtual press conference. Stating that bypass fat is a source of energy for dairy animals, he said this will help in improving milk production by 7-10 per cent and also fat content. India has been the largest milk producer in the world for over two decades but milk productivity per animal is still low in comparison to the world average, Pethaiyan said. Relating to the market size of bypass fat, Pethaiyan said the current size is around 30,000- 35,000 ton in India and it is expected to double by 2025. The compound feed industry is likely to grow 13 -15

“India is a key growth market for Cargill and in line with our commitment to the country, this marks a continuation of our investment in India. By building upon our operations at this facility, we will increase our regional footprint and enhance our local capabilities to better support the needs of our local customers as well as multi-national customers across the globe,” said Kurtis Miller, global managing director, Industrial Segment, Cargill Bioindustrial. Cargill started its operations in India in 1987. It has multi-businesses in refined oils, food ingredients, grain and oilseeds, cotton, animal nutrition, bioindustrial and trade structured finance. Having a dozen manufacturing plants across businesses, Cargill India markets leading consumer brands of edible oils such as Nature Fresh, Gemini, Sweekar, Leonardo Olive Oil, Rath and Sunflower brand of hydrogenated fats. It sells wheat flour under the ‘Nature Fresh’ brand name. Cargill markets animal feed and premix under the Provimi, Purina, and EWOS brands. Having its presence in 70 countries, Cargill has a total workforce of 1,55,000 across the globe. In India, Cargill employs more than 4,000 people working in offices and plants along with a web of offices, warehouses and depots across the country.

Vol. 13, Issue 03 -August- 2020

ARTICLE

Master Kong’s aseptic PET lines’cost predictability and efficiency improved with Sidel’s maintenance services

n 2019, Master Kong beverage (Master Kong) in China opted to sign a two-year fixed price maintenance contract with Sidel forfourof their aseptic complete PET lines producing ready-to-drink (RTD) teas in their plants in Langfang and Baotou. Sidel’sproactive maintenance and on-site support have contributed to Master Kong’s business during the peak season by better controlling maintenance costs while improving the lines’ efficiency by 6%. Master Kongare a part of Ting Hsin International Group. The company are particularly active in non-alcoholic beverage segment being one of the top three players in China and leading the RTD tea segment in the country with a 45% market share. The beginning of Master Kong’s and Sidel’s partnership dates back more than 15 years whenthe first of several packaging lines for Water, CSD, and JNSDIT were installed by Sidel.After several years of operation of the aseptic PET packaging

lines,the leading RTD tea producer in China were considering maintenance services. The objective was to keep the maintenance costs predictable for two lines running in the Baotou plant since 2012 and for two othersin the Langfang plant since 2013. Shift to a proactive maintenance pays off

Service-wise Master Kong in the past were doing reactive maintenance, buying spare parts only when needed, which generated unplanned downtime andcosts. “The new maintenance contract straightforward showed the advantages to the customer of shifting to a more proactive maintenance. Moreover, they trusted in ourability, as their Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), to do the required maintenance in order to extend aseptic PET lines’ lifetime, running at 48,000 bottles per hour. We also ensured the continuity of their product safety,”points out Christina XU, Services Account Director for Greater China at Sidel.

“We have trusted in Sidel’s professional expertise since the beginning of our cooperation. They have been a reliable partner, convincingly demonstrating an in-depth knowledge of aseptic PET packaging. Not least, it remains important to us to have them as our OEM, providing us with consistent equipment and servicesas well as advice on demand,” says Mr. Wang WEI, Head of Product Planning Supply Chain Management –Operation Department at Master Kong.“The service contract definitely answers all our needs,”he assures. Control costs and increase uptime To define the most appropriate maintenance service solution for the customer from the onset, Sidel experts compared Master Kong’s yearly average maintenance and spare parts storage expenses withthe traditional expenses related to the effective operation of the aseptic lines. Therefore, the contract fundamentally ensures better cost control, providing a clearer view of maintenance expenses with specified fixed costs based on the number of running hours. Additionally, the tailored spare part orders, stipulated in the contract, helped to optimise cash flow by reducing inventory costs for spare parts. Sidel have been providing proper scheduling and execution of preventive and corrective maintenance. Their analysis and reports enabled Master Kong to accurately monitor the lines and maximise their uptime.The aseptic validation process, included in the contract and passed right after the maintenance, secured product safety Master Kong were aiming for. Close and successful partnership with longterm ambitions “Thanks to the great support from Master Kong and our strong aseptic knowledge, we accomplished the first year of maintenance execution by the end of 2019. Smooth project management and close collaboration between both sides allowed to refill the spare parts stock and to run the necessary diagnostics in less than two months, just in time for the yearly overhaul,” says Christina XU. The partnership during the maintenance process was organised in quarterly and monthly onsite meetings as well as regular follow-up. Furthermore, Sidel provided on-site technical coaching to optimise operations. “From a production point of view, we are really happy that Sidel’s local technicians were able to continuously train our employees on-site to optimise operations on our machines. Additionally, we could also rely on a key safety stock of 100% original Sidel spare parts, securing machine uptime and generating further savings,” adds Mr. Wang WEI. As the maintenance contract brought great value to the company, in December 2019 Master Kong signed another maintenance contract with Sidel for additional five aseptic PET packaging lines and four blowers in their Chengdu plant, and now are thinking to extend Sidel’smaintenance services also across other plants.

