PROGRESSIVE SALT REDUCTION IN FOODS-TRICKING THE CONSUMER

Salt is considered a "poison" according to many health pundits and left to them selves probably they would have banished this palate tickling food ingredient from this plant long ago! But every one does not contribute to this 'hair raising" threat posed by salt as claimed by the experts citing many reasons for taking such an apprehensive view. Though salt intake 1000 years ago was reported to be hardly 0.5 gm per capita per day, to day it has ballooned into more than 8-10 gm a day and hence the red flag being raised against salt. There are many studies linking salt to a plethora of diseases like CVD, hypertension, kidney ailments etc, but the jury is still out regarding a final conclusion, most evidence being only circumstantial and based on animal studies. Different countries are trying out many strategies to persuade the food processing industry to cut down salt levels in their products but the impact is not considered very significant so far. There appears to be considerable reluctance on the part of many governments to put in place mandatory regulations that would force the industry to come up with products with lesser salt. Psychologists, knowledgeable about human mind feel that salt reduction can be achieved if the industry adopts a strategy to reduce salt slowly over a period of time without the consumer ever knowing about it. It appears human palate cannot perceive small changes in levels of salt up to a minimum limit beyond which they may react negatively. Probably this offers a "painless" way of salt reduction in processed foods.    

"Another widely used option to reduce levels of salt, but one which is generally not advertised to consumers, is the use of a gradual reduction of salt (stealth). This approach is being applauded by organizations, such as the UK Food Standards Agency and World Action on Salt and Health (WASH). Using this approach, consumers' palates will adapt to the lower level of salt, as the salt is very gradually reduced. This approach will depend on brand loyalty, ensuring that consumers do not switch to brands containing higher levels; thus, an industry wide approach would be required for some products. The rate by which to reduce salt is uncertain. Many companies have successfully used a stepwise reduction rate of 5%, but the specific approach will be dependent on food type and initial salt level (products with higher initial salt content are likely to achieve higher reduction levels)". 

This salt reduction strategy already being utilized by some in the food industry involves only gradual reduction but without actually replacing the sodium with anything else, unlike many others trying to partially substitute salt with non-sodium salty compounds that will reduce the sodium load on the body. How ever the results so far has been not very dramatic and this strategy can work only in certain cases, that too up to a limited extent. Ultimately a level of salt reduction will be met whereby a loss in overall flavor will be perceived by the consumer.  This poses a problem, as an apparent change in flavor by the consumer runs the risk of failure to repurchase the food item.  Generally food manufacturers, especially those owning reputed brand names, are unwilling to utilize a strategy that will negatively impact the taste and flavor of the product.  Therefore, extensive analysis of the effect of the salt reduction on sensory acceptability is vital.  Additionally, removing sodium without a replacement could negatively impact the product if salt plays a functional role such as microbiological, texture, water-retention etc. In a fiercely competitive market, unless every player go by the commonly accepted rule for limiting salt based on a time schedule, there will always be black sheep violating such understanding for reaping temporary benefits. That is where an international or national policy for compulsory salt reduction, in consultation with the industry, has the advantage providing a level playing field to all.

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

RAPID COOLING OF EGGS-A SAFER PRACTICE FOR POUlTRY INDUSTRY

Salmonella bacteria and poultry products are closely linked and to prevent the contamination of chicken derived foods by this much feared pathogen coming from both large poultry farms and smaller ones require effective preventive actions. While large farms with well designed cages can pre-empt contact between the bird feces and the freshly laid eggs, the small poultry farmers have to be more vigilant in sending salmonella free eggs to the market. There are sanitizing agents and other hygienic practices that can reasonably assure that egg is free from salmonella. Keeping quality of egg is another issue that is of concern to egg producers. The current refrigeration practices can only ensure a 6 weeks life before which the egg loses its prime grade quality and premium price. Recent development of a rapid cooling technology using liquid carbon dioxide is considered a boon to poultry farms in ensuring top quality for 12 weeks. Here is a take on this new development. 

