What happens when the processed food replaces the fresh food in the
shelves of our kitchen, snacks become the part of the staple diet and
the food regulatory authority in the country remains ineffective and
toothless? This gives the companies more ways of escaping the
responsible business and aids them to remain indifferent towards the
health hazards their products pose to the consumers.
"Food is becoming the cause of diseases in a country which was once had the reputation of undernourished and we need to pay attention to the trend", said Ms. Sunita Narain , Director Centre for Environment and Science while addressing the audience in the hall comprising of journalists, Health experts, Doctors and people from food companies. She was addressing the group at the Workshop on Food Labeling, Claims, and Advertisements. While complaining about the ineffective laws relating to the food regulations in the country, she said: "Food Safety and Standards Authority of India(FSSAI) is not very effective in bringing strict regulations in the country that has made several big gaps from where corporates can get out". She highlighted "Nothing is illegal in the food regulatory laws in India that what is making so many companies to get away from it, therefore due to weak regulations, several malpractices are prevalent in India-
Kellogg's Special K makes the claim of being 98% fat-free.In the EU, no food can make a claim of being X percent fat-free'
The use of images such as heart , kids, celebrities, words such as ‘all good', healthylacious , whole wheat at its heart along with tiny font –size of disclaimers are not well regulated on food package labels.
Quaker Oats by Pepsico has sodium labeled on its sweet variety but not on its salted one. Nestlé's Maggi atta noodles don't have a sodium declaration whereas regular masala pack does.
A long silence fell in the hall after Ms. Ishi Khosla, Nutritionist and Founder asked: "How many of us, read the labels of the food we buy?" The Long pause echoed the lack of nutrition literacy in the country. Breaking the pause, left by her question, Ms. Khosla then said "We don't understand labels. We don't read labels. We don't read them well. This we, who are educated and evolved species, think about those who cannot read and understand the labels." She, later informed the audience, how In 1939 Hydrogenated fats were introduced in India as cheap substitutes of ghee and oils which proved to be more dangerous than oil or ghee. The first of such product was Dalda, product of Unilever (erstwhile Lever Brother)
There was an interesting session on the celebrity endorsement by Harish Bijoor, CEO Harish Bijoor Consults who informed about the origins of the trend by telling about Lila Chitnis who was the first Indian face to endorse a brand; in 1929 she became the poster girl for the Lux. "Blame our society for the brand endorsements, as we buy products because Shahrukh Khan endorses it," he continued. Harish said, "Celebrities are not skillful in telling the truth about the brands, instead of companies should let R&D person endorse the brand because he can tell the complete truth about the brand."He also said a brand is clever that's why they outsource the advertisement".
Pawan Agarwal, CEO, Food Safety, and Standards Authority of India, was also present and took full responsibility for the failures, he assured: "We at FSSAI are trying to develop strict rules and guidelines for mandatory labeling on food brands". During the briefing, it was demanded that FSSAI should publish the reports of tests on its website" Discussions were also held around FSSAI should have punitive powers otherwise it will remain a toothless body. FSSAI Chairperson said our aim is to have healthy food at home and workplace. The concerns were raised about how junk food has become the staple diet.
As the daylong session was coming to end Ms. Sunita left audience pondering by saying "We need to save food in our plates, if we want to save it in the wilds".
"Food is becoming the cause of diseases in a country which was once had the reputation of undernourished and we need to pay attention to the trend", said Ms. Sunita Narain , Director Centre for Environment and Science while addressing the audience in the hall comprising of journalists, Health experts, Doctors and people from food companies. She was addressing the group at the Workshop on Food Labeling, Claims, and Advertisements. While complaining about the ineffective laws relating to the food regulations in the country, she said: "Food Safety and Standards Authority of India(FSSAI) is not very effective in bringing strict regulations in the country that has made several big gaps from where corporates can get out". She highlighted "Nothing is illegal in the food regulatory laws in India that what is making so many companies to get away from it, therefore due to weak regulations, several malpractices are prevalent in India-
Kellogg's Special K makes the claim of being 98% fat-free.In the EU, no food can make a claim of being X percent fat-free'
The use of images such as heart , kids, celebrities, words such as ‘all good', healthylacious , whole wheat at its heart along with tiny font –size of disclaimers are not well regulated on food package labels.
Quaker Oats by Pepsico has sodium labeled on its sweet variety but not on its salted one. Nestlé's Maggi atta noodles don't have a sodium declaration whereas regular masala pack does.
A long silence fell in the hall after Ms. Ishi Khosla, Nutritionist and Founder asked: "How many of us, read the labels of the food we buy?" The Long pause echoed the lack of nutrition literacy in the country. Breaking the pause, left by her question, Ms. Khosla then said "We don't understand labels. We don't read labels. We don't read them well. This we, who are educated and evolved species, think about those who cannot read and understand the labels." She, later informed the audience, how In 1939 Hydrogenated fats were introduced in India as cheap substitutes of ghee and oils which proved to be more dangerous than oil or ghee. The first of such product was Dalda, product of Unilever (erstwhile Lever Brother)
There was an interesting session on the celebrity endorsement by Harish Bijoor, CEO Harish Bijoor Consults who informed about the origins of the trend by telling about Lila Chitnis who was the first Indian face to endorse a brand; in 1929 she became the poster girl for the Lux. "Blame our society for the brand endorsements, as we buy products because Shahrukh Khan endorses it," he continued. Harish said, "Celebrities are not skillful in telling the truth about the brands, instead of companies should let R&D person endorse the brand because he can tell the complete truth about the brand."He also said a brand is clever that's why they outsource the advertisement".
Pawan Agarwal, CEO, Food Safety, and Standards Authority of India, was also present and took full responsibility for the failures, he assured: "We at FSSAI are trying to develop strict rules and guidelines for mandatory labeling on food brands". During the briefing, it was demanded that FSSAI should publish the reports of tests on its website" Discussions were also held around FSSAI should have punitive powers otherwise it will remain a toothless body. FSSAI Chairperson said our aim is to have healthy food at home and workplace. The concerns were raised about how junk food has become the staple diet.
As the daylong session was coming to end Ms. Sunita left audience pondering by saying "We need to save food in our plates, if we want to save it in the wilds".
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