1
Vol 10 Issue 8 June 2015
The Chocolate Trail Giving Indian Bean to
100/-
10th
Volume
Bar and Artisan Chocolatiers their due
Emami Plans
Edible Oil reďŹ nery in Gujrat
worth Rs 250 cr
Who Stole
my Maggi
The disputed controversy
'Maggi' noise & Role of MSG
2 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
3 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
4 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
5 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
6 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
41
New antibiotic standard for poultry in US MP Dairy Federation's to send its Sanchi milk packets to quake-torn Nepal
44 45
Centre stops funds for Food Processing Scheme 42 new Mega Food Parks in next four years: Harsimrat Kaur Badal
48 49
World hunger falls to less than 800 million: UN report
49
Mondelez makes e-commerce leap with 'buy now' buttons
50
KronesAndina Ltda. inaugurates new training centre in Colombia
50
Global green packaging market to reach $ 203 bn by 2021
51
Your Maggi May Not Be Safe! Officials Find High Levels of MSG and Lead, Call For Nationwide Ban
51
Food safety body issues alert over recalled products Inflation under check; global economy, agri a challenge: FM Wheat procurement up 5 lakh tonnes this year
India to help Mongolia set up Amul-like dairy cooperative India to help Mongolia set up Amul-like dairy cooperative Parag to focus on value added dairy products Should buy 10% of total output sugar companies ask centre
57
56
54 54
Food import ban led to deluge of fake dairy products in Russian market, says watchdog Amul MD cautions government about dumping of Dairy Products
56
53
53
World Food Programme provides food relief worth $116.5m to Nepal
52
In Amethi, Rahul Gandhi raises pitch over Food Park; Modi govt hits back Halal food industry ncreases’ in Russia ConAgra to pay criminal fine of $11.2m over Salmonella contamination
52
48
47
47
Amul Dairy polls to be held for 11 posts on May 12
45
44
HALAL MEAT, A €2-BILLION DISH READY FOR SERVING
41
7 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
Industry, government should jointly promote Food Processing sector: SaryuRai Spanish brands compete with private label through aggressive pricing
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
CONTENTS
9
19
Healthy food movement
is need of the hour
12
The Chocolate Trail –Giving Indian Bean to Bar and Artisan Chocolatiers their due! 21
Could robots
become an industry norm?
Food processing:
Slicedand served 14
23 Need of the our: India should ban Trans-fat
31
Better cooking through chemistry
Who stole my Maggi!
16
The disputed troversy
35
‘Maggi’ noise & Role of MSG
38
Crossroads
for hocolate?
The ncertain future of fectionery's favorite food.
Kamani Oils
organises first ever
36
‘Kamani Bakery Challenge’ in Mumbai
Acrylamide in Food is a public health concern
8 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
EDITORIAL
A
Chinese noodle packaged by a Swiss multinational, yet Maggi wasn’t alien at all because it said it was made of Atta and dal and came with masala. We Indians loved it.
But after the scandal and ban, Maggi’s absence from the stores leaves a huge hole and many People including middle-class working women are now going in search of alternatives. The allure of the two-minute noodles has been the strongest for middleclass Indian women as they stormed into the urban labour force. For this category of women, who almost singlehandedly manage their kitchens and tend to their children while supplementing the family income by working outside the home, packaged instant noodles have eased the burden of grinding, prepping and cooking traditional Indian foods. Besides the convenience, the cost has been a draw. Instant noodles help busy working mothers save time outside the kitchen too, with elaborate Indian meals consisting of grains and vegetables giving way to “one pot” noodles meals. FSSAI exposure of Maggi created auproar and Maggi was withdrawn from India. The FSSAI is still in no mood to relent. It is determined to net all taints to ensure food safety and standards. In the last few years, it has dragged food and beverage majorsHeinz to Marico, Kellogg's to Britannia, Cadbury to Hindustan Unilever, and Parle to Amway-for a range of reasons: misleading ads to unsafe use or overuse of chemicals. In May this year, the FSSAI ordered recall of energy drinks Monster, Tzinga and Cloud 9, arguing that the drinks use "irrational combination" of ginseng and caffeine. In January 2015, the FSSAI started a nationwide survey and testing of everyday foodsdairy, pulses, edible oil, poultry, fruits and vegetable-to frame policy interventions against adulteration and contamination. Health is wealth they say; Indian food regulators are becoming vigilant but what about the trans-fat issue. Isn’t it hazardous too? Look at the United States, where a number of popular foods are about to lighten up. The FDA is all but banning the use of partially hydrogenated oils, the main source of artery-clogging artificial trans-fats, in processed food.Food makers will have 3 years to remove partially hydrogenated oils from products. But what about India - What worries me is that in India, we are far from recognizing the dangers of the fats we consume. Whether it's a samosa or a jalebi, a doughnut or a cookie, how often do you care to see what type of fat has been used. Vol 10 Issue 8 June 2015
The menace of trans-fats is huge in India because it is cheap and India being a very price sensitive country, most manufacturers target consumers with low prices and it doesn't help that there is lax implementation of food laws. Trans-Fats exist in anything and everything, from cakes to cookies to crackers to doughnuts to even dairy products. Trans-fats are the worst type of fat, as they reduce your good cholesterol and shoot up your bad cholesterol and can cause heart disease and are linked to diabetes. While many manufactures are removing trans-fats from their products, sometimes they do linger in the fine print. For example, a label can say - 'traces of trans fats' but that still may not be desirable no matter how little their quantity. Moreover, because hydrogenated oils are cheap, they are preferred in fast food chains or street food. While we are struggling with health issues and food safety, the Indian dairy firms are going places. Indian dairy firms are trying to tap opportunities in the East African milk processing markets where demand has surged amid rapid urbanisation and rising income levels. This comes at a time when several global dairy giants are looking for acquisition possibilities in eastern Africa and leading local milk producers are trying to consolidate their market share through aggressive buyouts.
The views expressed in this issue are those of the contibutors are not necessarilly those of the magzine. though every care has been taken to ensure the accuaracy and authenticty in infomation, "Oil & Food Journal" is however not responsible fordamages caused by ministerpretation of infomation expressed and implied with in the pages of this issue. All disputes are not to be referred to Mumbai Jurisdiction
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
Africa's food and beverage consumption is projected to reach $544 billion by 2020 from $175 billion in 2010, according to a report of World Dairy Summit 2012. India is the world's largest milk producer with a production of around 140 million tonne. Indian dairy firms will beeline to African markets, given the highly attractive profit margins. "As against single-digit profit margins in India, African milk processing markets offer 15-20% margins. Billionaire Ravi Jaipuria, of Devyani Food Industries (Cream Bell ice cream), was among the first businessmen from India to enter Africa's dairy sector nearly a decade ago. While Hyderabad-based Dodla Dairy and Punjab-based Amos Dairy are the latest Indian firms to enter the African markets with processing plants, while a few others are weighing options. In fact even Parag Milk Foods, which is exporting products to African markets, is also weighing options to enter the market with a processing plant. Being the world’s largest milk producer I believe India can create a milk revolution in Africa with all the Indian firms looking out to invest inthe continent.
9 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
WAKEUPCALL
Healthy food movement is need of the hour By Bharat Dogra
T
he recent controversy over Maggi has exposed the high vulnerability of consumers to hazardous but tasty and convenient foods which very quickly become a habit for millions of people (including children). While the authorities should certainly take necessary action based on available facts and tests, in addition they should also plan for wider reforms in food processing keeping in view the needs of safety, health and nutrition. Wendell Berry truly captured
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
contradictions of the modern food system in one sentence when he said, “it is one of the miracles of science and hygiene that the germs that used to be in our food have been replaced by poisons.� If anyone thinks that this is an exaggeration, then let him or her see the 1986 report of the London Food Commission which said that at least 92 pesticides cleared for use in Britain have been linked with cancer, birth defects or genetic mutation in animal studies. Or the 1987 report of the National Academy of Sciences, USA, which said that pesticides in the food of
10 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
WAKEUPCALL In present day processing in rice mills and flour mills the most nutrient-rich parts of grain are discarded and sent to cattle feed and poultry feed plants. According to Ramachandran, the quantitative loss in the case of cereals by such wasteful refining may amount to not less than eight million tons in a year. However, the qualitative loss is even more staggering because the portions of the grain which are removed are rich in precisely those nutrients in which the average Indian diet is deficient. A poor country like India can hardly afford this loss.
US citizens may cause more than one million additional cases of cancer over their lifetime. There has been a big increase in recent years in the number and quantity of additives used by the food processing industry, including flavours, colours, emulsifiers, preservatives and an amazing range of other additives. The London Food Commission noted in 1988 that about 3,800 additives were being used to perform about a hundred functions. Only about a tenth of the additives were subject to government control. The commission wrote “A single meal may contain a cocktail of 12 to 16 additives. The combinations of additives may react with each other and with foods to produce new chemical substances.” A wide range of health hazards has been reported for an equally wide variety of food additives. In recent decades important changes have taken place in the methods of food processing which have damaged the nutritional worth of staple foods. Instead of repairing this damage, today we appear to be well set on the path of adding more and more ‘junk’ foods – which appear to be attractive but have little nutrition value - to our diet. Rice is without doubt the most important food in our country and unfortunately it is in the processing of rice that the maximum
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
loss occurs due to polishing of the grain. According to expert L. Ramachandran, writing in his book Food Planning – some vital aspects, even in sheer quantitative terms the loss is very significant – in ordinary milling and polishing the quantitative loss ranges from 8 to 16 per cent and in excessive polishing it may go up to 27 per cent. Similarly there is a big loss of grain and nutrients in the milling of wheat in modern roller mills, which through a complicated process of breaking the grain by stages, peel off the outer layers.
In the words of Ramachandran, “The average Indian diet consists almost exclusively of cereals and what we lose from them on account of refinement is not made good from other sources as it happens in more developed countries…. For similar reasons the poor people of this country, who form the vast majority suffer to a far greater extent than the wealthy minority who can afford a richer, more varied diet.” Another massive source of loss of nutrients is the hydrogenation of oils or the manufacture of the so-called vanaspati ghee. In recent decades vanaspati ghee has become a very widely used cooking medium in India. The natural oil is deodorized and decolourized by chemical
11 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
WAKEUPCALL arthritis, piles, varicose veins, diabetes, constipation, diverticulosis, cancer and to crown it all allergic manifestation.” The need of the hour is a strong consumers’ movement, or a ‘healthy food’ movement which can educate the public about the immense loss of nutrients and various health hazards to which they are exposed due to the present structure and methods of the food processing industry, and on this basis, also bring pressure on the government to introduce the necessary changes in the industry. Source: The Statesman
processing. It is then hydrogenated in a process using a nickel catalyst. The hydrogenation changes most of the unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats into saturated fats. Saturated fats consumed in excess can be very harmful. Unsaturated fats, especially some of the polyunsaturated fats, are important in nutrition and play a protective role against the risk of cardiovascular disease and other ailments. Writes Ramachandran, “In hydrogenation, what is good and necessary is changed into what is not necessary and may be harmful. Thus, while it deprives us of what is necessary, it also saddles us with something which is unnecessary and harmful in the long run.” These are examples of harmful processing of staple foods, but in addition to this a whole range of new processed foods have also become a regular part of Indian diet, first in relatively well-to-do houses, and then, as these are considered signs of good living, also among the poorer families trying to imitate them. Many of these foods give low nutrition at a high price, something the poorer families can least afford, and also harm the health of those consuming them regularly, especially children in several ways. These food products include various confectionery items, canned products, chocolates, snacks, soft drinks, pretentious ‘energy’ foods and drinks, various baby foods and infant milk formulas.
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
Nutrition expert Thankamma Jacob says that more and more people are now set on this “suicidal dietary pattern.” Children are the worst hit by this drastic change in diet from natural foods to highly refined, attractively coloured and flavoured foods. “Several studies conducted in the developed west,”Thankamma Jacob writes, “have now confirmed the view that the western type of diet is partly or wholly responsible for a number of chronic degenerative diseases such as obesity, hypertension, heart disease,
12 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
BUDGET CUT
Food processing: Slicedand served Over 60% cut in funds to affect Central schemes; ministry claims Make in India’s rural push to be dented.
A
s per the Annual Survey of Industries (ASI), the sector has a total of 37,175 registered food processing units. Amid A tepid monsoon forecast, any hope of a compensatory push to the rural economy by way of the NDA government’s renewed thrust on the food processing sector under its flagship ‘Make in India’ initiative seems to be petering out. In a categorical assertion, the Ministry of
Food Processing Industries has submitted to a parliamentary panel that most of its on-going Central sector schemes will be “adversely affected” due to an over 60 per cent cutback in allocation to it during the current year — 2015-16. Of these, at least four schemes that entailed employment generation in the rural heartland are being put on the back burner, including projects under the Integrated Cold Chain Scheme, considered crucial in view of a huge cold chain gap of 29 million metric tonnes. That apart, projects likely to be affected, according to the submission made by the ministry before the parliamentary standing committee on agriculture, include the Mega Food Park Scheme and Modernisation of Abattoir Schemes that are in various stages of implementation and were up for completion this fiscal. These, a senior official in the ministry said, are “likely to be affected adversely and the completion of many of these projects is likely to be delayed”, while the committed liabilities under the scheme of Technology Upgradation, Modernisation and Setting up of Food Processing Industries and Human Resources Development Scheme will need to be carried forward due to the cutback in
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
allocation of plan funds during the current fiscal. Typically, for sectors that have seen a slash in allocations as a result of the finance ministry’s pursuit to better the 4.1 per cent fiscal deficit target, the most effective bargaining chip seems to be in holding out the threat that the cutback would hit the flagship programme that is being driven right from the top – the ‘Make In India’ initiative. In the agriculture sector, the food processing segment, which was expected to shoulder much of the load of the ‘Make in India’ push on the farm side,
13 www.agronfoodprocessing.com the ministry’s point of contention is the 63 per cent reduction in the allocation for the year 2015-16, with just Rs 487 crore having been allocated as against the Rs 1471.03 crore sought by it for the year.