www.agronfoodprocessing.com

Vol. 13, Issue 03 -August- 2020

TRADE NEWS

Food processing industry capitalizes on demand

overnment efforts to improve infrastructure and supply chain show results When Savita Gaikwad, a Sharjah-based teacher who has been in the UAE since 2001, goes shopping for grocery, her list invariably includes Lijjat urad papad, Priya lemon pickle, blended masalas, and her favourite, instant kheer. Gaikwad insists she is yet to find anything in the UAE that matches food from India. Her colleague from the Philippines, ArletteRada, too has become a consumer of Indian food, especially frozen parathas. Rada loves the ease of cooking these and the time she saves. Halima Jumani, Director of Operations at Kibsons International, reveals that sales of ready-toeat products from India, such as dosa or idli batter, mixes and parathas are three times higher than original spices and flour. “This shows that customers are increasingly looking for convenience within the classic Indian processed food range,” she says, adding that local Indian customers are highly selective and loyal to unique brands they have come to trust. Kamal Vachani, Group Director at Al Maya, agrees that the large Indian diaspora and its affinity for home-grown food has created a sizeable market for Indian products in the UAE. “Though, because of taste and appeal, these products are also liked by a wider consumer base, including Emiratis,” he says. Al Maya stocks popular Indian food brands, and Vachani reveals its outlets have seen a “quantum surge” in demand. Choithrams too has seen an “exponential growth” in demand. Rajiv Warrier, its CEO, asserts that Indian cuisine is on the world map for its rich, unique flavours. “The UAE consumer base is diverse — from Emiratis and a large Indian population to residents from more than 200 countries. The amazing thing is that consumers, whether they have Indian roots or not, want to try these unique flavours coming out of India.” Categories benefiting the most are ready-toeat meals, health-specific variants, vegan or vegetarian options, organic spices, ethnic and regional flavoured products, lentils, and tea. Warrier feels the trend is for newer, convenient and healthier options. This demand translates into sourcing of such products, which in turn fuels the food processing industry in India. Still some way to go According to the October 2019 Agriculture and Allied Industries report from India Brand Equity Foundation, total agricultural exports from India grew at a compound annual growth rate of 14.61 per cent over FY10-19, reaching $38.54 billion (Dh141.5 billion). However, India’s export of processed food accounted for only $4.45 billion in 2018-19. Dubai-based entrepreneur HariSaraff, who has been in the shipping business since the 1970s, thinks the food processing industry in India is still “a sad affair” on the exports front. “India is the largest producer of milk and secondlargest producer of fruits in the world, but almost all the brands available in the UAE and elsewhere are European, not Indian,” he says. Saraff notes that India has a serious problem with an extraordinary proportion of food grown going waste. If India can fix its infrastructural woes and do a better job at marketing to the international audience, the country’s processed food industry could achieve a virtual monopoly in the Gulf. “Except for basmati rice, India has not been able to make global consumers think about India when they think about food products,” he says. Deepa D’souza, Founder & CEO of Mumbaibased Coffee Blossoms Fine Food, observes that India’s food sector has seen recent setbacks. “The industry needs to focus on the quality of products that are being exported. More stringent processing conditions and mandatory regulations with certification will be favourable for India’s exports in the future,” she says. Moreover, as a

