SUGAR LADEN "HEALTHY" FOODS!-INDUSTRY'S NEW STRATEGY

Any responsible country will spare no efforts to make the lives of its citizens safe from many dangers lurking around them including unsafe foods. In balancing the citizen's right and his well being, reasonable restrictions will have to be put in place on the former so that the public place becomes more secure for the society in general. In the case of food also every country has a legal frame work within which only food handlers, traders and processors will have to work. Lately there appears to be a bias in favor of the industry players in allowing many foods to be made and marketed by them which are patently unhealthy if the scientific yardsticks are strictly applied. Food products containing unusually high levels of sugar and fat are becoming the mainstay of the industry which is exploiting the weakness of consumers to these palate tingling offerings and over a period of time get hooked on to these life threatening products. The result is the wide spread prevalence of food related human disorders like CVD, Diabetes, Hypertension, Kidney ailments etc and there is almost a unanimous view that to day's Obesity epidemic associated with many wealthy countries is mainly due to over consumption of such foods while physical activity of individuals is declining rapidly. Governments are usually reluctant to displease the industry by mandatory restrictions and depend more on persuasion for voluntary action by the manufacturers for improving the health credentials of the products they make and sell. According to the experience in several countries such voluntary actions agreed to by the industry is often a sham and only lip service is made to mislead the governments as well as the consumers. Here is a critique on this on going "ping pong" game between the government and the industry leaving the consumer a silent spectator!

"The nation's largest food and beverage companies are under renewed attack for what critics see as misleading ads for obesity-promoting foods, especially ads aimed at kids. "The trickery that we're trying to stop includes General Mills' false claims that some of its corn-syrup- drenched products are 'natural,' and Coca-Cola Company's deceptive health claims about its Vitaminwater (which would be better called Sugarwater)," the Center for Science in the Public Interest said Wednesday in a release launching its "Stop the Lying Labels" campaign. Industry representatives counter that they have worked to make their products healthier - just as critics have demanded. "Since 2002, we have introduced more than 20,000 new product choices with fewer calories, reduced fat, sodium and sugar, and more whole grains," the Grocery Manufacturers Association said in an e-mail. "We have voluntarily adopted strict advertising criteria" through the Children's Food and Beverage Advertising Initiative."

One of the strategies of war is to give an inch if peace can be brought which may not make any significant loss to the one who makes such a gesture and food industry also seems to be adopting this practice if their promises and performance are closely monitored. There are thousands of products made by the industry which contain very high amounts of sugar, fat and salt and to buy peace with the consumer activists and reluctant government safety agencies either the concentration of these ingredients is marginally reduced or a healthy ingredient is included in the recipe! High pressure promotional campaigns are undertaken to highlight the "sacrifice" made by the industry by changing the "established formula" of the products! It is like adding a drop of "Elixir" to a chalice of poison and claim that the product is better than the original poison!  Probably food industry will learn only when consumers start putting pressure on the industry by banishing unhealthy products from their buying basket and force the government to discipline the industry leaving no option but to make only healthy products. In this endeavor grading of foods based on some scientifically valid scale and printing easily recognizable icons on the label can go a long way to use the consumer force to weed way unhealthy products eventually.

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LIES, DAMNED LIES AND ABSOLUTE LIES! THE AD GURUS MUST BE HAULED UP

Recently Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) was reported to have issued "notices" to a few food manufacturing companies for promoting their products through unethical advertising campaigns claiming unproven health benefits to the consumers if they buy their brand of products. Knowing pretty well the fate of these notices, it can be safely concluded that nothing will come out of these notices because these manufacturers represent the "cream" of the Indian food industry as of now with enormous economic and political clout. Still consumer can take some comfort that "some thing" is being done to highlight the malpractices being indulged by them. It has been often proved that the State can never provide succor to its citizens who invariably have to knock on the doors of the courts to get justice. Here is an illustration of such wrong doings which have been highlighted in the following article.

