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4 EDITORIAL NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in

Towards Healthful
Cooking Medium

Dr Milind Kokje for presence of Aflatoxins, pesticide residues and heavy
metals were also found to be bypassed in some samples.
Chief Editor
In case of mixing with other oils, though the
It's laudable that the Food Safety and Standards FSSAI has allowed blending of different oils, there are
Authority of India (FSSAI) has focused its gaze on percentage norms and deceleration norms. The oil
edible oils used in every household in the country, producers have to observe the norm of how much
right after addressing the safety and purity of milk. percentage of oil is to be blended with how much and
then have to say this specifically on label.
The demand for consumption of edible oils is
growing continuously. If one looks at the per capita About a year ago in Tamil Nadu, the food safety
(PC) oil consumption in the country it has increased authorities had found groundnut oil and sesame oil
rapidly – from 15.8 kg in 2012-13 to 19.5 kg in 2015-16 packets blended with palm oil mixing up to 70 per cent.
which further rose to 19.7 kg in 2019-20. One important In some cases only essence was added to palm oil to
reason cited for this increase is a marked improvement in give the semblance of sesame or groundnut oil. The
living standards. The total demand for edible oils is also authorities had even found wrong representation on
growing due to the rising population. Due to these two labels or fine print – giving the information in very small
factors, edible oil consumption usually rises by two to font, making it difficult to read.
three per cent per annum. It increased from 198.24 lakh
tonnes in 2012-13 to 240.71 lakh tonnes in 2019-20. The challenge for the FSSAI as well as food safety
authorities of the states is to stop all such practices
When the consumption of any commodity is so high to ensure that the consumers get safe oil and equally
and it is an essential ingredient in daily food then its important is that they get accurate information of
safety becomes an issue of more concern. All precautions the ingredients properly on the label to make a wise
are required to ensure that only safe and standardised decision.
edible oils reach the consumers. From this perspective
collecting samples of the oils and doing a nationwide Along with safety, an equally important issue is
survey of safe oil is an important step taken by the FSSAI to reduce the consumption of the oil since having
and it deserves appreciation for the same. such a high consumption is very unhealthy. Per capita
consumption needs to be brought down much lower
Outcome of the survey conducted in August than the 2012-13 level. Experts suggest that it should
2021 were known recently. One of the outcomes is of come down to 12 kg and even less to improve health
serious concern as 24.2 per cent samples failed to clear indicators.
the quality matrix. This was an indication of possible
adulteration of cooking oils. They were non-compliant The FSSAI is already running a campaign
with respect to the presence of hydrocyanic acid and encouraging lower use of salt, sugar and oils, which
failed to meet the prescribed limits of refractive index, BR needs to be intensified. Health issues arising due to
reading, fatty acid profile and iodine value. consumption of unsafe oils and also from quantitative
increase is, indeed, a cause for concern.
FSSAI had collected 4,461 oil samples from 587
districts and four metros. 2.42 per cent of these samples Stringent punitive action could bring an end to the
were found to be non-compliant with safety parameters. sale of unsafe oils and reduce their consumption with
Some other important lacunae noticed by the FSSAI the right education and awareness drives, outlining the
include failure to meet the standards pertaining to shelf benefits of a healthy cooking medium used sparingly.
life and additives, label misbranding and blending with
other oils or materials.

In the label misbranding category, 12.8 per cent
samples alone were non-compliant on fortification
claims regarding the presence of vitamin A and D.
Limits prescribed by food safety and standards rules

Volume 9  |  Issue 06  |  February 2022 www.nuffoodsspectrum.in

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6 INSIDE NUFNFUOFOFODSODSSPSEPCETCRTURMUM| |FebMruaracrhy 20202 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in

20COVER STORY

'Raking-in the Dough' with

H E A LT H Y

BAKES
Recent years have borne witness to consumers demanding 22
healthier baked goods. Demands for sugar-free, high fibre, gluten-
free, whole wheat, millet-based foods are seeing rising demands. ‘By 2023, the biscuit
The organised sector as well as the unorganised sector has been sector is expected to
paying heed to consumer demands and innovating with healthier surpass Rs 40,000 Cr’
alternatives to the satiate consumer demands. Let's get to the
bottom of this 'forever growing' sector. Amrinder Singh,

Director, Bonn Group of Industries

NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in INSIDE 7

Ingredients Fermented Foods

26 37

Is Ayurveda industry growth Can fermented
impacted by quality of ingredients? foods spike immunity?

Nanotech Dr Anumiita Pathakk,

29 Clinical Nutritionist

Nano intervention in food packaging ABR Bacteria

Startups 39

32 Antibiotics and Resistant
Bacteria in Food Chain
Scaling Insurmountable Challenges
Prof. Indumathi Nambi,
Speaking With
Environmental and Water Resources Engineering,
35 Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Madras

“Our plant-based products Healthy Diet
will hit the shelves in Delhi NCR
and Bangalore by March” 41

Deepak Yadav, Why Food Industries
must promote healthy and
Chief Executive Officer, Vegan Meat India sustainable diets

36 George Cheriyan,

“New gen machines offer Director, CUTS International
improved environmental
credentials, higher filling speeds Cancer Day
and enhanced energy efficiencies"
43
Vandana Tandan,
Beating Cancer
Country Manager, SIG India with Onco-nutrition

Dr Ajaikumar B. Kunnumakkara,

Professor, Cancer Biology Laboratory & DBT-AIST
International Centre for Translational and Environmental
Research, Department of Biosciences and Bioengineering,
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Guwahati

REGULARS

Editorial 04

Video Snippets 08

Regulatory News 09

Finance News 11

Start-Up News 13

Company News 16

World News 19

People News 45

Ingredients News 46

R&D News 48

Supplier News 49

Let’s Talk Food 50

8 VIDEO SNIPPETS NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in

Santana Acknowledgements
Priyadarshni, After reading the interview published in your magazine about
Nutritionist, Medall Nutrify Today Academy, I must say that I am deeply impressed
Blume, Chennai with the way in which the story has been treated. The article
shares her views covers all the important highlights of the academy which
on how to tackle will certainly inform the readers of its importance and also
polycystic ovary give them the necessary details to move forward with further
syndrome (PCOS) inquiry. Additionally, it also brings forward the importance of
with a balanced diet. the nutraceuticals industry in general, and its future prospects.
I firmly believe that this positive coverage will help the people
Scan the QR Code » in understanding the importance of nutraceuticals for living a
healthy lifestyle, and also about the Indian companies which
Pranay Jain, are working in this space. The support it may generate will
Founder, BodyFirst, definitely help the industry in growing further. I wish to thank you
Mumbai talks about for the efforts they have put, and I look forward to more such
the challenges collaborations in the future.
associated with a
‘no-sugar’ diet. - Amit Srivastava, Bengaluru

Scan the QR Code » Thermo Fisher is thankful for your support through 2021 and
look forward for more collaboration in 2022.
Pavithra Rao,
Co-Founder, - Shiny Kurup, Mumbai
WaterScience,
Bengaluru tells us Sathguru Management Consultants look forward to more fruitful
how technology can association in the new year.
help in obtaining
clean water for - Dr KV Satyanarayana, Hyderabad
washing food items
such as fruits, Bry-Air appreciates the coverage of companies investing on
vegetables. digital transformation and technology in the cover story of
December & January edition of nuFFooDS Spectrum as it came
Scan the QR Code » up very nicely.

- Dhirendra Choudhary, Gurugram

Bikano liked being a part of amazing cover stories in nuFFooDS
Spectrum for both December and January. We look forward to
being a part of more such stories.

- Manish Aggarwal, New Delhi

Thanks for your feedback. We have taken note of
your suggestions and will surely try to incorporate
the content accordingly in coming issues. Please
keep sending us your feedback and updating us
on your views about the issue and keep giving
your opinions on the content.

– Editor

Please send your feedback to
[email protected]

NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in REGULATORY NEWS 9

Agri Minister unveils NITI Aayog partners
with WFP for
compendium of mainstreaming millets

Spice Statistics NITI Aayog has signed a Statement of Intent with United Nations
World Food Programme (WFP) that focuses on mainstreaming of
Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister millets and supporting India in taking lead globally in knowledge
for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, has exchange using the opportunity of 2023 as an International Year
released the book ‘Spices Statistics at a of Millets. Further, the partnership will aim at building resilient
Glance 2021’. The book is a compendium livelihoods for small-holder farmers and adaptation capacities to
of all the spices statistics like, area, climate change and transforming food systems. The Sol focuses on
production, productivity, export, import, strategic and technical collaboration between NITI Aayog and WFP,
price and value of output of various spices to strengthen climate resilient agriculture for enhanced food and
produced in the country. The book is nutrition security in India. The parties will be working on the joint
published by the Directorate of Arecanut development of a compendium of good practices around millets
and Spices Development (DASD), Ministry mainstreaming in priority states and development of a scaling up
of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, the nodal strategy. They will also provide technical support for scaling up
agency for collection and compilation of of millets mainstreaming through intense engagement in select
area and production estimates of spices states with support from state governments, Indian Institute of
at National level. The book highlights Millets Research (IIMR) and other associated institutions. Parties
the growth achieved in the spices sector will jointly organise a national consultation for line ministries
during the last seven years from 2014- of the Government of India, concerned departments of State
15 to 2020-21 in the country. Spices governments, select academic institutions and organisations
production in the country grew from 67.64 working in the field of millets mainstreaming.
lakh tonnes in 2014-15 to 106.79 lakh
tonnes in 2020-21 with an annual growth
rate 7.9 per cent, following an increase in
area from 32.24 lakh hectare to 45.28 lakh
hectare. Among the major spices, cumin
(14.8 per cent), garlic (14.7 per cent),
ginger (7.5 per cent), fennel (6.8 per cent),
coriander (6.2 per cent), fenugreek (5.8 per
cent), red chilli (4.2 per cent) and turmeric
(1.3 per cent), show significant growth rate
in production.

Centre pumps Rs 475 Cr to build Banas Dairy Sankul in UP

PM Narendra Modi, recently laid the crore bonus to the bank accounts of laid for the Biogas based Electricity
foundation stone of ‘Banas Dairy more than 1.7 lakh milk producers generation plant for the Milk
Sankul’ at the UP State Industrial associated with Banas Dairy. The Producers Cooperative Union Plant,
Development Authority Food Park, foundation stone has also been Ramnagar, Varanasi. The PM has
Karkhiyaon, Varanasi.
Spread across 30 acres launched a Portal and
of land, the dairy will Logo dedicated to the
be built at a cost of Conformity Assessment
about Rs 475 crore Scheme of milk
and will have a facility products, developed
for processing 5 lakh by the Bureau of Indian
litre of milk per day. Standards (BIS) with the
The PM also digitally help of National Dairy
transferred about Rs 35 Development Board
(NDDB).

