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A recent news report on Lindt dark chocolates stated that they contain lead and cadmium above the acceptable levels, which has not been denied by the company. On the contrary, it has responded that the presence of heavy metals is inevitable in cocoa. While a class action suit has been filed in the US, it is business as usual for the company.
A few years ago, there was another controversy involving Nestle’s Maggi noodles, which was found to contain lead and monosodium glutamate during a lab test in Uttar Pradesh. There was a ban on the product for a few months in 2015, which was subsequently lifted. The irony is that this product, made of refined flour, was marketed with the tagline ‘Taste bhi, health bhi’.
While food from around the world is available to entice our palates, there is no guarantee that what we are eating is healthy or even safe. The non-profit Access to Nutrition Initiative has published a study that multinational companies sell less healthy food in low-income countries, where their business volumes are more, while richer countries are privileged to get better quality. The health star rating on a scale of 5 was 2.3 for richer countries, compared to 1.8 for poorer ones. This is a stark example of exploitation and discrimination.
The labelling of processed foods in India is regulated by the Food Safety and Standards Authority, which prescribes the content to display on the packaging. This includes specifying ingredients, their nutritional value and the expiry date. The amount of sugar, salt, additives, artificial sweeteners and trans-fat are also to be displayed. However, even with this information, products make unverifiable claims that they are eco-friendly, organic or diet-friendly.
The Indian Council of Medical Research’s National Institute of Nutrition has recently released a report on the nature and prevalence of misleading food labels. This is relevant as there is a rise in non-communicable diseases and obesity due to consumption of packaged food. The report highlighted that many consumers do not read food labels. Actually, consumers should be reading between the lines. For instance, a package of berries touted as healthy snacking may contain added sugar, mentioned in the list of ingredients but strategically not specified in nutritional facts.
Buyers are influenced by claims on health without scrutinising the labels. Nutritional claims have been seen to vary from nutritional facts. Advertising has a subliminal effect on viewers and fact-check on them seldom happens. Labels thus serve to conceal more than what they reveal.
The food processing industry has contributed to the increased shelf-life, better supply chains and security of food. However, the lack of transparency in the processes and the presence of additives and preservatives could impact consumer health. Food has long been equated with medicine. On the contrary, foods marketed today, produced with the use of pesticides, fertilisers and newer chemical processes, are proving to be the cause of diseases and metabolic disorders.
While there is an emerging trend towards consuming organic foods, they attract only niche consumers due to expense and availability. Similarly, dairy products and livestock have also come under scrutiny for the nature of feed and supplements that are used for them. Putting local and seasonal produce on the table where the source can be eyeballed is the way forward. More information regarding the origin and practices adopted in food production should be made available. Consumers should be able to access such information by scanning a QR code.
The FSSAI has recently classified packaged water as a high-risk food to be subject to mandatory audits. Bottled water is unquestioningly assumed to be safe. However, profiteering has managed to dilute its safety standards. This proactive measure is therefore welcome. The FSSAI also conducts periodic quality checks. But the mushrooming of kitchens and speedy consumption of food poses regulatory challenges. Consumer vigilance is therefore vital.
The current level of research determines our knowledge of various foods. Many products vilified as unhealthy are resurrected subsequently and vice versa. For instance, a few years ago, coconut oil was shunned as a trigger for heart diseases. At present, proponents vouch for its properties in preventing neuro-degenerative diseases and seed oils, which were once vigorously promoted, are considered harmful.
Therefore, it is necessary to assimilate practices of food traditions which have been validated over the years. The hereditary nature of the gut microbiome and its role in the digestive process make the case for paying attention to traditional diets.
Popular food shows and social media clips focus on individual choices and control in dietary habits. However, structural forces that govern global trade, retailing and processing determine food availability and access. The prevalence of above-average rates of Type 2 diabetes in former colonies like India and the Philippines indicates how starvation and famine in one generation affects future generations through epigenetics.
The production and marketing of polished grains and refined foods have also contributed to this phenomenon. The increasing awareness of the environmental impact of particular products also tends to influence consumer behaviour. There is, however, a need to be wary of unsubstantiated green-washing assertions.
We need to curb the exaggerated, generic claims by the food industry. The principle caveat emptor, buyer beware, should guide the consumer. Nutritional literacy, which includes and goes beyond reading labels, would help buyers make informed choices. While it is not possible to condense all the knowledge about the food on our plates, mindfulness will contribute to better health.
Geetha Ravichandran
Former bureaucrat and author, most recently of The Spell of the Rain Tree