November 2019 report by the Indian Chamber of Food and Agriculture states, India has remained at the lower end of the global agri export value chain since majority of its exports are low-value, raw or semi-processed and marketed in bulk. The share of India’s high-value and value-added agri produce in its agri export basket is less than 15 per cent compared to 25 per cent in the US and 49 per cent in China. “India is unable to export its vast horticultural produce due to lack of uniformity in quality, standardization and its inability to curtail losses across the value chain. India can further expand its horizons, ushering more products into the export category,” the report adds. Food processing, a sunrise industry Despite the rough edges, the Indian food processing industry has grown rapidly over the past few decades. “The exciting news is that there is tremendous potential to grow further at an accelerated pace,” says Hemant Malik, Divisional Chief Executive, and Foods Business at ITC. Malik points out that as India moves rapidly towards prosperity, this brings huge growth opportunities for the sector. Currently, food processing is the fifth-largest industry in the country, accounts for 32 per cent of the total food market and contributes 13 per cent to total exports. India is building the infrastructure to support growth of the food processing industry, and this includes 7,845 cold storage chains with capacity of 35.88 million tons and 42 mega food parks — the Indian government is investing more than $900 billion in these, along with activating various schemes to improve supply chains, storage facilities and to reduce waste. Further, the 2018 Agriculture Export Policy aims to double farmers’ income by boosting India’s agricultural exports to $60 billion by 2022. And to attract investments, the government has allowed 100 per cent foreign direct investment — the food processing industry has seen an inflow of about $10 billion, between April 2000 and March 2020. The Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) estimates it might bring in $33 billion in investments by 2024, while generating employment of nine million persondays. A healthy future Looking further ahead, Malik finds changing consumption patterns due to urbanization, rising income levels, and low penetration levels in rural India offers large headroom for growth in the Indian food processing sector. “As manufacturers move up the value chain, Indian brands will begin to enter more and more household and appeal to consumers across nationalities,” says Malik. Varun Berry, Managing Director at Britannia Industries, says that in current disruptive times, consumers tend to seek out food brands they believe in. “The ‘occasional’ brands repertoire is likely to shrink. Brand equity will prove to be a very strong asset and the consumer love for everything the brand stands for will help it sustain and grow, more so in these times than before.” Similarly, dining out has given way to dining in, and Berry states biscuits and other in-home consumption products have gained sharply from this trend. CII, in its August 2019 report on the Indian food processing sector, notes that more than 400 million Indians are regularly consuming some form of processed food, with urban areas accounting for 75 per cent of sales. Two-thirds of India’s population is young and places greater emphasis on convenience, quality and health. “Going forward the demand for processed food in India is expected to be directed by consumer preference of nutritional value, brand-consciousness and awareness regarding sustainable production,” the report concludes.

“There is a rising demand for Turkish Sultana Grapes in German trade

he early signal of the Turkish grape season is now looming. In a few days the first Sultana batches will arrive at the Stuttgart wholesale market, confirms Enes Cakmak, junior managing director of the Fresh Maximum LLC based there. “We expect a high-priced start of the season: according to current information, the starting price will be 10-20 percent higher than last year’s level.” The campaign of seedless Sultana grapes is usually continued deep into December. “We expect a successful campaign this year with correspondingly high sales,” adds Cakmak, who is one of the largest suppliers of the popular fruit on the German market. “Although we are not the first on the market, we prefer to start the season a little later and offer high quality right at the beginning of the campaign.” In addition to the Sultana grapes, there are also superior batches from Turkish cultivation at the beginning of the season. “I am against this because in practice they are often sold as Sultana,” warns Cakmak.

customers are also increasingly appreciating them. The growth rates for grapes in particular are quite pleasing. The demand is increasing year by year. Some of the Sultana grapes are also exported to France and Italy” said the company’s official.

Established brands of Grapes: The Stuttgart-based company offers its grapes under three proven trademarks, namely Elele, Efendi and Elizi. The company is the exclusive sales partner of this brand at the Stuttgart wholesale market as well as in the entire state of Baden-Württemberg and mainly supplies specialist retailers and delicatessen dealers. “Our brands gain in importance every year. Local

Ecologically friendly packaging solutions The majority of Turkish grapes are packed in 5kg wooden crates, usually filled with smaller bags. “The packaging makes a big difference, especially with grapes. That’s why we are also trying to switch to sustainable solutions in the near future. In close consultation with our Turkish supplier, we are working hard to find a suitable alternative,” he added.

Coca-Cola India launches two variants beverages

oca-Cola India,to aid the Indian agricultural ecosystem, has planned to invest US$1.7 billion for creating a Fruit Circular Economy till the year 2023. According to the company’s statement, under the master brand of Minute Maid, Coca-Cola India has introduced two new products providing some of the major daily essential nutrition requirements manufactured with fruits typically grown by farmers of India. Minute Maid Nutriforce and Minute Maid Vita Punch are the new variants offering much needed benefits of mental agility and immunity.

beverages in line with consumer preferences. The expansion of our portfolio of nutritious juices under Minute Maid is in line with our aim to nourish every Indian and become India’s first choice in fruit nutrition.” According to Coca-Cola India, Minute Maid Vita Punch is a range of delicious fruit cocktails crafted from Indian fruit recipes that provide 100 percent of ones’ daily requirement of Vitamin C to support immunity. Like others, this initiative marks Coca-Cola India’s entry into the nascent category of immunity-boosting beverages. Minute Maid Nutriforce has been especially designed for Indian mothers who are always seeking nutritious choices for their growing children. Minute Maid Nutriforce blends the great taste of Kashmiri apple juice with iron, zinc and other essential vitamins that supports cognition and mental sharpness and helps children learn faster, being the most important need in these changing and critical hours.

The main purpose of new introduction of the Minute Maid brands also underlines Coca-Cola India’s aim on the ‘Fruit Circular Economy’ enterprise, which will enable farmers to increase their produce by cultivating fruits to launch fruitbased beverages. Coca-Cola India has also planned to invest US$1.7 billion for creating a ‘Fruit Circular Economy’ to aid the Indian agricultural ecosystem till the year 2023.

