Times Food Processing Journal - September-December 2013 by World Wide Media

RNI No: MAHENG/2001/6054 september-december 2013 Rs 75 www.tfpjonline.com

How Safe is Your In the age of packaged and ready-to-eat food, the importance of safety and hygiene has taken on increased importance

food INSIGHT Food Safety – A Priority in India Jindal Retail India’s General Manager Amit Kapoor provides an insight on why food safety is important

REPORT Need for Agricultural Biotechnology Excerpts from report from YES Bank and ASSOCHAM which outlines the current scenario of agricultural biotechnology globally and provides a snapshot of risks, challenges and opportunities in the sector CASE STUDY Going organic: Farm to Kitchen Traceability A case study from Sresta Natural Bioproducts on safe organic farming in India STRAIGHT TALK ‘Our USP is the Health aspect of Gelato’ Vijay Arora, Managing Director, Gelato Vinto India, on Gelato Vinto’s inception, the F&B sector in India and frozen desserts

Foreword Safe bites september-december 2013 Vol 8 Issue 03 Printed and Published by Joji Varghese on behalf of World Wide Media Limited The Times of India Building, Dr Dadabhai Naoroji Road, Mumbai 400 001

As consumers become more aware of the impact food on health, safety and hygiene standards related to food have come into greater focus. Recognising the need for a greater control over food hygiene, the government too has brought in an integrated regulatory framework in the form of the Food Safety

Editor Jitesh Pillai

and Standards Act, 2006. This issue of the Times

Editorial & Design coordination Netscribes (India) Private Limited Content Editor: Amit Sharma E-mail: amit.sharma@netscribes.com Printed at Rajhans Enterprises No. 134, 4th Main Road, Industrial Town, Rajajinagar, Bangalore 560 044 Project co-ordination India The Times of India, Bennett, Coleman & Co. Ltd., Times Tower, 3rd Floor, Response, Kamala Mills Compound, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel (W), Mumbai 400 013 Tel: 022-30988309 Subscriptions Mail: subscriptions.rmd@timesgroup.com Tel: 022-6635 4083, 2273 3274 Indian offices

International offices

AHMEDABAD Chandresh Saijani +91 9925026681 chandresh.saijani@timesgroup.com BeNGaLURU Mahesh Talkad +91 9886084460 mahesh.talkad@timesgroup.com ChaNdIGaRh Bipin Kumar +91 9915095100 bipin.kumar@timesgroup.com CheNNaI Vijay Menon +91 8939659385 vijay.menon@timesgroup.com COImbaTORe D.Suresh +91 9994719861 suresh.d1@timesgroup.com HYdeRabad Pradeep M +91 9848024076 pradeep.m@timesgroup.com KOLkaTa Rajeev Bhatia +91 9830427702 rajeev.bhatia@timesgroup.com MUmbaI Indrajit Chakrabarti +91 9892223069 indrajit.chakrabarti@timesgroup.com NeW DeLhI Ajay Parashar + 91 9811556765 ajay.parashar@timesgroup.com PUNe Amita Kapoor +91 9823283130 amita.kapoor@timesgroup.com RaJkOT Jaideep Udani +91 9898590009 jaideep.udani@timesgroup.com VadOdaRa Bhavesh Shenai + 91 9898499966 bhavesh.shenai@timesgroup.com

INDIA Times International Marketing The Times of India Building Dr DN Road, Mumbai 400001

Tel: + 91-22-22731116 Fax: + 91-22-22731948 E-mail: int.times@timesgroup.com

Food Processing Journal explores the health and safety scenario in the Indian food processing sector. Our Insight section presents two thought articles on food safety, from 3M and Jindal Retail India, that discuss the current trends in food safety. Our former Tete-a-tete section is now rechristened Straight Talk. In this issue, we present Vijay Arora, Managing Director, Gelato Vinto India, who takes us through the origins of the famous dessert brand. Also read about BURGS and GreenDot Health Foods. This edition also features a report from YES Bank and ASSOCHAM on the current scenario of agricultural biotechnology. We hope you will find this issue informative and interesting. Do share your views and feedback at: timesb2b@netscribes.com. Happy reading!

UK & EUROPE Mr Bharat Vasvani No 54, Sydney Road, West Ealing, London W13 9EY, United Kingdom

All rights reserved. Reproduction without prior permission of the publisher is expressly prohibited. The publisher makes every effort to ensure that the magazineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contents are correct. However, we accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions and accept no responsibility for any loss or damage caused as an effect thereof. The opinions expressed by experts are their own and in no way reflect that of the publisher.

Content Editor

COVER STORY A Safe Bite 12 In the age of packaged and ready-to-eat food, the importance of safety and hygiene has taken on increased importance, writes Priyanka Roy Chowdhury

Insight Food Safety – Today’s Mantra 9 Gautam Khanna, Executive Director, Health Care Business, 3M India Limited, and Chair, FICCI – Medical Devices Forum, discusses the current trends in food safety and regulations Food Safety – A Priority in India 18 Jindal Retail India’s General Manager Amit Kapoor provides an insight on why food safety is important

Straight Talk

‘Our USP is the Health aspect of Gelato’ 20 Vijay Arora, Managing Director, Gelato Vinto India, on Gelato Vinto’s inception, the F&B sector in India and frozen desserts Quality over Quantity 22 A conversation with Geeta Bector, the Chief Taste Officer, Cremica Group, about the processed food industry and Cermica’s future Go healthy: The New Mantra for Snacks 24 Vikram Agarwal, Founder & Director – GreenDot Health Foods Ltd, shares his views on the Indian snack market, rise in healthy snacking habits and GreenDot’s contribution to the segment

TFPJ l september-december 2013

Case Study Going organic: Farm to Kitchen Traceability 26

A case study from Sresta Natural Bioproducts on safe organic farming in India Helping TetraPak Create Long Lasting and Convenient Packaging Solutions 28 DuPont collaborates with TetraPak to provide hygienic and safe packaging solutions through DuPont Nucrel acid copolymers

Report

Need for Agricultural Biotechnology 30 Excerpts from a report from YES Bank and ASSOCHAM on the current scenario of agricultural biotechnology

Regulars National News 5 Global News 7 Product Launch 33 Events 34

News National Food processing sector witnessed 20 percent growth The Indian food processing industry is a burgeoning sector and has witnessed momentous growth in subsequent years. While speaking to reporters about the third edition of the upcoming international conference/exhibition on agribusiness and food processing- Food 360, S Shivkumar, Divisional Chief Executive, Agri Business, ITC, said that food processing has grown at 20 percent per annum over the past five years. Shivkumar remarked that processed food export has risen in India at 20 percent annual rate. The processed food sector now occupies a 12 percent share among the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s total exports. Reports indicate that the food processing sector has recorded a much higher growth rate of 13 percent per annum against the seven percent industrial growth rate. The Food 360 conference will be held in November this year, concurrent to the World Agriculture Forumâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biennial global congress and agricultural tech trade fair, at Hyderabad.

Indian food processing sector will need 5 lakh resources

The surge in the Indian food processing sector has thrown open multiple opportunities for pursuit. The result of a recent study conducted by the National Skill Development Corporation on the Human Resource and Skill Requirement in the Food Processing Sector, indicates requirement of 5.3 lakh resources in the industry. For the organised sector, the number was one lakh. Ministry of Food Processing Industries will soon implement a scheme in the sector that will focus on developing technologists, entrepreneurs, managers and resources for

quality management. The scheme will also aid establishment of infrastructure facilities in academic institutions and Food Processing and Training Centres (FPTC). These centres will help imparting skills to trainees significant to the food processing sector. The Ministry already has National Institute of Food Technology Entrepreneurship and Management (NIFTEM) in Haryana and the Indian Institute of Crop Processing Technology (IICPT) in Tamil Nadu, both of which offer academic programmes in food processing at graduation and post graduation level.

