When studying the topic of food safety and food handling, one does not have to look too far to find primary source data. We all remember the famous saying of the local milk delivery man: “aap ke yahan aane ke pehle doodh mein paani nahin milaya maine”. We all will also agree that we seem to be comfortable with the way street food is handled by bare hands and exposed to all kinds of elements. After all, that is how the famous “Delhi Belly” term was coined. What I am trying to say is that I find it hard to believe that we (in India) are actually serious about food safety when we can’t even get the basics right. We are going after big players in packaged food/beverages as well as international fast-food chains: Nestle, Haldiram’s, Starbucks, Mother Dairy, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, KFC, Cadbury, etc. This is good news. However, the root problem is not solved by banning products or exposing unsafe practices of big players in the food industry. The Indian consumer of food has to learn and understand that food is sacred and he/she deserves to consume only that which is pure and safe. The Indian producer of food at any level (from farmer – street vendor – family kitchen – hotel – large-scale manufacturer) also needs to learn that producing food in a pure and safe manner is his/her religious duty. After all, we are fed due to the grace of Annapurna Devi – the goddess of food and nourishment. Below, I will briefly highlight some concerns to corroborate my stance that we have a long way to go before food safety becomes second nature to us.
So, what sparked this sudden food safety frenzy?
Before the Maggi Instant Noodles debacle, we had several other cases. The high profile cases are listed below (WSJ, 2015):
- In 2003, a Delhi-based NGO alleged that PepsiCo Inc., and Coca-Cola Co. had been using pesticides to disinfect the glass bottles in which their beverages were sold. Traces of these substances were found to be at levels between 11-70 times the maximum levels prescribed by the EU for drinking water.
- The infamous Maharashtra case of worm-infested Cadbury bars created a huge negative buzz for the global chocolate giant.
- The most tragic story: 23 children met with their untimely deaths due to poisoned school lunches in the state of Bihar in 2013.
- Fried chicken’s biggest name, KFC, was struck with allegations by a Tamil Nadu businessman who claimed his chicken contained worms.
- Desi tharra scare: A local moonshine (tharra) made in Uttar Pradesh killed 18 people and left many hospitalized.
- Post-Maggi debacle, the FSSAI has rejected 32 ingredients from Starbucks along with products from other companies. Some of the rejections include classic coffee add-ons (caramel, hazelnut syrup) as well cheese-flavored syrup and Panna Cotta Pudding. (WSJ, June 15, 2015)
In addition to these high profile cases, Indian media has also worked hard to uncover sanitation/hygiene issues with food preparation and agricultural practices. One notable agency is India TV. Led by Rajat Sharma, this news channel uncovered poor food catering practices of companies that supply to the Indian Railways. India TV has also played an instrumental role in exposing crop adulteration practices by farmers who inject their crops with growth hormones and spray excessive amounts of pesticides on their plantations. So we can safely say that awareness about food safety has been growing slowly, but steadily.
How do Indian products stand in the global market?
Now as easy as it is to point fingers at international brands in the food business, we must sober up and introspect to see where we stand in food safety. introspect to see where we stand in food safety. One great indicator is to look at Indian food exports. If we are to look at Indian food exports to the U.S., we will find that Indian products have not been faring well. U.S. FDA data from the first five months of 2015 indicate that Indian snack imports in to the U.S. were rejected (see: WSJ graphic below) more than those from all other countries (Note: India led all countries in the same category in 2014 as well). This data begs the question: Why are we failing? The most common grounds for rejection are the following: poor packaging and labeling, high levels of pesticides, salmonella, and mold. The worst performer is Haldiram’s and its products including sugar candies and salty snack mixes. Haldiram’s products were found to contain traceable amounts of pesticides. Indian baked snacks also had troubles getting into the States. With respect to baked products, more than half of the 217 rejected products by the FDA were from India.
Readers are encouraged to check facts independently as well. The U.S. FDA’s monthly import refusals can be found here – product, brand, and reason(s) for refusal are clearly indicated. In addition, the Pesticide Program Residue Monitoring 2012 annual report serves as a great guide to make informed decisions on what foodstuffs to purchase and consume. Data on various foods including rice, lentils, tea etc. is available in the report. India must strive to set up standardized systems like the U.S. FDA to ensure that every Indian has access to clean, safe, and pure foods and beverages.
Challenges at the grassroots level:
I was going through some archived news clippings of government drives to clean up the unregulated roadside food stall business in India. It struck me that roadside food entrepreneurs are the frontline in the battle for food safety and hygiene. These are the chefs that people interact with every day. The way they handle and prepare food desensitizes the consumer as to what is or isn’t safe. If we are to improve our general practices with food, we need to start with the roadside chefs. Once people see their local chef using safe practices, these practices will go right to the home, to the factory, to the office, and to the hotel.
Now let us look at some advice that has been given to roadside chefs:
- Wash hands thoroughly after using the toilet
- Do not sneeze into the food
- Do not pick your nose while handling/preparing food
- Do not clean your ears while handling/preparing food
- Do not smoke while handling/preparing food
- Do not spit into the wash basin or sink
- Wash plates and utensils thoroughly and not near open sewers
Aren’t these the most basic practices? Clearly not! I am sure that we may find these unsafe practices even in our homes, factories, offices and hotels. In my view, the BJP government at the center should include food safety and handling practices as part of its Swacch Bharat campaign. The multiplier effect would be immense.
Reforms needed
The encouraging news is that the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is now led by an able and motivated scientist, Dr. V Prakash, who is keen on modernizing and reforming the authority to bring at par with the U.S. FDA and other such authorities. During an interview with the Indian Express, he stated sobering yet encouraging comments on the matter of food safety:
- ”It is time we wake up and work on a science-based approach and move forward rapidly”
- ”The system should be run by scientists with bureaucratic support and not the other way round”
- ”The top regulatory body FSSAI does not have many scientists on its permanent staff. Where are the scientists in our food regulation system and what is the role of the few that are there? Ideally, scientists should be involved in monitoring at every stage, including sampling protocols, setting standards, and testing and simulation”
- “Standards for different kind of pathogens, including chemicals, microbial toxins, heavy metals, residues of pesticides and herbicides and fungicides, need to be set, keeping in view the average daily intake of food. These standards have to be modified from time to time with the food chain in view. Non-packaged foods and fresh food must be put on regular surveillance to bring hygiene in the food chain.”
To conclude, let us not make the recent Maggi debacle and refusals by the U.S. FDA of Indian-origin food imports some test of patriotism where tit-for-tat politics dominates. Food is a sacred gift from God which helps us to sustain ourselves. It is high time that we go back to our ancient wisdom and handle, store, and manufacture foods/beverages with more respect. Adulteration, heavy use of pesticides, disregard for sanitation/hygiene, are all symptoms of social, moral, and religious decay. Much of this decay can be attributed to the lack of education and access to information on this matter. Home kitchen managers, farmers, street vendors, hoteliers, restauranteurs, food manufacturers, and exporters all need to be properly educated on this vital topic. If at least for the sake of your faith, please afford food its deserved dignity and respect.
By Abhay S. Dube
Leave a Reply