Communicating on the changing behaviour and requirements of consumers and their adoption on Coca-Cola’s product development, Vijay Parasuraman – Vice President - Marketing, CocaCola India and Southwest Asia, said, “With the changing times, consumers are now opting for beverage options with health benefits – as their approach towards health and wellness is also transforming drastically.

Highlighting about the newly launched products, T. Krishna kumar - President, Coca-Cola India and Southwest Asia, said, “Coca-Cola remains grounded in its purpose to craft meaningful brands and offer its consumers a choice of drinks that refresh in body and spirit. Our long-term strategy entails offering more and more fruit-based

The new beverages were developed keeping in mind consumers’ requirements as they also adapt to the ‘new normal’. Made with fruits grown by Indian farmers, the latest additions to our delightful nutrition portfolio under Minute Maid Masterbrand are focused on solving real problems of our consumers in these times.”

Vol. 13, Issue 03 -August- 2020

FOOD SAFETY NEWS

Why Equitable Food Security is a Critical Pandemic Lesson

diet but according to FAO, pests and diseases are responsible for losses of 20 to 40 per cent of global food production.

Anything that threatens the growth of plants and crops will end up threatening our overall food security and nutrition goals.( http://www.fao. org/3/a-i7829e.pdf). India’s overarching scheme for holistic nutrition, titled National Nutrition

he unprecedented public health crisis in the form of a pandemic has tested human stamina like never before. The lockdown to contain its spread caused an immediate panic reaction and people started buying more food items than usual. They were bracing for an unknown and food is a basic necessity. India’s long history of famines have made people circumspect, making them take serious note of availability of food. When applied at a macro level – country or region – food security is a significant factor for a healthy life today and development of tomorrow. The term food security is used as a keyword in the policy discussions. However, a look at the figures gathered and presented by agencies such as the UN show that even in the 21st century, India is home to one-fourth of hungry people of the world. Nearly 4 out of 10 children in India do not meet their full human potential due to chronic undernutrition or stunting that results in reduced learning capacity, poor school performance, reduced earnings and increased risks of chronic diseases. In women, the impacts are multigenerational as malnourished girls and women often give birth to low birth-weight infants. Apart from hunger, another phenomenon, termed hidden hunger, is prevalent in India. It refers to a situation of chronic micronutrient deficiency, where a person might have access to sufficient calories, but lacks adequate micronutrients and can have lasting effects on health and wellbeing, especially for children. Poor nutrition and nutritional imbalances are associated with increased risk of getting COVID infection. According to a Government of India report, over the last 20 years, India’s total food grain production has increased from 198 million tonnes to 269 million tonnes. Wheat and rice are the staple foods and constitute around 75 per cent of the total food grain production. The state of Uttar Pradesh leads in the production of wheat, cereals and food grains, closely followed by Punjab and Madhya Pradesh. West Bengal is the ‘rice bowl’ of India, followed by Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Bihar. It states that the per capita net availability of food grains has increased from 475 to 484 gm/day in 2018,

By Mr. Rajesh Aggarwal, Managing Director, Insecticides (India) Limited

indicating there is no shortage, at least production wise. Although there has been a huge increase in production of rice, wheat and other cereals, their per capita net availability has not increased at the same level, due to population growth, food wastage and losses. What are Indians eating and how much? If Engel’s law is to be believed, when other factors remain constant, the share of income spent on food decreases with a rise in income. A higher share of total monthly expenditure for food shows lower purchasing power and may indicate a problem in food access. Hence, to say it is a relative measure of food insecurity will not be wrong. On an average, people allocate about 49 per cent of their monthly expenditure on food in rural areas and 39 per cent in urban areas. The share of food expenditure is highest among the poorest who spend at least 30 per cent of their income for food: In rural and urban areas, the poorest 30 per cent spend as much as 60 per cent and 55 per cent of their income respectively, on food. Among the lowest 30 per cent of the income class, the average per capita consumption of energy in rural areas is 1811 kcal/day, far lower than 2,155 kcal/day, as prescribed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). They are consuming a protein quantity of 47.5 grams/day as compared to the 48 grams/day norm. In urban areas, per capita intake of energy is 1,745 kcal/day against 2,090/day norm of the ICMR. The protein consumption is 47 grams/day compared to the norm of 50 grams/day. The current intake level of nutrients such as energy and protein were lower than the all-India average and the daily minimum consumption requiremen. It is important to ensure that people are able to access what they need. That may necessitate ensuring steady income to plug the gap in the food supply mechanisms. But that will also necessitate ensuring there is enough food for all, which can be attained with better protection of crops from insects,weeds and diseases and changing climate as well as increasing produce of those crops that are being consumed more today. Plants account for a whopping 80 per cent of human

Mission or POSHAN Abhiyaan, has been a timely intervention to improve nutritional outcomes for children, pregnant women and lactating mothers. However, it is important to ensure holistic wellbeing to every Indian. It is time that India makes the best use of its increased agricultural productivity so that food security becomes a reality to help its people beat not only COVID but malnutrition and diseases.