Amul adopts green technology for Mogar Food Complex

The Kaira District Co-operative Milk Producers Union Limited (KDCMPUL), more popular as Amul Dairy, is going green, by making its Amul chocolates using green technologies. For this purpose, Amul has deployed low-carbon technology by installing an Electric Heat Pump (EHP) system at the Mogar Food Complex in Gujarat. It is the first of its kind to be commissioned by the Gujarat dairy co-operative and is in keeping with the district dairy unionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s TFPJ l september-december 2013

News National

objective of a Green Gujarat. Amul has collaborated with The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), New Delhi, the Institute of Global Environment Strategies (IGES), Japan and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for the pilot project. It will reduce carbon dioxide emission by 39 percent, save up to 47 percent energy and nearly Rs 20 lakh per annum. Besides, it will cut down dependency on fossil fuels. Being cost effective, the project aims to promote energy and environment-friendly technologies amidst small and medium enterprises in India. The Amul plant will be a site of demonstration for similar dairy units and milk plants keen to inquire about the green technology.

to establish more such food processing units through private partnerships. The state horticulture department has stepped up the crop area for peas cultivation to increase production. Farmers are able to sell their produce to the existing processing units directly, which allows them to secure good returns on their investment.

Tamil Nadu, Australia to collaborate over food processing

Uttarakhand to emerge as India’s frozen peas hub

The northern hill station of Uttarakhand will soon emerge as a frozen peas hub for the country, in order to cater to domestic consumption for processed food items made from peas. Presently, Uttarakhand contributes up to 40 percent of country’s demand for peas. The plan has been formulated and approved by the Ministry of Food Processing Industries and Horticulture Technology Mission. For bolstering the state’s processed food industry, the state government will create an effective distribution and marketing system. The latter is aimed at sustaining a balance between production and marketing of processed food products to benefit and help farmers. Uttarakhand already has 14 food processing units across the state and the government seeks

TFPJ l september-december 2013

The state government of Tamil Nadu is partnering with Australia in a bid to empower its food processing industry to promote inclusive growth. While inaugurating the 10th edition of the three-day Indian Food Processing and Food Technology Fair, Foodpro 2013, Sandeep Saxena, Agriculture Secretary and agricultural production commissioner, said that the government can be the facilitator between growers and producers. Australia will collaborate with Tamil Nadu over fishing, aquaculture, dairy farming and horticulture. Through this collaboration, Australia will bring in its share of expertise in food processing and related technologies, lending an impetus in building India’s capability in food processing sector. Through the collaboration, Australia is keen to turn the Tamil Nadu coast into a hub for lobsters and yellow-fin tuna. Since the southern state of the Indian peninsula accounts for a large coastal region, this prospect augurs well for Tamil Nadu. The state will benefit much from Australia’s expertise in the field of food processing.

News global IFC grants US $120m loan for upgrading food processing units to Olam International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, has granted global integrated supply chain manager and processor of agricultural products Olam International a five year US$ 120 million loan agreement. The loan will finance upgrades and expansion plans of Olam’s five food processing units at India and Nigeria. The projects are targeted at bolstering local communities through generation of employment opportunities for the local communities in rural areas. It will entail creating new market opportunities for farmers for selling their crops. IFC will finance and lend support to Olam’s Hemarus sugar milling at Kolhapur, India (upgrade); Spice processing, Cochin, India (upgrade); Crown Flour Mill, Lagos, Nigeria (expansion); Mechanical cashew processing, Illorin, Nigeria (new); and Sesame hulling, Lagos, Nigeria (new). The Crown Flour Mill will process imported wheat into flour to be supplied to domestic bakers. The four other units will integrate over 45,000 small-scale farmers from adjacent regions into Olam’s supply chains. Farmers would be allowed to directly supply their crops to the facilities.

Kellogg makes Singapore its APAC headquarters

Kellogg’s, a leading manufacturer of ready-toeat breakfast cereal and savoury snacks has recently announced shifting its operating of the Asia Pacific region. According to reports, Kellogg Company shifted its Asia Pacific headquarters to be based out of Singapore. All R&D for savoury snacks including that of the Pringles brand will be based out of Singapore too. The operation would include overseeing of flavour, food, packaging developments, nutrition and sensory sciences. Kellogg’s regional president, supply chain, human resource, marketing, R&D and finance

will all operate out of the new office. This strategic move is in keeping with the company’s ambitions for further driving growth in the Asia Pacific region. Presently, employee strength across Kellogg’s Asia Pacific headquarters and R&D centres would add up to 50. The number is expected to further grow in the near future, with Kellogg keen to promote its savoury snacks business in the region.

Global enzyme market on a roll, to grow to US $1.69bn

The global enzyme market for food and beverage industry is touted to reach a US $1.69 billion by 2018, pursuing moderate growth, according to the latest report by leading global market research firm Research and Markets. The chief reason attributed to this growth is the increasing usage of enzymes in food and beverage processing industries as an essential component. The increasing use of emulsifiers in food and beverage products has led to production of more innovative products, even amidst growing TFPJ l september-december 2013

News global

challenges from a government regulation which mandates certification of enzymes by FDA as safe for utility. Some of the key growth drivers in the industry are indicated in the report as changing lifestyles, increasing use of emulsifiers in bakery products and increasing use of ready-to-use food products. Since they also ensure more food safety and are cost effective, enzymes usage has been on the rise.

Fonterra milk products recall turns into a false alarm

The hasty global recall of Fonterra milk products recently was unwarranted, indicate New Zealand officials, stating that the alarm was false and it posed no eminent threat to consumers. In the ensuing crisis preceding the alarm, the infant milk formula was taken off the shelves, from markets across China to Saudi Arabia. This official declaration was made in the light of new tests that were conducted recently. The false alarm also dealt a severe blow to New Zealand’s clean, green reputation in leading Asian markets. According to New Zealand’s Ministry of Primary Industries, the tests had confirmed that the containment detected was not the potentially fatal Clostridium botulinum, but a milder bacterium called Clostridium sporogenes. This latter bug has no known food safety issues associated with it, although in increased levels it may lead to food spoilage.

TFPJ l September-december 2013

Initial tests had indicated presence of Clostridium botulinum, but after testing 195 more samples, the presence of the bacteria in the milk samples was rejected.

Google ties-up with Nestle for Android 4.4 KitKat version

What is the common factor between Cupcake, Donut, Eclair, Froyo, Gingerbread, Honeycomb, Ice Cream Sandwich and Jelly Bean? They are all different versions of global tech giant Google’s operating system, Android. And following a tie-up with Swiss food major Nestle, the upcoming version of Android, 4.4 has been named KitKat. A giant KitKat mascot of the Android robot has already been erected in front of Google’s office; a smaller version of this will be distributed across selected markets. Patrice Bula, Head of marketing, Nestle, stated that the brand which is counted amongst the top 10 leading brands in the moving consumer goods segment will continue on its strong digital presence via creative, interactive branding campaigns. According to Nestle, the launch of the Android 4.4 KitKat will be marked with over 50 million specially branded KitKat bars across 19 counties such as India, Russia, Japan, Australia, Brazil, the United States and the United Kingdom, among others. Consumers buying the special packs will be able to access a website from where they can win Google Nexus 7 tablets and credits on Google Play.

Food Safety – Today’s Mantra

insight

Gautam Khanna, Executive Director, Health Care Business, 3M India Limited, and Chair, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) – Medical Devices Forum, discusses the current trends in food safety and regulations

afety of our food supply is a world-wide problem. As per World Health Organisation, (US Centres for Disease Prevention and Control), three million people die each year from food poisoning and waterborne illnesses. In India alone, 7.8 lakh estimated deaths are attributable to water, sanitation and hygiene. The more recent instance of the death of 23 innocent students in Bihar, because of food poisoning, after consuming the midday meals is still fresh in our minds. According to the Health and Family Welfare Ministry, one fifth of the food items in the market which were tested by government labs in 2012, were either substandard or adulterated. Industry trends leading to non-adherence of safety standards 1. Depleting natural food resources are making way for the usage of adulterants and hazardous crop enhancers. 2. Need for faster, more sensitive food safety testing method to keep up with the pace of food production. 3. Globalisation of Food Supply Chain, leading to longer handling before consumption, which in turn leads to food safety issues. 4. Increasing consumption of proteins, meat, dairy and processed foods in India. 5. Food manufacturers in India are increasingly going for FSSC 22000 Certification, which is provided by GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) to maintain consumer loyalty.

