Vegetable Oil: 'Sustainable palm oil is not a Premium issue, it's a Survival issue'

In India, much remains to be done to transform the palm oil market to a more sustainable footing. However, some businesses are leading the way - committing to positive change and setting a benchmark for others to follow. Among those is Galaxy Surfactants, a global leader in supplying a wide range of products to some of the world's most famous FMCG brands

Palm oil is a vegetable oil used all over the world for cooking, in foods and everyday products like cosmetics, shampoos, and detergents. Typically grown in tropical areas, palm oil is a 'wonder crop' with a long life-span and high yields, requiring less inputs than many other oilseeds. Its production also brings considerable social benefits and contributes to the economic development of producer countries like Malaysia and Indonesia. Palm oil plays a vital role in India's food industry. The country is its largest importer, capturing over 20 per cent of the global supply.

In recent times, a number of stakeholders have sought to find a balance between the economic benefits and environmental and social cost of clearing tropical rainforest to make way for palm oil cultivation. At the forefront of this effort has been the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil - a coalition of business and civil society that has established principles and guidelines for the cultivation and trade of sustainable palm oil. Over 20% of all palm oil production is now certified under RSPO's standards and in many European markets it is considered the minimum requirement for consumers.

Galaxy Surfactants attained certification under the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) in 2014, making it one of the first companies in India to achieve this standard. Today, Galaxy has certified manufacturing plants and can now supply RSPOapproved Mass Balance Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO) to any of its global customers.

The RSPO mass balance system allows for mixing of RSPO certified palm oil and other palm oil at any stage in the supply chain provided that overall company quantities of each are known and the volume of non certified palm oil does not exceed the volume of certified sustainable palm oil. The model allows flexibility in situations where precise traceability of certified palm oil through a segregated supply chain may not be possible, whilst still allowing companies the ability to achieve more responsible sourcing practices.

Galaxy's move is a significant milestone in the Indian market, reflecting similar developments by companies in overseas markets and a general trend of increasing certification in the Indian market. Two years ago, just one company had RSPO certification in India - now there are nine.

Progressive Grocer spoke with Galaxy's Chief of Operations K Natarajan and MS Sriganesh, the company's Head of Sourcing, to understand the reasons, challenges and opportunities behind this investment in sustainability.

What made you switch to sustainable palm oil with an international standard like RSPO?

K Natarajan: Sustainability is a critical pillar of our strategy. As a business we are part of a global supply chain reaching out to thousands of customers in more than 100 countries. Environment and sustainability are societal issues which impact every one of us and as a responsible participant in the palm value chain, we are clear that we need to be part of the solution. We got initiated into the RSPO through our global customers and considering that it was a multi-stakeholder forum working to address the concern areas, we joined as a member. Over the years our understanding of the subject has improved and as a result we have a committed roadmap to meet the 2020 targets.

Where is this demand coming from? Is it driven by India's consumption or global demand?

MS Sriganesh: Demand for certification is coming from global customers who are leading this initiative in our industry. However, we believe that the trickle-down effect to regional and local customers will happen with a lag. As a vendor to all of them, our agenda is to be ahead of the curve in this journey, keep communicating with our customers on the developments and look to have a larger base of customers as this is a differentiated capability we have vs. our competitor.

Are customers asking for Mass Balance or Segregated RSPO certified sustainable palm oil?

KN: Currently, we are seeing traction emerging in Mass Balance and are already selling Mass Balance surfactants as there is a wide availability of MB-based oleo chemicals at reasonable premiums. Segregated base raw material availability is still limited and the premiums quoted are high, holding back the buyers from trying. We see this as part of the evolution and with more plantations getting certified, easier availability of segregated palm oil will emerge and push down the premiums to levels comfortable for customers to adopt.

What is your customer base like? Is there an emerging demand beyond MNC customers?

KN: We connect with customers all over the globe in more than 100 countries, which is a mix of global, regional and local players. The current traction is largely from global MNC customers who have the advantage of better understanding on this and are driving their own traceability initiatives. Across developed geographies we see even smaller customers speaking of certified materials. At the regional and local level the awareness is low. As the information starts to trickle down, considering the nature of the personal and home care industry, we see other customers also making a shift.

What were the challenges faced during and before the certification process and how long did it take to get certified?