"The rapid-cooling process, developed by Kevin Keener, a professor of food science, uses liquid carbon dioxide to stabilize the proteins in egg whites so much that they could be rated AA – the highest grade for eggs – for 12 weeks. Earlier research showed that the same cooling technology could significantly reduce occurrences of salmonella illnesses. Eggs cooled under current methods lose the AA grade in about six weeks, Keener said. "There is no statistical difference in quality between eggs as measured by Haugh units just after laying and rapidly cooled eggs at 12 weeks," he said. "This rapid cooling process can provide a significant extension in the shelf life of eggs compared to traditional processing." Haugh units measure an egg white's protein quality. Keener's results, published in the journal Poultry Science, also show that membranes surrounding the eggs' yolks were maintained for 12 weeks when eggs were rapidly cooled. That membrane is a barrier that keeps harmful bacteria from reaching the yolk, a nutrient-rich reservoir that bacteria could use as a food source".

Safe temperature for the eggs to prevent salmonella proliferation is 45F but if there is a delay in packing, the bacterial population can assume alarming size making it difficult to send to the market. It is in this context that liquid carbon dioxide cooling comes to the rescue of the egg producers and being simple in operation it is affordable to every one. Another advantage is that carbon dioxide is a toxic gas and no life can survive in its presence at certain concentration in the environment. Even sodium bicarbonate is an effective chemical when used in conjunction with an acid salt in generating carbon dioxide in adequate concentration in a closed environment and destroy salmonella. There are also egg washing powder preparations which if used immediately as soon as the egg is laid, can remove  bulk of the pathogen and further use of egg coating oil containing bactericidal chemicals is known to preserve the egg quality for more than 12 weeks. The new development of liquid carbon dioxide treatment makes egg preservation much faster, less tedious and more effective.

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

ORGANIC MEATS-HOW SAFE ARE THEY?

There appears to be a mistaken belief that all organic foods are safe and they can be eaten under any conditions. This is now being challenged by new findings which go to show that organic foods, especially meat and poultry products are more vulnerable to a unique infection carried through the animals from the free ranging farms without being checked adequately. No doubt organic foods do protect consumers from undesirable chemical contaminants which can enter the production area through fertilizers, growth promoters and pesticides as it happens under conventional production system and safe processing helps destruction of harmful vectors like bacteria. But the new realization that the existing organic production practices fail to pre-empt the contamination from Toxoplasma gondi is a shocker many people may find it difficult to believe. As compared to industrial farming, organic food farms allow animals to graze freely exposing them to this ptotozoa which survives the slaughtering operations and gain entry into the food chain. Here is an insight into this new development which is of some significance to consumers. 

"Organic meat may carry a dangerous parasite which can transmit to people eating the products, if not cooked properly, a new study has warned. Researchers in the US found that a food-borne illness called toxoplasmosis, which is not as well known as salmonella or E. coli outbreaks, is caused by the toxoplasma parasite mostly found in organic meats. "The new trend in the production of free-range, organically raised meat could increase the risk of Toxoplasma gondii contamination of meat," the authors said. The researchers point out that eating undercooked meat whether organic or conventionally raised especially pork, lamb and wild game such as venison, is one of the main ways people become infected with the toxoplasma parasite. People can also contract the infection by not washing raw fruits and vegetables, which may have come in contact with soil contaminated by cat feces, they said. Cats, they said, can spread toxoplasmosis after eating other infected animals and then passing the parasite along in their feces".

No doubt almost half the world population carry Toxoplasma infection without any major consequences because of the effectiveness of their immune system. Even in a country like the US more than 30% of the population is reported to be carrying this infection without any significant consequences. Generally only pregnant women and immuno compromised individuals are vulnerable to the serious dangers arising out of infection with this parasitic protozoa. What is, how ever, confusing about the above report concerns the conclusion drawn by the study authors that industrial meats are safer than organic foods because of stricter and more stringent production standards. But what is ignored is that almost all food poisoning episodes during the last two decades originated from industrial meat production system with practically no organic foods involved in such cases. Besides the above report should not unduly alarm people consuming organic foods regularly unless they eat them without proper cooking. When normal cooking is practiced there need not be any apprehension about the risk involved in buying organic foods.