FSSAI’s holistic path wins ‘Eat Right India’ movement

n 7th August in New Delhi, Dr. Harsh Vardhan presided over signing of MoU between CSIR and FSSAIfor Collaborative Research and Information Dissemination regarding Food and Nutrition. FSSAI awarded the Food Systems Vision Prize for its‘Eat Right India’ movement

“The MoU is avery significant step that will create a brighter future for India seeking collaborative research and information dissemination in the area of food & nutrition, and food and consumer safety solutions in India. The collaboration between these two premier institutions of India will contribute in fulfilling the vision of New Food System 2050.”

Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare presided the signing of MoU between Food Safety and Standards Authority ofIndia (FSSAI) under Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) under Ministry of Science & Technology, in the presence of Sh. Ashwini K.Choubey Minister of State (HFW)on the said date. The MOU aims towards collaborative research and information dissemination in the area of food and nutrition.

Dr. Harsh Vardhan also congratulated FSSAI on being selected as one of the ten global organizations for the award by Rockefeller Foundation, in partnership with SecondMuse, and OpenIDEO for the ‘Eat Right India’ movement. The award recognizes organizations that have developed an inspiring vision of the regenerative and nourishing food system that they aspire to create by the year 2050. Dr. Harsh Vardhan stated that the award is a strong recognition of FSSAI’s holistic and path breaking approach towards food safety and nutrition. It also provides the vision for its growth path, he added. He said that “the vision of Health for All can be achieved through the twin measures of ensuring physical exercise and choosing nutritious food in our daily lives. The ‘Eat Right India’ vision is about creating a culture of safe, healthy and sustainable food involving all stakeholders and leveraging technology in food production, processing, distribution, quality and traceability and to empower consumers to adopt right eating practices”.

Congratulating both FSSAI and CSIR for this innovative step that will merge the potential and faculties of both the premier organizations, Dr. Harsh Vardhan stated that this MOU will enable identification of technologies and programs to be developed in the area of food safety and nutrition research, along with recognition of innovative technologies available with CSIR ford eployment by the Indian businesses and/ or for regulating compliances. It will also seek collection of data regarding food consumption, incidence and prevalence of biological risk, contaminants in food, identification of emerging risks, their mitigation strategies and introduction of rapid alert system. The two organizations will collaborate towards strengthening the quality assurance of laboratory network across the country aimed at development and validation of methods for reliable reporting on quality and safety of food products, he stated. Speaking on the MoU signed between FSSAI and CSIR, Dr. Harsh Vardhan said

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Dr. Harsh Vardhan highlighted that the envisioned new food system of 2050 will see a surge in demand for healthy, nutritious, plant-based, local, seasonal and indigenous foods, produced organically. He said it will also see an enhanced focus on climatefriendly food production systems, conservation of land and water resources, reduction in food loss and food wastage across the value chain, increase in small scale production units for self-sustaining local economies, use of environment friendly packaging alternatives, repurposing of waste. Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey congratulated the recipients of the highly respected Award launched by Rockefeller Foundation. He said “The movement envisioned by India will lead to arevival of traditional Ayurvedic wisdom in ancient food practices, a variety of new employment opportunities to bring these measures into practice and support local and rural economies, particularly for women bringing about economic growth and gender equity.” Sh. Shekhar C Mande, DG-CSIR, Sh. Arun Singhal, CEO, FSSAI and other senior officials of FSSAI and CSIR were also present at the occasion. Dr. Amulya K. Panda, Dr. Sudesh KumarYadav of Center of Innovative and Applied Bioprocessing (CIAB, Mohali), an autonomous bodyunder DBT, Dr. Addanki Vamsi Krishna, Scientist, DBT; and Directors of CSIR labs; Shri KMKS Raghava Rao, Director, Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI, Mysore), Dr. Alok Dhawan, Director, Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (IITR, Lucknow), Dr. Sanjay Kumar, Director, Institute of Himalayan Bioresource Technology (IHBT, Palampur), Dr. Ayyappanpillai Ajayaghosh, Director, National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (NIIST, Thiruvananthapuram), and Dr. Narahari Sastry, Director, North EastInstitute of Science and Technology (NEIST, Jorhat) joined the meet digitally.