KN: Understanding the process of certification was a challenge initially due to us being located in India and there were no references for us to work with. It required a considerable amount of time and effort to understand the system, for which we travelled to Malaysia, met up with companies leading this front, understood the process and then created our own. As a result our first certification took two years.

Based on this learning our second certification took just three months and the third round of certification just a week. This is why we feel it's important for all early adopters like Galaxy to to create awareness and educate the market. Using industry platforms to share the learning and getting experts to speak on the subject will facilitate customers to understand the relevance and support the same.

If we look at the edible oil industry in India, the largest segment of which is palm oil, the problem of demand for sustainability lies in the nature of the market. Unless there is demand from consumers or government and policy level intervention on certifications, sustainability in edible oil industry is difficult. If big players like China, India, Indonesia and Malaysia come to a consensus on sustainable palm oil, change can happen in edible oil sustainability.

What were the required changes in terms of governance at the organisational level to get RSPO certification? How was it played out in terms of the process?

MSS: We became an RSPO member in 2012. The process involved assessing our value chain in a detailed manner and engaging with suppliers. Our first plant was certified in 2014. This required a top-down approach with cross-functional team sourcing from our manufacturing, quality and IT. We attended trainings with David Ogg & Partners (an RSPO-endorsed Auditor and Trainer) for a deeper understanding of the process, spoke to core players in the segment and started our auditing process. We have come a long way over the last couple of years and now have a 2020 target to attain complete traceability.

What was the financial side of this?

KN: Our plan for certification is part of our committed journey of being prepared ahead of what our customers are seeking from us. While the costs are getting incurred now when adoption rates are low, we believe that business will follow with a lag.

What was the reception to RSPO certification from the industry in terms of impact, inquiries, clients etc.?

MSS: Since we were one of the first companies in our industry to get a certification with this scope, curiosity was the first response from our customers. In terms of impact we see positive responses from global customers who understand the relevance and context. We're also aware that certification is one aspect of our customers' agenda - many global customers have their own system of traceability. If we can help with this as well, then we are well positioned in the market.

Based on your experience, what are the key lessons you can share with other companies to adopt sustainability practices?

KN: There is inadequate understanding of sustainable practices and companies tend to have a skewed view, which is increasing costs. The management of every company in this value chain needs to understand the fact that it is now an industry survival issue and not participating has the potential to impact the future.

Certified palm oil actually enhances long term supply. Through joint initiatives, there can be many solutions for companies to gradually move towards responsible production and sourcing of sustainable palm oil, and the cost is actually manageable, particularly if more companies sign on and volumes increase.

At the origin level, jurisdictional approaches to certification of palm oil production are an interesting development. Using location and point-of-origin to improve traceability based on the knowledge that large production areas have been certified will remove cost barriers to sustainability. Satellite mapping of high priority hotspots of deforestation and a separate production and sourcing plan for those areas would also help to remove supply chain risks for companies.

How have you externalised RSPO and communicated it to your stakeholders?

MSS: We believe in the power of industry collaborations to share knowledge and practical expertise. Galaxy, as a first mover, will help design solutions and give required guidance for similar companies in India. We will continue to engage different stakeholders and all parties along the value chain to promote sustainable palm oil. Now with RSPO looking to reestablish itself in India, we are confident that the way forward is positive.

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Food Safety: Time to Rethink, Re-Evaluate and Resolve Issues

 With Nestle's Maggi in the cross-hairs of the regulatory watchdog, the issue of food safety has acquired a new urgency. While Maggi is in the dock for containing higher than the permissible limits of monosodium glutamate, new products from several top food companies regularly fail to pass the regulatory muster, bringing to the fore concerns about whether our safety standards and guidelines are clear and fair enough for food business operators to understand and comply with. In an analytical piece, Dr. Saurabh Arora suggests ways to make the regulatory framework more streamlined and how food operators can avoid tripping up on safety guidelines

There are various types of food products but they essentially fall within two categories - standardised and non-standardised. The standardised food products are those for which safety data is available and for which standards are prescribed in the Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006 (FSS Act), under its various rules & regulations. These products do not require product approval. Non-standardised food products are those for which safety data is not available, and standards are not prescribed They, therefore require product approval. In a nutshell, there are about 380 articles of food, for which standards are prescribed under the regulations of the FSS Act, and these are divided into 13 categories. Foods for which standards are not prescribed fall under the category of proprietary foods.