10 REGCUOLMAPTAONRY NEWS NUFFNOUOFDFOSOSDPSECSTPRECUTMRUM| F|ebrAuapryil 20212 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in

Madhya Pradesh collates Skill India
community feedback on fortified rice
conducts
Supported by Nutrition kinds, the assessment aimed at
International, a global nutrition evaluating consumer response camps in UP for
organisation focused on to organoleptic properties of
delivering low-cost, high-impact cooked fortified rice through local food and
nutrition interventions to people its features like taste, colour,
in need, the government of smell, and shape. The study savory makers
Madhya Pradesh (MP) conducted conducted in February, covering
an assessment of community 481 beneficiaries, showed over In an effort to recognise the skills
feedback about fortified rice in 80 per cent of beneficiaries rated of the workforce, formally certify
three districts in February 2021. dishes prepared with fortified and link them to employment
A similar activity was conducted rice as ‘extremely liked’. In opportunities, Skill India Mission is
as part of the Azadi Ka Amrit November 2021, the assessment conducting a special Recognition
Mahotsav in November 2021 in was conducted amongst 1,200 of Prior Learning (RPL) programme
three new districts of Madhya beneficiaries and similar feedback for candidates in Semra and
Pradesh (Rajgarh, Barwani, was received. Beneficiaries Yarna in Prayagraj district of Uttar
Bhind) with the support from acknowledged that there was no Pradesh, under its SANKALP
the departments of Food, change in organoleptic features programme (Skill Acquisition
Women and Child Development like taste, colour, smell, etc. of and Knowledge Awareness
and Panchayat and Rural fortified rice as compared to for Livelihood Promotion). The
Development. As one of its first normal rice. programme, implemented through
Adarsh Gram Skill Camps (AGSC),
Packaged drinking water aims to certify candidates in 100+
test facility opens at National villages across Uttar Pradesh, Bihar,
Test House, Ghaziabad Rajasthan, Gujarat, Odisha, Assam,
Tripura, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh,
Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. On
Distribution and Textiles, Piyush Goyal has inaugurated the Packaged December 14, in Semra, over 100
Drinking Water Test Facility at National Test House (NTH), Ghaziabad. candidates were certified in the
With the inauguration of two equipment, - Ultra High-Performance Pickle Making Technician job role.
Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC) and Ion Chromatograph (IC), NTH- Similarly, for December 15, 116
Ghaziabad has added a feather in its comprehensive quality testing additional candidates were certified
facility for water. UHPLC is helpful for quantification of different organic as Pickle Makers and Traditional
compounds especially residual pesticides in drinking water samples. Snack and Savoury makers in Yarna.
With the inauguration of two equipment, NTH-Ghaziabad has added a Under the Adarsh Gram Skill Camps
valuable testing facility for water. The equipment UHPLC will be helpful project, weekly RPL camps are being
for quantification of different organic compounds particularly residual conducted for 12 hours spread
pesticides in water samples, whereas IC will be used for quantification of over 3-5 days, and every certified
different anions particularly bromate in packaged drinking water. candidate receives Rs 500 as reward
money post successful certification.
The project aims to enhance the
percentage of skilled workers by
providing skill-based certification to
more than 15,000 workers. Till date,
over 2,200 candidates have been
trained across 24 villages.

NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in FINANCE NEWS 11

GoKhana secures $1.1M for
strengthening domestic presence

Bengaluru-based startup GoKhana, 11 cities with contracts translating Eggoz raises
a SaaS platform for end-to- to 1M+ active users, with a strong
end management of corporate pipeline to ramp it up to 5M+ $3.5M to
cafeterias, has raised $1.1 million active users. The solution brings
in a Pre-Series A round. Founded in together corporate partners, their increase
2017, GoKhana digitises operations employees and corporate food
of institutional food-courts by suppliers on a single technology footprint
introducing efficiencies and platform. The funds will help
making the entire food-ordering GoKhana in deep integration with Gurugram-based startup
process convenient, efficient and its strategic partners. GoKhana has Eggoz has raised Series A
contactless. GoKhana is present in multiple partnerships to help its funding of $3.5 million led
users optimise their supply chain, by NABVENTURES (a VC fund
provide contactless experience anchored by National Bank
on vending machines, help for Agriculture and Rural
customers achieve sustainability Development: NABARD), with
goals and reduce food wastage & participation from Avaana
help corporates neutralise viruses Capital, Rebright Partners,
(including but not limited to Bellerive Capital and angel
COVID-19) at workplace. GoKhana investors Sanjiv Rangrass
will further use the funding to fuel and Indresh Saluja. With this
its continuous innovation culture, funding, Eggoz is poised
bringing other novel services to for explosive growth as it
its corporate customers at work, at increases its brand footprint,
home, and in restaurants. launches egg-based value-
added products, and enters
Plant-based nutrition new geographies. The
brand Plix raises $5M egg production in India is
concentrated in the Southern
Plix, Mumbai-based clean plant-based nutrition brand for daily wellness and states. At the same time,
strength, has raised $5 million in Series A funding from Guild Capital and RPSG there are hardly any scaled-
Capital Ventures. The funds will be used for launching several first-of-its-kind up production facilities in the
products in the nutraceuticals segment tackling key health concerns. Over 85 North, resulting in extended
SKUs are planned for launch in the next supply chains and multiple
12 months. The company is also looking intermediaries, with eggs
to hire new senior leadership talent, reaching consumers in the
reinforce their R&D team and enter new North after 4-7 days, lacking in
markets. Founded in 2019 by Satiya freshness and quality. Eggoz
Nutraceuticals, Plix has been able to has plans to address this gap in
build a successful brand with the unique the procurement and supply of
positioning of having products that are eggs in North India.
delicious, effective, and 100 per cent
plant-based. Plix is constantly innovating
to replace the conventional formats of
pills with delicious gummies, superfood
powders, and effervescent tablets. The startup has products across categories
such as weight loss, hair and skin nutrition, daily wellness, women’s health, and
workout supplements. Plix aims to reach a scale of Rs 500 crore by 2024.

12 COFIMNAPANNCEY NEWS NUFFNOUOFDFOSOSDPSECSTPRECUTMRUM| F|ebrAuapryil 20212 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in

Foods & Inns receives approval for
PLI scheme to increase production

Foods & Inns has received approval yearly basis from FY21-22 to FY26- Cargill buys
for production-linked incentives 27 with the base year sale being
(PLI) as part of the government's FY19-20. Foods & Inns has planned edible oil
efforts to boost local manufacturing capex towards installing tetra
as well as exports and to make recart facility, doubling fully utilised refinery for
manufacturing champions out of spray drying facilities, building a
India. This would enable Foods & new spice factory on existing land $35M in AP
Inns to continue to lead the way in Nashik to cater to international
in the development of innovative markets, increasing cold storage Cargill has acquired an edible
food products utilising cutting- facilities along with increasing oil refinery located in Nellore,
edge technology, with a focus on agro processing capabilities. All State of Andhra Pradesh, India.
creating sustainable value chains. these initiatives are expected to Cargill’s $35 million investment
Headquartered in Mumbai, the be operational latest by the end of to acquire and upgrade the
company has an international March'23 out of which almost 1/3rd facility will significantly expand
warehouse in the Netherlands and a of the capex is already completed. its edible oil production
global footprint. Under this scheme, The company is expecting to get capacity and footprint in
the company has to invest and grow incentives between Rs 109.3 crore southern India and strengthen
its sales by a minimum of 10 per to Rs 147.22 crore over a period of its existing supply chain to meet
cent CAGR (with a maximum cap for 6 years if it grows sales at a CAGR growing customer demand.
incentives at 15 per cent CAGR of of 15 per cent over the base year of The facility is expected to be
sales) to receive the incentives on a FY19-20. fully operational by May 2022.
The newly acquired refinery
Amul invests Rs 500 Cr gives Cargill the capability to
in Telangana plant supply refined palm oil, palm
olein, vanaspati (hydrogenated
Amul is entering Telangana with an to process 5 lakh litre per day (LLPD) vegetable oil) and sunflower
investment of Rs 500 crore to set of milk, expandable to 10 LLPD to oil, which accounts for nearly
up its largest plant in south India, manufacture packed milk and value- two-thirds of the country’s
providing direct employment to added dairy products such as curd, sunflower oil consumption and
over 500 persons and opportunities buttermilk, lassi, yogurt, paneer, is currently being underserved.
to several ancillary industries. sweets, etc. The new plant, to be This facility also allows Cargill to
Babubhai M Patel, MD of set up at a special food processing produce and package its own
Sabarkantha District Cooperative zone in Telangana, will witness an edible oil brands for retailers
Milk Producers Union Ltd — investment of about Rs 300 crore in and to better serve bakery and
Sabar Dairy, Amul’s largest milk Phase 1 and another Rs 200 crore in foodservice customers in the
cooperatives, and Principal Secretary Phase-2. Amul will also be setting region. The refinery expands
(Industries) Jayesh Ranjan signed up its bakery production division in Cargill’s offerings into Andhra
a Memorandum of Understanding Telangana with a range of products Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka
(MoU) in this regard. According to such as bread, biscuits, traditional and Tamil Nadu.
Amul, the plant will have a capacity sweets and baked snacks.

NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in STARTUPS NEWS 13

Muscle & Strength Shark Tank India invests
Rs 10M in Skippi Ice Pops
India expands
Hyderabad-based startup Skippi Ice Pops has received funding
presence in J&K of Rs 10 million for 15 per cent equity in the 1st edition
of Shark Tank India. Led by Kabra Global Products,
New Delhi-based startup Muscle & Strength Skippi Ice Pops
India has launched its store in Anantnag, launched with an
Jammu & Kashmir (J&K). The company had aim to introduce a
also recently opened its store in Jammu. fun new product in
Muscle & Strength India is now looking to the F&B category
expand aggressively in the North market by husband and
and aims to open 20 stores in the next one wife duo, Ravi Kabra
year in the region. The company is eyeing and Anuja Kabra.
to launch outlets through franchisee route The products are
as it seeks to deepen its presence in India's currently available
growing nutritional supplement space. In a for purchase in six
short span of time, the startup has already flavours; Raspberry,
made its mark with its authentic and Orange, Cola,
genuine products. Apart from metros, it is Mango Twist,
also witnessing demand in the tier II & tier Bubblegum and
III cities where availability of latest, genuine Lemon. Skippi Ice
and economically priced supplements is still Pops is currently
a challenge. Muscle and Strength India has available in over
also recently entered into manufacturing 660 outlets in
of its private-label product Perfect Series in Hyderabad alone,
the sports nutrition category and will widen 2200 outlets across
its portfolio in the near future. India and continues
to grow. It is priced
at Rs 240 for a paper
box of 12 pops with
6 flavours and Rs 666
for a bag of 36 pops. The startup plans to invest this
amount to drive more innovation and introduce more refreshing
flavours to the Indian market.

Fast&Up brand bags additional funding post Series C round

Mumbai-based startup Fullife startup has risen rapidly over the new products in 2020 seeing a 100
Healthcare, owner of Fast&Up years reaching over 100 million per cent growth in the previous
brand, has announced that people a month. It launched 20 financial year with an aim to
bollywood actor Varun Dhawan cater to the overall health of the
has invested an undisclosed entire Indian family through its
amount in the brand. This core belief of intelligent nutrition
investment comes right after that is Informed-Choice Certified.
Fast&Up raised its Series C funding Fast&Up aims to accelerate
of $22 million by Morgan Stanley its vision of providing quality
Private Equity Asia (MSPEA). It’s nutrition to more consumers,
the first time Morgan Stanley has enhancing manufacturing
invested into a new-age business. capabilities, and scaling up
The six-year-old healthy nutrition globally.