Source: FAO

FSSAI

There has been an increasing government intervention in food safety. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) was established under Food Safety and Standards Act – 2006, and the Food Safety and Standards Rules and Regulations in 2011. With this, FSSAI has become a single reference point for all matters related to Food Safety. The FSSAI is an effective and transparent regulatory framework. This investor-friendly regulatory mechanism emphasises on self regulations, capacity building, harmonisation of domestic standards with International standards, focusing on Public Health & Food Safety. The FSSAI has a very important role in current scenario in India. Framing of the regulations, laying down the guidelines for the accreditation of certification bodies engaged in food safety management system for food business, providing scientific advice and technical support to Central Government and State Governments are some of the key functions of FSSAI. TFPJ l september-december 2013

insight

Impact of FSSAI

The main objective of FSSAI is to address the issue of food traceability. All food business operators, including the small business owners, need to get registered or licensed and should comply with the basic hygiene, safety and sanitary requirements. As per the new FSSAI regulations, anyone involved in the manufacture, storage, distribution or retails of food items can be punished if the item does not meet quality standards.

Ground Reality of FSSAI Implementation

Getting food manufacturers enrolled into the FSSAI system poses the biggest challenge. However, this is a slow process, and the deadlines for food manufacturers to enrol into FSSAI have been extended repeatedly. The government has been quite active in conducting workshops for making food manufacturers understand the value and need for enrolment, which has encouraged more number of enrolments.

Constant Upgradation of Standards at FSSAI

To keep abreast with the International Standards, FSSAI has taken some advanced steps in terms of upgrading its testing methods, such as harmonisation of Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Food Standards with Codex Standards and Other International Best Practices. Apart from that, it also gives flexible options for the labs to use the manuals of the technique of analysis, as amended/ adopted by FSSAI from time to time including AOAC/ISO/Pearsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s/Jacob/IUPAC/Food Chemicals CODEX/BIS/Woodmen/Winton/ Joslyn, for analysing the samples of food articles. And this opens the doors for the rapid methods with the latest technologies that ensure food safety.

Latest Technologies in Food Safety

1. Technology that ensures supply of safe food Inventions of new technology help in maintaining the quality, integrity and taste of the food intact, which would be satisfactory to the consumer, and also increase shelf-life of the food. To ensure safe food to the consumer, all the stages, right from the processing and packaging to the transportation and storage, are critical. In Food Processing, High-pressure (HP) processing, non-thermal processing, alternative technologies and strategies for thermal processing, Combined Microwave Vacuumdrying, vacuum cooling in food, are some of the technologies used to preserve the freshness and quality of the food. In food packaging, the key technology includes sustainable packaging, anti-microbial packaging, electronic packaging and nanotechnology. Today, food transport refrigeration systems are predominantly based on the vapour compression refrigeration cycle. Cryogenic Cooling Systems, thermoelectric cooling and air cycle cooling are quite promising for food transport and storage applications. 2. Technology for detection of Microbial Contamination Though we have the latest technology to produce food, the quality of the food has to be

TFPJ l september-december 2013

monitored continuously and at all stages. Each year billions of people get sick and millions of people die resulting in enormous economic losses. Besides the human costs, the financial losses from a food recall can be disastrous. Early detection of the microbial contamination can save a busy food-processing facility significant time and resource. And this is possible with the easy-to-use, rapid methods to detect Indicator organisms and the pathogens. Pathogens have an adverse impact on the food business and pose a serious threat to public health. With the changing global regulations, microbiology labs are facing many challenges, which include high turn-over of lab technicians, cost cutting and the pressure to rapidly deliver results, among others. For example the recent innovations – 3M Molecular Detection System, which earned a Silver Edison Award within the Daignostic/ Analytic Systems and the 3M Petrifilm Salmonella Express System are new technologies that provide a shorter time-to-result and more uniform results than the conventional agar methods. Food processors can benefit greatly from such systems’ affordable accuracy and fast time to results, minimising downtime in the lab.

Future – A Ray of Hope

Reducing food safety risks is an achievable goal. It may take time, focused effort and commitment. It will probably require international cooperation and a global approach. It may require national and international regulatory intervention. And it will almost certainly require investment in competency building. This can be achieved through a forum for the analysts, where they can interact with the other analysts, exchange best practices, have seminars by experts, and also there can be periodical training sessions. The laboratories also need to upgrade their facilities and adapt rapid/reliable technologies to meet up with the increasing testing requirements. The challenges appear numerous, with the large and growing population into this equation. A proper monitoring mechanism is the need of the hour. Currently, over 50 million

food business operators should have registered with their respective state governments. However, until April this year, only 2 percent had registered. According to records of the Health and Family Welfare Ministry, the average prosecution rate over the past five years is only 13 percent. This has led to a spike in the number of adulteration cases. Expert consensus is that, with a focused approach, food safety risks can be reduced. And the outcome – safer food for all, is worth the effort. As scientific and consumer awareness grows, the stakes have never been higher.

insight

Sources: 1. World Health Organization, U.S. Centers for Disease Prevention & Control: www.who.int/en/ 2. World Health Organization, www.who.int quantifying_ehimpacts/publications/saferwater/en/ 3. 20% of your food is adulterated: www.dnaindia. com/india/1872423/report-20pct-of-your-food-isadulterated 4. Nutritional and Dietary Supplements Market in India - Demand, Opportunities and Future Outlook: http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/1867505/ nutritional_and_dietary_supplements_market_in.pdf 5. Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases: Food Agricultural Oraganization (FAO), www.fao.org/docrep/005/AC911E/ac911e05.htm 6. Global Food Initiative: www.mygfsi.com/www. scribd.com/doc/129277549/SGS-GFSI-WP-October2012-Update 7. FSSAI: www.Fssai.gov.in 8. Packaging: www.foodandbeveragepackaging.com/ CDA/Articles/Feature_Articles/BNP_GUID_9-52006_A_10000000000000575022 9. Top 5 technologies of tomorrow, by Kate Bertrand Connolly (April 1, 2009, Kate Bertrand Connolly) 10. Emerging Technologies for Food Processing: www. sciencedirect.com/science/book/9780126767575 11. Food Transport Refrigeration: www.grimsby.ac.uk/ documents/defra/trns-refrigeenergy.pdf 12. www.foodsafetytech.com/FoodSafetyTech/News/ What-Keeps-You-Up-at-Night-Experts-Share-TheirWor-613.aspx 13. 3M Source: Matthew Turner, APAC Professional Services, 3M Singapore

TFPJ l september-december 2013

Coverstory

A safe bite In the age of packaged and ready-to-eat food, the importance of safety and hygiene has taken on increased importance, writes Priyanka Roy Chowdhury

he regular Indian consumers have moved on to a more global palate of pizzas, pastas, sushi and nachos from the erstwhile local staple comprising idli-dosa, pavbhaji or aloo-puri. Factors like growing disposable middle-class income, mobilisation in metros due to educational and professional movements are some of the chief reasons behind

TFPJ l september-december 2013

the transitions. The ensuing transformations in lifestyle have been most notable in food habits. As ready-to-eat products and global fares gradually nudged out the traditional dishes and home cooked food, demand for processed and packaged foods have multiplied. Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own domestic food products are not restricted to the

home turf alone; they have a wide market demand in many foreign countries. The growing Indian diaspora also calls for demand of homebased fares to foreign locales. This needs quality packaging for exports, ensuring safety guidelines.

The Food Mecca, India

India is one of the largest food producers in the world, at 601 million tonnes, the second largest producer of fruits (46.64 million tonnes) and vegetables (78.19 million tonnes). The economy also ranks among the largest consumers of food products, and the momentous growth of the Indian food processing industry is a proof of that. The sector’s size is around Rs 248,000 crore and according to the India Food Service Report 2013 by the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), the sector is expected to grow at the rate of 11 percent, to a figure of Rs 408,000 crore by the year 2018. Undoubtedly, these are overwhelming figures and underline the importance of the food sector in India’s economy. Therefore, in the age of packaged and readyto-eat foods, and trading of food products, the

importance of preservation and security of food has gained in importance. At such times, how adept are India’s food security and standards at coping? The following looks into whether the nation needs formulation of stringent set of regulations governing food security and standards, urging greater need for reviewing the pre-existent ones. Commenting on the existing safety standards in the Indian food processing sector, Mr Sohrab Sitaram, Founder and Director of Sohrab Sitaram Consultancy, (a restaurant consultancy which undertakes turnkey projects for restaurants) says, “Food security standards and regulations are extremely poor in India, as there is no governing body to regulate them. The Food and Safety Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) is a very positive initiative only if enough knowledge is given and proper governing bodies are maintained. The entire unorganised sector which holds a share of 90 percent in India, does not follow any norms. I believe that vendor check is very essential. A proper focus must be provided to basic hygiene where staff should be provided

coverstory

TFPJ l september-december 2013

with proper locker rooms and kitchen areas to sanitise. Besides this, people involved in the sector need to follow Standard Purchase Specification (SPS) which a lot of people are either not aware of or follow.”