"It's all lies. Nothing happens if you use it," burst out my octogenarian mother, provoked by a shampoo commercial promising to turn your tresses soft, silken, and strong. I was torn between amusement and pity. Who believes the tall claims made by advertising execs in this day and age? Certainly not my four year old who has already been informed — to fob off potential requests for crap toys and candy — that all ads are lies designed to get some sad sack to spend her precious money. And it's worked. Each time, Karisma Kapoor touts that anti-aging cream on TV, Mallika promptly declares on cue, "How silly. No cream can make you look nice." A bitter truth that the rest of us girls have taken a lifetime to learn, after spending thousands of rupees on body lotions that leave your skin dry, creams that don't whiten, hair loss shampoos that don't work, diet supplements that leave your waist undiminished. Beauty products are the worst offenders the world over in the lies-in-advertising business, but in India, they have close competition from children's 'health' drinks. A screen-grab of a Complan ad from YouTube. Image used for representational purpose only. Boost claims to provide "three times more stamina thansadharan chocolate drink". Complan Memory claims to contain "memory chargers" to ensure that your kid is a betterratta-baaz than the next. Horlicks will make your laadla"taller, stronger, sharper". And hey, don't bother with that glass of milk if it doesn't contain Bournvita to ensure the right level of calcium absorption. Pediasure, "helps in a child's growth and development". Each of these claims is "misleading and deceptive," according to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) which plans to prosecute Heinz India, GlaxoSmithKline, Abbott India and other mega-companies in 19 such cases of false advertising. There's plenty of bad news for adults as well. No, Special K will not make you skinny, those Nutrichoice biscuits may not be a healthy snack, and multigrain Maggi is likely no more nutritious than the ordinary kind. Before we get too excited at the prospect of overdue justice, we should know that the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 doesn't impose much more than a paltry Rs 10 lakh fine. A reason perhaps why FSSAI is baying for real blood. Earlier this year, FSSAI director Asim Choudhary told Indian Express that it was time to hit these companies where it really hurts: "Similarly these companies must not not be allowed to telecast such advertisements by the Information and Broadcasting Ministry and there should also be a ban on their advertising on social networking sites so that in course of time these misleading advertisements will be monitored at more than one level." An alternative strategy is to go after the other great beneficiary of false advertising: celebrities. Actors have made a fortune endorsing false claims made by a wide range of products, lending their brands to campaigns that actively deceive consumers. Investors in the Susi Emu Farms were furious with brand ambassadors Sarath Kumar and Sathyaraj.According to Times of India, "The duo had appeared in TV advertisements for Susi Emu Farms, calling it one of the most lucrative business ventures while district collectors were sending out advisories cautioning people against investing in such schemes." Earlier this year, Bollywood actors Govinda and Jackie Shroff were booked by the Food and Drug administration in a false claims case against a herbal oil endorsed by them. But why stop at them? But don't hold your breath waiting for the government to crack down on SRK, John Abraham, Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone for endorsing fairness products that often contain chemicals like hydroquinone and mercury that cause hyper-pigmentation with extended use. A few punitive cases, however, will do little to dent the constant onslaught of marketing in our consumerist world where everyone is always trying to sell us something. But here's the problem with advertising: false claims are just the tip of the iceberg. A recent study conclusively connected fast food advertising with child obesity rates in North America, while another study found that television viewing was inversely related to intake of fruit and vegetables, and positively related to intake of candy and fast food in American children. Now, I can go blue in the face telling Mallika all about TV ads that lie, but what about those dreadful chocolate biscuits? The totally crap, sugar laden stuff that doesn't pretend to be healthy and tastes so, so good. Now what are we going to do about that?

What is nauseating in this whole episode is the role played by celebrity persons whether in Bollywood or in the scientific world who lend their face and voice in promoting patently unjust claims for a few bucks. In the absence of any code of conduct under the Press Council to haul up those indulging in this nefarious activity, the culprits easily get away. Imagine an icon in Bollywood promoting a brand of noodles among children, in stead of sending the most appropriate message that children must eat more fruits and vegetables for growing and remaining strong! What is more disgusting is some of the scientists, knowledgeable as they are, lending their names for promoting products which they know very well are not that much healthy as being claimed. For all of them smell of money is so overwhelming that they chose to ignore their conscience! It is time the Press Council take appropriate action against the manufacturers, the media and the promoting persons without further delay.

