OLEORESINS-INDIA'S NEW STRENGTH

The late Dr H A B Parpia, who recently passed away must have been excited if alive to day by the news that India is dominating the world oleoresin market, thanks to his endeavors during late sixties to develop domestic technology for recovering the active ingredients of spices, condiments and aromatic materials. If Indian manufacturers, most of whom use the  CFTRI technology for manufacture of oleoresins from a variety of odiferous substances, are able to capture more than 60% of the world market for these concentrated flavor products, it is due to also their innovative efforts and adaption of the original CFTRI technology to keep up with global needs and standards. Three cheers to them. Here is a report from the industry itself which highlights their capabilities in this area. 

You may not realise it when you dig into a piece of chicken in, say, Kentucky and wash it down with a cola. Chances are that spice oil extracts or oleoresin of chilli from Andhra and nutmeg grown in Kerala may have given hot and tangy flavours to the meat and cola. Or, take the perfume that you spray on your body. It could be carrying the aroma of lemon grass oleoresin from Karnataka or cardamom extracts from Kerala. India dominates the global market for spice oleoresin, which is in big demand from processed food and fragrance industries that now mostly prefer natural colouring and flavouring agents to artificial ones as consumers become increasingly health conscious.

One must recall what type of trials and tribulations this industry went through in early days to commercialize the indigenous technology tailoring to the needs of foreign buyers. The original technology was developed using ethylene di chloride as the solvent which was banned because of potential health hazards. Now the technology makes use of alcohol and/or acetone as the preferred solvent while the high pressure super critical fluid carbon dioxide extraction gives a very high quality product from practically any odiferous substance with no solvent residue left behind to be bothered about. If the industry performs well keeping quality and safety as its corner stone, it is unlikely that any competitor will ever emerge to rival India's position as the number one player in the global arena. 

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com

SPICE EXPORTS-STIFFENING INTERNATIONAL SAFETY NORMS

India's dominance in world trade in spices appears to be in danger if the industry does not rise to the challenges posed by new and more stringent quality and safety regulations which are being implemented by many buyer countries. According to the spice industry rejection rates of Indian shipments of spices are becoming alarming and considering that safety is of paramount importance, especially in Japan, Europe and the US, there should not be any surprise if these countries start clamping down on imports from India. The conventional attitude that buyers have no choice but come to India is no more relevant to day and if urgent pro-active steps are not taken to streamline many of the present industrial practices with more stress on safety, there are countries like Indonesia, Vietnam, China and some countries in Africa ready to step in to satisfy the spice needs of the world sooner than later. Here is a commentary on the subject which is an eye opener for spice industry for taking steps for self correction.    

"Indian spice traders and producers are facing challenges like food safety, sustainability and traceability. Food safety regulations are affecting spice exports especially to the countries like Germany, France, England, Japan and Australia. India is biggest producer and exporter of spices in the world. As the regulations varies from country-to-country, it is becoming hard to maintain all the required standards. According to reports, the total export of spices from India during the current financial year, up to November 2011, is 351,900 tonnes valued at Rs 6,209.08 crore. But considering the volumes, the export shows a decline of five per cent in the current year as compared to the previous year. The spices exports for the financial year 2011-12 is fixed at 500,000 tonnes valuing Rs 6,500 crore. The countries that import the maximum of spice products from India are Malaysia for chilli and coriander, USA for pepper, celery, spice oils and oleo resins, China for mint products, Saudi Arabia for cardamom, UAE for turmeric, Bangladesh for ginger and garlic, Pakistan for cardamom large and fennel, UK for cumin, Japan for fenugreek, Nigeria for curry powders and Nepal for other seed spices. Geemon Korah, CEO, Kancor Ingredients Ltd said, "These regulations are badly hitting our export markets. Therefore sustainability is a major issue. The maximum containers are rejected from European countries, Japan and Australia. We are largest exporter of chilli and ginger to these countries." "India is the largest producer, consumer and exporter of spices in the world today, contributing about 48 per cent of the world's requirement of spices. As the global demand for spices is spurring up, it throws up several challenges, mainly for food sustainability, traceability and safety standards. These are not just issues, but threats that can affect the very existence of the spice industry in the country," said A Jayathilak, chairman, Spices Board of India",

There is no point in blaming the buying countries for stiffening the safety standards because increasing knowledge about food contamination and its fatal consequences are forcing the whole world to do that for preventing food poisoning among their population due to imported foods. The Fenugreek "episode" in Europe last year for which imported sprouts from Egypt were blamed brought new focus on this issue and many importing countries are taking measures to prevent repeat of such incidences in future. If India has been caught in this "whirlpool", the country has to blame itself for the situation. No doubt Spices Board is doing a reasonably good job in disciplining the export trade but unless there is an unwavering commitment to quality and safety by the industry, the exports are bound to suffer in the long run.

V.H.POTTY
http://vhpotty.blogspot.com/
http://foodtechupdates.blogspot.com