One of the reasons cited by the finance ministry for the cut in the allocation is that the Centre has decided that the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of National Mission on Food Processing of this ministry be de-linked from Central government support and the resources earmarked for the scheme will be transferred to the states. Currently, India is the third largest food producer in the world, yet barely 2.2 per cent of fruits and vegetables are processed. The challenges of insufficient infrastructure are leading to wastage and undue advantage to middlemen at the cost of farmers’ remuneration. Under the ‘Make in India’ scheme, the government says its focus is on compressing supply chains and to make them consistent, quicker and efficient for supply of farm produce for food processing. Under the ‘Make in India’ initiative, the food processing sector has been identified as one of the priority sectors and Mega Food Parks, with common utility like road, electricity, water supply, sewage facility and common processing facility like pulping, packaging, cold storage, dry storage and logistics, are being promoted in areas with strong agricultural resource base. These parks are to provide fully developed plots and factory sheds to entrepreneurs on long-term lease basis where they can set up food processing units in “plug & play model”. The Ministry of Food Processing Industries has cited the increasing importance of government funds in light of the thin private participation in the sector. “Now, with this allocation (this fiscal’s Rs 487 crore), we have no option but to reallocate to schemes in whatever
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
proposal they come to us. So, in this year also we will face problem and we will be having more claims for payment but we may not be having the sufficient allocation,” an official in the ministry said. As per the Annual Survey of Industries (ASI), the sector has a total of 37,175 registered food processing units with
BUDGET CUT fixed capital of nearly Rs 1.59 lakh crore and aggregate output of around Rs 7.49 lakh crore in value terms. Major segments include grain mill, sugar, edible oils, beverages and dairy products. As per the latest ASI data for 2012-13, the total number of persons engaged in registered food processing sector is 16.89 lakh. During the five years ending 2012-13, employment in registered food processing sector has been increasing at an average annual growth rate of 2.41 per cent. The value of processed food exports during 2013-14 was of the order of $37.79 billion (total exports $312 billion) constituting 12.1 per cent of India’s total exports. According to Ashok Gulati, Infosys Chair Professor for Agriculture at the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER), almost 90 per cent of the country’s cold storages store only potatoes. The three solutions to high price volatility in the fresh perishable commodities — to have more storage facilities, to have more processing or to have more free trade. Source: The Indian Express OUTPUT GREW most of the times when rain deficiency was between 5% and 15% contracting only when it was over 15% WHILE THE correlation between the
monsoon and production is byond question, several factors seem to be reducing the impect on agricultural outpur, including a fell in share of kharif (rain-dependant) crops and large varieties of agricultural products.
AT PRESENT, rice and wheat stocks are roughly double thr buffer requirements. HOWEVER, IF
IMD's predictions are true, this could be the 2nd conseutive sub normal monsoon. The impect of successive failures could be worse than one following a normal monsoon year.
For Updated News Everyday logon to www.agronfoodprocessing.com
14 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
CHEM FOOD
Better cooking through chemistry
O
ur food culture continually evolves, driven by economic, environmental and social pressures. But as the world’s population grows and consumer needs change, we are approaching a critical stage in that evolution. The need for innovation and creative problem-solving, both in restaurants and high-volume food processing, is greater than ever. It’s not so far-fetched to imagine a future
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
in which we need to use unconventional foods such as insects and algae to sustain our existence on the planet. This would mean producing, processing, distributing and ensuring the safety of an array of food products that have never been made before, and ideally they will also be delicious. But neither chefs nor food scientists are equipped to tackle such a problem. Responding to these challenges as well as more immediate issues, such
as developing creative, delicious ways to repurpose food waste, requires the culinary and scientific communities to work together and to find a new way of talking about food. Chefs need to be equipped with insight into how food works, and food scientists need to take a step back from reductive, model systems to focus more on how real food behaves. The silver spatula Restaurant cooking is enjoying an unprecedented era of progress and
15 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
CHEM FOOD is refined or rustic, modern or traditional. The physics that dictates the design of a Formula 1 race car is the same as those which govern how an affordable saloon car functions. The key is to create a new paradigm, a language comprised only of terms that support fundamental understanding and practical application. Organic chemistry reactions are irrelevant to chefs, but understanding higher-level concepts such as the relationship between large polymers and their individual subunits could be revolutionary.
innovation, especially high-end dining. Chefs in the culinary elite are under enormous creative pressure to find new ways to delight their diners, and many of them have turned to science to extend their creative grasp. In these kitchens, science accelerates the progress of new ideas from innovation to execution. Understanding the basic function of microbial enzymes, for example, can inspire a chef to take mould cultures typically used for miso and include them in a marinade for duck confit. The results are as tasty as they are innovative. Science in the kitchen also refines existing techniques: smoother ice cream, crispier chicken and flakier croissants all come from knowledge of solute•solvent interactions, glass transitions and lipid crystallisation. But as a luxury commodity, available only to the few chefs who can afford the services of the even fewer scientists that work with restaurants, culinary science is meeting only a small portion of its potential. The science of food should be available to people in all corners of the industry; a chef designing recipes for a nationwide chain or cooking at a neighbourhood bistro will benefit just as much from understanding the science of al dente rice and succulent meat as a chef at a three Michelin star palace of cuisine. Recipe for success Coupling the unparalleled empirical expertise of chefs with the insight and
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
steady progress of the scientific method is one of the most potent ways to improve how we cook and eat. This will only happen if the scientific community can make the physics, biology and chemistry of food more accessible, to equip chefs with the tools they need to apply it. Chefs make ideal science students: explaining elasticity and viscosity to a chef who has spent years kneading dough and thickening sauces is much easier than trying to initiate someone who lacks these tactile points of reference. ‘The science of food should be available to people in all corners of the industry’ Culinary science also has the advantage of being universal – all food adheres to rules set forth by the same basic patterns in nature. Unlike learning culinary arts, where each cuisine has its nuances and secrets, a cook schooled in culinary science is equally adept at tackling food that
Large polymers affect food texture, forming viscoelastic gel networks, thickening liquids and facilitating glass transitions to make things crispy when fried. Breaking these molecules into subunits produces solutes that make food sweet, savoury, sticky and primed to turn golden brown in the oven. With the right language, this concept could be taught to chefs in under an hour, enabling them to improve everything from brioche to roast lamb. Imagine what we could make in another decade, or another century, when ‘algal cookery’ might be on the culinary school curriculum. Ali Bouzari is a culinary scientist and co-founder of culinary development company Pilot R+D
16 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
OUTCRY
‘Maggi’ noise & Role of MSG
Biggest Outcry
in Indian Food Processing industry Firoz H Naqvi
Maggi Controversy A small town in Uttar Pradesh Barabanki routed a giant like Nestle. Total loss to the company is Rs 320 cr for product recall with a market share loss of Rs 1300 cr in instant noodles segment. A routine check of food samples by a Food Safety Officer, Sanjay Singh, in Barabanki, which is close to Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, revealed the ugly truth of Maggi. Singh was on a routine check of popular food samples collected from local shops. Singh is an MSc student in Organic
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
Chemistry from Lucknow Christian College, and did his PHD in Chemistry from Lucknow University. He joined the Food Safety Office in 1998 and had been appointed as the Food Safety Officer in Barabanki since 2013. MSG as a flavor enhancer balances, blends and rounds the perception of other tastes. It is particularly popular in Chinese and Japanese cuisine. What is MSG?
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of glutamic acid, one of the most abundant naturally-occurring non-essential amino acids. Glutamate is found naturally in tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, potatoes, mushrooms, and other vegetables, meat, dairy products and fruits. MSG is used in the food industry as a flavor enhancer with an umami taste (the fifth taste) that intensifies the meaty, savory flavor of food, as naturally occurring glutamate does in foods such as stews and meat soups. MSG as a
17 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
OUTCRY misleading labelling information on the package reading “No added MSG”, and (c) release of a non-standardised food product in the market, viz. “Maggi Oats Masala Noodles with Tastemaker” without risk assessment and grant of product approval.
flavor enhancer balances, blends and rounds the perception of other tastes. It is particularly popular in Chinese and Japanese cuisine. MSG, available under the trade name Ajinomoto™ is used in dishes such as Chilly Chicken, Chilly Paneer, Fried Rice, Chow Mein, Chicken Soup, Chicken Manchurian etc. “When the status of a substance has been re-evaluated, it will be deleted from this part (i.e. GRAS), and will be issued as a new regulation under the appropriate part”, which means that its status can be changed to “prohibited for use in food” Is MSG Harmful? It is popularly believed that large doses of MSG can cause headaches, nausea and other feelings of discomfort collectively known as “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome”, although controlled studies have failed to identify such symptoms. The USFDA, the premier regulatory body in USA, considers MSG to be “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS), but also goes on to state that “when the status of a substance has been re-evaluated, it will be deleted from this part (i.e. GRAS), and will be issued as a new regulation under the appropriate part”, which means that its status can be changed to “prohibited for use in food”, if the need arises i.e. if MSG is found to be unsafe for human health. What are Global Standards?
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
The international bodies like the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) and Codex Alimentarius have stringent regulations in place for addition of MSG to food. For example, as per the Codex Alimentarius guidelines, the addition of MSG should be as per GMP only in certain categories of food as prescribed by Codex. With regard to labelling packaged food items, the USFDA strictly states that if the food substance contains “naturally occurring MSG”, the manufacturers cannot label the pack “No added MSG”. FSSAI’s stand on Maggi or Nestle Three major violations have been noted qua the subject cited products as of now, viz. (a) presence of Lead detected in the product in excess of the maximum permissible levels of 2.5 ppm, (b)
The sample taken by the establishment of the Commissioner of Food Safety, UP and tested by the CFL, Kolkata found presence of lead at 17.2 ppm. The test results received from the GNCT, Delhi in respect of 13 samples drawn from different batches indicate the presence of Lead in excess of the maximum permissible level of 2.5 ppm in case of 10 out of the 13 samples tested (one of them being the product for which approval had not been taken). Similarly, a total of 40 samples are reported to have been drawn including the noodles of other brands. Having received the Test Reports in respect of 29 samples by last evening and found the presence of Lead in excess of the prescribed limits in 15 samples, the State of Gujarat has already issued a recall order. “When a company like Nestle could not handle this situation how smaller companies will face issues like this if they arise” Further, the results of Test samples drawn and tested in of 8 the state of Tamil Nadu also confirm the presence of Lead in excess of the permissible limits, including in the Noodles of some other manufacturing companies. It is clear from the reports received from various states
18 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
that there is overwhelming evidence of the said food products being unsafe and hazardous for human consumption. The maximum permissible level of Lead is 2.5 ppm as stated by the Company in its application dated 04.12.2012 submitted for the Product Approval for ‘Instant Noodles with Tastemaker’, of which Masala is one of the variants applied for. As per the Certificate of Analysis furnished by the Company with its application, the Lead was 0.0153 ppm vide report dated 17.10.2012 On June 5 2015, the FSSAI had banned Nestle's Maggi saying it was 'unsafe and hazardous' after tests found presence of lead and Monosodium glutamate above permissible limits. Nestle India had also withdrawn the instant noodles brand from the market. The company today said that it is in the process of destroying Maggi worth Rs 320 crore. After the Maggi episode FSSAI had ordered testing of noodles, pastas and macaroni brands such as Top Ramen, Foodles and Wai Wai sold and manufactured by seven companies, to check compliance of norms. “India imports 3000 tonnes of MSG every month and sometimes the quantity is much higher”
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
What Food Industry should do now? The entire food industry in India is in shock stage. They see this controversy as a very serious one. One of the leading food processor said “when a company like Nestle could not handle this situation how smaller companies will face issues like this if they arise”. “India imports 3000 tonnes of Monosodium Glutamate-MSG every month and sometimes the quantity is much higher said an importer of MSG” based in Mumbai. “The Maggi controversy is likely to be a stepping stone in the evolution of country’s packaged and processed food industry, which could result in better labelling, packaging and testing norms for the entire sector”, according to Nomura report. “The Maggi controversy is likely to be a stepping stone in the evolution of country’s packaged and processed food industry, which could result in better labelling, packaging and testing norms for the entire sector”, according to Nomura report. We see the entire controversy as a stepping stone in the evolution of India’s packaged and processed food industry, Manish Jain and
OUTCRY Anup Sudhendranath of Nomura said in a research note, adding similar tests are likely to be conducted on other similar products and companies. According to the Japanese financial services firm, the next logical step for the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) would be to tighten the labelling, packaging and testing norms for the entire sector, which in turn is positive for the consumer. This is a positive from the consumer’s perspective and would help expedite the migration from the unorganised to the organised sector, Nomura said. Maggi brand has been under the regulatory scanner due to allegations that the product contains higher than permissible levels of lead and traces of monosodium glutamate (MSG). While Maggi’s brand equity has more than likely been dented from a near to medium-term perspective, Nomura believes the company is taking all the right actions and will rebound strongly from the same. We strongly believe that Nestle India will rebound with a revamped product and packaging, which will slowly rebuild the brand equity, Nomura said and added that some other bigger brands of the company like infant nutrition portfolio and coffee business are likely to remain insulated.
