Shagufa Kapadia, Issues of trust and distrust in eating in India

“Can I Trust this Food?”

Issues of Trust and Distrust in Eating among Urban Middle Class Youth in India

Shagufa Kapadia India Symposium on ‘Eating in the City: A Sustainable Distrust?’

Paris December 6, 2017

“ “Is the world a safe place or is it full of unpredictable events and accidents waiting to happen?”

“Can I trust this world?”

(First Crisis of Trust versus Mistrust à la Erik Erikson)

The Concept of Trust ▷ Trust is inherent to human development ▷ Trust unfolds in a cultural relational context – trustor and trusted (individual or institution) ▷ Trust Judgment (Davis, 2008): 1. Biographical 2. Sociocultural 3. Relational Factors

Assessment of Potential Benefits and Losses Rational and Reflective, Implicit and Default

Trust Under Risk?

Information Age: Influx of stimuli Trust-Mistrust crisis revisited: Can I trust this information?

Who can I trust?

Infinite eating choices Doubts and uncertainties Transition from traditional familiar to “new� foods or familiar foods in new forms

Focal Questions How do young individuals interpret ‘trust’ and ‘risk’ in food?

How does the interpretation of trust and risk synchronize with the traditional cultural ayurveda framework of food?

Why do young people place trust in certain foods and eating practices?

Qualitative Study Participants: Young girls and boys, 18 to 21 years, college going, educated middle class families

Site Baroda (Vadodara) third largest city in Gujarat ▷Population: 1,670,806 ▷Majority Hindus: 85.39 % ▷Third safest city in India (NCRB, 2016)

Everyday Life of Youth in Baroda ▷Busy schedules ▷One meal outside at college canteen or at larris (street food hand carts or stalls) a daily routine ▷Two meals at home: traditional Indian, interspersed with regional varieties; occasionally non-Indian (e.g., noodles) Traditional Gujarati Thali

The Continuum of Trust - Distrust TRUST ----------------------------------------------------------- DISTRUST

Outside food Homemade Vegetarian Restaurant‌Street Food Readymade, Packaged, Processed

Outside NonVegetarian Non-seasonal fruits, vegetables [Chemical Treatment] Water

Traditional Cultural Framework Ayurveda A Science of Life

Ayu: Life Veda: Knowledge

Holistic Approach physical, mental, social, spiritual

Shuddha: Pure Ashuddha: Impure, Polluted

Satvic : light and fresh Rajasic: rich, hot and spicy Tamasic: frozen, leftovers

Traditional , Ayurvedic Practices in Eating at Home

Sprinkle water around the plate

Eat with one hand; right hand

Ayurvedic Practices

Recite ‘mantra’

Invoke Annapurna Devi

Wash hands before eating

Concept of Shuddha Food

Food combinations

Fresh, seasonal, natural ingredients, vegetarian

Eating on the Street A Necessity and A Choice

“Street foods are good as these are tasty and chatpata, offer variety, are cheaper and fit within our budget. Also they prepare these foods “live” so we can see how they are doing it, and the turnover is more so the ingredients have to be fresh. Of course the surroundings may not be very clean, but the food makes up for it”.

“If there is time constraint and the schedule is busy, you compromise on quality. One has little time so you eat whatever is quickly available. We don’t think too much…And these days they keep the larris (hand carts) clean. If nothing (untoward) happens after eating at a certain place then it is good; generally when we are hungry we eat anything from outside, especially when we are with friends”.

Eating on the Street Taste, Fun, Socializing  Chatpata (spicy, hot and sour flavors  Variety (South Indian, Chinese, Lebanese)  Hangout place with friends, eat together, share food  Space to eat “forbidden” food (e.g., eggs)

Functional  Accessible and affordable (values for money)  Lack of alternatives “When no options are available, then one needs to trust the food”!  “Live” cooking  No obvious health consequences “Nothing happens, so it’s fine!”

Water “Suspicious Until Proven Otherwise”

“I never drink outside water! Mostly hardly anyone drinks water outside unless it is bottled. Or if it is a restaurant then we assume and sometimes ask if they have aqua guard (a popular home use water purifying system)”. ▷Pervasive distrust in water ▷Increasing popularity of bottled water or water sold in plastic pouches

▷Recent issues re safety of bottled water (contamination)

Mango, the King of Fruits Losing its Shine?

FDA seizes 890kg mangoes artificially ripened with calcium carbide in Ulhasnagar [TNN | Apr 21, 2017, 23:21 IST]

Carbide Treated Mangoes: A Growing Risk ▷Mango “with powder packets” not to be trusted ▷Increasing caution – buy only during season, directly from farms, or familiar recommended sellers ▷Aamras – mango juice – suspicion and distrust on readymade – adulteration with preservatives and artificial color

Emerging Profiles of Youth Eating in the City

• ‘Open’ and ready to eat on the street

‘Carefree Trusting Eater’

‘Cautious RiskAware Eater’

• Chatpata taste, variety • “Eggitarian” • Flexibility and pragmatism: Lack of choice; No adverse health effects

• Outside non-vegetarian food as risky • Preference for home made, fresh foods, less for readymade packaged foods • Fear of adulteration and chemical treatment • Distrust of food industry, media, politicians

Factors in Trust Judgments

‘Carefree Trusting Eater’ – Street Food Background Variables Biographical

Main Actor(s)

Formative experiences

Self, Peers, Vendor

Core Elements

Nature of Judgment (Predominant) Deliberate, Rational, Past Experience – “tried and tested”

[Reputation, Performance, Necessity and Leisure Benefits-Losses: Popular larri, tasty Peer group routine food, live cooking, --------------------------- affordable; no obvious health issues ] Familiarity

Sociocultural Context Shared routines, traditions Relational VendorEater

Emotional Connect Experience (trust seldom broken) – no health issues

Habitual

Judgment TRUST

RISK?

‘Cautious Risk- Aware Eater’ Homemade and Vegetarian Food Biographical Variables

Main Actor(s)

Core Elements

Nature of Judgment (Predominant)

Formative family and external experiences

Self and Parents

Familiarity

Implicit

Similarity (in-group)

Default

Habitual

Religious beliefs

Emotional connect

Sociocultural Context

Experience (trust never broken)

Shared routines, traditions, norms Relational

Parent-child relationship (parent as nurturer, provider of food) Closeness, Proximity

Judgment

TRUST

Emerging Contextual Framework of Trust in Food

Globalization Economic Growth, Technological Advancement

Food Environment Urban Middle Class Context Readymade, processed, packaged

Innumerable enticing choices, new cuisines Easy access to special caloric foods

Affluence Consumption Aspirational Labor saving readymade foods, and preparation methods Eating out Traditional Eating

← ← Trust-Distrust: A Tenuous Interplay → → Reflective and Rational - Implicit and Habitual

Risks?

Impact On Health And Well-being

Young Individual Trade-offs Busy routine-need to eat Risky-value for money Chatpata-risky “Live” cooking-unclean environment Variety-monotony

“

Meet this transient world with neither grasping nor fear Trust the unfolding of life, and you will attain true serenity Bhagvada Gita

Merci beaucoup!

Thank you!