Then there are foods for which standards are not prescribed but which have been used for centuries in India without any health issues. These are called traditional and ethnic foods under the FSS Act. These food items can apply for license straightaway, without the need for product approval.

In brief, food products (ingredient, including additives) for which standards are not prescribed, will require prior approval from FSSAI under the Food Safety and Standards Regulations in India.

What is product approval?

Product approval is the process of getting approval for non-standardised food products (where no guidelines are available) as defined under Section 22 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Section 22 of the FSS Act specifies that no person shall manufacture, distribute, sell or import any novel food, genetically modified food, irradiated food, organic food, food for special dietary uses, functional foods, nutraceuticals, health supplements or any proprietary foods and such other articles of food except under prior approval from central government. This product approval has to be obtained before applying for the license, and which needs to be applied through FSSAI.

Nowadays, paperwork for product approval is less time taking as online filing has started. Section 22 specifies that food for special dietary uses, or functional foods or nutraceuticals or health supplements, are foods that are specially processed or formulated to specify or satisfy particular dietary requirements, which exist because of a particular physical or physiological condition or because of specific diseases and disorders and which are present as such wherein the composition of these food stuff s must differ significantly from the composition of ordinary foods of comparable nature. Moreover, novel foods for which new additives are being proposed, which either have no standards or cannot be used in a specific combination, need to be evaluated and a product approval may have to be obtained. Nutraceuticals and health foods may contain proteins, vitamins and minerals from plants/botanicals and animals sources. The proteins, vitamins and minerals should not exceed the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) as specified by the Indian Council of Medical Research. Moreover, these health supplements should not fall under the category of drugs (treatment of diseases).

Recent controversy on product approvals

The issue of product approval has come under the spotlight because of the recent spate of rejections by FSSAI involving big names like Tata Starbucks, Ferrero, Kellogg, McCain and FieldFresh Foods (a venture between Del Monte and Bharti Enterprises) to name just a few in a long list. There seems to be a lack of understanding and comprehension of the requirements of the FSSAI while applying for product approvals. These include requirements for ingredients, including the additives. Moreover, the food business operators (FBOs) appear to be in the dark when standards are not available. A thorough understanding of all the nitty-gritty of the product approval process, is a pre-requirement for gaining insight, identifying the gaps, and alleviating the problems. This will help the FBOs to get their products approved by the FSSAI without any hassles and delays in the processing time.

The Bombay High Court's stay on the FSSAI Advisory on product approval had brought a halt on the product approval process where the FBOs were the eventual sufferers as PA applications were not processed for couple of months. However, I must mention here that the Supreme Court intervened and asked the food regulator to resume the process of product approval pending the final judgement on the statutory power of FSSAI for issuing advisories.

The product approval process

Generally all the food products for which approval is required are categorised in four categories - 1(a), 1(b), 1(c) or 1(d) - as per the procedures that have been defined in the latest advisory issued by the Govt. of India. Food products, where the safety of its ingredients present are known and are permitted under FSS Act, Codex Alimentarius (CODEX), European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), or USFDA food safety standards regulations and which do not contain plants or botanical substances or substances from animal origin fall under category 1(a). Food products, where the safety of its ingredients present are known and are permitted under FSS regulation or Codex or EU or in other countries, and contain ingredients including plants or botanicals or substances from animal origin, fall under the category 1(b). The third category is 1(c), which includes food products, where the safety of its ingredients is insufficient to make a safety determination or to come to a clear conclusion, whether it is safe or not. These food products are forwarded to the Scientific Panel for evaluation, but here again Form 1(b) is used. The last category is 1(d), where the products for which the safety of its ingredients and their conditions of use are allowed in our regulations (FSSR) or for those products/ingredients for which the product approval has already been given.

For obtaining product approval for such types of foods, application is given again in Form 1(a). Therefore, for the products falling under 1(a) and 1(d) you have to use the application Form 1(a), and for food products falling under category under 1(b) and 1(c) you need to apply in Form 1(b).