19 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
CHOCOLATE TRIL
The Chocolate Trail –Giving
Indian Bean to Bar and Artisan
I
Chocolatiers their due!
am a chocolate lover, like a lot of us, and, can finish a bar with considerable ease. In addition, i am a Certified Chocolate Taster and also have a list of chocolate related dreams to fulfil! One of them is to promote only the best Artisan Chocolate makers in India and reach consumers via all possible channels including Physical Retail, Online, Chocolate Tasting/Making Workshops and more. I am turning this dream into reality brick by brick via “The Chocolate
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
Trail” format and various efforts at Cocoatrait (The Chocolate Tasting club
In India). There are many chocolatiers who can easily make chocolates and infuse fillings. It is indeed a sellable skill but an increasingly easily available skill too. My respect and attention is always drawn towards chocolatiers who choose to do more with chocolate. Chocolatiers who push their limits and take care of the little unknowns in detail and don’t leave much to chance. In my 2nd “Chocolate Trail”, my assortment includes chocolates from Mason & Co (Puducherry), Bean
20 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
Therapy (Mumbai), Earth Loaf (Mysore) and Chockriti (Delhi). The Chocolate Trail Assortment The Chocolate Trail (Chocolate Tasting Workshop) with 17 members of the Prerna Ladies Club in Chennai was a wonderful experience. With many well travelled ladies among the group, i soon realised that i am talking to the right audience. Right from the start of my presentation about how Cocoa is a super fruit and how the Cocoa bean is harvested and gets converted to a Chocolate bar, i was able to get the audience instantly interested. The objective of the workshop was to introduce the chocolate making process, the Artisan Chocolatiers along with each of their creations, explain the different types of chocolates that are made (Organic, Bean to Bar, World Flavours, Indian Flavours, Single Origin, Single Estate and Raw Chocolates) and help them understand the diversity that chocolatiers are able to
offer. More importantly, how much effort the Artisan (or chocolate artist) puts into making these wonderful bars! The Chocolate Trail Audiance
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
For almost all members it was the 1st time that they heard about these chocolate brands and that there are 4 chocolate brands in India that specialise in Fine Chocolates! A few minutes spent introducing the audiance to the chocolatiers (and their backgrounds) and also about the types of chocolates we are going to sample, kept everyone further interested. I had picked the assortment with a purpose. Starting from a 55% Coconut Milk right upto a 75% dark and had 11 chocolate variants in all. Chocolates like Lavender, Salted Caramel, Kesar Pista, Guntur Chilli, Watapi Coffee, Plain 72% Raw Chocolate, Raw Gondoraj & Apricot Chocolate were all discussed in length and the diversity in each chocolate was quite visible. Introduction to the Chocolate Trail The workshop continued with small
breaks for sipping water to clean the palette and each of these small breaks gave the participants a chance to discuss their observations, preferences and an opportunity for me to highlight each chocolate bars significance. What everyone discovered is that when it comes to chocolates, “to each is his/her own”. It was expected (by me) that everyone had a different way to read their palette and while some found each flavour either less or most intense, what i noted was that most of the members had similar likes and dislikes overall. This could be attributed to the fact that it was a 100% female audience with largely the same interest in appreciation of chocolates. Explaining each bar of chocolate I observed that the top 3 chocolates that they would buy for themselves were quite different to the ones that they would buy for their other female or male friends/ relatives! Sea Salt Caramel was the top
CHOCOLATE TRIL
universal favourite followed by Watapi Coffee and 72% Raw Dark. Coffee was the most preferred flavour to be gifted to their male friends/relatives and Lavender was considered to be the most popular choice of chocolate flavor for their female friends/relatives. Apart from Vegetable Fat Vs Cocoa Butter in chocolates and the recent FSSAI announcements, Raw chocolates were discussed at length and it was a very satisfying introduction to this variety of chocolates. With a long trail of Dark Chocolates, the Kesar Pista in white chocolate at the end was quite easily accepted. An expected reaction this We can never easily think away from our traditional Indian sweets but at the end of it i felt that i have succeeded in educating a very mature audience about the diversity that exists in chocolates and that this is just the tip of the Ice berg. There is a lot more magic our Artisan chocolatiers are capable of creating and we must support their cause of providing us nothing but the best. “Made in India” was certainly a statement that got all of them surprised! I enjoy making such revelations!
For Updated News Everyday logon to
www.agronfoodprocessing.com
21 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
AUTO MATION
Could robots
become an industry norm?
T
he food and agriculture industries continue to embrace the latest technologies as they look to promote efficiency and cost-effectiveness. The global food and agricultural venture-capital investments grew an unprecedented 54% to $486 million last year, according to Dow Jones Venture Source. Many of these investments have gone toward technologies dedicated to precision agriculture, indoor farming, food safety, and alternative foods.
agriculture industries that stands out: Robots.
But there's another aspect of up-andcoming technology for the food and
On farms, robots might assist farmers with planting, picking, or sorting. In
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
These robots aren't necessarily R2D2 or humanoid C3PO-type droids, as many might imagine them to be. Robots in the food industry include a wide range of technologies, mobile or immobile, interactive or not, programmed for singleor multi-tasking, and more. In farms and factories, robots manage many tasks once done by humans or other machines.
food factories, robots may prepare or package foods or transport them from one line or room to another. Robots can perform the least desirable jobs without complaints, breaks, health insurance, or workers compensation, which introduces an array of benefits for farmers and food companies. However, they come with their own unique drawbacks as well. Robots as the new farmhands in agriculture Some farmers have been using drones to monitor and handle crops in a variety of ways, but robots are making headway
22 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
in creating agricultural benefits as well. Commodities farmers have long used specialized machinery to take care of many different planting and harvesting tasks. Many produce farmers, however, still employ people to handpick and care for their crops, which are often more delicate than various commodities, such as corn and soy. Robots, like Agrobot, however, can have a more gentle touch than common agricultural machinery while also not requiring a spot on the payroll once the initial investment is made. Farm robots are powered by carefully designed machinery, particularly in the arms and picking mechanisms, along with advanced computer programming. Robots can perform many of the functions of humans, using the same delicate hands and discerning observations needed for these produce crops. Lettuce (LettuceBot 2), strawberries (Agrobot's SW6010), peppers (SweetPepper Harvest Robot), and vineyards (Wall-Ye) are examples of crops that are already being tended to by robots. Even dairy farms are getting in on the action. And perhaps most importantly, robots can be more efficient and cost-effective than human workers. Cost-effectiveness is an attractive feature for many farmers. Robots on the manufacturing line According to management consulting firm Boston Consulting Group, today’s robots, food-related or otherwise, only automate about 10% of the tasks that machines can perform, though that
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
number is expected to increase to about 25% of automatable tasks in the next decade. One issue is that manufacturers still haven’t figured out a way to automate many of the tasks needed on the food assembly line. Machinery and even robots have already made some factory jobs obsolete, such as some assembly line workers who have found their routine jobs sorting through products for defects overtaken by a machine. However, robots won't just yet be fully integrated into food manufacturing. Robots can also contribute to increased safety: Employees can avoid having to work with dangerous equipment, and food contamination is removed from human employees and lessened or eliminated by robots. Food safety is a growing concern among consumers as food recalls have made recent headlines, such as Blue Bell Creameries and Kraft Foods Group. At the moment, robots in food manufacturing are most often used for end-of-line tasks, such as bagging and palletizing. However, more advanced robotics is proving to be useful in pickand-place operations for individual food products and may even be able to handle intricate jobs like decorating cakes. Just as in agriculture, wherein machines were not able to perform the delicate and discerning tasks that humans could, advanced technology is enabling robots to handle the work more quickly, efficiently, and cost effectively. How robots can cause headaches While one of the most appealing aspects of robots is the ability to make up for a dwindling or inefficient workforce, the same benefit can also be a hindrance to employees in that they could stand to lose their jobs if replaced by machinery that is more efficient and/or cost-effective. However, one positive caveat to this assumption is that some experts think that
AUTO MATION robots will not replace workers but rather make them more efficient. Other experts believe that robots could even create more jobs than they take away, such as creating a need for IT and maintenance associated with using robots. Maintenance and repairs are another drawback to using robots. Repairs, particularly for more advanced machinery, can be costly, and depending on the frequency and severity of the repairs needed, having a workforce may end up being a more cost-effective solution anyway. Farmers and food companies could lose valuable time and money on their investments in this technology. Not all farms or companies will have the capital necessary to invest in robotics, which could lend an unfair advantage to larger farms and companies who can readily afford the latest technology. Smaller companies wouldn’t be able to level the playing field until robots become more affordable. The world has a growing necessity to produce more food for more mouths to feed, and farmers and food companies have a need to cut costs to remain in business and protect their bottom line. As these realities take shape, robots may become a more accepted and familiar part of food industry operations in the near future.
23 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
TRANSFAT
Need of the hour:
India should ban Trans-fat After the ban on trans-fats by the United states FDA, the time has come for India to follow the suit and put an end to trans-fat issue
T
rans-fat can make food taste good; last longer on grocery-store shelves, and more hazardous for your heart. Trans-fatshave been termed as 'toxic' by the World Health Organisation (WHO). Trans-fat is considered by many doctors to be the worst type of fat you can eat. Unlike other dietary fats, trans fat — also called trans-fatty acids — both raises your LDL ("bad") cholesterol and lowers your HDL ("good") cholesterol. A high LDL cholesterol level in combination with a low HDL cholesterol level increases your
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
Basma Husain
risk of heart disease, the leading killer of men and women. What exactly are Trans- fats? Some meat and dairy products contain small amounts of naturally occurring trans-fat. But most trans-fat is formed through an industrial process that adds hydrogen to vegetable oil, which causes the oil to become solid at room temperature. This partially hydrogenated oil is less likely to spoil, so foods made with it have a longer shelf life. Some restaurants use
partially hydrogenated vegetable oil in their deep fryers, because it doesn't have to be changed as often as do other oils.
24 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
25 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
26 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
TRANSFAT margarines. Trans-fats also have been used by restaurants for frying. Many larger chains have stopped using them, but smaller restaurants may still get food containing transfats from suppliers.
How bad are they? Trans-fats are considered to be the worst type of dietary fats one can eat. Transfats can be found in a variety of food processed foods such as snacks, packaged baked goods, margarine, and fried food. Trans-fats are used in processed foods to help give products a longer shelf life. However, trans-fats are dangerous for your health in many ways - it raises your LDL (bad) cholesterol and lowers your HDL (good) cholesterol, thereby increasing your risk of heart disease, heart attacks and strokes.Studies also indicated that trans-fats may increase the risk of diabetes. Other health risks from trans-fats include cancer, obesity, liver dysfunction, etc. Worst offenders Think baked goods, microwave popcorn and fried foods. Over the years, trans-fats have been most plentiful in foods like frostings, which need solid fat for texture, or in those that need a longer shelf life or flavor enhancement. Popular foods that have historically contained trans-fats are pie crusts, biscuits, microwave popcorn, coffee creamers, frozen pizza, refrigerated dough, vegetable shortenings and stick
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
United States FDA bans transfats In a recent milestone development, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration made good on its proposal to effectively ban artificial trans-fats from a wide range of processed foods, from microwave popcorn to frozen pizza, saying they raise the risk of heart disease. Under new FDA regulations, partially hydrogenated oils, which have been shown to raise "bad" LDL cholesterol, will be considered food additives that cannot be used unless authorized by the FDA. The regulations take effect in three
years, giving companies time to either reformulate products without partially hydrogenated oils or petition the FDA to permit specific uses of them. Following the compliance period, no partially hydrogenated oils can be added to human food unless they are otherwise approved by the FDA. The food industry has begun preparing a petition seeking approval for limited use of trans-fats in certain products, such as decorative sprinkles, the industry's trade group, but expressed satisfaction with the FDA's overall action and 3-year compliance period. Under current law, food additives cannot be used unless they have been approved in advance by the FDA or are generally recognized as safe. Such substances do not have to be approved before being used. In 2013 the FDA made a preliminary determination that partially hydrogenated oils, the major dietary source of transfat in processed foods, are no longer recognized as safe because they increase the risk of heart disease. The oils are formed during food processing when hydrogen is added to vegetable oil to make it more solid. Reducing their use could prevent 20,000 heart attacks and 7,000 deaths, the agency said.
27 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
TRANSFAT oils in their dishes, for its taste and longer shelf life. With Indians frequently eating outside, we are consuming unhealthy levels of fats both saturated and Trans Fat. Trans fat in Indian Food items• Bhatura- 9.5% • Paratha- 7.8% • Puri- 7.6% • Tikkis-7.5% While Trans-fat in French fries is 6.9% which even though high is less than those in Indian items. The number significantly reduces if these items are fried in other oils.
Currently, foods are allowed to be labeled as having “0” grams trans-fat if they contain less than 0.5 grams of Trans fat per serving.
label on them, mentioning the trans-fat content, but it is written in a small font that's hard to notice. In some cases, the information is even misleading.
The industry has reformulated many products using palm, sunflower, safflower and other oils. But there are some products that have relatively low levels of Transfats and cannot easily be reformulated.
Why should Indians Worry? The reason that Indians have plenty of reasons to worry about the ill effects about Trans-fat is because of our changing food habits. From a country which believed in eating desi ‘ghee,’ many households have shifted to cooking in ‘Vanaspati ghee’. A study conducted by Centre for Science and Environment showed that most of trusted edible oil brands contain unhealthy levels of trans fat while the level of trans fat in some our Vanaspati ghee brand is as high as 12 times higher than which is permissible in Netherlands (which has tougher food regulations).
Food companies are hoping to persuade the FDA that such products meet the agency's food additive safety standards. To do that, they must prove with reasonable certainty that the products cause no harm. Naturally occurring trans-fat found in milk and certain meet products would not be affected by the rules. Courtesy; Times of India Indian scenario on Trans-fats The US Food and Drug Administration's directive to remove artificial Trans fats from processed foods can act as an eye-opener for millions of Indians, considering the adverse effects that it has on the human health. Experts claimed that in Indian snacks, both packaged products and the ones being sold at the roadside; contain exuberant amounts of unhealthy fats, which is accountable for a range of chronic illnesses. There is no regulation of artificial transfat in India.Manufacturers merely put a
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
Penchant of Fried: We Indians are also in love with eating street junk food take Samosa, Vadapav for example. And the favorite oil for those cooking in the streets is Vanaspati ghee as they constantly fry the items in the same oil. Even restaurants often use hydrogenated
Sweet Tooth: Indians are known to be fond of sweets and the commonly used medium for cooking in halavais is Vanaspati ghee. There is generous use of Vanaspati ghee even at home when cooking sweets along with desi ghee. Baked Food: We can’t imagine chai without Marie, can we? Most baked products like biscuits, cookies, cakes contain Trans-fat. The bakery products like nankatai and khari are extremely unhealthy as they contain large amounts of trans-fat. These are other foods with Trans-fat: Trans-fat being inexpensive with longer shelf life and giving a good texture is used
28 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
For Updated News Everyday logon to
www.agronfoodprocessing.com
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
29 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
ultraplast Come to us for a complete range of conveyor components • Plastic Modular belts •Plastic & Stainless Steel Slat Chains •Conveyor Components • Polymer Sprockets, Idlers and Gears •UHMWPE Wearstrips & Guides
UltraPlast Chainbelts Private limited
81,New DLF Industrial Area, Faridabad 121 003, Haryana, India. Tel: +91 1294113186/87 Fax: +91 1294113188. Email: info@ultraplast.in or ultraplastindia@gmail.com www.ultraplastindia.com www.ultraplast.in
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
30 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
in most packaged foods like • Spreads- Those containing margarine contain Trans-fat. • Soups- Soup mix, noodles all contains Trans-fat. • Cakes, cookies- Most baked items contain Trans-fat. Genetic Predisposition: Heart disease in India has grown four times in the last 40 years and WHO estimates that by 2020 close to 60 percent of cardiac patients worldwide will be Indian. They also found that average age of a heart patient in India is much lower than that in other countries. A research by Dr. Michael Miller, Director of Preventive Cardiology, Maryland University of Medical Science showed that genetic mutation in triglyceride regulation could be the probable cause. Triglycerides is a type of fat which flows in the blood which needs to be broken down, in Indians there is some malfunction which causes the triglyceride levels to be extremely high. High levels of triglycerides can cause atherosclerosis or hardening of arteries. Thus with predisposition to heart disease and a diet rich in fats, Indians have plenty of reason to be worried about Trans-fat. Labels often lie If you think you can keep off the Trans-fat just by looking at the nutrition labels, you are wrong. This is because though FDA in India requires the companies to mention the use of Trans-fat in the products, the
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
TRANSFAT
labels are often misleading because the products with ‘zero trans-fat’ may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oil in its ingredients. Also they can label it as zero Trans-fat because the serving size is below the requirements. However, it is better to go with a food item that says ‘No trans Fat’ label than without it.
mention the ill effects of Vanaspati ghee on the cover.