Food Safety Regulations

It is very important that food is prepared in consideration of the health of the people. If the food served is not of a good quality and proves to be a hindrance to public health, it will directly affect the performance of a brand. Incidentally however, food safety is still not treated as a general concern among consumers in India. There have been many occasions when food safety has been known to be compromised or event violated. Expressing his opinion on food and beverage safety, Mr Gunasekar, Managing Director, MonaVie India, manufacturer and distributer of naturally made food products, says, “A bill

TFPJ l september-december 2013

should be introduced to address providing food and nutritional security through increased availability of quality food at affordable rates to the masses.” In the wake of the recent food safety scares such as the adulteration of milk and edible oil, food safety and security has taken a new meaning altogether. With more and more products appearing on the shelf, factors like shelf life have come under a lot of scrutiny. Domestically, spending on food and food products has hiked to a substantial 21 percent of the gross domestic product. It constitutes the largest portion of Indian consumer spending, with over 31 percent. Food safety is integral to consumer/public health welfare. Therefore, for the establishment of an effective national food control system to safeguard public health, the FSSSAI is determined to raise this standard and being in global best practices into the domestic food processing fold. This is because any adulteration with food will ultimately lead to public health deterioration. And FMCG companies need to comply with such regulations not only for the betterment of their brand quality, but also in regard to public health safety. Speaking about the role of eateries in ensuring the safety standards adherence before delivering to consumers, Vishnu Reddy Leburu, COO, Fusion Taste Pvt. Ltd., the master franchisee for Eagle Boys Pizza, says, “Ensuring timely maintenance of food safety standards before delivering products to the consumer is necessary. Restaurants must maintain a strict surveillance system at the outlets. Keeping a track on the food preparation methods in the kitchen, entrance of the outlets and the management of the outlet gives an added advantage of good security.” Commenting on food security, standards and regulations in India, he adds, “Food security and standardisation of food needs an immediate regulation in India. Every restaurant/food and beverage company must abide by such food security regulations implemented by the government. In order to accomplish that, they should coordinate with the employees to provide safe and quality food to the end consumers.”

Coverstory

The Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006

One of the most important benchmark for regulations in the Indian food processing sector has come in the form of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, established as a statutory authority to formulate guidelines and standards based on science for articles that cater to food, manufacturing, processing, sale, distribution and import. The aim of the Act is to ensure that safe and wholesome food is made available for human consumption. Ms Vineeta Tikekar, Vice President, Marketing and Communications, Sodexo India On-site Services, says: “The Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 requires organisations to adopt global Food Safety and Management System standards, and as an industry leader we have proactively taken steps to comply with these requirements. Sodexo India has also received the central license for our food services by the FSSAI, and we intend to extend this certification programme to cover our key suppliers and help our small scale vendors in improving their food safety standards.”

Salient features of the Act

• The Act defines the basic concepts related to substandard and unsafe food. • Focus on the risk assessment that will not prove restrictive towards trade. • Provisions adhering to functional and novel food. • The Act also allocates penalties for offenses and violations for flouting the law. • FSSA Act, 2006 also shares improvement notices with the industry. The Act not only regulates and monitors manufacturing, processing, distribution, sale and import of food, but also specifies standards and guidelines for food articles. The Act oversees limits for food additives, contaminants, veterinary drugs among others alongside formulating mechanisms and guidelines for accreditation of certification bodies.

Quality and Food

Due to the biodegradable nature of food, exerting quality control is of utmost necessity; more so, in the case of imported food. This is

TFPJ l september-december 2013

another area of focus for the FSS Act, 2006 which in a fast developing taste for ready-toeats, is quite integral to food safety. Thus comes in the need for surveillance over quality. Importance of quality certification in the food sector is of unequivocal importance. Listed below are some of the key factors for the growing importance of quality certification: • Customer expectations: Today the customers have become more demanding and knowledgeable. They are more concerned about the ingredients of the food products. Hence, maintaining optimum quality standards in food industry has become necessary. • Environmental concerns: It is mandatory that to establish and run a food industry, the surroundings and work environment must be protected from contamination of product. • Organic Food: There is more demand for organic food because people have realised the ill effects of inorganic food, such as the damage to both environment and health. Quality monitoring and guarantee helps ensure that the chemicals are within the specified limits in any food product. • Technology: With the development in technology, there have been emergence of diverse methods for food processing and other food related activities. These methods ensure safer and higher quality food access to the customers. Therefore, all companies in the food and allied industries have to ensure good quality systems to compete in the market. • Regulatory requirements: Food being a critical element of life, the regulatory agencies have put in place stringent requirements for its safety and quality. Food quality assurance programmes help the food industry to meet these requirements consistently and deliver food that is fit for consumption. Most of the organisations dealing with food and allied products have built their quality monitoring and guarantee systems based on requirements of standardisation and analysis. The analysis makes sure that food safety aspects are taken care of through various prerequisite programmes (PRP) for sanitation and

cleaning, premises and facilities, personnel training, pest control programmes, hygiene and practices, and equipment among others. The analysis system is based on seven principles (HACCP) comprising: o Developing monitoring procedures o Determining critical limits o Hazard analysis o Identifying critical control points o Developing corrective action procedures o Developing verification procedures o Developing record-keeping procedures According to Dr Murugan K., Managing Director and CEO, UL DQS India and Dr C Venkataraman, Sr. Lead Auditor, UL DQS India, a leading certification organisation, â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the rush to join the bandwagon, many organisations focus only on receiving the certifications and not on the means, at times bypassing critical process. This makes it difficult for UL DQS India to certify the operations and processes to the international standards for such organisations in spite of the pressure by the customers. Further, since certifications are seen as the last priority, there are also price constraints and laxity in quality initiatives which UL DQS India does not subscribe to and avoids partnering with such customers.â&#x20AC;?

Meeting stringent global standards

Certification is a voluntary assessment and approval by an accredited party on an accredited standard. Firms successfully passing the audit procedure receive a certificate that can be used as a quality signal in the market to reduce the quality uncertainty of buyers and, in this way, lower transaction costs. Certificates function as non-tariff trade barriers on international markets. Certification helps organisations enhance their position in the market based on various drivers: 1. Exporting country requirements: Organisations manufacturing and exporting food products need to meet the market requirements in those countries, which require conformance to more stringent

standards. For e.g., to supply to retailers in Germany, Italy and France, one must possess an IFS (International Food Standard) certificate. In United Kingdom, the BRC Global Standard is more or less obligatory. 2. Controls of Food Supply chain: Certification schemes influence information sharing in food supply chains and, therefore, have a strong effect on their competitiveness. Customers demand certification from suppliers as a means of ensuring supply of safe products â&#x20AC;&#x201C; either from farm or industry. 3. Controls on Primary producers: These revolve around the farmer community, which grow and harvest agro-products, which are further processed in the industry. a.) In the organised farm sector in foreign countries, a key driving force is the demand for GlobalGAP certification, through which the farming community is at pressure to adopt good practices in agriculture that would ensure safe products are supplied to the food industry. b.) Another stringent standard required to be practised, in India and abroad, is with regard to Organic Farming Certification, which is applicable not only to food produce but also to other cash crops such as cotton. 4. Customer requirements: Customers are now no longer satisfied with a basic HACCP or ISO 9001 certification. To meet their stringent requirements, organisations are forced to adopt higher standards such as ISO 22000 (which is now becoming a basic certification requirement), BRC, IFS, FAMIQS (for the Animal Feed Sector), SQF, etc. Major brands like Nestle conduct audits on organisations based on these stringent standards, and sometimes go beyond by introducing standards, e.g., SEDEX. 5. Stricter legislation: Due to the growing customer/market demands for safer food products, legislation is also setting stringer standards to weed out non-genuine players. To meet these stringent standards, organisations are forced to adopt better technologies, improve operational controls and tighten controls on the supply chain to ensure safe and quality food products are manufactured.

coverstory

TFPJ l september-december 2013

insight

Food Safety â&#x20AC;&#x201C;

A Priority in India Jindal Retail Indiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s General Manager Amit Kapoor provides an insight on why food safety is important

TFPJ l september-december 2013

insight

ood safety is an important element of the food and processing industry, and companies have to carefully work towards it. To prepare safe food, food and processing industry must follow certain steps and procedures throughout the entire food preparation process. They have to plan and pay attention to every little process to see how food is prepared and ensure it is safe to consume. Utilisation and consumption of safe food is most important element in food security at the household level. Food safety certification means that companies do not have to unnecessarily worry about unsatisfied customers due to expired or harmful products. Recognised food safety certification is a significant benefit for any company that wishes to be successful either locally or internationally. In fact, higher standards and R&D would provide competitive edge to it over direct and indirect competitors in the food, beverage and allied industries.