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

AN OVER BEARING GOVERNMENT-BASHING THE CITIZEN

Inflation is supposed to eat into the real buying power of people and all responsible governments try hard to rein in such distortions in the economy. India is no exception to this bitter reality. Inflation affects different people in different ways, the affluent families not feeling the pinch to the same extent as those in the low and middle income groups of population. Economic liberalization in India two decades ago has unleashed a force that is influenced more by international developments than by any ameliorative policies of the national government. In a democracy every citizen has a right to protest against the policies of the government elected by him if they are found to be heaping misery on him. While the suffering citizens do expect the government to be sympathetic to his woes, bashing him for raising his voice against price rise especially of staple foods, is not an acceptable behavior of a responsible official of the very same government. Here is the controversial "admonition" from a senior minister in Indian Government who expressed his displeasure against citizens railing against price rise. 

"Answering a question on the burden on the common man, the Home Minister referred to the different segments of the population and the schemes that benefit the different segments.  He referred to higher MSP (as benefiting the farmers); MGNREGA (as benefiting the rural poor); mid-day meal scheme (as benefiting millions of children); and he referred to PMGSY (as benefiting thousands of villages).  He referred to the price of crude oil and how the Government was constrained to first raise petrol prices and then how it was reduced twice to benefit the middle class.  He then said (as can be seen from the exact text of the answer): "You mentioned high food prices.  Yes food inflation is high.  But higher procurement prices will reflect in slightly higher food prices.  But higher procurement prices benefits millions of farmers.  If you increase the price of sugarcane, sugar cannot be cheaper than before.  If you increase the price of procured wheat or procured paddy, rice and wheat for the consumer cannot be less. Sometimes, and I have written about this once, we are prepared to pay fifteen rupees for a bottle of water but we will not bear one rupee increase in the price of a kilo of wheat or a kilo of rice.  We are prepared to pay rupees twenty for an ice cream cone but won't pay a rupee more for a kilo of wheat or rice." 

Here is a comment by an enraged citizen after hearing the above statement which aptly reflects the revulsion among the masses.

"Tea Re.1.00 Soup Rs.5.50 Dal Rs.1.50 Meals Rs.2.00 Chappathi Rs.1.00 Dosa Rs.4.00 Veg Briyani Rs.8.00 This is actual price list. These items are meant for "POOR PEOPLE" & is available at Indian Parliament Canteen. The salary of those poor people is Rs.80,000.00 per Month!! PLUS HEFTY BONUS IN SCAMS.... Pls forward to all Indians (this all money comes from our pocket, TAXES YOU PAY)" 

Probably the minister, drunken with absolute power felt that he is not answerable to the people who elected him as his survival in the government depends more on paying obeisance to people not answerable to the constitution of India where accountability is the last thing that counts in public life. With luxurious life given on a platter to the "elected" representatives in the name of "serving" people, there seems to be a disconnect between common man and their representatives as reflected by the comments quoted above. Whether it is the salary, perks, living facilities, transport, communication facilities the "leaders" seem to be united in granting these privileges liberally to them selves unanimously with hardly a few seconds deliberations! Probably it is time that the present constitution is thoroughly over hauled to return the real power to the people of the country in the true sense.

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

BOTTULISM POISONING- HOW CRITICAL IT IS?

Food poisoning by bacteria is occurring with sickening regularity in almost all parts of the world, though such incidences are more accurately documented in the western world. Whether it is the greater immunity enjoyed by the population in poorer countries against food-borne pathogenic infection or it is lack of proper documentation very few poisoning episodes are reported from these countries. It is but natural that many wealthy countries raise their guard against food poisoning through elaborate safety regimes with high tech diagnostic facilities put in place at great cost. Recently there was a food poisoning scare due to botulism, a rare occurrence these days when canning as a food preservation method is not practiced widely. Here are a few bits of information about the dangers posed by the dreaded bacteria Clostridium botulinum, an anaerobic organism found in improperly canned food products. 

"1. Food borne botulism is caused by eating foods that contain the botulism toxin and is often associated with home-canned foods that have been improperly processed. Ingesting botulism toxin can lead to illness within a few hours- to days. Food borne botulism is often caused from home-canned foods with low acid content such as asparagus, green beans, beets and corn.
2. Wound botulism is caused by toxin produced from a wound infected with the bacterium. Wound botulism can be prevented by promptly seeking medical care for infected wounds and by not using contaminated injectable drugs.
3. Infant botulism is caused by consuming the spores of the botulinum bacteria, which then grow in the intestines and release toxin. Honey can contain spores of the botulinum bacteria and has been a source of infection for infants. Children less than 12 months old should not be fed honey. Generally, honey is safe for people one year of age and older.