V.H.POTTY
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HOW NATURAL IS NATURAL? A NEW DILEMMA!

With the consumers disenchanted with the processed foods that dominate the market, food industry seems to be changing its strategy to retain the customer base through new labeling tricks. Every one likes everything that is natural. Right? Here is where the industry finds solace and a new approach in marketing is emerging. It is the fear of the unknown that drives people to natural foods and this is also the basis on which organic food industry is flourishing to day. If the FDA of the US is to be relied upon a food can be called natural if no added color, flavor or synthetic substances but whether such a simplistic view can satisfy the aspirations of the consumer vis-a-vis the term natural. A critical question that begs an answer is what if a natural food undergoes modern day processing when some additives like thickeners, sugar, salt, etc are added? If a natural juice is to be produced what one has to do is just squeezing the edible portion of the fruit to get the juice but to get uniformity of the product, derived from fruits of different sweetness, color and flavor, industry is forced to add certain ingredients, mostly natural substances which does not affect the original quality in any way. While this may be perfectly in order what is being objected to is to use the word "natural" on the label. Why not blend juices of different lots to make the final product really natural with minimum quality variation. In the US where there is a powerful legal lobby, such a situation provides an opportunity to haul the industry to the courts for mislabeling. Here is a take on this subject which provides an interesting insight into the working of food industry in that country.    

"In approximately 20 lawsuits, the first one filed in New Jersey, lawyers claim the company adds chemically engineered "flavor packs" to its juice, making it taste the same year-round. On Thursday, lawyers will come together in Washington to argue before a panel of judges about where the lawsuits should be heard as a group. Tropicana declined to comment but said in a statement that it is committed to full compliance with labeling laws and to producing "great-tasting 100 percent orange juice." The orange juice lawsuits are just the latest disputes over "all natural" claims. Over the past several years, a number of major national brands have been attacked for what consumers have called deceptive labeling. Tostidos, SunChips, Snapple and Ben & Jerry's ice cream have all faced similar attacks. The lawsuits have become common enough that the Grocery Manufacturers Association, which represents more than 300 food and beverage makers, had a panel that discussed the topic as part of a conference in February. Lawyers representing food and beverage companies have told their clients to be wary. Part of the problem, lawyers agree, is that consumers are looking for healthier products, and companies have responded by creating and branding their products as "all natural." The Food and Drug Administration, the agency that oversees packaged food labeling in the United States, has no definition of what counts as "natural." As long as a food labeled "natural" doesn't contain added color, artificial flavor or synthetic substances, the agency doesn't object. That's not enough guidance, some lawyers said. "The whole natural issue is a mess," said Michael Jacobson, the executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a Washington-based food safety and advocacy group that helped get the makers of 7UP and Capri Sun to stop making natural claims about their products. Jacobson and others say the FDA's lack of guidance has left lingering questions. One question has been whether a product with high fructose corn syrup, which is made by processing corn but does not occur naturally, can be labeled natural. That was the issue in a 2007 lawsuit over Snapple drinks. Snapple has said it no longer uses high fructose corn syrup in products marked "all natural," and a New York judge ultimately ruled in Snapple's favor and closed the case last year, but other lawsuits are still questioning the use of the term".

Labeling on front of the package is an important means of informing the consumer about the nature of the contents inside the sealed pack which is a constitutional right of every citizen under freedom of information provision. Consumer reposes so much confidence on the government of the land to protect their rights and violation of this trust ought to be frowned upon. If the industry is allowed to get away with breaking this trust, hauling them before the judiciary is a perfectly valid action. On the other hand allowing the legal attorneys to entice the consumer to go to court to extract fat compensation on silly score also cannot be justified. In the present case one is not sure whether using the term natural on juices without adding water or other unnecessary additives is such a crime deserving judicial intervention. Industry must also introspect as to the need to use the term indiscriminately as long as the product conforms to the standards laid down in the statute books. what the regulators can do is to tighten the standards without giving any scope for misinterpretation by the industry.