Food Certifications in India

There are several other benefits that food safety certification offers. The companies enjoy the confidence of the consumers and benefit in the form the increased sales. The results and data of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and ISO certified laboratories are widely respected. For example, one of the key benefits that we enjoy as an international brand is that our ‘endorsements’, such as ISO, is a representation of not only a global standard but also a “universal level of excellence”. This fact is recognised by clients across the world, who seek to establish long-lasting synergies with trustworthy suppliers. It also helps in creating brand awareness for the product. Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) has banned the sale of loose edible oil in India. In

India packed or bottled edible oil standards are at par with global standards as packed edible oil manufacturers adhere to the standards set up by FSSAI and have to mandatory go through certain number of quality checks before selling in the market packed. Also, in India, most of the farmers still grow crops organically without using any pesticide, chemicals and fertilisers; so in a way, the standards are at par with global standards. The Indian consumer is becoming aware, and there is a huge cut throat competition among the food processing industry. As a result, food processing industries are focussing on R&D and turning high-tech, to get the edge over competition, hence they are able to produce economical and nutritional products. Food processing industries are giving more emphasis to R&D on by-products, so that they are able to derive value out of the residue or waste by adding nutritional value through modern technology. FSSAI has set up certain standards and guidelines for the food processing industry to follow and produce quality product and all food processing industry, whether big or small, would have no choice but to comply with these nutritional standards. These standards and guidelines would give boost to the food processing and allied industries as there would be great demand for these micronutrient and fortified products for the rural areas. Support to small and marginal farmers, who are also food processors, is to be defined in the National Food Security Bill. They also need to be protected; for growing crop they need various kind of support, for e.g., power supply, economic support, credit facility, land rights and environmental protection. If we are able to address this as well then it will add weightage to the National Food Security Bill 2013.

TFPJ l september-december 2013

Straight talk

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Our USP is the Health aspect of Gelatoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Vijay Arora, Managing Director, Gelato Vinto India, on Gelato Vintoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inception, the F&B sector in India and frozen desserts

How was the idea for Gelato Vinto conceptualised?

I am a frequent traveller to Italy, and developed a keen knowledge about gelato. Being a gourmand, food continued to remain close to my heart and this passion resulted in setting up this entrepreneurial venture that has launched a brand of gelato or natural Italian (frozen) desert. Having done extensive research on this subject, I have participated in specialised gelato fairs in Italy and took gelato making courses at the Gelato University in Bologna, Italy. The creativity that goes into making gelato made it a natural choice for me to launch this venture in India. Our USP is the health aspect of our product.

TFPJ l september-december 2013

We are curious to know more about gelato.

Gelato is made from natural ingredients with no synthetic flavours or essence. Due to its composition and productive process, freshly made gelato has a creamier, silky texture and is served with a spatula at a higher temperature. Gelato is produced daily to ensure the product is always fresh, unlike industrial frozen dessert, which is manufactured and stored indefinitely. Gelato has only 35 percent over run which means it has more products and less air content, thus yielding a denser, more compact consistency as compared to industrial frozen dessert which has an 80-100 percent over run. Gelato has a lower fat content of 4 percent compared to frozen dessert which is higher at 10 percent or

more. Italians treat gelato as a nutritious food. A scoop contains protein, calcium, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamin A and almost all the B group vitamins. Gelato is 100 percent vegetarian and is more nutritious and lighter that industrial frozen dessert as it does not compromise on the taste and texture.

What is the basic difference between the fresh products from Gelato and industrial ice creams?

Premium ice creams are made with fresh cream (not condensed or powdered milk), real eggs, and natural flavourings. Quality ingredients aside, lesser ice creams also have more air whipped in, whereas gelato is dense, and requires a slightly higher serving temperature, more milk and less cream. It actually has less fat than regular ice cream, but gelato's low overrun makes for an extremely dense, rich and creamy treat.

How is Gelato placed in the market?

Gelato has great potential as people are turning more health conscious now. To fill in on demand, we cater to an age group spanning 5-60 years.

Is competition stiff in the segment?

There are quite a few entrants into this industry, but as said, we are succeeding because of our USP of being healthy, fat free and our wide presence.

Gelato had established the first Gelato Parlour in Delhi way back in 2005, way ahead of its competitors. Did it help being an early bird?

Being an early bird in the gelato segment definitely helped us. Experience has been wonderful thus far, in spite of challenges. To cater to regional demands of palate, we have tweaked the product line according to states we operate in, e.g., Chennai has flavours like coconut, while Ahmadabad has kulfi and pan.

The Indian F&B market is on a roll. What, according to you is

the driving factor behind the success story?

straight talk

We strongly believe that, if as a brand you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t compromise on the quality, you build up a loyal customer base. There are a few entrants into this industry, but as said, we are succeeding because of our focus on delivering a healthy and fat-free quality product. We believe Gelato Vinto has a lot to achieve in the ensuing years and explore many uncharted waters in context to creating regional diversities.

How is the market opening up to premium frozen dessert brands nowadays? What has spurred the growth?

With a fast evolving market in urban India, consumer products brands are undergoing a slow transition. People are conscious about what they eat, and count the calories. Therefore, they are more aware of healthy ice creams or gelato. This has spurred growth for Gelato Vinto and gelato on the whole.

Are there any roadblocks that need to be overcome?

There are certain issues that need to be addressed. Quality maintenance and staff management across all our outlets are a few major issues, as well as managing our outlets across the country.

Is food safety, certification and regulation in India at par with global standards?

The food safety and regulations, as well as certification standards lag behind global standards. Securing necessary licenses and certifications abroad is easier. There are a lot of protocols to follow in India and a lot of bribing goes in the process.

What are your growth plans for Gelato in the upcoming years?

We are looking out for pan India expansion, focusing on the southern market, specifically in cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, and the state of Tamil Nadu, as these are huge markets for our potential growth.

TFPJ l september-december 2013

Straight talk

Quality over quantity A conversation with Geeta Bector, the Chief Taste Officer, Cremica Group, about the processed food industry and Cermica’s future

With ever evolving taste of consumers, how does Cremica cater to the competition?

We do not copy our competitors. We have our own benchmarks akin to western standards, which we set and follow through. But we have always made it a point to create original products. We have also seen that the Indian palate will always remain ‘Indian’. We have

introduced products like Vegetarian Mayonnaise, used flavours like Tandoori, Korma, Mint, Pickle, etc. We feel that even though we follow western benchmarks, we hope to stay true to our Indian consumers with these flavours. Our main aim was to create a mix of ethnic and western flavours.

How do you maintain high quality standards for in demand food products?

Our benchmark has always been on the international level. Our produce are better than any other Indian company. We use the best ingredients of the country. We import ingredients from all parts of the country. Our machinery and production are the best. We have been passing all tests of standards and we go that extra mile to make sure that everything is top quality. Our newly launched brand Opera Crisps is produced keeping in mind the same guidelines. As a company, we could have made some adjustments with the kind of raw material we use. For example, Opera crisps are made in Olive oil. To many it may seem like not being cost effective. But to us, it made all the difference in the world. We could have used sunflower oil to make the crisps, but it made a huge difference in the result product. The flavour that is there in the crisps made in olive oil cannot match the result when sunflower oil is used. The spices used are also top quality. We

TFPJ l september-december 2013

straight talk being utilised in people purchasing and consuming other items. I feel that it is very good for the economy.

How important it is to have a proper distribution network in this age of malls?

It is very important to have a proper distribution system and network in place. Our companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s distribution system is highly efficient, and that has been a boon to us. We have reached cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore, and now are on our way to target more cities in the upcoming months.