14 STARTUPS NEWS NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in

Roastea eyes unprecedented Blue Tribe
growth across India
makes another
Roastea, a startup based in Gujarat, has been expanding its footprints
across Indian corporates, hospitals, government entities and industrial green addition
sectors, amongst others. The rapidly-growing footprint of Roastea began
with coffee and tea vending machines and has grown to over 300 vending to portfolio
machines on ground and under installation in 2021. The company leverages
IoT Technology in its vending machines to analyze consumer behavior, In a bid to substantiate its
track customer preferences and record consumption matrix. Touch-less product portfolio, Mumbai-
dispensing (through a QR code facility) and Inventory Management based startup Blue Tribe has
empower Roastea vending machines to be smart, safe and quick in the post launched another new green
COVID-19 era. It has also managed to strengthen its presence in the B2C product: plant-based Mutton
vertical through airport kiosks across India. Expanding their B2C vertical, Keema. Made with cherry-
Roastea is all set to launch their Cafe in an upscale part of Ahmedabad. picked vegetarian ingredients
The startup is also making Premium Coffee and Artisanal Tea available for and exquisite spices, this eco-
customers via its soon-to-launch direct-to-customer (D2C) online vertical. friendly product tastes, cooks,
and feels exactly like traditional
TheLifekart.in develops animal-based Mutton Keema.
migraine relief kit In fact, leveraging advanced
food technology and extensive
As 1 in 7 people in India suffer from migraine issues, Ernakulam- research and development, Blue
based startup TheLifekart.in has introduced a Migraine Relief Kit that Tribe’s Mutton Keema can equal
treats the condition from its roots. The relief kit will provide three way nutritional elements like protein,
phosphorus, iron, and Vitamin
actions, the antibacterial path, the B12, albeit without instigating
anti-adhesive path and the restoration cholesterol or carbon footprint.
path, to the excruciating headache. Priced at Rs 375, the product is
The Migraine-eliminator understands available for purchase through
both online and offline mediums.
the root causes and has formulated Meat products are essentially
a structured and unique made of elements like protein, fat,
combination that can restore chewy texture, and vitamin B12.
the lost health. It is not a mere The startup decided to extract
symptom eliminator of migraine, these qualities from plant-based
ingredients and create products
which is primarily of two kinds – similar in taste, cooking style and
Migraine with Aura and Migraine feel to animal-based meat.
Without Aura. Loaded with natural
ingredients including ginger, cumin,
peppermint, licorice, piperine
among others, the Migraine-relief
kit is priced at Rs 1,200.

NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in STARTUPS NEWS 15

Sleepy Owl offers new Nidra Nutrition
instant coffee options introduces
world’s first
Sleepy Owl, New Delhi-based coffee startup brand, has announced the ‘stress relief
gummies’
launch of its Premium Instant Coffee, thereby expanding its product
Coimbatore-based wellness
portfolio and widening its accessibility as a brand. With its Premium brand Nidra Nutrition, a part of
Supercluster Pi (House of Brands),
Instant Coffee, Sleepy Owl aspires to elevate every instant coffee drinker’s has launched its product line
introducing the world’s first
expectations by switching up their coffee routine, and introducing stress relief gummies containing
175 mg of Ashwagandha. This
them to a cup of Real Good Instant Coffee. Through this product, the new product is a part of the
company's mission to focus
brand aims to close on health and sustainability.
Stress-Free gummies developed
the gap between by the startup are gluten-free,
non-GMO, and sustainably
convenience and sourced, and use only 100 per
cent plant-based, naturally
experience, which sourced ingredients to ensure
that they taste great. These are
has been one of the formulated with clinically proven
ingredients and a natural berry
key USPs of the brand flavour that eliminates stress
and transitions people into a
and reflects across all sustainable, healthier quality of
life. They are good for both men
its product offerings. and women and will benefit
consumers when taken regularly,
Sleepy Owl's Premium and they ensure that people get
the nutrition they need while
Instant Coffee is made avoiding contaminants. Some
of the ingredients that make up
with its signature Nidra Nutrition's "Stress-Free"
gummies are stress relievers such
100 per cent as ashwagandha, valerian root
extract and lavender extract.
Arabica beans, and

uses Microground

Technology, which

consists of 95 per cent

soluble coffee crystals and 5 per cent freshly

roasted high-quality beans. This preserves the rich aroma of real coffee

and allows the user to brew a cup of coffee in seconds. The Premium

Instant Coffee is available in three delicious flavours - Original, French

Vanilla and Hazelnut. These contain no artificial flavours or preservatives.

Aadvik Foods launches
Camel Milk Chocolates globally

New Delhi-based startup Aadvik Foods has launched 100 per cent natural
and premium camel milk chocolates in three different variants: Classic (Rs
249), Roasted Almond (Rs 299), and
Coffee (Rs 299). The cocoa is sourced
from Idukki, Kerala; camel milk is
sourced from the desert regions of
Rajasthan and Gujarat, and khandsari
sugar (unrefined raw sugar) is sourced
from the organic farms of Uttar
Pradesh. Since camel milk products
are gaining popularity in India, people
are happy to prefer it over other milk
alternatives. With the launch of camel
milk chocolates, Aadvik Foods targets
the upper-middle class early adopter
millennials, who have evolved taste buds & make wise healthy food choices.

16 COMPANY NEWS NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in

Dabur enters Japanese plant-based company
Next Meats forays in Indian market
health food
Tokyo-based Next Meats has teamed up with New Delhi food-tech startup
drink category Vegan Meat India to launch meat-free alternatives with the motive to prioritise
sustainability in food production and pare down the incremental burden on
Dabur India has announced the environment using crossover technology. Next Meats is planning to expand
its foray into the health food its product assortment by introducing plant-based cakes, vegan cheese, tuna,
drink category with the launch egg and soya milk especially for
of ‘Dabur Vita’. It is made with a their consumers in India, and will
blend of more than 30+ herbs have their online retail presence
like Ashwagandha, Giloy and in five cities including Delhi/NCR,
Brahmi, which are scientifically Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Pune and
proven not only to provide Mumbai. The products are high in
better immunity but also to protein, low in saturated fats with
promote physical and mental no added flavours and cholesterol.
growth among kids. Dabur has As per the company, these items are
partnered with Flipkart for the just apt for people suffering from
e-commerce launch of Dabur diabetes and blood pressure. The
Vita. It is available in chocolate plant-based meats are produced
flavor. It can be added with using non-GMO soy, pea proteins and other plant extracts in factories that
milk or water. Dabur Vita meet HACCP and ISO standards. In the future, they are also planning to open
is a unique formulation as a lab and manufacturing unit in India and develop the products with Indian
it brings the benefits of taste. The brand is also planning to launch its brick-and-mortar store in India
Ayurveda in a chocolate drink in the next fiscal.
which has been hugely liked
by kids in the company’s Danone launches Protinex
consumer research. It is tested Diabetes Care in India
to significantly increase the
activity of the known protein Danone India has announced the launch of Protinex Diabetes Care with an
TNF Alfa which helps boost aim to address the nutritional requirements of Indians with diabetes. The
kid’s immunity thus making scientifically developed product aims to provide adequate protein and fibre,
Dabur Vita an immunity which are important nutrients in managing blood sugar levels. Moreover,
expert. it is the only product in the powder nutrition category with low Glycemic

Index (GI) of 17, that can help manage
blood sugar levels. To understand the
needs of people with diabetes, Danone
India commissioned a research among
1000 respondents across India which
was conducted by IPSOS, a leading
marketing research firm. The survey aimed
at assessing the nutrition awareness
and nutrient intake among people
with type 2 diabetes and identifying
the relationship between nutritional
knowledge and dietary self-care behavior
in Indian diabetic patients. The survey
findings revealed that over 92 per cent of
respondents knew that protein and fiber in
the diets are essential to manage diabetes.

NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in COMPANY NEWS 17

Bikano adds new Orion enters packaged
cookie market in India
products in Western with 2 new products

Snacks category In tune with the evolving while the Ultimate Choco
preferences of the Indian Chip weighs 16.67 grams
New Delhi-based snacks brand Bikano has consumers, Orion, one of the each - with 26 per cent
announced the launch of three new products largest food companies of Choco chip content. A pack
to increase their market share and revenue South Korea, has introduced of six pieces of the Choco
stream in the western snacks category. The two innovative products: chip is priced at Rs 60. It is
new products which include Mexican Crunch Orion Strawberry Choco Pie, one of the largest cookies
and Fun Sticks will aim to solidify Bikano’s a Choco pie center-filled available in the branded-
presence in the western snacks market of with the pulp of handpicked packaged format in India,
Rs 16000 crore. The launch of new products real strawberry, and the featuring an exquisite taste
provides a means to target new markets, Ultimate Choco Chip, a and aroma of Choco Chips
new customers, increase market share, sell large size cookie with real and contains 26 per cent real
more and eventually increase the company’s chocolate Choco chip. chocolate. These innovations
revenue streams. For the initial six months, The launch is in line with are born of Orion’s global
Bikano is expecting sales revenue of Rs 25 the company's expansion expertise, R&D prowess and
lakh per month and will gradually attempt plans to introduce more quick adaptation to Indian
to achieve Rs 1 crore sales per month from products and get into new consumers’ preferences.
these three products. To enhance the success geographies and stores. The India is Orion’s big strategic
of these products, Bikano will be marketing Orion Strawberry Choco bet and the company will
these products across various channels like Pie- pack of six pieces is continue to invest following
digital, retail and print media. priced at Rs 90, and the the approach of Make in
12-piece pack at Rs 180; India and Delight India.

MTR Foods forays into authentic fresh batter category

Bengaluru-based MTR Foods, has its production facility and also for company has set up a dedicated
announced its foray into a new setting up a cold chain network. sales team that will cater only to
business segment with the launch It has also created a new business MTR Minute Fresh. Starting with
of three authentic MTR Minute vertical to take forward the fresh Bengaluru, the company is planning
Fresh Batters- MTR Idli Batter, MTR idli and dosa batter category. The to foray into other cities gradually.
Dosa Batter
and MTR MTR Foods has
Signature been growing
Dosa Batter. 5x in terms
The company of revenue
has invested and its
Rs 25 crore in turnover is
expanding close to Rs
1,000 crore.

18 COMPANY NEWS NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in

Cadila Pharma introduces ITC plunges
Ayurvedic energy tonic
into plant-based
Ahmedabad-based drug major Cadila Pharmaceuticals has
introduced an Ayurvedic general health tonic that helps keep meat sector
the body young, active and fit. The key ingredients of Healtherbs
Following major progress in the nascent
include Gokhru (Tribulus terrestris), Indian ‘plant-based meats’ landscape in
Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera), the second half of 2021, ITC, the first major
Musli (Curculigo orchioides) and Indian FMCG company has announced
Shatavari (Asparagus racemosus), a foray in the burgeoning sector. ITC,
which are proven to have several manufacturer of Indian food brands such
health benefits. Healtherbs works as Aashirvaad atta (wheat flour), is marking
mainly on digestive fires and its entry into the plant-based space and
liver to detoxify the body from is therefore likely to make an impact not
accumulated undigested food just domestically, but in the huge export
(Ama), which is responsible for market as well. ITC’s food business will
vitiating vata and pitta doshas launch plant-based burger patties and
and adverse effects on general nuggets providing the taste of chicken to
body health and energy level. The consumers through retail, e-commerce,
presence of Ashwagandha in and food service establishments in the
Healtherbs helps in restoring country’s top 8 cities, advised by nonprofit
hormonal balance in the Good Food Institute India (GFI India)
body. Among major benefits, on product and positioning strategy.
Healtherbs helps in restoring According to ITC, the meat market is huge
the desired energy levels for with 72 per cent of Indians being non-
daily activity and immunity. It vegetarians and it is estimated today at
also boosts sexual performance $45 billion. Given the growing concerns
among males. It is effective around wellness and sustainability, India
in neuropathy induced by has the potential to emerge as a large
deficiency of vitamin B12 because of market for plant-based alternatives.

the presence of Ashwagandha. The tonic also acts as an adjuvant
therapy in chronic diseases to regain lost energy.