Harmonisation with global standards

Globally, standards are available for various types of regulations pertaining to food product approval. These global standards need to be accessed and their plus points harnessed in order to develop our own set of robust standards. Therefore, the FSSAI should coordinate with various globally renowned agencies like CODEX, EFSA, FSANZ, USFDA and others to harmonise its own regulations with the best regulations around the globe. This will help it to come up with a robust and streamlined set of regulations suitable for the Indian scenario. Importantly, we should take advantage of and learn from other countries' experiences.

Challenges and the way forward

The time has come to expedite the process of review of applications submitted for product approvals. The recently proposed 30 day - 30 day - 30 day time cycle for review of applications right from receipt of application till the final conclusion whether to award/reject PA or to further refer for scientific panel. This time line is due to be implemented from 1st July 2015.

Recently, all the information regarding the product approval process has been uploaded on the net for the benefit of all FBOs. On the part of the central government, there is a need to appoint more staff in order to augment the manpower to FSSAI, for smooth and streamlined implementation of the product approval process.

The regulations should also be streamlined, so that the approval process for any new product entering the market should be addressed expeditiously. The FSSAI should share data of approved products along with data on ingredients and compositions, so that new FBOs can benefit from this. Moreover, there should be a system within the regulatory framework, which allows all stakeholders to work upon on making information more transparent - from the ingredients up to the finished product - so that a good product development system comes into existence.

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Food Safety: Preventing food adulteration

 The issue of food adulteration is a major problem in our country and FSSAI regulations are likely to be tightened in the near future in order to curb this rampant menace. Regular self-inspection of food establishments by FBOs themselves will stand them in good stead when it comes to facing inspections by food inspectors or while applying for renewal of licences

As per the Food Safety and Standards Authority ofindia (FSSAI), food adulteration is an act of intentionally debasing the quality of food offered for sale either by the admixture or substitution of inferior substances or by the removal of some valuable ingredient. Food adulteration takes into account not only the intentional addition or substitution or abstraction of substances which adversely affect nature, substances and quality of food, but also their incidental contamination during the period of growth, harvesting, storage, processing, transportation and distribution.

As per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (FSS Act) adulteration can include any substandard food not meeting the standards but may not really be unsafe e.g. milk diluted with water; misbranded food, i.e. false or deceptive claims made in the package or advertising; or food containing extraneous matter, such as a non-permitted ingredient or additive; food containing pesticides in excess of quantities specified by regulations; un-hygienically processed food; or food that is infected with bacteria, virus or fungi; or infested with worms, weevils or insects.

Food adulteration may be of two types: intentional or incidental. Some adulterants are added intentionally, largely for financial gains (economic adulteration), the most common form being color adulteration, e.g. addition of extraneous materials to ground spices. Others are incidental that can arise accidentally or due to carelessnessor ignorance. These include spillover from pesticides and fertilizers, rodent droppings, insect larvae, and metallic contaminationof food.

It is of the utmost importance that food business operators (FBOs) be well aware of food adulteration issues, so that they can immediately institute corrective measures within their purview of operation.

Last year, of a total number of 46,283 restaurants sampled by the Government authorities, 9,265 were found to be serving adulterated food.

Importance of FSMS programme for FBOs

The Food Safety Management System (FSMS) has been designed to prevent food-borne illnesses and to provide safe food for human consumption. The FSSAI has documented the FSMS programme for all food businesses so that safe food could be served to the consumer. A well-designed FSMS programme that has appropriate control measures can help food establishments to comply with food hygiene regulations and ensure that food prepared for sale is hygienic and safe for consumers.

Under the FSS Act, it is mandatory for all FBOs to have a Food Safety and Management System programme. Any FBO that applies for licence or renewal of licence has to submit FSMS programme related documents along with the application for licence.

The important documents for FSMS programme are:

* Process Flowchart

* FSMS Plan

* Self-Inspection Checklist (as per Schedule IV)

At present, FSSAI under the Food Safety Management System covers GMP/GHP/Schedule 4 and Critical Control Point identifi cation and monitoring. FSSAI approved audit agency may inspect the FBOs on the scope of these criterion.

Food safety checklist for self-inspection by FBOs

The FBOs, with particular reference to hotel and restaurant owners, need to keep in mind that they themselves need to have a standard operating procedure (SOP) in place to carry out food safety checks in accordance with the FSSAI guidelines. It is required that the operational process be fragmented into a number of steps in order to implement the checks to prevent unintentional adulteration due to unhygienic practices during food preparation and delivery. The following points should be kept in mind, particularly with regard to restaurants.

