“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!