GRM Overseas establishes food tech fund

GRM Overseas, Panipat-based basmati rice partners and their customers. Furthermore,
exporters and a niche consumer staples this partnership will extend new Direct-
player, has announced the set-up of its Food To-Consumer (D2C) product offerings
Tech Fund under the aegis of its subsidiary from GFK to GoKhana’s customers
GRM Foodkraft (GFK). The purpose of this under the D2C model. GRM will
fund is to invest in food tech companies continue to focus on diversifying
which strategically fits into GFK’s Direct- from private label basmati rice
to-Consumer (D2C) product offerings. offerings to build its own high
Additionally, the company has made its margin brands. The company is
maiden investment from this fund and has strategically expanding in the
picked up a 5 per cent stake (pre-money) domestic market by pushing its
in Bengaluru-based startup Tobox Ventures presence both in general trade
(GoKhana). This strategic investment will and modern trade through its
help GFK to leverage GoKhana’s network to own 10X brand, leveraging
introduce its high-quality product basket the strong distributor base
directly to GoKhana’s corporate catering enjoyed by the core business.

NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in WORLD NEWS 19

US FDA releases WHO launches new Food
Safety Community of Practice
improvement plan
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has announced the launch of
on foodborne a new Food Safety Community of Practice (COP). It is a new peer-to-
peer online forum for global professionals working on and sharing
outbreak response interest in food safety issues, who seek to
deepen their knowledge and expertise
The US Food and Drug Administration in this area, exchange information
(FDA) is taking an important step and discuss ideas by interacting on
with the release of the Foodborne an ongoing basis. The COP’s goal is to
Outbreak Response Improvement expand learning potential, share diverse
Plan. This plan is designed to help experiences and knowledge, encourage
the FDA and its partners enhance the an understanding of new perspectives
speed, effectiveness, coordination and and stimulate individual and collective
communication of foodborne outbreak learning. This functional and active
investigations. The Foodborne Outbreak community of practitioners serves to streamline and expand quality
Response Improvement Plan focuses technical information over time. The COP will share, exchange
on four specific priority areas in which and develop knowledge and improve the practice; learn first-
improvements will have the most hand from experts at regular events; access updates on WHO food
impact on outbreaks associated with safety resources and new publications; share lessons learned and
human food. The four areas include knowledge based on collective reflection of its members.
tech-enabled product trace-back for
engaging smarter ways to digitise and Finland leads national
routinely receive information needed research infrastructure for
to streamline the trace-back process; climate-smart food research
root-cause investigations (RCIs) that
focuses on adapting and strengthening The FOODNUTRI research infrastructure has been granted €3.5
protocols and procedures for conducting million in funding by the Academy of Finland. The three-year
timely RCIs of foodborne illness project is headed by Professor of Food Safety Marina Heinonen
outbreaks; strengthen analysis and from the University of Helsinki’s Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry.
dissemination of outbreak data; and The project will diversely utilise Finnish raw materials as well
operational improvements building on as novel technical solutions for processing and packaging, also
performance measures across the FDA's
foods programme to better evaluate the producing information
timeliness and effectiveness of outbreak on the composition,
and regulatory investigation activities. structure and safety
of food products and
their ingredients,
physiological
responses to food,
consumer attitudes,
food consumption,
nutrient intake and the
sustainability of food
choices. FOODNUTRI
will serve researchers, businesses, authorities, healthcare
professionals, farmers and other stakeholders. The Viikki Food
Design Factory (VFDF) and other innovation platforms coordinated
by the FOODNUTRI partners constitute a substantial resource for
developing the FOODNUTRI service concept.

20 COVER STORY NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in

'Raking-in the Dough' with

H E A LT H Y

BAKES
Recent years have borne witness to consumers demanding healthier baked goods. Demands for
sugar-free, high fibre, gluten-free, whole wheat, millet-based foods are seeing rising demands. The
organised sector as well as the unorganised sector has been paying heed to consumer demands
and innovating with healthier alternatives to the satiate consumer demands. Let's get to the
bottom of this 'forever growing' sector.

The Indian bakery industry is one of the largest unorganised bakeries.
segments of the food processing industry East and North India are the regions with the
offering huge opportunities for growth, market
diversification, employment and innovation. India is one highest consumption rate of biscuits and cookies in the
of the largest consumers of biscuits and cookies globally country. Maharashtra and West Bengal, being the most
with the highest market penetration in urban and rural industrially developed states, hold the highest rate of
areas as compared to other FMCG goods. biscuit consumption. The top four players in the biscuits
and cookies market are Parle Products, Britannia, ITC,
According to a report by Expert Market research, and Surya Food and Agros, where Britannia and Parle
the biscuits and cookies industry in India accounts together account for 61 per cent of the total market
for nearly 72 per cent of sales in the Indian bakery share.
market. The country enjoys a comparative advantage
in manufacturing, with an abundant supply of primary As demands for biscuits and cookies have
ingredients, which supports the growth of the industry been growing which have been further fuelled by
in the region. advancements in technology, rise in population and
increasing consumer demands for healthier alternatives,
The Indian bakery market stood at a value of nearly rising foreign influence, fluctuating eating habits and the
Rs 57,000 crore in 2020. The market is further estimated emergence of the female working population.
to grow at a CAGR of 8.5 per cent between 2021 and
2026 to reach a value of Rs 92,000 crore by 2026. The The bakery industry is an established sector across the
Indian bakery market is being supported by the thriving nation and has been gaining further popularity due to its
biscuits and cookies industry, with more than 2,000 high nutrient value and affordability. The Indian bakery
organised or semi-organised bakeries, and 10,00,000 industry is further experiencing fortification of bakery
goods to cater to the needs of health-conscious people.

NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in COVER STORY 21

The recent months have seen a number of innovative (Biscuits), Mondelez India, said, “Our Biscuits business in
varieties of biscuits, cakes, breads etc. being launched by the country has been one of the key growth drivers for
established and new players in the market. For instance, us, globally and in India. Our latest launch in the cakes
Britannia Industries has revamped its largest selling category will help us further expand the category and
biscuit brand Good Day and as part of that revealed its open interesting avenues in the snacking space.”
new identity. Besides, Britannia is also expanding the
product portfolio of its most-penetrated brand Good Day Likewise, Gorakhpur-based Crazy Snacks, an over two
by adding three more variants in the premium segment. decades old confectionery company, has now stepped
into the cake segment with layer cakes and cupcakes.
“Larger consumption of Good Day comes from
the urban market, which has a larger potential for the The recent times has also seen the entry of major
brand. Britannia sells around 42 crore packs per month dairy player Amul into the bakery space with the launch
in different stock keeping units (SKUs). Britannia holds of products such as sandwich bread, whole wheat bread,
overall around 70 per cent market share in the premium fruit bread, milk bread, pizza base, and buns.
cookie segment”, said Varun Berry, Managing Director,
Britannia Industries. Another recent initiative in the bakery space has
been taken by Bengaluru-based organic food brand iD
Another major player, ITC has recently expanded its Fresh Food with the launch of iD Sandwich White Bread
premium cookie portfolio with the launch of Sunfeast and iD Wheat Sliced Bread. Claiming to be India’s first
Dark Fantasy Desserts to elevate the level of choco affordable clean label bread, the company is focused on
cookies available in the market. offering a healthier and tastier choice to the consumers.

Catering to the choco cookies variants available Further, considering the fact that unlike bread and
in the market, we have also recently seen the entry of other bakery products, burger buns in India are popular
South Korean firm Orion in India. The company has in urban demographics, Ludhiana-based player Bonn
launched two new products in the market namely Orion Group has developed Oregano American style burger
Strawberry Choco Pie and Ultimate Choco Chip. buns for the progressive lifestyle-conscious consumers,
who are demanding more options in the on-the-go food
Adding on, Mondelez India, the makers and bakers category. To add to it, these burger buns are loaded
of some of India’s favourite snacking brands namely with oregano which is rich in antioxidants, helps to fight
Cadbury Dairy Milk, Cadbury Bournvita, Oreo etc., has bad bacteria, possesses anti-cancer properties and also
recently forayed into the cakes category. reduces chances of contracting viral infection.

Sudhanshu Nagpal, Associate Director – Marketing

22 COVER STORY NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in

Healthier alternatives pushing growth Amrinder Singh,
Recent times have borne witness to consumers
Director,
demanding healthier baked goods. Demands for sugar- Bonn Group of Industries
free, high fibre, gluten-free, whole wheat, millet-based
foods are seeing rising demands. The organised sector ‘By 2023, the
as well as the unorganised sector has been paying heed biscuit sector is
to consumer demands and innovating with healthier expected to surpass
alternatives to the satiate consumer demands. There Rs 40,000 Cr’
are a variety of products offered by both the organised/
unorganised sector in all segments i.e biscuits, bread and India is one of the largest producers of biscuits
cakes. The ever-evolving consumer taste, preferences, in the world, with huge potential for export. The
and lifestyle changes are bolstering the bakery industry’s organised biscuit market in India is estimated at
growth in India. Rs 37,000 crore.

The pandemic has been a blessing for the bakery Due to increase in at-home consumption during
industry with consumption rates increasing, convenience the pandemic, the Indian biscuit market saw a record
has become a priority with hectic lifestyle schedules, rise. India became the world’s third-largest biscuit
baked foods fill in the void of nutrition and are readily maker after 2005.
available throughout the length and breadth of the
country. The states of Maharashtra and West Bengal have
the highest consumption rates. The biscuit market
“The bakery products have long been basic food alone accounts for roughly 72 per cent of the bakery
products for human nutrition. The convenience, industry’s revenue.
accessibility and nutrition profile associated with them
are the major factors of their sustenance in the modern India's overall biscuit market is estimated at Rs
market. Their significance as a major portion of diet 37,000- Rs 40,000 crore. While cookies account for
has been prevalent in middle to lower income group 35-40 per cent of that amount, plain biscuits, such
countries. Bread has been a staple diet of many local as marie and milk biscuits, account for 25 per cent.
cuisines worldwide and has shown a remarkable growth
even during the period of global economic crisis. The
rising trend of ‘natural nutrition’, ‘healthy living’ and
‘organic products’ has significantly raised the consumers’
demand for whole wheat, light, natural and additive-
free products. In recent years, the growth in sales of
packaged, whole wheat, whole meal, gluten-free and
natural products is an important indication of this new
and healthy living sense,” said Amrinder Singh, Director,
Bonn Group of Industries.