Vol. 13, Issue 03 -August- 2020

NEWS

RAHI Khichdi Mix caters to hungry and nutrition of millions in COVID times

ise Against Hunger India’(RAHI) has catered to over 2.5 million meals to weaker section in 38 districts across 9 states of Indian Territory worst hit by COVID and subsequent lockdown. Dola Mohapatra, Executive Director, RAHI, narrates that nearly 85% of the ready-to-cook meals were provided to the migrant population. When asked about how has RAHI been making the selection of food ingredients or meals being provided to the needy, keeping in mind both hunger and nutrition aspects, Mohapatra replied, “Rise Against Hunger India provides dry, uncooked meal packets to different groups, both during regular times as well as emergencies such as natural disasters, or even during COVID-19. The ingredients are a perfect mix for making Khichdi – which is quite a common dish across India. The meals consist of a mix of rice, dal, dehydrated vegetables and a sachet that contains a blend of micronutrients (23 vitamins & minerals). The first 3 items, which provide both the carbohydrate and protein content, are cooked together, and the contents of the sachet (which are powdered) are sprinkled on top after cooking. This sachet provides the required nutrients to make it a healthy meal. So, in a sense, we provide Khichdi-mix plus vitamins. He further added that a typical RAHI meal meets minimum calorie need of an able-bodied person and it covers all primary food elements e.g. macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates) and micronutrients and vitamins (Vitamin A, Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B6, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Niacin, Calcium, Iron, Phosphorus, Iodine, Magnesium, Zinc, Selenium, Copper, Manganese, Chromium, Molybdenum,

Pantothenic Acid and Folic Acid). These vitamins and micronutrients are essential for the healthy growth of the body, boosting immunity and improvement of cognitive abilities of an individual. Supplying the balance meals is the objective of RAHI. A single RAHI meal can provide wholesome nourishment, which can alternatively be obtained only from a diverse diet over multiple meals consumed over weeks. People in distress, who are the beneficiaries of RAHI meals cannot afford such wholesome balanced diet as consumed by those with high financial resources. So, RAHI meals are the best possible alternative for these underprivileged people, usually from the lowest economic strata of society to access wholesome nutritious diets.Tis makes the availability a better choice for the poor, Mohapatra went on. Mentioning the additional benefits of RAHI meals that includes availability in a ready-to-cook form, Mohapatra said that these meals provide ease-of-use for the beneficiaries, especially in the difficult times, such as disasters and natural calamities like droughts, floods, earthquakes and so forth. With better quality and full of nutrients, RAHI meal has a shelf life of 2 years that helps the person in distress to collect the meals in one-go and continue to consume the meals over a long period of time, without any loss to the nutritional aspects of the ingredients. Mohapatra informed that they have been successfully coping with the challenge of having to cater to different taste in food across the country where they gave special attention and took great

care while ensuring that ingredients are cultureneutral and acceptable to all strata of society. ‘Khichdi’ is universal and something that is consumed in every part and state of India. Rice, dal and vegetables are consumed as basic meals in every culture of India and world on the whole. This makes RAHI meals easily acceptable in all parts of India. Also, the meals are such that they can be cooked just in water without any additions. However, they can also be cooked with the usual ingredients in an Indian kitchen such as onions, tomatoes, chilli and other masalas. This makes the meal tastier and gives it variety. In different parts of

the country, the basic meal can be cooked in a manner that suits the taste of that particular area. RAHI has served meals in different states such as Bihar, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Jharkhand, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and many more. Every community has added their own flavour and ingredients to the RAHI meals. In Tamil Nadu RAHI has been consumed by added flavours of Sāmbhar powder, whereas in Bihar with addition of local vegetables or as veg pilaf in Punjab with a spoonful of desi ghee. RAHI meals provide super flexibility to the meal recipients to cook it the way they like it.

Parle Agro shoves Walmart India to court for violation of trademark

n a very rare occurrence of a domestic company, Parle Agro has sued amulti-national company for violation of trademark. The Bombay HC has granted Parle Agro interim relief till the next hearing on 20thAugust 2020. Parle Agro has filed a legal action against Walmart India for ‘deceptively’ packaging and selling an appleflavoured drink, similar to its trademarked Appy Fizz. This is a very rare example of a domestic company suing a multi-national company for violation of trademark. The case in question is presided by Justice B.P.Colabawalla of the Bombay High Court who in an interim order, has directed Walmart India to stop and hold back retailing and shelving of the questioned product till further notice. The Walmart has christened its drink called ‘Fizzy Apple’ and Parle Agro, in its petition, has alleged that the retailer was “manufacturing, marketing, selling and promoting” the drink “using identical font, style and colour scheme” as Parle’s Appy Fizz. Parle Agro’sadvocate, Hiren Kamod told the court

the “mark, shape, colour scheme and label … the entire trade dress of the defendants impugned product is identical to the plaintiff’s product.” He added that these attempts show that it was “obvious” Walmart is trying to “sail as close to the wind as possible”. To support its allegations, Parle said it has dominated the sparkling fizzy apple juice segment with over 90 percent market share. Appy Fizz was launched in 2005 informed the company. Kamod stated that the defendants are thus “seeking to ride the reputation and goodwill” generated by Parle’s product to make “wrongful gains.” On Walmart India’s part, advocate Abhishek Malhotra from TMT Law Practise told the court that ‘Fizzy’ was a common descriptive word which no one can claim monopoly over. The interim order from Justice Collabawala came on July 9. The next hearing is on 20thAugust 2020. Parle’s Kamod and Walmart’s Malhotra refused to give any comments citing subjudice case, while Walmart did not respond to queries at all.