The classic symptoms of botulism include double or blurred vision, drooping eyelids, slurred speech, difficulty swallowing, dry mouth, and muscle weakness. These are all symptoms of the muscle paralysis caused by the bacterial toxin. If untreated, these symptoms may progress to cause paralysis of the arms, legs, trunk and breathing muscles. In food borne botulism, symptoms generally begin 12 to 36 hours after eating a contaminated food, but they can occur as early as six hours or as late as 10 days later".

Food canning has survived in countries like the US in spite of many new technologies emerging during the last 3 decades. Canning is also practiced by many house holds under less than optimal conditions and most cases of botulism are reported from this sector. It is reported that in the US, on an average, about 145 cases of botulism occur each year but only 15 percent is due to ingestion of improper foods while 65 percent are infant botulism, rest being wound botulism. Recent studies in the US also indicate that outbreaks of food borne botulism involving two or more people occur almost every year and are usually caused by eating improperly processed home-canned foods. Utmost precaution against botulism whether food borne or from other sources is necessary to avoid unnecessary fatalities. In most developing countries more attention is focused on Clostridium tetani which causes a great number of infectious episodes through wounds, especially caused by rusted iron materials like nails, implements, knives etc.and many urban children are immunized against this infection during early days of their life. 

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

ANIMAL TRANSMITTED DISEASES-A SCARY SCENARIO

The eternal divide between the herbivores and the omnivores is a fact of life and no matter what new information emerge, there will not be much of a change in the relative number of vegetarians and non-vegetarians that live in this world. That meat eating is not absolutely necessary for good health has been conclusively proven by health experts, further reinforced by the thriving community of people with enviable health conditions spread across the continent. The argument that man is designed to eat meat because of his lineage from the historical hunters depending on animals for survival, does not justify meat eating to day because of drastic evolutionary changes taking place through millions of years since human life started in this planet. Similarly the argument that large animals like Elephants thrive on plant foods alone also is also sustainable because each living creature's physiological and metabolic make up vary enormously defying comparison on any scale. Early eating habits set the food preferences of individuals and those who like animal derived foods should not be denied the pleasure of continuing to eat what they like. But a recent report by a scientific team studying the impact of animal foods on the disease front is a compelling document that deserves serious consideration by all countries. 

'A global study mapping human diseases that come from animals like tuberculosis, AIDS, bird flu or Rift Valley fever has found that just 13 such diseases are responsible for 2.4 billion cases of human illness and 2.2 million deaths a year. The vast majority of infections and deaths from so-called zoonotic diseases are in poor or middle-income countries, but "hot spots" are also cropping up in the United States and Europe where diseases are newly infecting humans, becoming particularly virulent, or are developing drug resistance. And exploding global demand for livestock products means the problem is likely to get worse, researchers said. "From cyst-causing tapeworms to avian flu, zoonoses present a major threat to human and animal health," said Delia Grace, a veterinary epidemiologist and food safety expert with the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Kenya and lead author of the study. She said targeting these diseases in the hardest hit countries is crucial to protecting global health, and failing to tackle them would allow demand for meat products to "fuel the spread of a wide range of human-animal infectious diseases." The study, conducted by the ILRI, the Institute of Zoology in Britain and the Hanoi School of Public Health in Vietnam, mapped livestock-keeping and diseases humans get from animals, and drew up a list of the top 20 geographical hot spots. It found that Ethiopia, Nigeria, and Tanzania, as well as India have the highest zoonotic disease burdens, with widespread illness and death. It also found the United States and Europe - especially Britain - Brazil and parts of Southeast Asia may be becoming hot spots of "emerging zoonoses", which are infecting humans for the first time, are especially virulent or are becoming drug resistant. The report studied so-called endemic zoonoses which cause the vast majority of illness and death in poor countries. One such disease is brucellosis, also known as Bang's diseases or Mediterranean fever, which is a highly contagious zoonosis people catch by consuming unsterilized milk or meat from infected animals. The researchers estimated that about one in eight livestock in poor countries are affected by brucellosis. As well as threatening people with disease, this also reduces milk and meat production in cattle by around 8 percent. The study also looked at epidemic zoonoses, which typically occur as outbreaks - such as anthrax and Rift Valley fever - and at the relatively rarer emerging zoonoses like bird flu. A few of these, like HIV/AIDS and H1N1 swine flu, have shown the ability to spread to cause pandemics".