Addressing the issue of rising consumer demands
for healthier alternatives, the Food Safety and Standards
Authority of India (FSSAI) has recently updated the
standards for bakery products including biscuits
and bread under the Food Safety and Standards
(Food Products Standards and Food Additives) First
Amendment Regulations, 2021. The updated standards
include newer variants of biscuits like sugar-free, low
sugar variants and fat-free variants. These regulations
came into force on January 1, 2022, as notified by the
FSSAI and yet the industry is facing steep hurdles in
achieving its growth potential.

Challenges impacting growth
Even though the industry has been growing over

the years, due to high input costs and a majority of the
market remaining unorganised, several challenges have

NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in COVER STORY 23

Major players in the
organised bakery sector

 Parle  Patanjali
 Britannia  Bonn
 ITC  Mondelez
 Surya Food & Agro  Crazy Snacks

Major players in the
unorganised bakery sector

 The Big Chill  Iyengar Bakery
Cakery  Karachi Bakery
 Theobroma
 Merwans

Cream biscuits and crackers each account for 15 per Major offerings of
cent of the market. While well-known brands control the bakery industry
the organised biscuit market’s share, the unorganised
market includes small bakery units and cottage or Biscuit
household style manufacturing units. The organised  Cookies
biscuit market accounts for more than 70 per cent of  Cream Biscuits
value share in the overall Indian biscuit market. By  Glucose Biscuits
2023, the sector is expected to surpass the figure of  Marie Biscuits
Rs 40,000 crore.  Non-Salt Cracker Biscuits
 Salt Cracker Biscuits
Growth forecast and scope  Milk Biscuits
of biscuit industry in India  Others

The Indian biscuits market is estimated to grow Bread
significantly by 2023. The growth will be driven by a  Sandwich Breads
host of factors including change in consumer taste  Hamburgers
and preferences, rising demand for convenience  Croissants
food, and increasing health-consciousness among  Others
consumers.
Cakes and Pastries
Embracing innovation  Packed Cupcakes
to overcome challenges  Pastries
 Muffins
From packaging to adopting e-commerce for  Layer Cakes
maintaining sales numbers during the pandemic,  Donuts
big bakery brands have left no stone unturned.  Swiss roll
Apart from that, manufacturers are incorporating  Others
innovations into their products like air cushions
within flexible packages to retain the shelf appeal of Rusks
the biscuits.

The market for biscuits and cookies has come a
long way and is growing significantly due to changes
in customer taste and preferences.

The growth of the biscuit market in India is likely
to continue as people continue to work from home
in 2022, giving way to the continued consumption of
packaged food items including bakery products like
biscuits and cookies.

24 COVER STORY NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in

“Larger consumption of
Good Day comes from
the urban market,
which has a larger
potential for the brand.
Britannia sells around 42 crore

packs per month in different

stock keeping units (SKUs). Britannia holds

overall around 70 per cent market share in the

premium cookie segment.”

- Varun Berry,

Managing Director,

Britannia Industries

“The challenges that
the bakery industry
currently faces is that it
is highly unorganised
and it is taxed at around
18 per cent GST which is a huge

deterrent for most of the players

to enter into.”

- Krishnarao Buddha,

Senior Category Head Marketing,

Parle Products

“Our Biscuits business in crippled the industry’s growth. Even though India is
the country has been a food surplus country providing raw materials to the
one of the key growth bakery industry, the past twelve months have seen the
drivers for us, globally prices of raw and packaging materials shoot up by about
and in India. Our latest 30 per cent.
launch in the cakes category
Krishnarao Buddha, Sr Category Head Marketing,
will help us further expand the Parle Products, said “The challenges that the bakery
industry currently faces are that it is highly unorganised
category and open interesting avenues in the and it is taxed at around 18 per cent GST which is a huge
deterrent for most of the players to enter into. The other
snacking space.” challenges are a steep increase in input prices which is
making the finished goods unviable for end consumers
- Sudhanshu Nagpal, and even for trade in terms of channel markets etc.
High costs of raw materials and packing materials are
Associate Director – making it extremely difficult for bakery products to be
competitive in the market".
Marketing (Biscuits), Mondelez India
Another underlying challenge the sector needs to
“To meet the demand for address is evolving consumer tastes that are changing
healthier food, bakery at a rapid pace. With newer guidelines, consumer
stores or shops need awareness and rising competition in the healthy
to invest in making the alternatives segment, companies need to stay in tune
facilities more hygienic with consumer demands.
and also hiring new people with
knowledge of such products.” “To meet the demand for healthier food, bakery stores

- Balendra Singh,
Executive Pastry Chef,
Institute of Culinary Arts Delhi

NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in COVER STORY 25

For the organised sector, biscuits have
been the most profitable commodity as
biscuits fare better when compared to any
other baked goods, which is followed by
rusks and cakes in the organised sector.
The organised sector has deeper pockets
and uses all forms of traditional media to
promote and market its goods. The industry
has been facing several challenges but
is growing at a rapid rate. With healthier
alternatives flooding the market and ever-
evolving lifestyle and eating habits the
industry looks to gain from it.

or shops need to invest in making the facilities more of labour. There is also a lack of skilled manpower that is
hygienic and also hiring new people with knowledge of required for fortified foods and healthy baked foods.
such products,” commented Balendra Singh, Executive
Pastry Chef, Institute of Culinary Arts Delhi. Almost cent per cent of the unorganised sector
functions manually and about 50 per cent of the
He further added, “Making facilities hygienic also organised sector is only semi-automated. The industry
requires that there should be an adequate number of isn’t deploying advanced technologies or state-of-the-art
toilets, hand-washing facilities and changing rooms for plants and machinery.
the workers. According to the Guidance Document on
Food Safety Management System produced by FSSAI, “Using technologies and the state-of-the-art
it is important for food production facilities to have equipment can bring in higher efficiencies but they are
washbasins, drying facilities (cloth towels should not very capital intensive investments. Once this is taken
be used), soap, dustbin, tap and suitable temperature- care of one can be assured of very high levels of product
controlled water supply. It also requires the facilities outcomes,” remarked Buddha.
to have sufficient numbers and separate hygienically
designed toilets with proper flushing facilities for male Indian appetite bolstering the market
and female employees.” Indian consumers have an appetite for baked goods

Higher efficiencies through advanced technologies and demands over the years have been increasing and so
The bakery industry has been weighed-down have the varieties available in the market. As input costs
have been rising several bakeries in the unorganised
primarily due to it being labour intensive and also the lack sector have been shutting shops. Another trend that is
of advanced technologies being deployed in the process picking up momentum is the rise of home bakers across
of production. The cost of labour has risen over the years India that cater directly to the local population. They rely
and over the last several years there has been a shortage on social media groups and word of mouth to promote
and market their products.

For the organised sector, biscuits have been the
most profitable commodity as biscuits fare better when
compared to any other baked goods, which is followed
by rusks and cakes in the organised sector.

The organised sector has deeper pockets and uses
all forms of traditional media to promote and market its
goods. The industry has been facing several challenges
but is growing at a rapid rate. With healthier alternatives
flooding the market and ever-evolving lifestyle and
eating habits the industry looks to gain from it. The
bakery industry holds a lot of potential and promise
even though it is very capital intensive.

Prabhat Prakash
[email protected]

26 INGREDIENTS NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in

Is Ayurveda industry
growth impacted by
quality of ingredients?

The use of herbal medicines including Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani (ASU), phytonutrients or nutraceuticals
have been continuously expanding across the world. The world is, now, increasingly relying on herbal food
supplements as a primary source of healthcare. Unfortunately, the regulation norms for the herbals are not as
strict as compared to the synthetic drugs, which further lead to decrease in the
quality standards of the supplements. Hence, it has become very essential that
the quality of ayurveda-based supplements should be controlled and regulated.

The biggest challenge facing the Ayurveda industry contamination.
is the supply disruption of the ingredients. The Giving insights on the
supply of ingredients used in ayurveda-based food
supplements has outpaced the availability of methods raw materials, Dr Smita said,
to analyse them. From COVID-19 to supply chain “In the concept of Ayurveda,
disruptions, the ingredients used for these supplements there is nothing in nature that
has become a major challenge for the manufacturing of can't be used as medicines
ASU drugs. because everything is made out
of five elements of
Dr Smita Naram, Co-Founder, Ayushakti, stated, “The nature that is air, fire,
only challenge faced by the system of Ayurveda is that water, ether, and earth
it is not well structured like Allopathy and there isn't including the body,
sufficient data and analysis on current Ayurvedic herbal and accordingly the
medicines.” medicines are derived
from natural sources of
Standardisation of raw materials raw material like plants,
ASU drugs which are mainly based on the plants and minerals, metal, animals and
marine products.”
plant products besides animal products metal/minerals
and products of marine origin have different chemical She added, “While all of
constituents which may vary in same species of plant the above natural sources
due to influence of climatic condition under which are available, manufacturing
they grow, geographical distribution, age of the plant, Ayurvedic drugs is an extensive
altitude and period of harvesting and storage conditions. process where challenges like the quality
Henceforth, controlling the quality of raw plant material of herbs, spurious raw materials, and
with reference to chemical constituents becomes fluctuating demand of herb cultivation are
challenging. a few hurdles.”

Therefore, the biggest challenge faced by the Quality concerns
ayurveda industry in the manufacturing of ayurvedic Issues like adulteration, misidentification
supplements is the standardisation of raw materials.
It further depends on components like authentication of plant, faulty preparation, lack of
of the raw material and signs of contamination in the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), lack of
medicinal plant like insects, moulds and other animal implementation and regulation of the guideline,

NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in INGREDIENTS 27

incorrect formulation process are the main problems substance). For instance, for an ingredient like turmeric;
smaller specimens of Haridra (Haldi, Turmeric), grown
that reduces the effectiveness of herbal preparation and under demanding, dry conditions in Tamil Nadu are far
more potent, with greater concentration of curcumin,
can be considered as key factors affecting quality and than the same variety grown in damp conditions. Some
plant ingredients like Piper longum in milk need to be
purity of herbal food supplements. processed in particular materials to obtain their full
efficacy.
There are many aspects in determining quality
Dr Anand Gudivada, Advisor, Ministry of AYUSH, in a
of plant ingredients in herbal formulations such as webinar on ‘Issues and challenges in Quality Standards
of ASU Sector’ held on November 25, 2021, stated,
place of origin, method of cultivation, time, season, “It is time to bring the quality control standards from
other countries into the Indian AYUSH sector and with
methods of collection and storage. All these parameters strong and efficient licensing framework that ensures
regularities.” He further mentioned that several steps
play important roles in final plant quality and should have been taken in India to promote ASU medicine and
to integrate them into clinical practice.
therefore be listed among a given plant's attributes and
Ashwagandha
applied to all herbal ingredients. Many plants, though Ayurveda’s flagship herb Ashwagandha has faced

grown with great care and nourishment, most supply chain disruptions globally. The supplies
of ashwagandha from India have tightened, because
are not found to be effective, because they of the novel coronavirus.

lack the necessary Veerya Apart from supply disruptions, India’s
Ministry of AYUSH has even released a
(potency or active statement that advised against the use
of ashwagandha leaves in Ayurveda and
property of a products for therapeutic purposes.