Rules and regulations

* Do you have a valid FSSAI license that is displayed at a prominent place in the restaurant?

* Do you have a water analysis report from a recognized lab?

* Do you check food articles for quality and labeling compliance?

* Do you inform the authorities about any changes in activity or modifications?

Equipment and fixtures

* Are your equipment, utensils and fixtures made of a suitable material?

* Do you have provision for cleaning and disinfecting utensils, equipment and other appliances?

* Are you using separate chopping boards for raw fruits/vegetables/meat/poultry and ready-to-eat food?

Kitchen and food preparation

* Is cooking and frying being carried out under a chimney with an appropriate suction capacity?

* Are you preparing/cooking veg and non-veg food separately?

* Are you using good quality packaged cooking oil?

* Are you using only permitted food additives and in recommended quantities?

Cleanliness and hygiene

* Is your food preparation area and work surfaces maintained and kept in a clean condition?

* Do you have provisions for cleaning the utensils, crockery and other items?

* Are the walls and floors of the kitchen and eating area clean and well maintained?

* Are the members of staff free from disease and observing adequate personal hygiene as per standards?

* Do the food handlers wash their hands regularly before food preparation?

* Do the food handlers avoid smoking and chewing while handling food?

* Do you have provisions for pest control? Storage and packing

* Do you have adequate and proper space for storing materials?

* Are you storing chemicals, detergents and other cleaning agents away from food materials?

* Are you storing veg and non-veg items separately?

* Do you have adequate refrigeration/freezer/cold storage facility for various types of perishable food items?

Transportation of food

* Do you use dedicated vehicles for cooked food products that are kept in clean and hygienic condition?

* Do the vehicles have the facility for carrying chilled and frozen food products?

Water

* Is there adequate supply of potable water for food processing and preparation?

* Do you have water analysis report from a recognized lab?

* Is the ice and steam that comes in direct contact with food produced from potable water?

Documentation and records

* Are you maintaining records for all the SOPs being followed in your establishment?

* Are you keeping records of the microbiological contamination reports on food articles?

* Are you maintaining records of the water test reports?

* Are you keeping records of pest control activities?

* Are you carrying out periodic audits on the whole process?

From the foregoing discussion, it follows that food safety checks are an essential component for preventing incidental adulteration that can arise accidentally due to carelessness or sheer ignorance.

Food Safety: Do it yourself checks for Adulteration

 Caution should be exercised while buying, eating and distributing food items during the coming days, as instances of adulteration increase manifold during the festive times

The festive season is here again! Diwali, undoubtedly the festival of all festivals, lifts the curtain on the season of indulgence. Diwali and the days going into New Year is a time for offering prayers, rejoicing, merriment, and sharing one's happiness with friends and family.

The season is synonymous with fire crackers and delicacies like sweets, savoury snacks as well as other delicious food preparations. These bring with them a wealth of happiness, both to children and adults. Some favourite festive sweet preparations like gulab jamun, various types of ladoos, pedhas, kesar barfi, etc., bring delight and joy. Likewise, there are many mouth-watering snacks like namak paare, mathri, paneer tikka, aloo chaat and other gastronomic delights. Besides these, there are many sumptuous vegetarian preparations for the main course also, including Hyderabadi biryani, kadai paneer, paneer tikka masala, amongst many others.

However, while this time of the year is a time for merriment, some precautions need to be observed too. Caution should be exercised while buying, eating and distributing food items during the coming days, as the issue of adulteration increases manifold during this festive time.

Issue of adulteration

Incidents of adulterated food rise sharply during this period due to the activities of some unscrupulous businessmen. In fact, the problem of food adulteration is so acute that one in five food items fail quality checks (Herald, Panjim, 28.07.2015). Adulteration can be intentional, where substandard substances are added to the food or valuable substances are removed "intentionally" for economic gains. It can also be unintentional, due to carelessness or negligence. In either case, it can cause serious health hazards to consumers. In spite of the provision of severe punishment for the culprits, it has been reported from states like Tamil Nadu that only about 16% of adulterers actually get convicted (Times of India, Chennai, 07.09.2015). Even home-made food must be made from raw materials purchased from reliable retailers, in order to avoid adulteration. Ready-made food items should ideally be branded, which will guarantee the best quality and standards for the food items being bought. We should also check for the best-to-use before/expiry date, the batch/lot number, as well as the FSSAI logo and license number on the packs.