V.H.POTTY
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TALL CLAIMS OR GROUND REALITY?-WHO KNOWS!

If all the good things spoken by the Agriculture Minister Sharad Power are true India is the most efficient producer of horticultural products though it is true that, in terms of volume of production the country has a global standing. If all the statistics and proclamations coming out of the government quarters are true India will become the top producer soon outpacing every other country in the world. The glitch is in the reliability of the government figures which are often not verifiable. If India is producing as much fruits and vegetables as being claimed why should there be all round price escalation seen in almost all types of this category of protective foods being experienced by the common man? Who can afford to pay a princely price of Rs 150 per kg for Apple or Rs 70 per kg of Orange or Rs 60 per kg of grapes or Rs 40 per kg of Banana (so called poor man's fruit)? The variation in price of vegetables is so wide that Tomatoes can command a price of Rs 40 per kg one day and then crash to Rs 10 per kg within a few days! The Minister seems to be living in a make believe world assuring himself that there in nothing wrong with the horticultural industry in the country! Listen to his grand standing on this front in a recent meeting which as usual patted the efforts of the government without bothering to understand the difficulties of people in getting access to cheaper fruits and vegetables any where in the country.

Shri Sharad Pawar, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Processing Industries today complimented farmers and all those associated with the development of horticulture in the country for achieving an all time record production of over 240 million tonne of horticulture produce. Addressing the National Conference on Horticulture Production and Productivity here today Shri Pawar said that increase in production has resulted in higher per capita availability of fruits and vegetables, besides substantial increase in its exports, which has helped the country to earn foreign exchange to the tune of Rs. 14,000 crore. Shri Pawar announced the formal launch of 2012 as the "Year of Horticulture" to bring horticulture development in the country to centre stage. The Minister said, " While we have achieved considerable success on the production front, the supply chain issues still need to be addressed. The Vegetable Initiative for Urban Clusters is an important step in this direction. This was launched during the current year with an outlay of Rs. 300 crore under the aegis of RKVY. To start with, the Scheme is being implemented with focus on sustained supply of good quality vegetables to urban centres having a population of one million and above. The scheme lays special emphasis on promoting protected cultivation of vegetables in green houses and shade-net houses for enhancing its productivity. Besides, formation of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPO) and linkage with financial institutions through Aggregators is an innovative feature of the Scheme, Over 62,000 farmers have already been mobilized into over 3000 Farmer Interest Groups (FIG) and 50 Farmers Producers Organizations (FPOs) under this scheme." 

While announcing a series of nice sounding "Schemes" with attractive acronyms the Minister seems to have forgotten about the previous "avatars" of such "novel" programs which did not make any impact at all in easing the availability problem a wee bit. No one knows what the much heralded National Horticulture Board (NHB) is doing or for that matter the fate of the "Horticulture Mission", announced by the same Minister some time back. Does this not amount to pulling the wool over the eyes of the citizens? National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) which was asked to do an "Amul" on fruits and vegetables in nineteen eighties has not been given a free hand and its "cooperatization" strategy for production and marketing seems to be withering away with no dramatic or visible impact in any states in the country. Is it not laughable when one hears about the philosophy of the government when the now abandoned FDI policy in retail sector was touted as a savior for the Indian farmers! Claiming that India was able to achieve an export of Rs 14000 crore is no credit for any one considering the difficulties faced by the citizens in accessing fruits and vegetables at affordable cost. Government must seriously consider measures to increase productivity and creation of a stable distribution and marketing system to ensure uniform prices through out the year whether in cooperation with private players or through organizations like NDDB with proven track record.   

V.H.POTTY
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