The ministry has decided to re-examine
the matter relating to the use of Ashwagandha
(Withania somnifera) leaves in ASU drugs by

constituting an expert group. The expert group
will make appropriate recommendations
to the Government of India on the
use of ashwagandha leaves in ASU
products based on scientific evidence.

Turmeric
Turmeric, which is the leading

source in India, has experienced a great
fluctuation in its price and supply
due to the pandemic. Concerns like
adulteration, fraudulent suppliers,
duplicating turmeric has become
another major cause for turmeric

supply.
Furthermore, research by Bill Chioffi for
the Sustainable Herbs Programme, highlighted
upon synthetic curcumin in the Indian market, stated,
“A large foreign manufacturing company had opened
a plant in India and was selling concentrated curcumin
extract made from Indian turmeric at a quarter of the
current market price. My sources manufacture turmeric

28 INGREDIENTS NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in

“Manufacturing of several tree species from the genus Cinnamomum, is
Ayurvedic drugs is an commonly known for its very high risk of fraudulent
extensive process adulteration, substitution with Cassia. Cassia is a
where challenges like common diluent and a cheap, but toxic substitute
the quality of herbs, for cinnamon. Cinnamon-cassia contains high levels
spurious raw materials, and of coumarin, whereas true cinnamon has a minimal
fluctuating demand of herb amount of coumarin. Coumarin is toxic to some animals
cultivation are a few hurdles.” and certain sensitive humans causing liver and kidney
damage.
- Dr Smita Naram,
Co-Founder, Ayushakti In recent years, the Food Safety and Standards
Authority of India (FSSAI) has even issued guidelines on
“It is time to bring the the distinguishing features of both the spices. The note
quality control standards was released with reference to several representations
from other countries received by the apex regulator for cassia.
into the Indian AYUSH
sector and with a Furthermore, in recent years, cinnamon has also been
strong and efficient licensing adulterated with coffee husks and even lead. Several
framework that ensures factors are responsible for adulteration of ingredients
regularities. Several steps have been taken in used in ayurveda-based supplements which are sold
India to promote ASU medicine and to integrate in the market. The main reason may be due to scarcity
them into clinical practice.” of the genuine raw material causing high prices of the
material in the market.
- Dr Anand Gudivada,
Advisor, Ministry of AYUSH The food industry is constantly working on various
ayurvedic food innovations and technologies to scale
“In Ayurvedic up businesses. Leading companies like Dabur has been
pharmacopoeia of India witnessing a huge surge in demand for its flagship
(API), there are certain immunity booster Dabur Chyawanprash and Dabur
scientific standards Honey.
explained for new
drugs or already existing With companies launching many ayurveda-based
classical formulations. For a new food supplements, it becomes important to ensure the
formulation, the scientific parameters for the scientific knowledge of the ingredients used in these
quality check include 6 month stability test, supplements.
toxicology analysis, pilot study, etc. Only after
these parameters are fulfilled, the sanction is Speaking about scientific knowledge, Dr E T Krishna
given to any formulation.” Mooss, Executive Director, Vaidyaratnam Group, Thrissur,
revealed, “In Ayurvedic pharmacopoeia of India (API),
- Dr E T Krishna Mooss, there are certain scientific standards explained for new
Executive Director, Vaidyaratnam Group drugs or already existing classical formulations. For a
new formulation, the scientific parameters for quality
extract and are well aware of all the various associated check include 6-month stability test, toxicology analysis,
operating costs in the country. They find it impossible pilot study etc. Only after these parameters are fulfilled,
to produce and sell extracts for the prices they were the sanction is being given to any formulation. For a
offered.” classical formulation, the Quality Check (QC) and Quality
Analysis (QA) parameters are explained while preparing
Since, safety continues to be a foremost issue with the medicines.”
the use of herbal remedies therefore, clinical trials are
necessary to understand the safety and efficacy of these All these parameters play an important role in the
supplements before they are introduced in the industry. final quality and processing of the ASU drugs, where
identifying the ingredients becomes the first step in
Cinnamon characterising the supplements.
Cinnamon, a spice obtained from the inner bark of
Therefore, problems like ingredient misidentification,
supply disruption, safety concerns, and quality
assurance/control continue to affect the industry and
consumers, alike.

Pooja Yadav
[email protected]

NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in NANOTECH 29

Nano intervention
in food packaging

The preservation of edibles for maintenance of their shelf-life is of paramount importance to ensure food
safety and security, and is attracting more attention during the days of COVID-19, as quality of food has
become one among the options to remain fit these days. Thanks to the advancements in technology and the
study conducted so far which has brought to us the options to accept the introduction and implement safe
packaging options. One among all is the application of Nanotechnology in food packaging.

Nanotechnology is an emerging area of research improve the production and processing techniques,
as its application is growing day by day in various leaving a fresh trail on the quality of the food by
sectors including food and agriculture due to their reducing the fat and the salt content from it.
wide physical, chemical, and biological properties which
are functionalised with several biomolecules to enhance Nanotechnological interventions to food packaging
the properties of packing and storage materials. The chiefly explore three possibilities i.e. direct incorporation
applications of nanotechnology at the global level are into food products, incorporation in food packaging
estimated to be around $3 trillion. material, and application in food processing.

Its application over the food packaging in coming Nanoparticle based materials offer greater advantage
years can leave an indelible effect on its consumers, who over conventional and non-biodegradable packing
won’t have to second guess the quality they consume. materials by enhancing the functional properties of
foods such as bio- availability, taste, texture, flavour,
There is an anticipation that once nanotechnology safety, prevent microbial contamination and enhance
becomes dominant in the food packaging sector it can the shelf-life. Additionally, nanomaterials in the form of

30 NANOTECH NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in

“The drawback that prevalent in the USA, Australia, New Zealand, South
nanotechnology has is Korea, Taiwan, China and Israel.
its higher cost, which is
hindering its growth.” Some of the major players operating in global
- Dr Meenu Sachdeva, nanotechnology food packaging market are: Valentis
Asst General Manager, Nanotech, DuPont USA, Nanocor (AMCOL International),
Ultimate Flexipack, Uflex Group Inmat, Bayer AG, Ecosysthetix, Mitsubishi Gas Chemical
Company, Inc., Honeywell International Inc., AdvanSix
“It is worthwhile to note and Dong Yang Chemical Co.
that the nanoparticles
used for the packing For instance, Honeywell International has developed
materials may migrate a mixture of nylon 6-nanoclay composite marketed as
into food when it comes Aegis OXCE with additional oxygen scavenger property.
in contact with packaging It is ideal for packaging of beer and flavoured alcoholic
materials and hence, the impact beverages.
of inorganic nanoparticles should be studied.”
On the other hand, in collaboration with Nanocor,
- Dr Punuri Jayasekhar Babu, Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company Inc. USA has
Pachhunga University College, developed nylon nanocomposites with the commercial
name Imperm that is applied in a barrier layer for
Mizoram University multi-layer PET bottles, and is further explored for
liquors like beer and small carbonated soft-drink
“Our research emphasises beverages. Nanocor also offers an ample range of
the role of nanoparticles polymer nanocomposites for purchase in pellet form and
to provide mechanical packaging products developed with the montmorillonite
stability to packing minerals such as Durethan KU2-2601 has been used as
material and shows food packaging material via improving several properties
how the nano-sensors can be of packaging.
developed to detect pathogens,
contamination, pesticides, and allergens.” Yet to emerge in India
With many advancements taking place globally, the
- Dr Tingirikari Jagan Mohan Rao,
Assistant Professor, Department of trend suggests that India should not be stonewalling
Biotechnology, NIT, Andhra Pradesh the implementation of nanotechnology now. There’s
enough potential of nanotechnology in food packaging
sensors can be employed to maintain the temperature, in India, as India is termed as a country of innovation. A
detection of pathogens, pesticides, toxins and other testimony of this can be drawn from the recent research
chemicals in packed foods. conducted by a team of scientists at the National
Institute of Technology (NIT), Andhra Pradesh who have
Studies have revealed that in food packaging where demonstrated how the concept of nanotechnology
silver nanoparticles are applied as antimicrobial agents, can be used to develop food packaging materials that
they can reduce the growth of bacteria and keep food enhance the shelf-life, maintain quality, retain flavour
safer, fresher and tastier for longer duration. In addition, and colour of packed food materials.
gold nanoparticles have also gained importance in the
food industry due to their antimicrobial properties, Dr Tingirikari Jagan Mohan Rao, Assistant Professor,
mechanical, gas barrier and enhanced shelf-life Department of Biotechnology, NIT, Andhra Pradesh, said,
characteristics. “The research emphasises the role of nanoparticles to
provide mechanical stability to packing material and
There are several commercial nano based food shows how the nano-sensors can be developed to detect
packaging materials available in the market which are pathogens, contamination, pesticides, and allergens
being used in the food processing industry. However, till and enhances the antimicrobial properties of packing
now no direct applications of nanoparticles in human material to prevent food spoilage and contamination.
food are being tested. In addition to this, the role of inorganic nanoparticles
in food preservation is to increase shelf-life and release
At present, the all known application of of antioxidants protecting the food from harmful
nanotechnology in food and food packaging is more ultraviolet radiations. The research also discusses the
food safety aspects related to nanomaterials and follows
eco–friendly practices such as proper labeling on the

NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in NANOTECH 31

food items, following safety regulation for disposal, and Global nanotech players
performing cytotoxic studies on humans and animals.” in food packaging market

While nanotechnology can evolve as an alternate  Valentis Nanotech (Israel)
food processing and storage strategy to overcome the  DuPont (USA)
existing technologies and find a possible solution to  Nanocor, (AMCOL International- USA)
combat the menace of food pathogens, ethical concerns  Inmat (USA)
surrounding its application is a major challenge.  Bayer AG (Germany)
 Ecosysthetix (Canada)
Studies on titanium and silver nanoparticles have  Mitsubishi Gas Chemical Company, Inc. (Japan)
revealed that these materials may enter blood circulation  Honeywell International Inc. (USA)
and their insolubility leads to accumulation in organs.  AdvanSix (USA)
Liver and spleen are mainly responsible for  Dong Yang Chemical (Korea)
distribution of nanoparticles, mediating their
passage from intestine to the blood circulation. the 12th Plan period with an allocation of Rs 650 crore,
till 2017.
Furthermore, inhalation of nanomaterials
and probability of their entrance through skin Although nanotechnology has great scope in
penetration is a matter of high concern, especially for the food industry, the application and marketing of
workers and consumers in direct and regular contact. nanotechnology remains uncertain due to limited
scientific knowledge in regulating the interaction of
A very few studies have taken note of possible nanoparticles with the surrounding environment.
toxicity of nanoparticles amalgamated in food
packaging, besides the data regarding their But confidence can be built among the consumers
bioavailability, biodistribution and route followed is by maintaining transparency in evaluating the effects
scanty. of nanoparticles on humans and the surrounding
environment and accentuating how researchers and
Dr Punuri Jayasekhar Babu, Pachhunga University industries should develop products that can easily get
College, Mizoram University, said, “Very little work has public acceptance. If the safety and security issues get
been done to evaluate the toxic effects of nanoparticles addressed, nanotechnology will revolutionise the food
on mammalian cells under in-vivo conditions. Inorganic processing and packaging industry to a great extent and
nanoparticles are insoluble and pose a great challenge minimise food wastage.
of bioaccumulation in human cells which may cause
biotoxicity on a longer run, thus hampering its use in Ila Kaushik
the food processing industry. It is worthwhile to note [email protected]
that the nanoparticles used for the packing materials
may migrate into food when it comes in contact with
packaging materials and hence, the impact of inorganic
nanoparticles should be studied. Also, nanomaterials,
especially nano packaging, should be only permitted
after rigorous testing before applying them to food
systems.”