What do we do? • No safe limits- We must understand that Trans-fat has no place in our diet and no amount of Trans-fat can be consumed without risks. FDA has recommended in 2005 that the daily consumption of Transfat should be less than 2 grams.
• Opt for healthier foods: If you focus on eating healthy by snacking on healthier options like fruits, nuts, sprouts and whole grain items you would not need to eat junk as much. Also cook at home so that you do not get the Trans-fat in the ready to eat and frozen foods.
• Appeal for a Ban: Denmark became the first country to ban ‘Trans-fat’ and even America has banned use of ‘transfat’ now. India needs tougher regulation to force the manufacturers of food products to curtail use of Trans-food. The Vanaspati ghee manufacturers need to
There is nothing good about trans-fat, they clog your arteries, increase your risk for heart disease, raise your chances of being a diabetic and unless we stop eating junk food, the number of heart patients in our country will go on increasing.
• Stop cooking in Vanaspati Ghee: Vanaspati Ghee contains high levels of trans-fat and there is no benefit which we get from trans-fat. With Indians being prone to coronary disease avoiding cooking in Vanaspati ghee is essential. • Use vegetable oils: All vegetables oils like sunflower, safflower oil, groundnut oil are better than Vanaspati ghee, however olive, canola, rapeseed oil are healthier options. Around 4-5 teaspoon of oil can be consumed everyday according to nutritionists. • Read labels: You need to read labels and choose the ones with least amount of Trans- fat.
31 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
MY MAGGI
Who stole my Maggi! The disputed controversy Basma Husain
T
he Maggi brand, which came into existence in Switzerland in 1872, and came into the Nestle fold in 1947, has products ranging from soups and noodles to sauces and seasonings. In India, it was launched in 1982-83. After 32 years, it ranked among the most recognized brands, almost synonymous with instant noodles. Maggi is one product that survived both pre liberalization and post-liberalization thanks to its cultural embeddedness. A brand dominates when it becomes
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
synonymous with what it sells thus as comfort food one may eat Top Ramenor Wa iWai or Cup o Noodles, but ends up always thinking of it as Maggi. Nestle,which owns the Maggi brand,hadcraftilytake up the cultural significance of their brand,rather than fighting it. Over the years it became a household nameand nothing in the world brought emotions to a boil in less thantwo minutes better than a greatbowl of hot steaming Maggi. Maggi had an omnipresent quality; It could be made quick and dirty, at a roadside chai stall;
for jawans in a tent pitched somewhere rocky and high-altitude; being cooled in an iron kettle that’s been plunged into a
32 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
MY MAGGI Maggi Noodles that is now facing an avalanche of tests across the country for allegedly flouting food safety. Pandey is now being hailed as a hero in the local media and says he’s trying hard to avoid the spotlight.
fast-flowing stream; being served by a hassled boy to a bored-looking date,on an ineptly-decorated tray with roses; tossed into a sandwich in a crowded dorm room; sold to bus commuters in a rainstorm; still in the packet,filling a suitcase,confusing customs officials at a foreign airport. For a brand founded by and named for a nineteenth-century Swiss miller, Maggi first opened up to us the possibility of food being packaged and convenient, thatwouldn’t explain the place it holds in our hearts. Magic comes from what you did with the noodles,the flavor packetand the boiling water that counted. Could be made with vegetables for your kids, and you could convince yourself you’re being a good parent. One could make pakoras of it,or upma. Eat it with salsa,with a bit of salad dressing,with leftover keema,with chopped up tomatoes and a dash of Tabascoit soaked up pretty much everything well. You could have it drier,strained and steaming. Or have it soupy and wet. How the controversy started Last year, there was this company that wrapped up over Rs 10,000 crore in gross domestic sales, and then there was this district food officer in Barabanki. Today, the tale of one will never be complete without the story of the other. It was V K Pandey who took the first step nearly 15 months ago against Nestlé’s
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
According to UP official, it all started with a “routine check” on March 10, 2014, when he led a team that collected samples of Maggi noodles from a retailer in Barabanki.Sixteen days later, the GovernmentRegional Public Analyst Laboratory in Gorakhpur, one of the state’s six food testing labs, confirmed the presence of monosodium glutamate (MSG), a flavor enhancer that was not listed on the noodle packets. At this juncture, the company was sent a notice and asked if it wanted to appeal and on July 22, 2014, when Nestle filed an appeal, the Maggi samples were sent to Central Food Laboratory, Kolkata. On April 7, the Kolkata test results confirmed the presence of MSG, as well as lead “in high quantity”. “The maximum permitted amount of lead can be 2.5 parts per million (ppm), but in the samples, it turned out to be 17.2 ppm, which made them unsafe and as for MSG, the Maggi packets carry a message that says ‘No added MSG. The Maggi sample was among 18,000 collected by the state FDA in UP on an average each year, said officials. Of these, around 15 per cent fail the tests and five per cent are termed “unsafe”, they added. After the Maggi results were out, the UP FDA moved to withdraw the batch of about 2 lakh packets manufactured in February 2014. On May 28, the FDA decided to file a case in the chief judicial magistrate’s court in Barabanki district. “The case has
been lodged against Nestle India Limited, an Easy Day outlet in Barabanki and its Delhi-based parent firm. With time states like Delhi, Keralaand west Bengal etc. also decided to ban the noodle which was favorites of million and known as Meri Maggi. And then on the June 5, 2015, FSSAI totally banned Maggi noodles in India denting the topline product Era of Nestle. Nestle India then had challenged the ban imposed by India's food safety regulator on Maggi noodles and had gone to the high court in Mumbai seeking a judicial review of the order. However, on 12 June, the Bombay High Court denied Nestlé’s request for a stay of the nationwide ban on Maggi. The court ruled that as the noodles are being withdrawn anyway "the question of granting stay... at this stage does not arise". However judges ordered the food authorities to file their responses to Nestlé’s petition that the ban be completely revoked in time for a further court hearing on 30 June. Not to forget, even our Bollywood stars got tangled in this Maggi web, as a FIR was registered against Bollywood stars
33 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit and Preity Zinta, who have featured in Maggi noodle advertisements. This was done on the line that these stars actually influenced people in eating Maggi and were equally responsible as the Nestle people. To all this polemic scandal Nestle with its stock being dented retaliated that, "We understand that consumers are concerned by reports that the authorities in India have found elevated levels of lead in a sample pack of MAGGI Masala Noodles. The sample came from a batch that had an expiry date of November 2014 and is therefore no longer in the market. We are fully cooperating with the authorities who are conducting further tests and we are awaiting their results." Nestlé’s outlook Among the four divisions of Nestle India, the category of "prepared dishes and cooking aids", which broadly translate into Maggi, accounted for 31.5 percent of sales in 2014. Among the remaining divisions, the category of "milk products and nutrition" had the largest share of 47.1 percent, followed by 12.2 percent for "chocolates and confectionery" and 9.2 percent for "beverages". The Maggi unit saw a 1.8 percent increase in volumes in 2014 over the previous year and 8.1-percent rise in value at Rs.21.4 billion.
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
MY MAGGI But as of now as Nestle braces to regain consumer trust over safety of its popular noodles, the jolt on its India operations has been be severe, given the position "Brand Maggi" had enjoyed in its ecosystem. Little wonder, the stock lost 15 percent in some six sessions since then. But all may not be lost either, for a marquee brand built over three decades.
in 2003. After effect Nestle is to destroy more than $50m (£32m) worth of its hugely popular Maggi noodles, following a ban imposed by India's food safety regulator.The company said that the value of withdrawn noodles include stocks taken off the shelves and stocks stored in factories and with distributors.
Nestle as a matter of fact had called a full packed conference and addressed among others by its global chief executive Paul Bulcke– explaining that nestle was fully committed to food safety and the sample tested had been from November 2014 that were expired. This conference was held on the 5th of July – the same day FSSAI put a nationwide ban on Maggi.
Earlier this month, Nestle began withdrawing the Maggi brand from stores, after regulators said they found higher-than-allowed levels of lead in some packets.
The fall in the Nestle stock hasn’t been very significant. But it is conceded that the developments would affect the stock."Nestlé’s effort towards driving premiumization and improving the overall growth trajectory may take a hit because of change in focus to damage control and revive the Maggi brand.
Not only does Nestle but also stopping of Maggi production at the Nestle plant has badly affected business of ancillaries.
Also, during this phase, the brand may lose market share to rivals like ITC's Yippee, adding further fuel to fire and in a bid to revive the brand, the company will have to invest heavily to communicate that its products are safe -- similar to what Cadbury did
"There will be additional costs to take into account, for example bringing stock from the market, transporting the stock to the destruction points, destruction cost etc. The final figure will have to be confirmed at a later date," Nestle said.
Nestlé’s global chief executive Paul Bulcke has asked to see the results of the laboratory tests and promised to return Maggi to store shelves soon.
Paras Spices Private Limited supplied nearly 200-250 tonne spices monthly to a Nestle unit for Maggi noodles and earned around half of its nearly Rs 120 crore revenue as a result. The company has retrenched nearly 300 temporary
34 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
MY MAGGI crisis? While it cannot really fade away from memories -- nor will Nestle allow it -salvaging the trust will also require proactive action by the firm. The best way to get over this is: Nestle should start communicating with stakeholders. Written communications are very important. The company should make some audio-visual and post it on their site for people to see.
employees in the aftermath of the ban on the snack. If the ban persists for long, it may affect Paras’s contract farming venture as well. Around 120 farmers are involved in contract farming for Paras Spices and grow aromatic, spice crops and chicory, a bushy herb used in preparing coffee, over nearly 500 acres. What about exports? Nestle India currently exports small quantities of Maggi noodles to the US, Canada, UK, Australia, Singapore and Kenya. According to the company Maggi Noodles is made in other countries and these are not affected by the situation in India. Nestle has geared up and is working closely with the regulators in each country to explain the situation in India and, where there is a demand to test the products, the company is cooperating fully with them. Globally, the consolidated revenues from Maggi alone for 2014 are not available. But the category of "prepared dishes and cooking aids" accounted for 13.54 billion Swiss francs ($14.4 billion) out of the total group sales of 91.6 billion Swiss francs ($97.5 billion). Also Brand Finance, the London-based intangible asset valuation consultancy, in its latest report for 2015 ranked Maggi 23rd globally, with a value of $2.4 billion.
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
Nestle, its parent, topped the list with an assigned value of $21.2 billion. This apart, the brand, which extends to a range of products, has a significant share in the annual global market for instant noodles of 102.74 billion packets. In India and Malaysia, where Maggi has significant presence, the market size is estimated at 5.34 billion and 1.34 billion packets, respectively. Another dent on Maggi controversy is that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has decided to test samples of a Nestle instant noodle brand that was recalled from stores across India last week. FDA had taken samples of Maggi noodles manufactured in India from thirdparty importers' containers for testing though Nestle does not import, market or distribute Maggi noodles in the United States. Any Maggi noodle products in US stores are sourced by retailers or imported through third parties. What does it take to recover from the
To recover from this, there are two key elements -- trust of consumer and trust of investors. The business performance of the company originates from the consumer performance. At the end of the day, the truth should come out whether the product is safe or not. And the company, perhaps, also realizes as much. Rebuilding trust and consumer confident was one phrase that was repeated several times over at the press meet by chief executive Bulcke, who was specifically dispatched to India to clear the air with all sections of stakeholders, from regulators to consumers. "Maggi has been trusted in India for over 30 years. Trust of our consumers and safety of our products is our first priority anywhere in the world," Bulcke said, adding: "Our priority now is to engage all stakeholders to clear the confusion. Maggi will be back on store shelves soon."
35 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
BAKERY PUSH
Kamani Oils organises first ever ‘Kamani Bakery
K
Challenge’ in Mumbai
amani Oil Industries Pvt. Ltd. announced the winners of its first ever Kamani Bakery Challenge (KBC) on 10th April, 2015 with an exclusive awards function hosted at Hilton Hotel in Mumbai. The event, unique due to its core concept, was a phenomenal hit with the local city bakers and received a fabulous response.
Varun Inamdar (Celebrity Chef, Consultant, Chocolatier, and Food Stylist), Chef Gavin Braganza (Sous Chef – Pastry at Sahara Star) and Mr Nitin Patankar (Product Development Officer at Monginis). Chef Vivek Kadam (Pastry Chef at Grand Hyatt Mumbai), also one of the judges, was unable to attend the event but sent an encouraging message for all.
The ceremony was graced by all competing bakeries and the esteemed panel of judges; Celebrity Chef Vikas Seth (Corporate Executive Chef at Dish Hospitality and Super Chef on the Cooking Reality Show 'Sanjeev Kapoor Ke Kitchen Khiladi’), Chef
Kamani Oils initiated the KBC Awards to recognise the talented bakers in the city and appreciate their quality work. In addition, KBC Awards aims to provide them with a platform to innovate their products and come up with healthier variations of popular deserts. The challenge comprised of two main categories – Cakes and Cookies – where all participants had to create dishes using fats like Kcookiez, Klite & Cakelite. The short-listed products were then judged on the parameters of taste and texture, design and production, healthiness, and innovation. The jury of five judges also selected one product in each category which had excellent taste, texture
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
and aroma and awarded it the ‘Chef’s Choice’ product. Gary’s Cake, Mazgaon bagged the first prize in the cake category, while Corner Sweets & Bakers, Kandivali won the award in the cookies category. Commenting on the success of the event, Mr Prakash Chawla, Director, Kamani Oils said, “We have conceptualised this event to give a platform to our customers to showcase their talent. The response has been encouraging and we shall now extend this across other cities in the coming year.”
36 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
FOOD SAFETY
Acrylamide in Food is a public health concern
F
ollowing a comprehensive review, EFSA has published its scientific opinion on acrylamide in food. Experts from EFSA’s Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM) have reconfirmed previous evaluations that acrylamide in food potentially increases the risk of developing cancer for consumers in all age groups. This conclusion has not
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
available for an open public consultation in July 2014.
changed since the draft opinion was made
Evidence from animal studies shows that acrylamide and its metabolite glycidamide are genotoxic and carcinogenic: they damage DNA and cause cancer. Evidence from human studies that dietary exposure to acrylamide causes cancer is currently limited and inconclusive.
