Category: Fostac

Better Analysis Equals Better Food Safety   Food safety is a criterion that must be satisfied regardless of the socioeconomic status of every consumer at any point of time. When the safety is compromised it can cause the outbreak of various pathogens or chemical/ physical contamination within food which causes food borne illness or injury to the consumer. The primary goal of food analysis is to guarantee that food which reaches the consumer is safe.  We come across various news related to the contamination incidents in food. E.g Salmonella in lettuce, aflatoxin in peanuts, cadmium in raw rice, PCB-tainted milk powder, mercury in fish and the list goes on thus, food analysis as well as analyzing the data associated with it  has become increasingly important.  Who is responsible? Food safety and quality…

A review on microwave cooking and the risks associated To ease day-to-day bustle at cooking zones, microwave ovens are very much in use for meal preparation these days. Microwave cooking is also an energy efficient technique as against conventional oven cooking. How do microwave ovens work? Microwaves are high frequency radio waves that are part of the electromagnetic spectrum. They get reflected, transmitted or absorbed by materials in their path, in a similar manner as light. Microwaves are totally reflected by metallic materials while non-metallic materials such as glass & some plastics are mostly transparent to microwaves. It can be absorbed by food & water. Being a helping assistant in our daily cooking activities, we may be familiar with how a microwave oven is structured. Starting with magnetron, other elements…

Importance of Food Labels Food safety is not the responsibility of a single person or the Regulatory body or the food industry alone. It is a shared responsibility between the government, producers, industry, and consumers. Food Labelling is one such legal requirement to ensure that the consumers can get a clear understanding of the food they are consuming. The label is a key communication tool between the manufacturer and the consumer, hence it should be truthful, transparent, and clearly depict what is present in the packet that the consumer intends to buy. As a consumer, you should always read the labels before buying food products.  It is very important to know how to read and understand the context for understanding what you are eating. What should you look for on…

Front of Pack Labelling: What the world is using   Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and obesity are huge health concerns across the world. Major dietary factor behind them is the consumption of junk foods, broadly classified as off that are high in fat, salt and sugar. WHO recommends the Member States to implement Front-of-Pack (FoP) nutrition labels to guide consumers towards healthier food choices, to prevent diet-related non-communicable diseases. Consumers often do not have the time to read nutrition labels while shopping, and many of them finds it difficult to understand the information provided. FoP labels can help consumers to easily identify what they are eating. FoP Labelling provides nutritional information in interpretative form on front of processed food packages. What is FoP labelling? Front of…

Food Safety Culture: Building Culture of Safe Food   As food chains are getting longer, more complex, and globalized, contamination of food is eventually becoming a global concern. Ensuring safe food for human consumption is likely the most critical part of any organization. Unsafe food leads to diseases and malnutrition. A safe food supply supports the national economies, trade, and tourism, stimulating sustainable development.  The potential impact of food safety outbreaks on a food business or a company can be devastating. A single event of a foodborne disease outbreak can bring unimaginable economic losses. As many still don’t completely understand Food Safety Culture, we can’t afford to dismiss this as a blip. What is Food Safety? Food safety refers to the conditions and practices that preserve the quality of food…

Diabetes and Diet Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as Diabetes is a metabolic disease identified by high blood sugar resulting from defects in insulin secretion. Diabetes in India is a growing health concern, with over half the population having a possibility of developing the condition at some point in their lives. High blood sugar can harm the organs and tissues in your body. The higher your blood sugar is, the greater is the risk for complications, and the complications can include heart attack, stroke, vision loss, hearing loss, and foot damage such as infections. In India, 77 million adults presently have diabetes and this number is expected to almost double to 134 million by 2045. Reducing the risk of diabetes has become an important concern as the lifetime risk of diabetes is alarming…

Cleaning of Eggs and its effects The food consumption pattern in India is gradually getting diversified. Livestock products are of utmost importance in this diversified menu. There are numerous recipes that require eggs to be added but how safe is it to consume eggs without cleaning them? Should the eggs be washed or sanitized before consumption FSSAI defines Egg as “eggs-in-shell other than broken, incubated or cooked eggs, laid by poultry species or birds meant for direct human consumption or the preparation of egg products.”  Eggs can taste and smell fine, but they may still have harmful microorganisms. Certainly, the dirt on the egg is generally organic material including fecal matter which may have harmful bacteria.  It is important to note that the quality and appearance of eggs depend mostly on…

 Say No To “SINGLE-USE PLASTICS” What are Single Use Plastics (SUPs)? Single Use Plastics are plastic items that are intended to be used only once before being disposed of or recycled. For example, straws, stirrers, water bottles, plastic bags, plastic banners, and packaging. Why are SUPs banned? These single-use plastic items potentially impact the environment causing land and water pollution, causing adverse effects on plants and animals, and dangerously breaking down into microplastics. The challenges in collection, segregation, and recycling are a few reasons for the ineffective management of single-use plastics. What are the Rules and Regulations regarding Plastic Waste Management? Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 It provides the statutory framework for plastic waste management in India. The rules state the conditions of use of plastics, its management, the responsibilities…

Basics of Cleaning and Sanitization Process The cleaning and sanitization process constitutes a necessity of Good Manufacturing Practices. The development of Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP), and food safety standards of respective countries, industries, and consumers all play a role in safe food hygiene practices. Several reports have shown that a large percentage of foodborne illnesscases can be attributed to poor food safety, including poor personal hygiene and contamination of equipment and/or environments. Before developing a cleaning and sanitization system we need to understand the basics of the process. Definition of sanitation, cleaning, and sanitization: The words cleaning, sanitization, and sanitation are used sometimes interchangeably but technically speaking they have different meanings. Sanitation refers to the whole process of following a specific set of rules and procedures to prevent contamination of…

A quick bite: Tree nuts, Peanuts, and Coconuts Allergies According to a study report published in 2013 by World Allergy Organization Journal, only 10% of the countries around the world had accurate allergy prevalence data. The situation is not much different in India. Some estimates suggest up to 3 per cent of Indians may already have food allergies, the majority of these under 40 years of age. Nut allergy is common among children and adults. Let us see about the classification of nuts, their allergenicity and their categorization as allergens in certain countries. Tree nuts and their allergies Tree nuts are the seeds of fruit-bearing trees, with a hard outer shell and hard/leathery meat inside. The major allergens in tree nuts are seed storage proteins, particularly vicilins (7S globulins), 2S albumins…