Simple tests to check adulteration

Food items and their raw materials can be adulterated by various substances that are cheaper and lower in the nutrient content of the concerned food. There are many examples, some of which are briefly discussed below.

Milk: This is an essential component of various sweet dish preparations. Milk can easily be adulterated by simply adding water to it. While this is not harmful to the consumer, it definitely lowers the nutrient content of the milk, and is likely to alter the quality of the sweets that are prepared with it. This type of adulterated milk can easily be tested by placing a drop of milk on a polished slanting surface; the diluted milk glides down quickly, while the pure milk glides down slowly, leaving a white trail behind.

Khoya & Chhena: These are commonly used for the preparation of traditional festival sweets, and are often adulterated with starch. All you need to do is boil a small sample in water, cool it then add a few drops of iodine solution. A blue colour indicates the presence of starch.

Paneer: This is often used in popular preparations like paneer butter masala, shahi paneer, kadai paneer, paneer tikka masala etc. The abovementioned iodine test is valid for paneer too.

Adulteration of ingredients

Besides common food items, as discussed above, some common ingredients can also be adulterated.

Chilli Powder: It might be surprising, but chilli powder can be mixed with powdered brick! You can test for this type of adulteration by taking a teaspoon of chilli powder and mixing in a glass of water. If it leaches colour into the water, it is adulterated with powdered brick.

Coriander Powder: This is sometimes mixed with powdered bran and sawdust. This can be tested by just sprinkling some of it on water; the adulterants will float on the water.

Cumin Seeds: Sometimes grass seeds coloured with charcoal dust are made to pass as cumin seeds! Simply rub them in your palm. If it turns black, it indicates adulteration.

Pepper: This spice can also be adulterated by grinding it with papaya seeds. Whole pepper is mixed with papaya seeds, which are very similar in size and colour but are relatively tasteless once dried. This can be tested by taking a small sample of peppercorns and dropping them into a glass of water. The peppercorns will drop to the bottom and the papaya seeds will float. For ground pepper, the test is similar.

Issue of food safety & hygiene

Observing proper food safety & hygiene this festive season is of the utmost importance. This is especially true for confectioners who prepare traditional sweets and namkeen snack items. These food business operators (FBOs) must ensure that the food being prepared and distributed from their outlets are being prepared and stored in a clean and hygienic environment. They should ensure that sweet and savoury dishes are prepared separately in order to prevent any unwanted mix-up.

Since most of our festivals are religious occasions, personal hygiene will need to be given added priority in order to maintain food safety. Confectioners should preferably wear an apron at all times, when in the food preparation area. The personnel who serve should wear clean clothes and plastic disposable gloves. The cooks should have their hair properly trimmed and nails clipped short and clean. They should wash their hands before food preparation. Importantly, food preparation should be avoided in case of fever, runny nose, coughs and colds, etc. or any other type of infectious disease.

Conclusion

The festive season is a time to be happy and joyful. It's not a time that you'd want to fall ill, particularly from avoidable causes such as food poisoning. Therefore, "be careful this festive season" and follow these simple tips to consume food that is hygienic, nutritious, as well as tasty. This will ensure that you, your family and guests have a wonderful time in the days ahead!

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By Dr Saurabh Arora

Food Safety: Why contaminated chocolates are a serious health hazard

 Does it surprise you that even the most loved snack food can be contaminated. A primer on how adulterated chocolates are a serious health hazard and the main

Chocolates are regarded as one of the most popular snack foods across the globe. It has been observed that an average American consumes over four kg of chocolate annually, while in Switzerland, a Swiss consumes double the amount. Moving on, Indians also have a sweet tooth and consume

A considerable amount of sweets, including chocolates.

Of late, there have been reports highlighting contamination of chocolates. This, despite the fact, that they have been consumed over the years without any serious complaints of any apparent ill effect.

If one delves into the matter, there are quite a few contaminants that can adulterate chocolates.

Can heavy metals contaminate chocolates?