37 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
FOOD SAFETY These effects were not considered to be a concern, based on current levels of dietary exposure. Reducing dietary exposure to acrylamide Although not the focus of EFSA’s risk assessment, the scientific opinion includes an overview of data and literature summarising how the choice of ingredients, the storage method and the temperature at which food is cooked can influence the amount of acrylamide in different food types and therefore the level of dietary exposure.
Since acrylamide is present in a wide range of everyday foods, this health concern applies to all consumers but children are the most exposed age group on a body weight basis. The most important food groups contributing to acrylamide exposure are fried potato products, coffee, biscuits, crackers, crisp bread and soft bread. The Chair of the CONTAM Panel, Dr Diane Benford said: “The public consultation helped us to fine-tune the scientific opinion. In particular, we have further clarified our evaluation of studies on the effects of acrylamide in humans and our description of the main food sources of acrylamide for consumers. Also, recent studies that we became aware of during the public consultation phase have been integrated into the final scientific opinion.” (A report on the public consultation is available below.) High temperature cooking Acrylamide is a chemical that naturally forms in starchy food products during every-day high-temperature cooking (frying, baking, roasting and also industrial processing, at +120°C and low moisture). The main chemical process that causes this is known as the Maillard Reaction; it is the same reaction that ‘browns’ food and affects its taste. Acrylamide forms from sugars and amino acids (mainly
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
one called asparagine) that are naturally present in many foods. Acrylamide also has many non-food industrial uses. It is also present in tobacco smoke. Following ingestion, acrylamide is absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, distributed to all organs and extensively metabolised. Glycidamide is one of the main metabolites resulting from this process and the most likely cause of the gene mutations and tumours seen in animal studies. Besides cancer, the Panel also considered possible harmful effects of acrylamide on the nervous system, pre- and post-natal development and male reproduction.
EFSA’s scientific advice will inform EU and national decision-makers when weighing up possible measures for further reducing consumer exposure to acrylamide in food. These may include, for example, advice on eating habits and home-cooking, or controls on commercial food production; however, EFSA plays no direct role in deciding such measures. • Scientific Opinion on acrylamide in food • Technical report on the outcome of the public consultation on the draft opinion on acrylamide in food EFSA has prepared a non-technical (or ‘lay’) summary of its scientific opinion for ease of understanding and addresses additional aspects of this work in its Frequently Asked Questions on acrylamide in food. • EFSA explains risk assessment: acrylamide in food • FAQs on acrylamide in food
38 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
COCOA
Crossroads for chocolate? The uncertain future of
confectionery's favorite food.
C
Bernie Pacyniak
urrent indicators point to more complex choices on the horizon, ranging from healthy to
hedonistic, from simple to sophisticated. Less than a year ago, it seem chocolate’s future teetered on the brink of extinction, a series of apocalyptic and man-made events, ranging from the Ebola epidemic to rainfall shortages, from unabated demand for chocolate in China to a lack of youngsters willing to be cocoa farmers, dooming it to shortages and luxury
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
pricing. Well, almost midway into 2015, the mood has improved slightly. First, the Ebola epidemic, thankfully, seems to be under control. Secondly, weather conditions and harvest estimates for the Ivory Coast and Ghana, although always under revision, aren’t as bleak as once thought. Nonetheless, demand for chocolate in China and Asia overall still remains strong, and keeping the younger generation on the cocoa farms poses a continuous challenge. But as John Zima, ADM Cocoa’s director of retail confectionery sales, points out, “Forecasts for the supply and demand of
cocoa for the previous and upcoming crop year are projected to be in balance or a slight surplus. Based on this, we should avoid any significant cocoa shortage for the near future. “Longer term, there is always the potential for demand growth to outpace the growth in cocoa harvests, but recent years have shown production increases in the major growing regions — notably Ivory Coast and Ecuador. Historically, there have been years where demand outpaced supply, and in those years the market price has responded by moving higher. Generally, the markets are efficient, so higher prices can entice an increase in the supply, or
39 www.agronfoodprocessing.com keep the demand growth in check.”
‘good for them.’
Of course, there can be some latency between a harvest shortfall/demand increase, he acknowledges, the resulting price reaction and a reactionary change in supply and/or demand increasing volatility.
“Dark chocolate is also gaining market share,” she emphasizes, “partly because it is perceived as healthier and partly because the chocolate market is maturing and gradually moving away from sweet into more adventurous bitter or aromatic chocolate.” According to Blondeel, the plain chocolate bar is seeing a serious decline in sales while products with mixed ingredients such as nuts and nut flavors are on the rise. However, there has been an uptick in the miniaturization of traditional products, whereby classic brands popping up in smaller sizes or in a “shareable” packaging format. Enter guiltless snacking.
But then, what isn’t prone to volatility these days? Moreover, as Kip Walk, Blommer’s corporate director, sustainability, adds, “The overall strong market levels are stimulating investment in the cocoa farming sector. Farmers are able to purchase fertilizer and other inputs to increase yield in West Africa and new planting is continuing in the Americas. These activities will help to avoid the often mentioned ‘millionton’ deficit. Although nightmarish deficits may be unlikely, farmers will need to continue to see the benefit of growing cocoa versus other alternative crops if we are to stay on pace with consumption.” Still, Walk cautions that there “remains a significant amount of work that needs to be done to ensure that the industry’s 2020 goals are realized. [Editor’s note: Several multinational chocolate manufacturers have committed to using only certified cocoa in their products by 2020.] OK, so it looks like rationing of chocolate isn’t necessarily a given. So what’s the marketplace like today for chocolate? Stratified is a good way to describe it. As Jessica Blondeel, product manager - SBU Chocolate at Puratos, says, “At Puratos, we believe that consumers will pay more and more attention to the quality of their food. American consumers spend a lot of time examining a product’s label and want a snack that is at the same time healthy and indulgent. This is translated into a growing presence of organic labels on chocolate products since consumers associate organic with something that is
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
The economy’s recovery has also prompted a resurgence in indulgence, which has boosted premium chocolate sales. The numbers don’t lie, says Courtney LeDrew, Cargill Cocoa & Chocolate’s marketing manager. “Yes, we’re certainly seeing a shift toward premium,” she says. “In fact, according to the National Confectioners Association, the premium confectionery sector grew 10.9 percent and contributed $132 million to the overall chocolate category in 2014. Today, the premium market is continuing to outpace the overall chocolate confectionery market in terms of percent growth.” However, it’s not just limited to players in the premium sector, LeDrew notes. “Store brands are still gaining market
COCOA share as well, and discounters are gaining wider public acceptance,” she explains. “Coinciding with this trend is a rise in private-label chocolate confectionery – and this is where we’re seeing a combination of the two trends. More and more, private-label chocolate products are being positioned as premium; we are seeing more explicit claims on labels, from organic and sustainable certifications, to allergy-free and origin claims.” Then there are those Millennials, ever anxious to flex their smart phones. More prone to the latest viral wave than Baby Boomers, they are constantly looking for the best value. But as Rose Potts, corporate manager – sensory and product guidance, explains, “Value is measured differently, especially by Millennials who want quality and excitement, but still at a reasonable price. They are willing to pay for originality and measure that as part of their value equation.” So, does health factor into that equation? Well, yes, and no. There’s the perception of health and then the reality of government-regulated health claims. As Zima points out, “We continue to see dark chocolate and cocoa powder getting a health halo because of the ever growing body of research, which continues to show potential health benefits to consuming cocoa.” That halo also extends to organic products. “As mentioned before, consumers seem to associate organic products with products that are healthy and good for them,” says Blondeel. “Since there is a clear regulation on organic products and the price premium is already accepted, this is becoming an interesting segment to play in without having much ‘grey area’ when it comes to FDA regulation.” Indeed, the U.S. government has very
40 www.agronfoodprocessing.com “black-and-white” rules regarding making claims. Consequently, “The current environment makes it very difficult to give specific health claims unless every lot of a product is tested for antioxidants, for example,” Pott explains. “That is also risky as antioxidant content changes with time and conditions.”
attention to the quality of their food and dark chocolate often has less fat and less sugar than its milk or white counterparts, adding to its popularity.”
That said, is milk chocolate losing ground to dark and white chocolate in popularity? Let’s say, some shifting has occurred.
“Yes, sales of white chocolate have increased since 2011, but it remains a small part of the chocolate confectionery segment,” she says. “Today, white chocolate makes up approximately 2.35 percent of the chocolate confectionery category in terms of volume, compared to a 1.78 percent share in 2011 (Nielsen Data, 2/14/2015). However, when looking at growth, the real winner is dark
Blondeel asserts that milk chocolate continues to be the preferred chocolate flavor in the American market. “However, we have noticed that consumers are gradually moving away from their milk ‘comfort zone’ and exploring opposite ends of the flavor spectrum, namely dark and white chocolate,” she says.” The biggest growth of white chocolate product launches can be found in chocolate confectionery, where its “blank canvas” allows for a variety of flavor combinations. The second largest growing area of white chocolate is the bakery aisle, where the luxury connotation of white chocolate works as a catalyzer for its growing attractiveness,” Blondeel says. Zima echoes those sentiments. “We continue to see strong demand for white chocolate products,” he says. “Additionally, as people move towards cleaner and clearer labels and remove hydrogenation from products, we have seen that white chocolate is an attractive alternative for those that have traditionally used white confectionery coatings.” Dark chocolate is also making inroads into milk chocolate, asserts Blondeel. “It is slowly but surely creeping up on milk chocolate in terms of preference,” she says. “Consumers pay more and more
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
At the same time, it’s important to keep perspective. LeDrew shares some numbers again.
chocolate. Recently, demand for dark chocolate has grown faster than milk and white chocolate, although milk chocolate remains the most popular flavor in terms of sales.” And as Potts suggests, the white chocolate phenomenon may have peaked. “Yogurt-flavored coating, especially Greek style, is still holding its own and may be stealing some of the market share of white chocolate,” she says. So what about that long languishing sugar-free chocolate segment? Well, there’s no doubt that there’s still a need for dietetic chocolate products, LeDrew says, “but the segment is small
NEWS and has been shrinking for the past two years.” Moreover, Zima says that ADM Cocoa has seen greater interest in reduced-sugar products than sugar-free type products. And while alternative sweeteners are readily available, one can expect new alternative, natural sweeteners to emerge, such as coconut sugar, maple syrup and honey, predicts Potts. So is the chocolate market, indeed, at a crossroads in the United States, and are we seeing the 2.0 version of a chocolate renaissance? Blondeel believes so. “According to a Mintel report, about 55 percent of Americans adults eat chocolate on a weekly basis,” she points out. “Although American consumers are traditional in their purchases and do not easily step away from their favorite products, they are gradually looking for new ways to enjoy their chocolate. This can range from an unexpected flavor combination to new textures, flavors, sizes or ingredients. Instead of the classic method of using chocolate in desserts, companies are now trying to introduce desserts as an ingredient in the chocolate itself. This way, the dessert is becoming the flavor.” Let’s just say that America’s love affair with chocolate continues, adds Potts. In this instance, the crossroads represents multiple choices, not necessarily an either-or. Source: Candyindustry.com
For Updated News Everyday logon to www.agronfoodprocessing.com
41 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
NEWS
HALAL MEAT, A €2-BILLION DISH
D
READY FOR SERVING
estimates for Italy suggest a consumption level of at least €2 billion, most of which passes through a large number of smallscale Islamic butchers. Sales, however, are destined to move into the arena of supermarkets.”
emand for Muslim food is on the rise. The prospects for "halal" meat were the subject of discussion today at Meat-Tech (Milan Trade Fair), an exhibition of technologies for the sector that is running in tandem with the IPACK-IMA fair. There are two million Muslims in Italy alone, 35 million in Europe and 1.6 billion in the world. Muslims consumers therefore make up a very large market, but one that needs to be catered to according to specific ethical and religious principles governing the production of goods and services. In fact, goods and services must be "permitted", or "halal" in Arabic. A practising Muslim will always seek out a halal-certified product that complies with Islamic principles of production and storage. This is true also of meat, 63% of the global annual consumption of which, excluding pork, is in the Islamic world. European large distribution chains have for some time recognized the value of this market segment. In Italy, too, investment in this area is destined to increase. Halal was the central theme of a
conference held in the course of MeatTech, an exhibition of meat processing technologies that is taking place at Fiera Milano in parallel with IPACK-IMA, one of the top exhibitions in the world for the food and non-food process and packaging industries. "In Europe, the halal meat market is enjoying unprecedented growth, albeit at different rates from country to country," declared Alberto Di Martino, head of ICB Quality/HalalWorld, the accredited certification body. "The UK and France have experienced doubledigit growth for over a decade, whereas in Germany the market is still in its infancy. We estimate that the halal food market in Europe is worth around €60 billion per year, including both individual consumption and exports. Of this, halal meat accounts for at least €25 billion. The
How much does it cost a company to adapt? Complying with halal standards requires a quality management system similar to what is already in place in many production plants. For others, however, conversion to halal may require the physical separation of processing areas, or else the staggering of production over different time periods. The rules are meticulous, but not particularly complicated for those working in the food production sector. For example, halal management systems dovetail perfectly with the certified quality standards already used by producers who work with supermarkets. In addition, halal certification is already a prerequisite for importation into many Muslim countries. For instance, it is impossible to export aviculture products to at least 30 countries without halal certification.
New antibiotic standard for poultry in US
T
he US has developed a new standard for the responsible use of antibiotics in chicken for school lunches. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) will verify the Certified Responsible Antibiotic Use (CRAU) standard that was developed by School Food FOCUS (Food Options for Children in the US) and The Pew Charitable Trusts. USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service Quality Assessment Division will audit poultry companies using either its Process Verified Program or its Quality System Assessment As per the rules, producers will only be allowed to add antibiotics to the chicken under a veterinarian's supervision and the antibiotics will have to be administered
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
only to control and treat disease, instead of promoting growth. CRAU will also apply to chicken being delivered to hospitals and other institutional customers. "This new standard will guide producers who want to use antibiotics in the most limited way possible in order to protect animal health, reduce overall antibiotic use and slow the growth of superbugs." The Pew Charitable Trusts said the standard is focused on reducing the amount of antibiotics used in poultry to bring down the emergence of drugresistant bacteria in food-animal production, which will protect both human and animal health in the long run. The country's biggest chicken producer Tyson Foods has become the first
company in the country to adopt the standard. Recently, Tyson also announced that it will aim to eliminate the use of human antibiotics in its chicken flocks completely by the end of September 2017. Pew's Antibiotic Resistance Project's senior officer Gail Hansen said: "This new standard will guide producers who want to use antibiotics in the most limited way possible in order to protect animal health, reduce overall antibiotic use and slow the growth of superbugs that threaten human health worldwide." School Food FOCUS director of strategic development Kathy Lawrence said CRAU has been developed to meet the demand for more sustainably produced food and is aimed at chicken, which is the primary protein source in school lunches.