Sharing a similar view, Dr Meenu Sachdeva, Asst
General Manager, Ultimate Flexipack, Uflex Group says,
“The application of nanotechnology gives benefits of
improved performance in terms of barrier, mechanical
and physio-chemical properties. In spite of all these
advantages the drawback this technology has is its
higher cost, which is hindering its growth. Another factor
which contributes to hindrance in growth, is awareness.
Though a lot of research on the subject is being carried
out in academia, it is not available on a commercial
scale.”

Much in this regard is expected to be addressed
by the government under the aegis of Nano Mission
undertaken by the Department of Science and
Technology (DST). The Centre had accorded approval for
continuation of the Nano Mission in its Phase-II during

32 STARTUPS NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in

Scaling Insurmountable

CHALLENGES
Startups form an integral part of India’s business outlook and have mushroomed in the last decade. Despite
the government’s initiative, a majority of the startups face a lot of hardships due to various factors. In this
article, we will look into a few of the issues which hamper the growth of startups.

The Government of India has been promoting sometimes free from harmful preservatives. High prices
startups in a big way to boost entrepreneurship, deter many consumers from buying such products.
economic growth and employment across the
country. Leaving behind lucrative job opportunities in Getting used to the concept of plant-based meat
multinational companies, young entrepreneurs in large Recently there is a trend of plant-based meat where
numbers have embarked on to provide solutions with
new and innovative products across sectors. However, a few startups ventured into the business. A mention can
the picture is not so rosy as a host of challenges are be made of the Mumbai-based Blue Tribe. Founded in
hampering the progress of startups. 2020, the road was quite tricky for Blue Tribe and it was
not an easy cakewalk for the startup. An upheaval task
A few of the major challenges being faced are to launch a product as on the one hand some people
financial resources, revenue generation, infrastructure, religiously eat non-vegetarian food are more or less
customer expectations, mentorship, lack of branding, ignorant or simply not interested in learning about the
logistics issues and employing the right candidates, drastic adverse effects it has on the environment while
to name a few. Added to it pandemics like the one of on the other people trying to live a vegetarian lifestyle.
COVID-19, has made many startups shut their shop.
Sandeep Singh, Co-Founder, Blue Tribe says, “It is
The food and beverage (F&B) industry is an ever- more difficult for a brand like ours to establish itself
evolving industry. Companies large and small are effectively. But, we were determined to take this much-
trying innovative things to provide unique tastes to the needed step and were forced to take this up on our
consumers. Consumers have become health conscious own. The initial days were complex, sometimes even
with COVID-19 playing a major role and are very particular discouraging, but now that we see our products thriving
about what is being picked up from the store or ordered and receiving excellent responses.”
online. In the F&B sector, a large number of budding
startups have ventured into the already super congested Similar concerns were echoed by Debabrata Das, Co-
market. Apart from this, fruits, meat, drinks etc being founder and CEO, ProMeat. This Delhi-based plant-based
perishable items, needs special storage places to ensure meat startup founded in 2020 faced issues related to
that fresh products reach the consumers within the cold storage. Das, while being critical about the cold-
stipulated date before the product crosses the expiry date. chain infrastructure being offered by the government
says, “Our products being frozen need a proper cold
In rural areas, a majority of the population stays away chain since in India cold chains are quite expensive and
from ordering foods online. This is a major hindrance to fragmented. It is a major challenge to set a robust cold
the business growth in rural areas for F&B startups. A lot chain for our products.”
of the rural population still has the habit of going to the
market and physically checking fruits, vegetables, meat Alternative protein industry
etc before buying. Also, in urban areas, many still stick to Also, lack of awareness about the importance of
the old habits of going and buying from the market.
alternative proteins in the Indian market is challenging
Pricing is another issue being faced by startups. A lot and explaining to consumers the importance and
of money is invested by various startups when it comes technology behind it and getting acceptance from
to providing organic, fresh healthy items which are their end is a major hurdle. “Investors in many cases are

NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in STARTUPS 33

reluctant to be the first ones to invest since they are “It is a major challenge to
unsure about market acceptability in India,” opines Das. set a robust cold chain
for our products.”
Startups also need to look into long-term goals and - Debabrata Das,
short term profitability which means products provided Co-founder and CEO,
need to be exceptionally good besides providing returns ProMeat
or refunds or extra products in case the customer
expectations are average. Fuelled Nutrition, a Bengaluru- “The initial days were
based startup that is into producing protein-rich treats complex, sometimes
is eyeing a revenue of $100 million in annual revenue even discouraging, but
by June 1, 2025. Says Rashmi Roy, Co-Founder, Fuelled now that we see our
Nutrition, “One of the biggest challenges is to not raise products thriving and
funds and still keep the doors open.” receiving excellent responses.”

The nutraceuticals market is expected to grow at $28 - Sandeep Singh,
billion by 2025 and keeping an eye on this particular Co-Founder, Blue Tribe
segment, Hyderabad-based Fitday was founded in 2019.
It faced a daunting task when it ventured into the market “One of the major
with nutraceuticals. Till a few years back, consumers were challenges was to
not so inclined towards nutraceuticals, which included
products like protein bars, gummies etc. According to maintain consistency.”
P Suresh Raju, Founder, Fitday, Hyderabad, the lack of - Samrat Reddy,
awareness and acceptance of nutraceuticals among the
population is a major challenge being faced by us.” He Managing Director,
also points out about employing the right staff that can
cater to the demands of the clients. Drunken Monkey

Venturing into a new business in an already “Perseverance and the
overcrowded market needs thorough research in the ability to focus on things
beginning. A unique problem is competing with MNC that matter are two
companies, those that are already established and are aspects that have
well known among the populace. A new entrant in the helped to handle the
market takes time to establish itself and gaining one challenges.”
trust can be quite challenging.
- Aarti Gill,
Dadra and Nagar Haveli–based MyFitness faced
similar issues when it was set up in 2019. MyFitness, Co-founder and CEO, OZiva
which is into the production of the first US FDA approved
peanut butter in India had to compete with MNCs to “Employing the right
make its space in the ever-competitive market. Says staff was a challenge
Mohammad Patel, Founder and CEO, MyFitness, “The we faced.”
major challenge for a startup is to compete with the - P Suresh Raju,
MNCs that are sitting on huge piles of cash. Product Founder, Fitday
innovation and quality are the main focus for us to
overcome the competition.” “Initially, we found it
difficult to have the
Choosing the right investor working capital in
Getting the right investors is another challenge place.”
- Vijender Reddy Muthyala,
for startups. Investors are very particular about where Founder and CEO, DrinkPrime
to invest and try to foresee the future of the startup
and its performance. Bengaluru-based DrinkPrime
formed in 2016 provides personalised water purifiers
that require a lot of working capital like any other
startup. It started a subscription-based service so
that the majority of the population can access them.
Says Vijender Reddy Muthyala, Founder and CEO,
DrinkPrime, “Initially, we found it difficult to have the

34 STARTUPS NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in

“The major challenge for “One of the biggest
a startup is to compete challenges is to not

with MNCs.” raise funds and still
- Mohammad Patel,
keep the doors open.”
Founder and CEO, - Rashmi Roy,

MyFitness Co-Founder, Fuelled Nutrition

working capital in place.” shop and startups were no exception to this. The
Being a subscription-based service, DrinkPrime had pandemic has placed startups and the ecosystem in a
dicey situation. Running out of cash on one hand and
to invest from its pocket to ensure that its subscribers watching venture capital dry out on the other has given
can access DrinkPrime easily. There were no banks or a death blow to many. However, one good sign is that
non-banking financial companies ready to support post COVID many people have resorted to a healthy
initially as there was a conception that bringing in profit lifestyle and with it are slowly adopting healthy foods.
will take a lot of time.
The market is full of F&B startups offering a wide
DrinkPrime had to turn to angel investors, friends, range of products. The startups have to think out
and family members to get the support. Muthyala adds, of the box and come up with something new. With
“Also, the growth rate of a hardware company is different so many different products available for purchase
from that of a software company. Being a hardware across a multitude of channels, product innovation
company, we need to build products for each of our and differentiation is getting increasingly important.
subscribers. It is entirely different from running the same Also, during the initial days of launch, getting the
code for every requirement. Due to this, we had to find right investor, though a matter of luck, will help one to
investors who are in it for the long term. So, the investors establish and make a strong base. Studying the market
we could target were limited.” thoroughly and reading consumers’ minds will help new
startups to a certain extent.
Perseverance and the ability to focus on things that
matter made the road easier for Mumbai’s plant-based The government is promoting startups and
nutrition brand OZiva. Founded in 2016, finding a providing loans. However, finding the right investors
scalable business model was a daunting task. Says Aarti has always been a challenge. There is a need for the
Gill, Co-founder and CEO, OZiva, Mumbai, “Today, I am government to monitor the startups and fund them till
proud of the team that we have built at OZiva.” Another they are established. Besides, relaxed norms for public
challenge pointed out by OZiva was finding a scalable procurements, tax exemptions, legal support and fast-
business model and building a good team. tracking patent examination at lower costs, organising
startup fests are some of the initiatives which can help
Similar issues were echoed by Samrat Reddy, the startups sustain themselves in the long run.
Managing Director, Drunken Monkey. The Hyderabad-
based startup faced a lot of initial hiccups, which The pricing of products is a major challenge. Using
eventually made the startup gain more knowledge organic and long shelf-life ingredients and perishable
about the market and build a strong base. products need a lot of investment, which are eventually
passed on to consumers, to ensure that the profit margin
The sourcing of raw materials is one of the concerns is intact. On the other hand already settled branded
being faced by F&B startups. Fresh fruit-based beverages products have made a strong base in the market. This
startup Drunken Monkey founded in 2016, faced is where a lot of consumers will shy away from using an
hardships in sourcing raw materials. Fruits are a highly expensive product. Maintaining the right pricing strategy
perishable product and are seasonal, with the taste is what startups need to ponder over to reach out to a
and prices varying throughout the year. Samrat Reddy, larger population.
Managing Director, Drunken Monkey, opines, “One of
the major challenges was to maintain consistency and Decisive policy action is the need of the hour.
quality of smoothies across all outlets in various cities. Along with implementing the right strategies, doing an
And once we were able to tackle that, it was also going in-depth analysis before launching any new product,
to be the Drunken Monkey’s strongest point and also an finding the right investor and lastly recruiting the right
entry barrier for competition.” workforce will help startups sustain in the long run.