What are the various challenges and opportunities of retail marketing in food processing industry?

have never thought of quantity. Quality has always been the top priority of Cremica.

How serious are the threats that companies like Cremica face from their unorganised counterparts?

We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t find threats from unorganised counterparts to last too long. There are all kinds of markets which concentrate on lesser price points. That most certainly does not bother us. We trust our consumers that, at the end of the day, they choose quality over quantity.

What is your opinion about government incentives and schemes regarding the FMCG sector?

The governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s schemes and efforts have been good, and the impact has been very positive on the FMCG sector. The money is

With the use of the internet, people are more knowledgeable. The increase in the awareness of the Indian consumer has also directly increased the demand for products. The sourcing market has evolved dynamically. However, the market is still in its initial stages and taking shape. Although volume distribution is low, we foresee a good future for the luxury food segment.

Will the economic crisis impact the processed food sector?

Yes, I do feel that the economic crisis could impact the processed food sector, but only for a short while. The budget has seen an increase in the monthly budget by about 20 percent, but we have seen an increase in the growth of luxury product sales by 25 percent, which was quite impressive. In between both segments there are some people who are willing to pay for quality. We are working towards targeting those people.

Where do you see Cremica five years down the line?

The current rate of the market has seen an increase of about 30 percent. The food service sector is growing rapidly, and we hope to become a permanent retail player in the market.

TFPJ l september-december 2013

Straight talk

Go healthy: The New Mantra for Snacks Vikram Agarwal, Founder & Director – GreenDot Health Foods Ltd, shares his views on the Indian snack market, rise in healthy snacking habits and GreenDot’s contribution to the segment Are health snacks an ideal substitute for nutrition?

Yes, healthy snacks are on the rise in the Indian market. You can satiate your taste buds with healthy snacking along with adding nutritional values to your diet. Snacking being in fashion and a growing habit in the young generation, parents allow children to munch on healthy snacks rather than junk food. Fast-paced lifestyles lead to rising snacking options.

Can healthy and tasty go hand in hand? Yes, it does. Cornitos natural and best of which suits the Indian anywhere snack that nutritional value.

is a crispy snack with lip-smacking flavours palate. It’s an anytime, is healthy, with high

Please tell us more about GreenDot Health Foods?

Established in 2009, GHFL is a snack food producing company, a part of the GLOBE Group of companies, having a group turnover of 130 crore. GHFL is the producer of Tortilla Corn Chips in India, which is made using stateof-the–art, fully automatic plant. With panIndia distribution and wide presence, the company’s flagship brand ‘Cornitos’ has also reached international consumers.

What are the other products on offer by GHFL?

GHFL has a wide array of snacking products on its range. We offer nachos crisps, salsa dips, Mexican delights such as jalapeno, and gherkins

TFPJ l september-december 2013

among others. Most of these make for popular, appetising snacking options across all age groups.

How well does your flagship brand Cornitos fit into the health snacks category?

Cornitos is a healthy substitute for snacks. It is made from non-GMO corn, baked and cooked in healthy oil. The product is gluten free and provides good protein value. It has zero cholesterol and zero trans-fats. Therefore it fits very well into the health snacks category.

Has the FMCG sector been dealt a big blow by the economic slowdown?

It cannot be denied that the Indian FMCG sector has somewhat taken a hit by the present economic crisis. However, it is expected to overcome these trying times fast, owing to product innovation and market demand.

How do you foresee the sector faring in the days to come?

The FMCG sector is on a roll overall. The snack food category in particular is on a great growth path as India has a rising young population with a never ending demand for new taste and flavour.

What are the focus areas in the FMCG sector?

In the ensuing days, ready-to-eat products and processed food will emerge as the focus areas for the food sector.

straight talk

How important is food safety in the FMCG sector? With a rise in ready-to-eats and packaged fresh food, how important is it for FMCG companies to adhere to food safety regulations and standards?

Owing to the very nature of food being biodegradable, safety related to it is of utmost importance. It is directly related to the health of an individual, and hence the country’s citizens and public health. Therefore, it critical and mandatory for FMCG companies to adhere to food safety regulations and standards. Only through this can they ensure public health safety.

What are your views on the Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006? What major implementations are required in keeping with today’s rapidly changing scenario?

The Food Safety and Standard Act, 2006 still has many pros and cons. It needs to develop a

more refined approach in the days of ready-toeats and processed food. For the imported food segment, stringent checks and regulations are still required for implementation. Also, industry standards have to improve drastically, on the whole.

Will agro-based healthy snack manufacturing process emerge as the dominant force for the Indian FMCG sector in the upcoming years?

India’s agro-based healthy snack manufacturing is yet to evolve much when compared to the fact that our country is one of the largest agriculture producers. To drive its growth on a larger scale, the government must emphasise and promote many Industrial projects at a larger pace. The government also needs to provide the best of infrastructure and support to them in order to flourish.

What are the plans for the future of GreenDot Health Foods Limited?

GHFL currently has 1,800 tons p.a. corn processing capacity. We plan to double this over the next two years.

TFPJ l september-december 2013

case study

Going organic:

Farm to Kitchen Traceability A case study from Sresta Natural Bio-products on organic farming in India

ounded with the objective of providing sustainable livelihoods for farmers and sustainable lifestyle for consumers, Sresta is focused on organic food and sells in the domestic market, US, Canada, Europe and Middle East under the brand name, â&#x20AC;&#x153;24 Mantraâ&#x20AC;?. Organic food is produced without using any synthetic pesticides, fertilisers and chemical processing aids. The key benefits of organic food include absence of pesticides or chemicals, better nutrition and taste. The key challenge was to have a fool-proof system to provide 100 percent assurance of organic integrity to the consumers. Organic farms take about 3 years for getting certified for Indian and European standards and four years for US standards, from the date of organic cultivation. In developed countries the size of the farms

TFPJ l september-december 2013

is large, typically about 5,000 to 20,000 hectares. Hence it is easy to trace the produce to a particular farm. In contrast, Indian farms are fragmented, the average size being about 2 hectares. The marketable surplus is also low. To make up a truckload, the produce from 15-25 farms may have to be aggregated. Hence traceability and assuring organic integrity becomes a huge challenge. Sresta studied various models and found that the only way to ensure organic integrity was to vertically integrate. Sresta does contract farming, processing, product development, domestic retailing and exports.

Farming Model

To ensure economic pooling of raw material and traceability, Sresta adopts a project-based model. Each farming project is located in a

compact area covering 15-20 km. The project size varies from 500-600 acre to about 5,000 acre. Sresta employees are located at the project site, each farm being visited at least two to three times in a month. The key to ensuring integrity is right selection of area and farmers, and having a process to control field compliance.

Area and farmer selection

1. Area Selection: Sresta selects areas with low pesticide and fertilisers usage to ensure elimination of pesticide residues during the conversion period. The soil and water is also tested for pesticide residues before starting a new project. It is important to select the right agro climate for each crop so that pest and disease problems are minimised. 2. Farmer selection: It is extremely important to have farmers with the right attitude. Organic farming reduces the financial risk and helps in improving the farmer’s net income by 10-30 percent. Also it involves more work and going through a conversion period. It is not a quick rich solution. 3. Varietal selection: We need to identify the right varieties suitable for organic cultivation, which will give the best taste and flavour.