42 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
43 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
www.foodtecindia.com
th
EDITION
International Supplier Fair for the Food and Drink
Industry
September 14-16, 2015 Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India
Powered by
Contacts: Concurrent Events
Koelnmesse YA Tradefair Pvt. Ltd. (CIN: U74999MH2007PTC171042) # 1102, 11th Floor, DLH Park, Near MTNL Office, S.V.Road, Goregaon (W), Mumbai - 400062 Tel : +91-22-28715200 info@koelnmesse-india.com
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
India & International: Koelnmesse YA Tradefair Pvt. Ltd. Mukhtar Pathan Tel: +91-40-65594411 m.pathan@koelnmesse-india.com
44 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
NEWS
MP Dairy Federation's to send its Sanchi milk packets to quake-torn Nepal
M
adhyaPradesh DugdhaMahasangh (MP dairy federation) will send its Sanchi milk packets to quake-torn Nepal following a request from the Centre. "Madhya Pradesh DugdhaMahasangh has received a letter to supply milk powder to quake-hit Nepal from the Centre. The Federation's managing director has given consent for the same at a meeting in New Delhi," Federation spokesperson said. Besides, the Federation will also supply 450 MT whole (pure) milk powder to the country's defence forces. It has also received an order to supply 33 MT whole milk powder and 10,000 kg pure ghee from Indo-Tibet Border Police, he added.
Through efforts of Diary Federation, order for supply of 400 MT white butter has been received by Bhopal and
Ujjain diary federations from Haryana. Meanwhile, demand for Sanchi ghee and butter in the state is constantly rising and in the last four months, sale of Sanchi ghee rose from 1100 MT to 1600 MT, the spokesman said. Sale of butter from Sanchi parlours in the state has gone up to 27 tonnes from 10 tonnes, he added, adding, milk collection in the state has increased by 36 per cent, up from target of 26 per cent. The Federation has signed an agreement with Rajya Shiksha Kendra for supplying milk and milk products to Kasturba Gandhi Residential Girls Hostels, he added.
Amul Dairy polls to be held for 11 posts on May 12 Two candidates including Amul Dairy's sitting chairman and Thasra's Congress MLA Ramsinh Parmar were declared winners uncontested as no other candidate remained in fray against Parmar.
E
lections for 11 posts of board of directors of the Kheda District Cooperative Milk Producers Union Ltd, popularly known as Amul Dairy, will be held on May 12.
Curiously, at Matar, BJP-backed candidate and chairman of Nadiad's APMC Vipul Patel too won the election uncontested as Congress candidate Dhiru Chavda pulled out. For the first time in the history of Amul Dairy, elections are being held based on the block system. Each taluka that falls under the jurisdiction of the dairy union has been converted into a block.
is the last state which as BJP has in all other
Traditionally, representatives of milk producers (farmers) from each village-level milk societies (mandlis) used to cast their vote for 13 candidates of a panel.
After the last day of withdrawal of forms, 28 candidates remain in fray for the polls.
Now, the voters have been divided into blocks. Village-level societies will elect their representative to the
Anand-based Amul Dairy dairy co-operative in the is in control of Congress, successfully made inroads milk unions of the state.
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
dairy's board from their respective blocks. Elections were supposed to be held for 12 board members elected block-wise and one elected on individual seat. With two candidates already winning the polls uncontested, now 28 candidates will be contesting for the remaining 11 seats. At most of these blocks, there is a direct fight between Congress and BJP candidates. At Borsad, dairy's sitting vice-chairman and Congress MLA Rajendrasinh Parmar is in direct contest against Soma Padhiar. While in Balasinor, Congress MLA Mansinh Chauhan is contesting against BJP's former MLA Rajesh Pathak.
45 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
NEWS
Centre stops funds for
F
Food Processing Scheme
rom now, the state government will bear the cost of incentives given under the National Mission on Food Processing Scheme to investors. Reason: The Central government has stopped funding the scheme from the current fiscal. At a time when the state government is grappling with fund crunch, an additional burden of Rs 6 crore to Rs 7 crore will have to be borne by it. The scheme, which was introduced in 2012, was supposed to provide funding in the 75:25 ratio from the Central and state governments, respectively. The state government was provided with Rs 2.69 crore under the scheme initially, which was approved under the 12th Five Year Plan. The investors were supposed to get various incentives from the Centre after setting up their projects. These incentives included 33 per cent cost of plant and machinery, 50 per cent
assistance for setting up integrated cold chain, maximum of Rs 3 lakh for Human Resource Development, up to Rs 4 lakh for promotional activities, up to Rs 2.5 crore for setting up primary processing centres, up to Rs 5 lakh for modernisation of meat shops and financial assistance of as much as 50 lakh for purchase of vehicles for facilitating these activities. A global consultant, Grant Thornton, was also hired to prepare a vision on what activities were supposed to be undertaken in the state and several projects were sanctioned in the last about two years. Industries Minister Mukesh Agnihotri, when quizzed on the future of those who had invested under the scheme, said the state government would carry forward the scheme which was helpful
to promote the food processing industry in the state. Director, Industries, Rajinder Singh said a proposal had been sent to the state government to ensure continuance of this scheme by the state government in the future and efforts were also afoot to seek Central funds for the investors. He said a liability of Rs 4 crore was incurred annually through the scheme and about 40 food processing projects had till now been approved. While no project has been approved after March, the investors desirous of investing under the project, continued to send their proposals to the Industries Department, said sources. The discontinuation of the scheme was a major blow to the state as several big projects were in the midst of seeking approval and once set up, they would have helped in making available ready market to the horticulture and agrarian produce of the state.
42 new Mega Food Parks in next four years: Harsimrat Kaur Badal
T
he Narendra Modigovernment would set up as many as 42 mega food parks across the country in the next three to four years, Harsimrat Kaur Badal, Union Minister for Food Processing Industries, said.
2,000-crore corpus provided to Nabard will provide the much-needed fillip to entrepreneurs venturing into this sector,�
Badal also said that the government had provided Rs 2000 crore for a corpus fund to be handled by NABARD, from which entrepreneurs willing to set up food processing units would get finance at rates much lower than those offered by banks. “The Reserve Bank of India has marked the food processing industry sector as a priority sector and the Rs
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
Badal said. The union minister also said that while
the BJP-led government had allocated over Rs 53,000 crores for the Northeast in the current budget, the primary focus was on agriculture, horticulture and other sectors that would provide large-scale employment on the basis of natural resources available in the region. The prime minister has already announced establishment of six new agricultural colleges for the Northeast. He has also unveiled a separate Northeast organic farming mission. Sikkim has already emerged as a 100 per cent organic state, and a formal declaration will be made in December,� she said.
46 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
I n d i a ’s O n l y M o n t h l y f o r A g r o & F o o d P r o c e s s i n g & A l l i e d S e g m e n t s
India’s First E Magazine log on to www.agronfoodprocessing.com
121, 1st Floor, Rassaz Multiplex, Station Road, Mira Road (E), Dist Thane - 401 107, Maharashtra. Ph. : +91-22-28115068, 28555069, 8689979988 Email : info@agronfoodprocessing.com www.agronfoodprocessing.com
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
47 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
NEWS
In Amethi, Rahul Gandhi raises pitch over Food Park; Modi govt hits back
C
ongress vice president Rahul Gandhi raised the pitch over the mega food park in his Amethi Lok Sabha constituency as he toured the area and alleged "politics of revenge", attracting sharp reaction from the government which accused him of "spreading falsehood". The 44-year-old Congress vice president marched through the dusty pathways of Amethi to reach the site of the scrapped project, saying he had come here to expose the "bluff" of the Centre which has maintained that the responsibility for its cancellation lay with the promoter company and the previous UPA government. "Land had been allotted. Work was very much underway," he said, while alleging that "food park project has been snatched from us as per a well-planned conspiracy". While targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gandhi said "BJP wants to hurt me through this politics of revenge. But in reality, the farmers are getting affected, not me. BJP is playing such politics in other states as well, like Punjab, Telangana, Maharashtra and Haryana, wherever farmers can be suppressed." He said the food park would have benefitted farmers of 10 districts as they could directly send their produce to the processing units.
Addressing a gathering of farmers in Mirzagarh village, Gandhi asserted that "we will not be cowed down and would pressure the government to get it (food park project) back". At a 'kisan panchayat' in Shankargarh area, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi "never went to the house of any farmer. He does not know the pain of the farmers."
In Delhi, Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur accused Gandhi of spreading "falsehood" and playing a "mega fraud" on the people, insisting that promoters of the project were pursuing a power plant in the name of food park. She said the decision to deny any further extension to project was taken in March last year when UPA was in power and asked Gandhi to do his "homework". "Neither Rahul nor his party was serious to set up the food park... Rahul is spreading falsehood," Kaur told reporters
and questioned where the Congress leader was all the while since the project was cancelled in July last year. "When I saw the file, it was shocking to note that in the name of mega food park, they were spreading mega lies. If you see their proposed revenue model, after getting cheap gas, they proposed to earn 62 per cent revenue from power generation," the union minister said. She spoke to the media while Gandhi was touring Amethi, his Lok Sabha constituency, alleging that the Modi government had cancelled the project because of "politics of revenge" and therefore hit the farmers badly. Kaur said food processing, which was projected as the purpose for setting up of the unit, was given only a fraction of revenue in the proposal. Citing documents, she alleged that the permission to Shaktiman Mega Foodpark for setting up of the unit at Amethi was done in "haphazard manner". "The show-cause notice to the promoter asking why the allocation of food park should not be canceled was sent during the UPA regime in 2012," she said adding as per the 2010 permission, the project was to be set up within 24 months. "But, nothing was done," she said.
Halal food industry ‘increases’ in Russia
T
he market for halal products and services in Russia has been increasing year by year, Russia Muftis Council, or RMC, vice-chairman has claimed. RushanAbbasov, who is on the organizing committee of the sixth Moscow International Halal Expo, said interest the halal sector in Russia has been increasing and many food companies had earned halal certificates. “Despite the economic crisis in Russia, the interest of fair has not decreased this year,” he said. The Russian market for halal products –
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
meat slaughtered according to Islamic law – is increasing to the “growth of religious consciousness” among Russian Muslims, according to the exhibition organizers. The fair, for which Anadolu Agency is the global communications partner, is packed with displays from companies involved in Islamic finance, clothing, fashion, culture, pharmacy and tourism, as well as halal food products and services. Abbasov, also thanked to Anadolu Agency for its support of the fair. Firms have travelled from as far afield as Turkey, Iran, Britain, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia and Malaysia to attend
the three-day expo. The program includes a day of Islamic culture, giving visitors the chance to see new trends in Muslim fashion and cuisine, as well as examine Islamic art and listen to traditional music.
48 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
NEWS
ConAgra to pay criminal fine of $11.2m over Salmonella contamination
C
onAgra Foods' subsidiary, ConAgra Grocery Products, has agreed to plead guilty and pay a fine of $11.2m regarding the shipment of contaminated peanut butter linked to a nationwide outbreak of salmonella poisoning from 20062007, the US Department of Justice announced.
On 14 February 2007, the company voluntarily stopped production at the plant and recalled all peanut butter
Said to be the largest ever criminal fine paid in a food safety case, ConAgra will pay a fine of $8m and forfeit assets of $3.2m.
and 29 January 2007 was contaminated with salmonella. It identified several potential contributing factors, including an old peanut roaster that was not uniformly heating raw peanuts, a storm-damaged sugar silo, a leaky roof that allowed moisture into the plant, and airflow that could allow potential contaminants to move around the plant. Later tests found the salmonella strain at around nine locations at the plant.
In February 2007, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had linked the salmonellosis outbreak to Peter Pan and private label peanut butter that had been produced and shipped from ConAgra's Sylvester peanut butter plant. "The safety of the nation's food supply is a top concern, and every company, large and small, must take appropriate measures to ensure that their products don't make customers sick."
produced since January 2004. Eventually, more than 700 cases of salmonellosis linked to the outbreak with illness onset dates beginning in August 2006 were identified by CDC. The centre could not find any deaths due to the outbreak. The company later said that peanut butter which was produced on nine different dates between 4 August 2006
Principal deputy assistant Attorney General Mizer said: "The safety of the nation's food supply is a top concern, and every company, large and small, must take appropriate measures to ensure that their products don't make customers sick. "No company can let down its guard when it comes to these kinds of microbiological contaminants. Salmonellosis is a serious condition, and a food like peanut butter can deliver it straight to children and other vulnerable populations.
World Food Programme provides food relief worth $116.5m to Nepal
T
he
United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has launched an emergency operation to help survivors of the Nepal earthquake. WFP will be sending its food trucks to Gorkha that is said to be the worst affected. Nearly 1.4 million people will be provided with food, amounting to $116.5m under
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
the programme for the next three months. WFP said it will start distributing rice from its existing operations in the country. With landslides and poor road conditions making it difficult for the organisation to carry out rescue work, a helicopter will be used to supply food to remote areas that are otherwise inaccessible by roads. "Our Nepali staff and their international colleagues are working flat out to help those in need of humanitarian assistance. Time is of the essence to get food to those who urgently needed it." Bangladesh and Dubai will also be contributing with emergency food supplies such as high-energy biscuits. WFP's country director and representative
in Nepal Pippa Bradford said: "Our thoughts are with the people of Nepal at this terrible time. Apart from providing food supplies to the affected areas, WFP will also provide logistical support for the entire aid operation in Nepal. The UN has also released $15m as emergency aid to help the country that is currently facing an acute shortage of food, water, electricity and medicines. According to the UN, approximately eight million people have been affected by the 7.8-magnitude earthquake that struck on 25 April.
49 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
T
World hunger falls to less than 800 million: UN report
he number of undernourished people in the world has decreased to 795 million people as per the latest annual UN hunger report. The current number is a fall of 216 million people, compared to that during 1990 to 1992.
indeed eliminate the scourge of hunger in our lifetime. "We must be the Zero Hunger generation. That goal should be mainstreamed into all policy interventions and at the heart of the new sustainable development agenda to be established this year."