Vol. 13, Issue 03 -August- 2020

PCAKAGING NEWS

Dow to reduce greenhouse gas emissions through food packaging solutions

arking the first carbon mitigation project in Japan under Dow’s Official Carbon Partnership with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Dow and AEON CO – the largest retailer in Asia – signed a Carbon Project Agreement to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and food loss by utilising Dow technologies in food packaging solutions and practices. The Dow-AEON Carbon Project Agreement is one of several projects executed by Dow and the IOC around the world as part of the carbon partnership program.

circular economy market director for Dow and global technology and sustainability director for Dow Olympic and Sports Solutions. “At Dow, we foster collaboration across the value chain – film producers, converters, equipment manufacturers, brand owners and retailers – to promote packaging solutions that support resource efficiency and a more circular economy. In teaming up with AEON on this project, the goal is twofold: integrate new packaging technologies that preserve food freshness and deliver quantifiable environmental

“Powered by our vision for a low carbon society and a country with zero food waste, AEON has set challenging yet attainable sustainability goals for our company and customers that will contribute to the industry’s effort to help build a sustainable future,” said AEON. “This agreement will accelerate the achievement of our goals through this first-of-its-kind food packaging collaboration in Japan.”

The international community set a goal of halving per capita global food waste at the retail and consumer levels as part of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With a reliance on imported crops, Japan’s food selfsufficiency rate is at a 25-year low. In contrast, 6.43 million tons of food in Japan are wasted per year due to food products that are unsold, unconsumed or past the expiration date. “Plastic packaging can play a critical role in reducing food loss, ensuring consumer safety and meeting environmental goals of lowering carbon emissions,” said Dr. NicolettaPiccolrovazzi,

the industry’s SDG by setting a target of halving the company’s own food waste by 2025. AEON started adopting the use of vacuum skin packaging (VSP) for several types of food in its stores owned by group companies. Supported by Dow’s lonomer technology (in Japan, a joint venture, DowMitsui Polychemicals Co., Ltd., manufactures and markets under a license from Dow)4, VSP extends the shelf life of products and offers better protection during shipment, leading to food loss mitigation and carbon reduction throughout the lifecycle.

impacts, while raising awareness with consumers on the issue of food loss and its importance.” In 2017, AEON committed to contributing to

Aeon’s group company – Daiei, made a trial sale in November 2019 with four of its beef products. Since then, they have expanded their product lineups to include poultry and lamb packaged products, with plans to increase the store count and expand this packaging solution to seafood application. The

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collaboration with Dow and AEON will drive the adoption of more sustainable solutions that mitigate GHG emissions throughout the products’ lifecycle. The resulting climate benefits will be validated by a third party and contribute to Dow’s Official Carbon Partnership with the IOC. “Through the reduction in food loss and food waste, combined with the need for less packaging material, VSP provides a better-protected product with an improved environmental footprint,” said Taro Fukuzaki, Executive Vice President, DowMitsui Polychemicals. “This technology removes nearly all residual oxygen from the package, which not only leads to extended shelf life of products and better protection during shipment, but also minimizes the need for added preservatives depending on its applications. The strong sealant and surface adhesion to meats and seafood helps minimize migration of liquids and presents a cleaner package to the consumer.” Dow’s Carbon Partnership with the IOC aims to help to build a positive legacy of low-carbon business practices and drive action-focused collaborations against climate change. Initiated in 2017 to balance the operational carbon footprint of the IOC and beyond, the partnership encourages organizations outside the Olympic movement to adopt programs for reducing carbon emissions while catalyzing change across value chains. Dow also recently committed to additional global carbon emissions reduction targets, including achieving carbon neutrality by 2050.

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Vol. 13, Issue 03 -August- 2020

ARTICLE

Dairy farmers of Maharashtra dumping their milk again? Reason-Covid

aharashtra witnesses dumping milk again. Earlier it was for price rise but this time the outbreak of corona and frequent lockdowns is the prime reason behind the recent upheavals. Covidhas soured the dairy business and is being held responsible by the farmers who are opting to dump their milk on roads and halting milk supplies to the cities. Milk prices are in news once again. Dairy farmers in Maharashtra region have again started a series of protests against the low prices dairies are paying them currently. By the end of April 2020, dairies in Maharashtra had started reducing procurement prices they pay to farmers for their milk. In May, dairies in Tamil Nadu had effected a similar cut in procurement prices with the Karnataka dairy unions also announcing a revised price by Rs. 2 per liter. In case of Maharashtra, farmers who were paid at the rate of Rs. 30 per liter for their milk with 3.5 per cent fat and 8.5 per cent SNF (solid-not-fat) saw a steady decline in their realizations with dairies