A crucial question that may haunt the humanity is whether meat eating is really necessary and whether this practice can be phased out over the next 50 years in the interest of this planet. Those wedded to meat eating can be expected to be fiercely against such an idea but eventually they may see the rationale behind such a collective effort to save future generations from catastrophe. Imagine the casualty inflicted by the animals through microbiological vectors like bacteria, virus, protozoa etc which find them suitable as a host and transmit the diseases through the foods derived from them. No matter what precaution one takes, it is humanly impossible to prevent animal driven diseases though high awareness and precautionary steps can lessen the damage. It is mind boggling to realize that almost one third of the human population to day is infected with animal transmitted disease vectors and a substantial proportion of mortality is caused by the diseases spawned by them. There are welcome signs that people are increasingly becoming aware of the dynamics involved in raising food animals including the down side of it and campaigns promoting vegetarianism are becoming more and strident to expand the current vegetarian population substantially over the time. 

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

  

GM BERMUDA GRASS-GENERATING CYANIDE GAS?

In the midst of the controversy surrounding the safety of GM crops comes the news about the death of a few cattle after ingesting a GM version of Bermuda grass in Texas, USA'. No doubt this is going to vitiate further the debate about the safety of GM crops in, giving some ammunition to the antagonists of genetically modified foods. According to bare details available on this episode a herd of 15 cattle died within a short while after being allowed to graze on a land planted with GM Bermuda grass and it was revealed that the death occurred due to cyanide poisoning. Whether cyanide release is due to genetic modification or other factors is still not clear. According to rangers 2% loss of their cattle is common during grazing due to many reasons and this isolated case should not be viewed as some thing unique. Here is a report about this incidence which will possibly ignite the passion surrounding  the issue of GM technology and its safety. 

"A form of genetically modified grass is being cited as the likely culprit in the sudden death of a herd of cattle in Central Texas, according to CBS News. Preliminary tests revealed that the grass, an altered form of Bermuda grass known as Tifton 85, had mysteriously begun producing cyanide gas. Scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture are conducting further tests to determine if some sort of mutation caused the grass to suddenly begin giving off the deadly gas. The cattle died roughly three weeks ago while grazing on a ranch in Elgin, Texas, about 20 miles east of Austin. According to the ranch's owner, Jerry Abel, the cattle began howling shortly after being let out to graze one day. Fifteen of his eighteen cattle died, all of them in a matter of hours. Abel told CBS that he'd been using the modified grass for about fifteen years with no problems, until now. And he's not the only one with a suddenly toxic pasture. Other farmers in the area who use the same modified grass have also found cyanide on their properties, though as yet no other cattle have died. Genetically modified crops have long been used to feed both humans and farm-raised animals. In recent years, however, activists concerned about potentially detrimental health impacts from GMOs have begun pushing for increased regulation and labeling of food products that contain modified crops. In California, voters will decide in November on a ballot measure that would require companies to label all foods containing GMOs. Such a law would be the first of its kind in the nation".

Before coming to the conclusion that the genetic modification was responsible for the release of cyanide by the grass, it should be borne in mind that there are over 1500 plants in nature containing cyanide compounds in combination with sugar and lipids. These include Johnson grass, cassava roots, apricots, apple seeds, peach seeds, bamboo shoots etc and as long as the food is cooked they do not pose any danger to life. Besides cyanides at low concentrations pass through the body without any harm. Cyanide gas at 270 ppm in the air or 200 mg in food ingested can be fatal. Among the grass Sorghum grass is considered poisonous and hence avoided by rangers. Generation of cyanide gas during early vegetative growth is known to occur while during drought times cyanide levels can build up over the grass. Against such a background it may be premature to indict the GM grass for the death of cattle in the above episode.  

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