Titled the State of Food Insecurity in the World 2015 - SOFI, the report is jointly published by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the World Food Programme (WFP). The report cited improved agricultural productivity, economic growth and expansion of social protection as the primary reasons for the drop in world hunger. FAO director general JosĂŠ Graziano da Silva said: "The near-achievement of the MDG hunger targets shows us that we can
I
NEWS
"We must be the Zero Hunger generation. That goal should be mainstreamed into all policy interventions and at the heart of the new sustainable development agenda to be established this year." Around 72 countries of the 129 monitored
by FAO have achieved the Millennium Development Goal target of decreasing undernourishment by the end of this year. 29 countries have been successful in halving the absolute number of undernourished people, a goal that had been set at the 1996 World Food Summit. East Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, southeast and central Asia and parts of Africa had been able to achieve substantial reductions in hunger. The report also noted that the political will to eradicate hunger had played an important role. IFAD president Kanayo Nwanze said: "We must work to create a transformation in our rural communities so they provide decent jobs, decent conditions and decent opportunities. "We must invest in rural areas so that our nations can have balanced growth and so that the three billion people who live in rural areas can fulfill their potential."
Mondelez makes e-commerce leap with 'buy now' buttons
n an effort to push sales through retailers, Mondelez International is further delving into the e-commerce space with a plan to change its digital strategy in 25 countries, featuring "buy now" buttons in shoppable ads. Earlier in 2015, it tested e-commerce in Europe. The company set a target to double online revenue in the next several years.
purchased products can then ship from stores close by. "The role of our 'buy now' button is really taking the traffic that we have from the brand side to the retailer,"
Adweek notes Mondelez and other CPG companies have had difficulty in the e-commerce space, considering a large majority of grocery sales are generated in physical locations. The digital video, social, and display platforms encourage consumers to purchase products with links to retailers like Peapod and Walmart.com. The
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
said Cindy Chen, the company's global head of e-commerce. Analysts told Adweek this could lead to
further development in the space, as well as make headway in terms of product creation. If you know that people have a higher propensity towards Double Stuf Oreos than regular Oreos at a specific time of year based on how they interact on your site, then you're in a much better position to start making decisions on product development, innovation, marketing and how you position your brand," added Gartner analyst Jennifer Polk. E-commerce in the food sphere has a way to go, but with recent innovations in food tech disrupting traditional retail and distribution, it might be smart for companies to break into a less crowded space to get ahead.
50 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
NEWS
KronesAndina Ltda. inaugurates new
T
training centre in Colombia
he sophisticated technology of Krones’ machines and lines offers optimum preconditions for good performance. But the actual efficiency achieved by bottling and canning lines is essentially determined by the deployment of skilled, properly qualified operators and by meticulous maintenance. KronesAndinahas accordingly, at its facility in Bogotá, Colombia, built its own training centre for the operating and maintenance staff of Krones’ clients, in close liaison with the Krones Academy. In early May 2015, the new training centre was inaugurated in the buildings ofthe Colombian subsidiary. KronesAndinais responsible for providing lifecycle service support in a territory that includes not only Colombia, but also Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru and Panama. The training centre’s principal remit is to foster and inculcate soundly based in-depth knowledge among the clients’ staff, and to prepare them for handling new machine technologies. The Colombian offshoot of the Krones Academy initially features three training
I
rooms. The clients’ operating and maintenance staffcan be trained on the spot in how to use the technologies concerned to optimum effect and gain hands-on experience, so as to improve meaningful comprehension and troubleshooting capabilities, and thus make their own lines run more smoothly. The demand for advanced training is huge The training centre in Bogotá offers a workshop on how to use the Contiroll HS labeller with a hotmelt station, whose functioning is explained in detail by demonstrating the labelling process, together with fine adjustment of the individual assemblies and the electrical and electronic technologies involved. Besides the labeller, the training rooms are also equipped with a module of the VODM filler and a station of the Contiform blow-moulding machine. A second level of the centre accommodates the automation modules and networks. The Krones Academy can choose from a very sizable pool of trainers worldwide, and deploy them responsively
for training events in Colombia. One of the paramount preconditions for intensive communication of the requisite knowledge is to eliminate the language barrier. Which is why care has been taken to ensure that the lessons are given in the native Spanish language of the clients’ staff. The demand for advanced training in Latin America is huge. So the initiative for the new training centre was fuelled not least by the wishes and needs of the clients concerned. This training centre will make a meaningful contribution towards upgrading the knowledge of the technical personnel in the region’s various countries. The feedback from clients in Latin America’s beverage industry on the inauguration of the Krones Academy has been correspondingly enthusiastic. The Colombian offshoot of the Krones Academyalso offers a workshop on how to use the Contiroll HS labeller with a hotmelt station.
Global green packaging market to reach $ 203 bn by 2021
ncreasing health awareness among consumers is anticipated to drive the global green packaging market to reach $ 203.15 billion by 2021 from $ 132.47 billion in 2014, growing at a CAGR of 6.2% from 2015 to 2021, according to a Transparency Market Research (TAM) report. The green packaging market can be bifurcated into: recycled content packaging, reusable packaging and degradable packaging. The various categories of recycled content packaging are paper packaging, plastic packaging, metal packaging, glass packaging and others. The reusable packaging is segmented into drums, plastic container and others. Currently, consumers are becoming more conscious about their health.
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
Toxic materials used in packaging, especially food packaging is hazardous to consumer’s health. “In addition, consumer preference towards healthy and biodegradable packaging is one of the key driving factors responsible for the growth of green packaging market due to its health benefits,” said TAM in a press release. Moreover, increasing environmental concern is also boosting the demand of green packaging globally. With increase in the environmental concern, consumers are shifting towards green packaging as they cause less environmental pollution such as land pollution, landfills and water pollution. In addition, the dearth of natural resources is also contributing to the growing demand for green packaging. As the natural resources are
getting exhausted the packaging material manufacturers are leaning towards green packaging as they can be easily recycled. Among the different packaging segments, food and beverage segment accounts for the highest market share, ie 59.7 percent in overall green packaging market. Being the largest market, growth rate of Canada and Japan is sluggish, since the market penetration of green packaging market is the highest and the market is matured. Developing countries such as India, China, Germany, Russia and Brazil are the fast growing markets for green packaging and the demand is expected to be high in the coming years. “Large food and beverage industry, rising disposable income and growing awareness about green products are the major factors fuelling the demand for green packaging in these regions,” added TAM press release.
51 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
NEWS
Your Maggi May Not Be Safe! Officials Find High Levels of MSG and Lead, Call For Nationwide Ban
T
he 2-minute noodles 'Maggi' has come under regulatory scanner after samples collected in some parts of Uttar Pradesh were found containing added monosodium glutamate (MSG) and lead in excess of the permissible limit, official sources said. The Lucknow Food Safety and Drug Administration has initiated inquiry and written to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in New Delhi seeking to cancel the licence for Maggi. The state regulator has also asked FSSAI to order sampling of the product from across the country to check quality, officials said. "We have tested Maggi samples at Kolkata's referral laboratory. The test results show that there are added monosodium glutamate and excess of lead. We have ordered further sampling," said FSDA Assistant Commissioner Vijay Bahadur. However, Nestle, which manufactures Maggi, maintains that it does not add monosodium glutamate to the product, whereas presence of excess lead is "surprising" for the company. "We do not add MSG to MAGGI Noodles
B
and glutamate, if present, may come from naturally occurring sources. Food regulators in India also do not specify any limit for the presence of MSG / Glutamate," a Nestle spokesperson said. He said, "We are surprised with the lead
content supposedly found in the sample. We monitor the lead content regularly as part of regulatory requirements, and tests at our own accredited laboratories as well as those by independent external accredited laboratories have consistently shown the results to be well within the permissible limit." According to Yadav, test results showed Maggi containing 17 parts per million
lead, whereas the permissible limit is 0.01ppm. Nestle says its records show lead content is negligible and less than 1 % of the fixed limit. Monosodium glutamate, a kind of amino acid which occurs naturally in many agricultural products, is often also added artificially to packaged food to enhance flavor. Regulators and experts say such additives can be harmful for health, mainly for children. Food safety regulations mandate companies to specify on the packaging if MSG has been added. When contacted, FSSAI said it will examine the case once it receives a detail report from UP and will immediately order sampling from other states. "Enforcement of the Act lies with state government and they must keep a stringent check. Once we receive communication from the state, we will certainly examine and take immediate cognizance," a senior FSSAI official said. Nestle said so far it has not been informed about any cancellation of license or ban on the product. It also maintains that Maggi noodles "conform to all applicable food laws and regulations"
Food safety body issues alert over recalled products
lue Bell recently voluntarily recalled the product after its two half-gallon containers of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, manufactured on March 17 and 27 this year, tested positive for listeria. Though, the recalled products are not being sold in India, these products may be available online, the FSSAI said. Listeriosis is a rare but serious illness caused by eating food contaminated
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
with the bacterium called listeria monocytogenes. Listeriosis can be fatal, especially in certain higher risk groups which include the elderly and people with weakened immune systems. "The FSSAI issued the advisory in the country because there is a possibility that the product might have entered the country through online portals which sell imported products. The product has already been recalled in the USA," said ShashikantKekare, joint commissioner
(food), Food and Drugs Administration (FDA), Pune division. Dilip Sangat, assistant commissioner (food), FDA, Pune said: "We are going to keep a watch over online portals selling imported products in India. Consumers also need to be alert and vigilant while buying products online." The symptoms of listeria infection include gastrointestinal distress, muscle aches and fever.
52 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
NEWS
Inflation under check; global economy, agri a challenge: FM
F
inance Minister Arun Jaitley said inflation has been brought under control in the past one year but global economy and agrarian situation as well as domestic investments pose challenge to the Indian economy. Addressing his second press conference in as many days to highlight achievements of Narendra Modi government in first year in office, Jaitley said "restlessness" of people for the economy to grow at a faster pace should put pressure on Congress to shed anti-growth and antidevelopment agenda. "In the past one year inflation has been under control to a great extent...Overall inflation situation
has been much better than it has been in the past one decade," he said. While the decline in international oil and commodity prices have helped cool inflation, the government too has taken steps to control food inflation that has led to both wholesale and retail inflation come down from a peak of 11 percent , he said. Asked about the challenges facing the economy, Finance Minister said global economic situation and domestic agrarian scenario were a challenge. "Domestic investment has to pick up, that is a challenge and even though on economic front we have succeeded in some areas... these are three areas where there are challenges," he said, adding the global economic situation was beyond the control of the government. Listing out initiatives of the government, Jaitley said the financial inclusion and social security schemes have been a big
success with over 15 crore Jan Dhan accounts being opened and 7.5 crore people availing life and accidental insurance cover under the Jan Suraksha and Jeevan Jyoti schemes. The government, he said, wants to more than double the insurance coverage to 40-50 percent in the near-term. With 11 percent of population having pension plans, the Atal Pension Yojana wants to "make India into a far bigger pensioned society". "If India grows by 7.5 percent , India should never be satisfied. We have to aspire for more and this aspiration and restlessness of people should be a pressure on parties, especially Congress, which have adopted an anti-growth and anti-development agenda," Jaitley said. The wholesale inflation dropped to a record low of (-)2.65 percent and the retail inflation was at a four year low of 4.87 percent in April.
Wheat procurement up 5 lakh
T
tonnes this year
he procurement of wheat by government agencies has surpassed the 2013-14 mark by 5 lakh tonnes (lt). “Wheat procurement during the current marketing season has crossed the last year mark...till May 6 this season, 267,06,313 tonnes of wheat has been procured by Government agencies in various wheat growing States,� said the statement released by the Ministry of Food and Public Distribution. Procurement during the previous year is estimated at 262.86 lt. For the 201415 season, Punjab procured
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
over 98.66 lt of the foodgrain, while neighbouring Haryana crossed its procurement target for the season by lifting 67.55 lt.
Among other important wheat-growing States, agencies in Madhya Pradesh picked up 72.61 lt, while 15.63 lt had been procured in Uttar Pradesh and 11.81 lt in Rajasthan. Unseasonal showers and hailstorms from end-February through early-April had ruined standing crop in almost every major wheat producing State. Production in 2014-15, according to the third advance estimate, is expected to fall to 907.8 lt from the record output of 958.5 lt the previous year.
53 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
NEWS
Food import ban led to deluge of fake Dairy
R
products in Russian market, says watchdog
imports of food products, including meat, fish, fruits, vegetables, cheese and milk from the US, EU member states, Norway, Canada and Australia in August.
ussian agricultural watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor has said that the ban on Western products, and a dip in the value of the Russian currency, has resulted in a deluge of fake dairy products in the market. According to the Russian newspaper NezavisimayaGazeta, almost 50% of dairy products in the country's market are counterfeit products. The newspaper also quoted analysts as saying that the rise in such products is resulting in an increase in the import of palm oils, which is cheaper and is used extensively in the production of pastries, biscuits, cooking oils and dairy products. "The rise in products is as a result of in an increase in the import of palm oils, which is cheaper and is used extensively in the
T
The move was in retaliation for sanctions imposed by these countries on Russia following the Ukraine crisis. production of dairy products." The Rosstat state statistics service has revealed that there was a 36.9% increase in the import of palm oil in the first two months of the year. Russia has also increased its cheese production due to the ban on dairy products imported from the European Union and United States. Russia had imposed a one-year ban on
Russia had been accused of being involved in the crisis by providing proRussian rebels in eastern Ukraine with weaponry and other support, allegations that the country has denied. While Russia's cheese market has also grown 34% this year, its milk production and the volume of imported milk has gone down by 3% and 34% respectively, which indicate the possibility of the increase in the use of palm oil for producing cheese.