now paying between Rs. 17-22.50 per liter. This vertical decrease in their prices has led to the present protest with multiple farmer organizations taking to the streets. Dairies claim that the lockdown has severely affected their capacity to pay the farmers and other expenditure. During the initial days of lockdown, dairies saw products like ghee, cheese, butter, ultra heat treated milk (sold in cartons) fly off the shelves as people stock-piled the essential commodities. However, the closure of key commercial buyers like hotels, cafes and restaurants, ice cream manufacturers, sweet, confectionery and mithai shops etc… saw dairies reporting sharp dip in their milk sales. Excess milk is converted by dairies into skimmed milk powder (SMP) which they either trade on commodities platforms or reconvert into liquid milk when their collection goes down. Estimates

by the dairy industry has pegged that at present the country has around 2 lakh tons of SMP which is further hitting their bottom lines. With total and partial lockdowns, social distancing norms, have distant the occasion of marriages and other socio-religio gatherings. Festivals normally bring dairies into brisk business as sales of milk, ghee, curds, sweets etc…to peak during this time, but the corona hangs over both the upcoming Eid, Raksha Bandhan and Ganesh Chaturthi later in August. Before the lockdown, SMP in domestic market was around Rs. 270-300 per kg but since then prices have collapsed to the present Rs. 160170 per kg which has seen dairies having no other option but to incur storage cost on it. Other businesses such as small mithai shops, Streetchaiwallahs, shutting down of industrial canteens has led to a further decrease in milk demand. A combination of both lower sales and unsold commodities have led to the present crisis with dairies not ruling out further price correction in the days to come. In the present scenario, farmers are demanding a direct subsidy ranging from Rs. 5-10 per liter which will ensure their realization is

between Rs. 25-30 per liter. This will compensate their cost of production which is around Rs. 22-23 per liter not taking in consideration labour charges. The government of Karnataka has a scheme which sees the government paying a subsidy of Rs. 6 per liter directly into the account of farmers helping them during crisis. Farmers in Maharashtra are also demand the similar introduction of the scheme that has been adopted by Govt of Karnataka. Dairies have asked for an export subsidy which will enable them to offload their unsold stock of SMP and thus enable them to create more demand in international market and hence pay farmers a better price without any hardship.

Mother Dairy makes 5 types of traditional milk-based sweets this season

he festive spirits are dying down due to the lockdown. Mother Dairy has come up with 5 variants to relieve consumers from the worries of celebrating the upcoming festivities in the ongoing difficult times. Mother Dairy, Delhi NCR has expanded its range of traditional milkbased sweets and is offering consumers the option to go for packaged sweets. Mother Dairy’s range of traditional milk-based sweets comprises five products, available in close vicinity of delhi, comprising of the famed milk cake and orange mawabarfi, the demand has increased with the introduction of frozen rasmalai during the lockdown period. In addition to the already existing sweets on public demand, the company has re-launched hygienically packaged gulab jamun and rasgullas for the consumers. The on-going pandemic has created a restless feelings of doubts and uncertainty, Mother Dairy has led a way to celebrate the merriments with utmost safety and care.Standing true to its promise, the company is serving the consumers products made with utmost care, best quality and better convenience. The products are hygienically packed and are available at around 1,500 exclusive company’s touch-points along with key e-commerce platforms, reaching to maximum customers in close premises of residents of Delhi NCR. The sweets are also available in general trade outlets and shops. Talking about the brand’s offerings, Sangram Chaudhary, MD, Mother Dairy, said, “Sweets and celebrations are integral to the Indian society; but with the current situation safety has become the new norm and food safety too has evolved as the prime concern of masses. Buoyed by the insight of growing preference towards packaged sweets over loose mithai and consumer demand, we have strengthened our sweets portfolio with 3 new variants in the lockdown phase to offer safe, quality and hygienically packed products to our consumers. The newly launched range with its success has reinforced our commitment to the category and with this year’s festive season, we plan to further expand the category with 3 new products.” EDITOR

CONSULTING EDITOR

Firoz H. Naqvi

Basma Husain

MARKETING EXECUTIVE Varsha Singh

PRODUCTION MANAGER Syed Shahnawaz

GENERAL MANAGER Gyanandra Trivedi

CIRCULATION MANAGER Sakshi Agrahari

GRAPHIC DESIGNER Naved H. Kazmi

121, 1st Floor, Rassaz, Multiplex, Mira road (E) Mumbai Thane -401107. Tel: +91-22-28115068/28555069. Email:info@agronfoodprocessing.com Website: www.agronfoodprocessing.com Printed, Published By - Firoz Haider Naqvi, RNI No- MAHENG13830 Printed at: Roller Act Press Services, A-84 Ground Floor, Naraina Industrial Area, Phase-1, New Delhi-110028, Reg Office : 103, Amar Jyot Apts, Pooja Nagar, Mira Rd (E) Thane-401107, Delhi Office-F-14/1, Shahin Baugh, Kalandi Kunj Rd, New Delhi-110025 The views expressed in this issue are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of the newspaper though every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy and authenticity of information, "Beverages & Food Processing Times" is however not responsible for damages caused by misinterpretation of information expressed and implied within the pages of this issue. All disputes are to be referred to Mumbai jurisdiction