It might sound surprising but heavy metal contamination can be a problem in the case of chocolates too. Since cocoa powder is the key ingredient for making chocolates, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has fixed the upper permissible levels for two heavy metals.

These are lead and copper. As per the Food Safety and Standards (Contaminants, Toxins and Residues) Regulations, 2011, the maximum permissible levels of these heavy metals in cocoa powder are as follows:

* Lead: 5.0 ppm by weight, on dry fat-free substance

* Copper: 70.0 ppm by weight on fat-free substance

A recent study in California, USA, conducted by a non-profit organisation indicated that out of 42 chocolate products tested, 26 (62%) contained lead or cadmium above the permissible levels as stipulated in California's so-called "Proposition 65 law". Besides, some reputed chocolate manufacturing majors such as Hershey, Mars, Godiva and many more were found not meeting the standards.

However, it is equally important that consumers should know that the chocolates they eat could be contaminated with heavy metals, so that they can make better informed choices.

Can chocolates lead to health hazards?

Interestingly, a 2005 study by the University of California, Santa Cruz, found that the average lead concentration of cocoa beans was

Here are some of the health hazards that are caused by consuming contaminated chocolate:

* Lead exposure can cause damage to the central nervous system (CNS), leading to learning difficulties and lower IQ in infants and young children.

* Lead is dangerous for pregnant women.

* Cadmium exposure must be avoided by pregnant women and children.

* Cadmium is carcinogenic, and causes damage to the kidneys, bone and liver.

* Children are more susceptible to chronic exposure to low levels of cadmium through the oral route.

* Copper exposure can cause general weakness, hypothyroidism, depression, constipation and low blood pressure, amongst other symptoms.

Enteric bacterial contamination

Enteric bacteria such as Salmonella and coliforms such as Escherichia coli have been found to be a significant source of contamination of chocolate. A recent survey conducted in two Brazilian chocolate manufacturing companies analysed different chocolate types, processed cocoa-based ingredients, manufacturing environment, and workers' hand surfaces to investigate Enterobacteriaceae, coliforms and Salmonella contamination (Nascimento et al., 2015).

* The study identified the source of Enterobacteriaceae contamination in chocolate. Enterobacteriaceae were isolated from 26% of chocolate samples, while total coliforms was detected in 13% of samples.

* Cocoa-based ingredients were not a significant contamination source in chocolate.

* Enterobacteriaceae was detected in 25% of the equipment and utensils tested, whereas total coliforms was detected in 10%.

* In one company, 14% of manufacturing environment samples were contaminated by thermo-tolerant coliforms.

* The food handlers from both companies showed a high percentage of Enterobacteriaceae contamination on their hands.

Conclusion: Manufacturing environment including food handlers were the most likely Enterobacteriaceae contamination source of chocolates. Therefore, Enterobacteriaceae are a good hygiene indicator for the chocolate industry.

Insects and rodent filth spoiling chocolates

Contamination with insects and rodent filth can sometimes be a problem, especially during storage and transportation of raw materials such as cocoa powder. These types of filth usually include insect body parts and rodent hair. If these are transferred during the chocolate making process, they can be a health hazard. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to maintain quality control during the entire manufacturing process.

Intentional adulteration of chocolates

It has come to light that in recent years, the amount of adulteration of traditional sweets increases with increase in demand, especially during festivals like Diwali. With changing preferences in distribution of sweets during festivities, chocolates have become the latest snack food item to be adulterated. Some unscrupulous businessmen intentionally carry out adulteration of chocolates to increase their profit margin. Some of the ways that adulteration of chocolates can be carried out intentionally, include:

* Using inferior quality sugar for manufacturing chocolates.

* Adding minerals to increase the weight of chocolates.

* Adding starch during manufacture of chocolates.

* Using non-permitted artificial colouring.

The way ahead

The foregoing discussion is an eye-opener, as the world's most favourite snack food has not been spared from adulteration. Therefore, it is important that stringent quality checks be put in place along the entire chain in the manufacturing process of chocolates. However, this is very important as chocolates are consumed in large quantities by children and adults around the globe. The health and well being of young children is of the highest priority. Further, stringent quality control will ensure that the chocolates that are consumed by millions of people are wholesome and nutritious food items and are safe to consume.