Amul MD cautions government about dumping of Dairy Products
he Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which markets its products under the Amul brand, has requested the government not to allow other countries to dump their dairy products in India under the Free Trade Agreement (FTA). GCMMF announced that it had achieved a turnover of Rs 20,733 crore for 201415. Speaking on the occasion, GCMMF Managing Director R S Sodhi expressed concerns over the possible entry of foreign players in the Indian dairy market under the FTA and registered his strong objections to such a move. "Some countries are lobbying hard for access to the Indian dairy market through bilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations. We request our policy makers to ensure that dairy products are completely kept out of the ambit of FTAs with major dairy product exporting nations," Sodhi told. According to Sodhi, countries like New Zealand, Australia and European Union
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
(EU) nations are under pressure to sell their surplus products, since they have been hit by a major meltdown in the global dairy products market recently. "Earlier, China used to import dairy products in very large quantities from these countries. After that demand dried up, exports of these countries suffered and resulted in a major meltdown in global prices of dairy commodities," Sodhi said. "Due to low demand, milk prices continue to fall in these countries, which are heavily dependent on dairy exports. Thus, in order to dump their surplus stocks of dairy commodities, these countries are lobbying hard to get access to the Indian dairy market," Sodhi said. "Due to low demand, milk prices continue to fall in these countries, which are heavily dependent on dairy exports. Thus, in order to dump their surplus stocks of dairy commodities, these countries are lobbying hard to get access to the Indian dairy market," Sodhi said. Though the central government has
not included dairy products in the FTA yet, Sodhi said that GCMMF has been cautioning the government against this move. We know that the government has never favoured the inclusion of dairy products under FTA, but it is our duty to caution them from time to time, since these countries still lobby for it. "We believe that the entry of foreign players will severely hit the livelihood of millions of Indian farmers," Sod hi said. He said that banning foreign players in the Indian dairy market is also necessary to safeguard India's food security and ensure self-sufficiency. No duty concessions and no Geographical Indication (GI) Protection on dairy products should be given to these countries. These steps will ensure our self-sufficiency in the dairy sector and our food security with regard to milk and dairy products," Sodhi said.
54 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
NEWS
Indian Researchers Producing Biodiesel from Used Cooking Oil Principal Sri Zunjarrao Rajendra Shankar came up with this idea of producing biodiesel from the used cooking oil,”
B
iodiesel made out of Used Oil from College Canteen Researchers from Modern College of Pune, India, produced biodiesel from used cooking oil, which would otherwise be thrown away by the contractor of their college canteen. While many commercial kitchens heat oil till a point at which it is not useful for cooking anymore, consumption of dishes made from excessive heating of oil increases levels of triglycerides and cholesterol in blood and thus increases the risk of heart diseases. But finding a healthy, economic and environment-friendly utility to such oil is certainly an achievement. Biodiesel’s characteristics like nontoxic and biodegradable in nature, and it being a fuel product that doesn’t emit sulphur into earth’s atmosphere makes it environmentfriendly. Dr. Santosh Gopale who guided this project said The Green Optimistic “We have created this biodiesel through the transesterification process. Initially, we have tested with a biodiesel blend of 60% biodiesel and 40 % petroleum diesel and the generator ran successfully. Our Next step is to test it with 100% of biodiesel and we are confident of achieving positive results”. He further added “During a discussion, our college
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
Ganesh Shinde, a botany student, who was already researching on bioenergy cultivation concepts and on the lookout for a proper raw material, took up this project with an idea that used oil could also carry the properties that could yield bio-fuel. The project was a part of the ‘Young Scientists Initiative’, sponsored by his college. “All the nutrients vanish from the used edible oil, leaving behind the triglycerides, replete with fatty acids. To this, methanol, concentrated acid and sodium hydroxide was added to release energy,” says Dr Gopale. Unsaturated triglycerides are the main constituents of vegetable oil. During transesterification process, triglycerides splits into their components – 3 fatty acids and glycerol. The resulting fatty acid esters can be used as fuel in diesel engines. Dr Dilip Dhawale, Head of the Department, Chemistry, Savitribai Phule Pune University says, “Turning into a polymeric material with use, cooking oil lends itself for creating diesel. There are different methods to prepare biodiesel, but not all of them are feasible given the cost and time involved”. Agreeing, Dr Abhijeet Shirke, managing director of Shirke Energy, an Indian biodiesel manufacturer, which extracts biodiesel for various types of biomass, says “Used oil definitely has the potential to become bio-diesel. But in India this has not taken off due to hurdles in procuring raw material. We are yet to evolve a sustainable system of collecting used oil and there is always the fear of
adulteration.”. Dr. Gopale further says to The Green Optimistic: “Initially, we have produced 200 ml of Biodiesel from a litre of used cooking oil and the process costed us around 1 USD for 1 litre of biodiesel (apart from manpower, raw material and machinery – which, in college, came for free anyway). If it could be produced in large-scale, the cost per litre would drop further. We are thinking of producing it in large-scale if we get enough funding.” While Shinde says “We are working on identifying different uses for the fuel we have produced, to understand what appliances can run on it,” , Dr.Gopale is positive that it would be the best alternative when there is a shortage of electricity and could even be used for agricultural purposes like water lifting and running a tractor. Dr Zunjarrao says, “The initiative is giving our students first-hand experience of working on research, where they not only have to generate an idea, but also sell it to the faculty for selection and work it to its feasible end.”
55 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
NEWS
3600 Solution for Food Processing Industry
11th Edition
ASSOCIATE SPONSORS
REGISTRATION SPONSORS
CO-SPONSORS
CORPORATE SPONSORS
For more details of Food Pro please contact
Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Business Fairs Division. | Prof. C K Prahalad Center No.98/1, Velachery Main Road, Guindy, Chennai - 600 032, INDIA | Tel: +91-44-42444555 | Fax: +91-44-42444510
W: www.foodpro.in | M: +91-97899 8114 Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
| E: foodpro@cii.in
NEWS
56 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
SEA complain of raw material shortage for Edible Oil
S
olvent extractors in the country have complained that they are not getting enough raw material for processing and therefore the capacity utilisation of the units has gone down to 30-35%. With the oilseed production remaining stagnant at 27-28 million tonne, the challenge before the industry is how to meet increasing demand from the domestic market in addition to meeting the export demands, industry observers say. The Solvent Extractors Association of India (SEAI) has approached the Centre to permit the import of all oilcakes and rice bran at nil duty to increase overall availability of feeds for cattle and poultry. According to BV Mehta, executive director, SEAI, if the import of edible oilcake is permitted at nil duty, extractors could get raw material for processing which could be consumed locally and the end product for the feed industry will also be available for export and the local feed industry in the country could get this at reasonable prices. At present, the import duty on oilcakes is to the tune of 15%. India imports around 11 million tonne of edible oil. The industry has been in a bad shape this year, say observors. There has been huge production of soyabean in the international markets such as Argentina, Brazil and the US and therefore meal prices have gone down heavily, Mehta said.
As against an FOB price of $600 per tonne in India, the soyameal prices internationally are $ 450, as a result exports have dropped down from 30 lakh tonne last year to 6-7 lakh tonne at present. The soyabean industry in the country has remained stagnant because the bean prices are high and crushing has not been supported since the extractors stand to lose around R1,000 per tonne as this imported oil is cheaper, he pointed out. Moreover, Iran has now begun importing directly from Argentina and Brazil, thus making India lose an important market. Vietnam has established a couple of 5,000 tonne processing units and has begun locally crushing oilseeds. Japan, another important market for India, has moved to GMO and reduced imports from India, officials pointed out. Of the 400 crushing plants in India, 100 units process soyabean. The country has around 9 million tonne of soyabean.
Pravin Lunkad, president, SEAI, says if import is allowed at nil duty, the country can process for neighbouring markets as well as local use. The total industry size is around $20 billion of which only $ 9 billion is available locally. Import of vegetable oils during May 2015 witnessed a record tonnage of 1,371,662 tons since import started in 1994 compared to 1,033,550 tons in May 2014, consisting of 1,358,688 tons of edible oils and 12,974 tons of non-edible oils i.e. up by 33%. The overall import of vegetable oils during Nov.’14 to May ’15 is reported at 7,833,524 tons compared to 6,198,541 tons i.e. up by 26%. High prices of soyabean and lesser realization for oil and soyabean meal in export market resulted in lower crushing and lesser oil availability in domestic market. The excessive import during current oil year and particularly in May’15 confirms that domestic production of soyabean and rapeseed is lower than estimated earlier at COOIT’s Rabi Seminar held at Jaipur in March ’15. India’s monthly requirement is about 16 lakh tonne against which currently holding stock over 22.5 lakh tonne equal to 43 days requirements. During November ’14-May ’15, with increase in overall import, palm oil import increased to 5,116,361 tonne from 4,332,848 tonne during the same period of last year.
Emami plans edible oil refinery in Gujarat worth Rs 250 cr
Company plans to expand its refining capacity for rice bran and sunflower oil with an investment of Rs 100 cr
E
mami Agrotech plans to invest Rs 250 crore to set up an edible oil refinery in Gujarat. "We have plans to come up with refinery in Gujarat. The location is not finalised yet and we would require around 35-40 acres. Around Rs 200-250 crore will be pumped in it," Emami Group Director Manish Goenka said in a statement.
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
The company is planning to expand its refining capacity for rice bran and sunflower oil with an investment of Rs 100 crore, he added. "All our brands are performing well and we are expecting around 20-30 per cent growth in our edible oil brands. We are planning to expand refining capacity for rice bran as well as sunflower oil
with an investment of Rs 100 crore. The commissioning will be done in August," he said. He added, "Our turnover was Rs 4,500 crore last year. This year we hope to end at around Rs 5,500 crore. We expect an increase in net profit from Rs 15 crore last year to Rs 50 crore this year," he added.
57 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
NEWS
Should buy 10% of total output
Sugar companies ask centre
A
delegation representing the sugar industry led by former Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi here to apprise him of issues facing the beleaguered sector and urged the Government to buy out 10 per cent of the sweetener to help prices improve on the domestic market. With production likely to touch a neardecadal high of 28 million tonnes (mt) for the 2014-15 season (October-September) as per estimates by the Indian Sugar Mills Association (ISMA), there is likely to be a carryover stock of 10 mt. Domestic demand is pegged at 24.8 mt and the excess output marks the fifth consecutive season of surplus production. “We explained to the Prime Minister that the industry has been going through a
T
he academic fraternity, industry and the government should come together and work for promotion and development of food processing sector in Jharkhand, the state Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs Minister Saryu Rai said. Jharkhand has a lot of scope to grow in food processing industry and technology in this sector has also been developed, Rai said at a seminar, 'Opportunities for Food Processing in Kolhan', jointly organised by Singhbhum Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and Adityapur Industrial Area Development Authority (AIADA) at 'Chamber Bhawan' here . "The only thing we need is to make a sincere effort to take advantage of the technologies and process the perishable
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
bad patch and put forth our demand that, in the short run, the Government needs to help us with buying out some of the
surplus as a short-run measure,” said an industry official. “Ideally, the industry should have 6 mt as carryover stock so there’s a 4 mt surplus. We are asking the Centre to buy out about 10 per cent of our total production which is about 2.8 mt. This would help ease
fruits and vegetables to preserve it," the Minister said. Assuring all assistance to investors keen to pump in resources in this sector, the Minister talked about the need for quality production and to conduct quality test before the commencement of production. "Of the total fruits and vegetables the country produces annually, around 25 to 30 per cent of perishable produce (fruits and vegetables) worth Rs 50,000 crore are wasted due to lack of facility or awareness," said Professor H N Mishra, Head of Department (Agriculture) at IIT, Kharagpur. The Managing Director of AIADA, Yugal Kishore Choubey regretted that mineralrich Jharkhand is lagging despite having enough potential for growth.
some of the pressure on the mills,” he added. If the Government were to purchase 2.8 mt of the sweetener, it is estimated that the industry would receive about Rs. 8,500 crore which should ideally be spent on clearing the dues owed to farmers. Pawar recommended that the Government could provide loans to the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to buy sugar while the Sugar Development Fund could bear the interest burden. Other demands like the creation of 5 mt buffer stock and the financial restructuring of loans provided to mills were also put forward. Mills across India, the world’s second largest sugar producer after Brazil, owed sugarcane farmers around Rs. 22,000 crore as of April 15 as arrears.
Choubey said AIADA would provide land for prospective investors keen to invest in this sector. SCCI President Suresh Sonthalia said the Kolhan region, comprising East and West Singhbhum and Seraikela-Kharswan districts, is the topmost region of the state as far as production of vegetables is concerned but it does not have facilities to preserve it.
58 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
GROUP
Innovation is life
Ho
t water in . . .
ld water out o C 5ºC to 15ºC
50ºC to 100ºC
Low Grade waste heat • Process waste heat • Tri-Generation • Solar heat
Process cooling and Air-conditioning (HVAC)
It’s not magic.
It’s an advanced green technology using inert ‘Silica Gel–Water’ pair (Adsorbent)
(Refrigerant)
FIRST TIME IN INDIA
Use low grade waste heat to produce chilled water for process cooling and air-conditioning (HVAC) • Long product life (>20 yrs.) • Low maintenance • Regeneration temperature as low as 50ºC • ‘Green’ refrigerant (water) • Low electric consumption (one-tenth the conventional system) • No noise and vibration • Range 35 kW to 1180 kW
Partners in Innovation
83°C (182°F)
Adsorption Chamber 2
Adsorption Chamber 1
Hot Water 90°C (194°F)
Cooling Water Silica Gel
29°C (85°F)
Silica Gel
Flapper Valves
12°C (53°F)
Chilled Water 7°C (44°F)
bryairmarketing@pahwa.com +91 124 4184444
Q4/217 Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
38°C (100°F)
Condenser Chamber
Evaporator Chamber * As per nominal parameters
USA
www.powerpartners-usa.com
Ideal for: • Industries – Power Plants, Beverage Processing, Cement Plants, Chemical Plants, Pulp and Paper, Steel Plants, Refineries, Food Processing Plants, etc. • Commercial – Offices, hotels, banks, bakeries, supermarkets, airports, hospitals, telecom centres, healthcare, etc. • Residential – Housing complexes, residential towers
www.bryair.com
RB/BA/1536FCA4
Unbeatable Advantages:
59 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
Glimpses of Previous Event
Vol.10 Issue 08 JUNE 2015
60 www.agronfoodprocessing.com
Technology. Quality. Leadership. Buhler plants for processing Pulses, Spices and Sesame seeds are designed to deliver higher yields, increased productivity, better product quality and thus improved profitability. With more than 150 years of experience in providing innovative solutions in the global grain and seed processing industry, Bühler can be a competent partner offering you superior technology,expert engineering support and best services contributing to the overall growth of your business.
Buhler (India) Pvt. Ltd. Kapil Complex 1/4 Main Baner Mahalunge Road Pune – 411 045 T +91 020 6649 7777 F +91 020 6649 7700 pulses-spice.processing@buhlergroup.com www.buhlergroup.com
Multi-product Cleaning, Grading and Optical Sorting Complete processing system for wide variety of pulses Natural and Hulled Sesame seeds processing All seed Spices processing and grinding
Innovations for a better world.