Organic Integrity – 5 Step process

1. Social control: The farms are informally made into small groups. If anyone violates any of the organic protocols, the group members are expected to inform Sresta or the group gets penalised, which could be extending the conversion period or altogether dropping them from the programme. 2. Training and Direct Supervision, documentation: Sresta team members directly supervise the farmers with two to three visits a month. They provide technical support and train the farmers in organic

farming, which involves use of right varieties, soil fertility management, pest and disease management, and right cultivation and harvest practices. 3. Internal Inspections: Every season, each farm gets inspected by specially formed teams to ensure that the farmer is not violating any organic protocols or contamination from neighbouring fields. 4. Certification inspection: Field inspectors inspect about 20-30 percent of the fields at random during each season to ensure that the company’s internal control system is effective and do an independent yield assessment. The agency also inspects and audits the processing units and purchase record of the company. 5. Pesticide Residue testing: At the time of procurement, samples are drawn and tested for pesticide residues.

case study

Food Safety – from Farm to Fork

Sresta ensures food safety by having an integrated approach to control hazards. 1. At the farm level: Organic cultivation itself reduces the potential contamination from pesticide and heavy metal residues. Moisture control is the key for controlling infestation and Mycotoxins. 2. At the first level processing: The dehulling/ first level cleaning required by the agricultural produce are done at the approved facilities near the procurement areas under the supervision of trained company staff. 3. At storage: Agricultural produce to be stored for longer duration are treated with modified atmosphere in specially designed cocoons. 4. At the processing and packing facility: Materials are processed and packed at a facility equipped with all latest machineries and equipments to ensure food safety. TFPJ l september-december 2013

case study

Helping TetraPak: Create Long Lasting and Convenient Packaging Solutions DuPont collaborates with TetraPak to provide hygienic and safe packaging solutions through DuPont Nucrel acid copolymers Issue

There is an increasing demand for packaged fruit juices in India with the ever-growing population and improving food habits. Owing to its immense geography, hot & humid climate and highly unorganized retail format, distributing fruit juices in light yet sturdy packs is a challenge faced by juice manufacturers. The challenge is to deliver packaging solutions that could keep the fruit juices fresh and hygienic with an end to earn the confidence of the consumers in considering packaged beverages a healthy and convenient option.

Challenge

While packaged milk is a popular product in many countries, packing fruit juices can be more challenging, especially in countries like India with extreme variations in climate. As many fruits are grown only locally unlike milk, juices are often processed and packed centrally for pan-India distribution, which means the packed juiced have to travel longer distances and handle harsher conditions. To ensure that the fruit juice packaging is transportable over long distances and can be stored for several months, TetraPak had to create a packaging that can drastically increase the shelf life of the products by keeping its contents protected from moisture and other deteriorating elements in the environment. Further, fruit juices are very aggressive and can cause separation between different layers if the right type of acid copolymers is not selected for lamination.

Solution

TetraPak developed a multi-layer packaging to improve the shelf life of packaged fruit juices. If the integrity of the packaging layers is compromised, there is a risk of material spillage,

TFPJ l september-december 2013

oxidation, loss of freshness, reduced shelf life and infection. Also, if inferior adhesives are used to stick together these materials, their traces might get dissolved in the contents of the pack and harm the user. DuPont collaborated with TetraPak to offer Nucrel acid copolymers for lamination between the paper, metal and polyethylene layers. DuPont Nucrel acid copolymers are used as an adhesive layer to integrate the paperboard layer, aluminium foil and other polymer layers. These products provide flex crack resistance. Also, DuPont Nucrel TP Grades are specially designed for TetraPak to meet their product performance requirements. DuPont Nucrel DPO MA grades are specially designed for TetraPakâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pouches and allows the packaging to be made in smaller sizes and different shapes. Our polymer technology helps ensure that fruit juices can be preserved for a longer period of time without using preservatives or refrigeration.

Benefit

Reliable packaging integrity provides longer shelf life for products that can be transported over longer distances and stored longer without preservatives and refrigeration. The solution helps Indian fruit juice manufacturers expand their distribution reach to far flung rural areas at an affordable cost and enables an easy access to fruit juices and their nutrition.

Report

Need for Agricultural Biotechnology Excerpts from report from YES Bank and ASSOCHAM which outlines the current scenario of agricultural biotechnology globally and provides a snapshot of risks, challenges and opportunities in the sector

ne of the key challenges India is facing today is of food security through sustainable growth. The country is striving to meet the current food needs without undermining the ability of future generations to meet theirs. Contradictory viewpoints have been coming up regarding the role of biotechnology for sustainable agricultural growth. While one approach states that biotechnological developments are the source of many environmental problems, the other views biotechnology as a support system for sustainable agriculture. Biotechnology cannot be a panacea for all the problems associated with agricultural production but it definitely has a potential to address specific set of problems which may include:

1. Crop productivity

Poor soil, unfavorable climatic conditions, substandard seed varieties, depleting water table and prevalence of crop pests and diseases continue to challenge productivity in India. Productivity has witnessed a constant decline on account of depletion of soil nutrients and poor availability of water in many parts of the country. Biotechnology can help in addressing these issues through development of drought tolerant varieties, pest and disease resistant varieties and hardy varieties which can grow under adverse and varied environmental conditions like scarce rainfall, extreme temperature fluctuations etc). Use of biotechnology has proved to be

TFPJ l september-december 2013

highly profitable opportunity for stakeholders globally. In a span of 16 years (1996-2011), profit worth USD 98 billion was generated at farm level by cultivating biotech crops. 51% of the total gain was achieved due to reduced production costs like lesser ploughing, fewer pesticide sprays and less labor requirement while 49% due to improved yields. In 2011, 78% of the total gain was as a result of increased yields and the remaining 22% due to lower cost of production. Exhibit 26: Additional Crop Production Arising from Positive Yield Effects of GM Crops

Additional Production (Million MT) 1996-2011

Additional Production (Million MT) 2011

Soybean Maize Cotton Canola Sugarbeet

110.2 195 15.85 6.55 0.45

12.74 34.54 2.48 0.44 0.13

Source: PG Economics

2. Diversifying crops

Diversifying from monoculture of conventional staples to a varied crop base including coarse cereals, fruits and vegetables etc can have a massive impact in achieving food security. Presently, most of the research in the field of

Report

Indian agriculture is focused on a constricted range of crops because of the intense investment requirements and time-consuming process needed to develop new varieties of crops. Modern biotechnology has the ability to overcome this challenge and can be helpful in developing new varieties in a shorter duration, including those of underutilized crops.

3. Nutritional value of food

Achieving food security is not only about the quantitative fulfillment of food requirements but also enhancing the nutritional value of food. Biotechnology provides an easier option for improving nutritional value of food along with maintaining traditional dietary habits. For example, biotechnology is being used to enhance the Vitamin A content of rice.

4. Environmental impacts of agricultural production

Biotech crops can help save a lot of land as they have the ability to produce more on the current arable land. This can subsequently prevent deforestation for bringing more land under agriculture and protect biodiversity. Annually, around 13 million hectares of forests across the globe are lost to give space to agriculture and urbanization. According to the PG Economics Study on Global Socio-economic and Environmental Impacts, if the 276 million tonnes of additional food, feed and fiber produced by biotech crops during the period 1996 to 2010 had been produced by non biotech crops, an additional 91 million hectares would have been required to produce the same tonnage. This would have led to additional ploughing of land and clearing of biodiversity rich forests, to meet the demand for agricultural land. Furthermore, the adoption of biotechnology has reduced the consumption of pesticide by around 8.9% which subsequently decreased the ill effects on the environment associated with herbicide and insecticide use. Use of Biotechnology has also been effective in curbing the release of greenhouse gas emissions from the cropping area upto a large extent, which, in 2011, was equivalent to removing 10.22 million cars from the roads.

5. Market competitiveness

Efforts to diversify agricultural production will not only promote food security in the country, but will also add new crops to its export list. Biotechnology can help in enhancing the competitiveness of agricultural products from India and thus strengthening its position in the global economy.

6. Poverty Alleviation

Biotech crops have the potential for increasing productivity and eventually the income level of farmers. Thus, biotechnology can prove to be a key contributor of rural economic growth that can help in poverty alleviation of the small and resource-poor farmers in India. Biotech cotton has already made a significant contribution to the income of 15 million small resource-poor farmers in 2011, in developing countries such as China, India, Pakistan, Myanmar, Bolivia, Burkina Faso and South Africa.

7. Water Conservation

Agriculture utilizes 70% of fresh water globally. Observing the current status of water availability and usage, it is evident that its availability is not sustainable for the future and this poses a challenge that needs to be addressed promptly. TFPJ l september-december 2013

Report

Increases in average temperature: Increase in average temperature adversely affects crops in subtropical and tropical regions where excessive heat limits productivity. Increased temperature also affects productivity due to an increase in soil evaporation rates and an increased probability of more frequent and more severe droughts. Change in amount of rainfall and patterns: This affects soil erosion rates and soil moisture, both of which are important for crop yields.

Need of the hour is to commercialize biotech crops possessing characteristics such as drought tolerance, pest resistance etc. Drought tolerance is expected to have a major impact on more sustainable cropping systems worldwide, particularly in developing countries, where drought is more prevalent and severe than developed countries.

8. Climate Change

Droughts, floods, and temperature fluctuations are expected to become more rampant and more severe as new challenges associated with climate change are impending. Climate change may be in the form of:

TFPJ l september-december 2013

Rising atmospheric concentrations of CO2: CO2 facilitates the growth of some crops but has a negative impact on other aspects of climate change (e.g., higher temperatures and precipitation changes) which offset any beneficial effect of higher CO2 levels. These challenges will bring in a need for faster crop improvement to develop varieties and hybrids that are well adapted to rapid climatic changes. Biotechnology can be used to speed up the breeding process and develop new varieties to overcome abiotic stresses like drought and salinity and biotic stresses like weeds, pests and diseases, thus helping in overcoming these issues. Excerpted from: Biotechnology in Indian Agriculture, July 2013 Courtesy: YES Bank and ASSOCHAM

KleenHeat Pollution Control Heat Exchanger

product launch

vailable in a variety of sizes, standard KleenHeats are provided as ready-torun, pre-piped and wired units and are fully compliant with US, EC, and Australian regulations. KleenHeat can also be used as a thermal fluid heating system with the added advantage of controlling fryer pollution at the same time. KleenHeat exceeds the thermal efficiency of ordinary heat exchangers that don’t offer pollution control. Low oil volume promotes fast oil turnover and inhibits formation of free fatty acids. Rapid, uniform heat transfer allows your fryer to respond quicker to changes in product load, and protects oil quality by maintaining a low oil film temperature. KleenHeat combines efficient external heating of cooking oil with superior pollution control. Surpassing simple afterburner technology, KleenHeat connects to your fryer exhaust stack and incinerates virtually all odours, oil and other particulates that would normally pollute the air and area around the plant. Fines never accumulate inside KleenHeat’s unique self-cleaning cooking oil circulation tube bundles. Tubes last longer and cleaning is accomplished during routine fryer system boil-out.

Product highlights

• Oil mist eliminator • Single, heavy duty gas-tighty fan • Pre-piped, pre-wired package burner • Eliminates pollution and odour • Light-weight ceramic fibre insulation to keep temperatures low • Self-cleaning, self-draining maintenance free all-welded stainless steel serpentine tube bundles • Graduated density tube bundles allow heat to transfer evenly without hot spots, providing low oil film temperatures throughout

About the manufacturer

Heat and Control is a world-leading equipment manufacturer serving an ever-growing list of food and non-food industries. It manufactures a range of products such as process prepared systems, French fry systems, packaging systems, product handling systems, inspection systems, and control and information systems. The company has manufacturing centres located in the United States, Mexico, China, Australia, and South Africa, and is based out of Hayward, California. Website: www.heatandcontrol.com

TFPJ l september-december 2013

events

Fine Food India

Date: December 11â&#x20AC;&#x201C;13, 2013 Venue: Hall 12 and 12A, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, India Exhibitors: Over 100 exhibitors from the food and beverage industry Visitor profile: Decision makers, researchers, experts and professionals from the packaging and process industry Website: www.finefoodindiaexpo.com Fine Food India 2013 is a premiere trade event for food, drinks, equipment and technology that caters to the requirements of the HORECA and retail market. This is the third edition for the international food, drinks, equipment and technology expo. The expo will comprise various events such as Business Forum (for restaurants, chefs, retail, food service and importers), culinary masterclass, new product launches, drinks academy and networking cafĂŠ and VIP lounge.

Date: November 19-21, 2013 Venue: Ludwig-Erhard-Anlage 1, Frankfurt, Germany Exhibitors: Leading players from the additives functional foods, amino acids and derivatives, bakery products, herbs, spices, seasonings, cereals minerals, cheese products, chocolate products, cocoa products, organic ingredients, etc. Visitor profile: Food retailers, researchers, production, purchasing, marketing and sales, quality assurance and control and general management from: baby foods, ice cream and desserts, bakery products, confectionery institutes, convenience foods, fats and spreads, food retailers, food supplements, research institutes, etc.. Website: www.foodingredientsglobal.com

Food Fest 2013

FI and Hi India

The 2nd edition of the Food Fest, a leading show on food processing, agribusiness and allied sectors, will bring the whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s who of the industry and key decisions makers under one common roof. Latest equipments and technologies related to food processing industry and allied industries will be showcased by manufacturers and dealers.

Food Ingredients India is a prestigious event promoting the food ingredients industry in the country. It brings to forefront R&D, marketing and purchasing professionals involved in the Indian food sector. The 8th edition of Fi India is a part of the popular worldwide Fi events series that take place across Asia, Europe and the US. Fi India has been consistently instrumental in developing the food ingredients fraternity, empowering them and enabling them to achieve higher business growth.

Date: October 25-27, 2013 Venue: Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Lucknow Exhibitors: Leading players from the food, beverage and dessert as well as allied industries. Visitor profile: Trade delegates, corporate heads, restaurants, hoteliers, manufacturers related to food and allied industries. Website: www.indiafoodfest.in

FI Europe

TFPJ l september-december 2013

Date: October 3-5, 2013 Venue: Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai Exhibitors: Players from the food and allied industries Visitor profile: Suppliers and manufacturers related to the food ingredients industry, purchasing professionals, researchers and academia among others. Website: www.foodingredientsglobal.com

events

drinktec

Date: September 16-20, 2013 Venue: New Munich Trade Fair Centre, Munich, Germany Exhibitors: Players in the manufacture, filling, packaging, and distribution of: non-alcoholic drinks, beer, spirits, milk and milk mix drinks, yoghurt-based drinks, fruit juices, wine and water, tea and coffee, energy and wellness drinks, etc. Visitor profile: Decision makers and specialists from breweries, distilleries, the soft-drink and fruit juice industry, mineral water suppliers, wine and champagne producers, distillers, import and export companies, wholesale beverage merchants; hotels, restaurants and caterers. Website: www.drinktec.com

Anuga 2013

Date: October 5-9, 2013 Venue: Cologne Exhibition Centre, Cologne, Germany Exhibitors: Manufacturers, retailers, suppliers from across food and beverage industries. Visitor profile: Decision makers related to food, beverage and allied industries, customers. Website: www.anuga.com Over 155,000 trade visitors from across 180 countries are expected to attend the 32nd edition of this event, out of which 90 percent are key decision makers of purchasing for their organisations. Over 6,700 suppliers will exhibit their wares at the show and over 160,000 potential customers are expected to turn up.

drinktec is a leading trade fair related to the beverage and liquid food industry, and counted amongst the most important trade events for the sector, showcasing the finest products and services in beverage technology.

Food Week Korea

Date: November 6-9, 2013 Venue: World Trade Center Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Seoul-T'Ukpyolsi, Korea Exhibitors: Manufacturers, representatives from food preparation, processing, and packaging sectors as well as a diverse array of cultivated and prepared food products and ingredients, including traditional Korean foods, and other players in food or allied industries. Visitor profile: Decision makers, overseas buyers, and representatives of various sectors. Website: www.foodweek.info Food Week Korea 2013 is expected to provide audience to over 1,000 domestic and international companies as exhibitors. Food symposiums, vendor seminars, demonstrations, interactive workshops, and live cooking shows from world famous chefs will be some of the highlighting events.

TFPJ l september-december 2013

China Foodtech 2013

Date: November 13-15, 2013 Venue: China International Exhibition Center, Beijing, China Exhibitor list: Manufacturers, retailers and suppliers from the food, beverages and allied industries. Visitor profile: Researchers, decision makers of organisations, association heads. Website: www.foodtech.ciec-exhibition.com.cn Over the years, China Foodtech 2013 has attracted over 170,000 trade visitors from across 46 countries. It will showcase a wide range of food processing and packaging machinery. The event attracts attention on an international scale because of it enormous potential. It offers great opportunities for business and correspondence.

PRIVATE TREATY SALE By Order of Pepsico

India

DO WOO RINSER, FILLER & CAPPER BIDS DUE: Friday, 7th February 2014 LOCATION OF ASSETS: India

FEATURING: • Do Woo HF-3 Rinser • Do Woo HF-3 Filler • Do Woo HF-3 Capper • Shinsung Twin Sleeve Labeler

To view and bid on the lots, please visit: http://www.go-dove.com/en/event-18087?utm_source= timesfoodprocessingjournal&utm_medium=print&utm_campaign=18087 For further information, please contact:

SANDESH BHIVANDE Tel.: +91 9892851605 Email: sandesh.bhivande@go-dove.com