The way forward Sanjiv Das
COVID-19 has forced many organisations to shut [email protected]

NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in SPEAKING WITH 35

“Our plant-based Deepak Yadav,
products will hit the
shelves in Delhi NCR and Chief Executive Officer,
Bangalore by March” Vegan Meat India

Japanese plant-based meat company, Next Meats has We are hoping to generate a revenue of around Rs
recently stepped into the Indian market in partnership 50 crore from the initial launch year. Addressing the
with New Delhi-based startup Vegan Meat India. The query pertinent to the sort of competition, there are a
Japanese firm plans to open a lab and manufacturing unit few competitors in the market currently but we have
in India and develop its products keeping in mind the taste an unique product range, quality and taste. Therefore,
buds of Indians. The company specialises in the research we don't anticipate any hard competitions in the Indian
and development of Japanese-style alternative meat market.
products. Its journey of product development began in
2017, and the company was officially established in 2020. Could you elaborate on the plans of opening a lab
In conversation with nuFFooDS Spectrum, Deepak Yadav, & manufacturing unit in India? What are the hiring
Chief Executive Officer, Vegan Meat India takes us through opportunities in store? How much is being invested?
the launch of Next Meats products in the Indian market and
its gameplan in the country. Edited excerpts; Currently, we are launching products which are being
manufactured in Japan. However, in the near future we
How did the alternative meat products at Next Meats are planning to set up our lab and manufacturing unit in
come about? India as India has huge production of soya beans. It will
help us to produce the products with India Taste and we
Next Meats has teamed up with Indian food-tech would like to export the same to various countries. As of
startup Vegan Meat India to launch meat-free alternatives now, the company is investing around Rs 10 crore but we
with the motive to prioritise sustainability in food will be increasing our funds in the near future. Speaking
production and pare down the incremental burden on of hiring opportunities, we are planning to open our
the environment using crossover technology. Our plant- stores with dine-in facilities across India, so hopefully it
based products entail non -GMO soya bean, pea protein, will generate good hiring opportunities.
apple extract, spices and soya sauce and many more.
The products will be at hand by March in Delhi NCR and What are the future plans for the plant-based food
Bangalore. Our strength lies in our R&D network. Efforts market in India? Would you be launching more
are being put to ideate innovative ways to develop taste products in the coming months?
and texture. Researchers from around the world have
openly collaborated in combining ideas from various We will be gradually introducing our new products in
fields, including life science, food engineering and genetic the Indian market. India has a huge market and so if we
engineering. We make full use of the ideas and technology are able to match the tastes and the price, it is certainly
gained from this process, to evolve Next Meats every day. going to be a great hit in the Indian market.

What will be the price bracket for your product range? What challenges do you foresee regarding the
The price will approximately range from Rs 250-Rs growth of the plant-based food market in India?

400 per packet. Most Indians are suffering from nutrition deficiency
and if we could create awareness about these products
How much revenue are you expecting with which are a rich source of alternative protein that too at
this launch in the Indian market? What kind of an affordable price, it would be very beneficial. Also, it
competition you might be facing? will be helpful in dieting with zero cholesterol.

Dr Manbeena Chawla
[email protected]

36 SPEAKING WITH NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in

Vandana Tandan, “New gen machines offer
improved environmental
Country Manager, SIG India credentials, higher filling
speeds and enhanced
energy efficiencies"

SIG, the leading Switzerland-based aseptic packaging Where are your facilities located in the country?
provider, has recently announced the global launch of At present, our filling machines are installed with
its new product, the family-size carton pack combivita.
Designed to meet the changing needs of the beverage various clients all over the country. Therefore, we are
industry, the product will soon be entering the Indian market. already present everywhere, wherever our clients are
To find out more about this, nuFFooDS Spectrum interacted present right now, be it the north, the west, the east,
with Vandana Tandan, Country Manager- SIG India. or the south. When it comes to the packaging material,
Edited excerpts; SIG sources raw materials from its packaging converting
plants in Thailand and China.
What is the USP of combivita and when do you plan to
launch it in India? What will be your new launches in the F&B packaging
sector in 2022 for India?
The combivita cartons are filled using SIG’s new
generation filling machine that has been completely We are very excited to now be working with a lot
upgraded to offer enhanced environmental credentials, of Indian players, including the likes of Amul, Coca
by bringing down the consumption of energy and all Cola, Dabur, ITC, and more. We will be partnering with
other utilities by 30 per cent. Additionally, the speed of Haldiram's and Amul for some new launches this year
filling for the family packs was earlier 12,000 packs per itself, and are also looking forward to working with Varun
hour, which has been increased by 50 per cent to bring it Beverages for the very first time.
to 18,000 packs per hour. This will make them the fastest
filling machine in the category. We have also automated Which new innovations in packaging are on the anvil?
several functions in the filling process. For instance, the One of the key innovations that SIG offers is the ability
cleaning process for the filling machines is still manual,
needing one shift to be finished before moving to to package particulates such as juices with pulp, as well
another. However, this entire process will soon become as beverages with nuts or cereals. In the coming year, we
automated to improve efficiency and bring down the plan on bringing these products to the Indian market. Last
net operational time. Furthermore, the entire filling line year, we already launched CombiSmile, which is a smart
has been integrated onto one communication platform, portion package with a specialised cap. In the coming
which allows one to remote monitor and actually year, we want to take it to the next level, by offering value-
see the performance of the filling line as a complete added products in such formats. Apart from this, we are
production setup. Hence, the new generation machines also working on introducing a one litre package, while
offer improved environmental credentials, higher filling exploring a variety of new innovative products from a
speeds, enhanced energy and resource efficiencies, sustainability and convenience perspective.
and reduced overall consumption of all utilities, along
with higher automation than ever before! Presently, How much revenue has been generated in FY 2020-21
combivita has been launched globally with the first and what do you expect in this financial year?
client. We will now be ramping up this product in Europe
and then launching in Asia in the coming year. We are Even in the middle of the pandemic last year, the
hoping to introduce it in India as a successful product packaging material segment reflected a growth of 120
by 2023-24. per cent for us. This year, we are looking at doubling our
numbers yet again, and expect to continue growing at a
very fast pace in India, in the years to come.

Sanjiv Das
[email protected]

NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in FERMENTED FOODS 37

Can fermented Dr Anumiita Pathakk,
foods spike
immunity? Clinical Nutritionist

Fermented foods have long been an important part of This provides one of the first examples of how a
human diet since ages in almost every cuisine, worldwide. simple change in diet can reproducibly remodel the
Numerous studies have established a clear link between microbiota across a cohort of healthy adults.
consumption of fermented foods and a boost to the
immune system. Let's examine some of the most popular Studies have found one way that lactic acid bacteria
foods that promise to spruce up our immune system. interacts with our bodies. Initially the researchers were
investigating proteins on the surface of cells called
Fermented foods are defined as foods or beverages hydroxycarboxylic acid (HCA) receptors. Most animals
produced through controlled microbial growth, have only two types of this receptor but humans and
and the conversion of food components through great apes have three. The researchers discovered
enzymatic action. In recent years, fermented foods have that a metabolite produced by lactic acid bacteria,
undergone a surge in popularity due to its positive effect D-phenyllactic acid, binds strongly to the third HCA
on immunity. receptor, signaling the immune system with their
presence.
Fermented foods are rich in vitamin c, b, k2, iron
and zinc. Fermentation helps in breakdown of nutrients Yogurt
in food, making them more digestible. Fermentation Yogurt is a widely used probiotic made from milk,
not only enhances the nutritive value of food instead it fermented by bacteria. Among the dairy products,
destroys inhibitors of foods such as phytates, lectins found yogurt/fermented milks have been the subject of several
in pulses. Therefore, consuming fermented foods increases studies all over the world and different benefits for
the absorption of nutrients, making them more nutritious. human health have been reported after their ingestion.

A diet rich in fermented foods enhances the diversity Tempeh
of gut microbes and decreases susceptibility of illnesses. Tempeh is a traditional Indonesian food produced
A wide body of evidence has demonstrated that by fermenting boiled and dehulled soybeans with a
fermented food shapes the gut microbiome, which can starter culture of Rhizopus oligosporus fungal species at
affect the immune system and overall health. room temperature for 35–37 hours. It is a good source of
protein, iron, manganese, calcium vitamins and minerals.
There is a group of beneficial bacteria called
probiotics. Initially they were defined as “Live microbial Kombucha or Mushroom tea
feed supplements which beneficially affect the host, Kombucha is a Japanese fermented tea made by
improving its intestinal microbial balance”. Probiotics strains of bacteria, yeast, and sugar. This makes it a good
are the result of fermentation which play a crucial role source of probiotics. Kombucha tea is a very good source
in incorporating intestinal microbiota leading to better of antioxidants. Kombucha can improve your immunity
immunity. but it is not scientifically proven yet.

Fermented foods and immunity Kefir
Eating foods such as yogurt, kefir, fermented Kefir is a European fermented drink. The name
is derived from the Turkish word keyif, which means
cottage cheese, kimchi and other fermented vegetables, feeling good after eating. It is made by adding kefir
vegetable brine drinks, and kombucha tea led to an grains to goat milk or cow milk. Bacteria in the kefir
increase in overall microbial diversity, with stronger grain ferment the sugar and turn it into kefir. It contains
effects from larger servings. up to 61 bacteria making it a best source of prebiotic.
With respect to human health, kefir has antiviral,
antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory potential. It has

38 FERMENTED FOODS NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in

No single food can improve your immunity. vitamins and minerals. Miso is famous for its umami
Fermented foods complement your gut health flavor. Miso is produced by a two-step fermentation
and improve your health with immunity. In process in which first they produce koji and in the
fact, Stanford researchers have discovered second stage koji is mixed with other cultures and salt.
that a 10-week diet high in fermented foods Similar to other fermented foods, miso is jam-packed
boosts microbiome diversity and improves with probiotics, which are a type of beneficial bacteria
immune responses. In times to come, science that live in your digestive tract. However, heating miso is
can help unravel whether microbiota- likely to kill these probiotics.
targeted food could be an avenue for
combating the overwhelming rise in chronic Kimchi
inflammatory diseases across the globe. Kimchi originated 3000 years ago. It is a Korean dish of
salt, vinegar, garlic, chili, peppers and other spices. Kimchi
been shown to inhibit angiotensin-converting enzyme contains leuconostoc mesenteries which produce dextrin,
(ACE) levels, cholesterol metabolism, accelerate wound a substance important to stop the growth of H. Pylori in
healing, suppress tumour growth, and cause alterations your body. Kimchi is rich in antioxidants. Early research
in the immune system. indicates kimchi may be able to strengthen your immune
system. The bacteria that help ferment kimchi have been
Cheese connected to improved immune function and lower levels
Fermented cheese is used around the world, with of inflammation triggered by diseases. Vitamin c found in
both hard and soft cheeses being made by fermenting kimchi can also help boost your immune health.
milk. Researchers have found that cheese can act as
a carrier for probiotic bacteria, widely regarded as Sourdough bread
beneficial to immune health. Scientists at the University Sourdough bread is fermented by lactobacillus
of Turku in Finland have recently discovered that cultures. It is one of the oldest forms of fermentation.
probiotic cheese can tackle the age-related deterioration Its origin goes back to ancient Egypt in 1500 B.C.
of the immune system known as immunosenescence. Sourdough bread is leavened by wild yeast and lactic
Sauerkraut acid bacteria making it more nutritious as it contains
Sauerkraut is a German dish brought to Europe from higher levels of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants
China. In German sauerkraut means sour herb. This dish than other bread. It contains lower rates of phytate than
is eaten with soup and sausages. Sauerkraut is beneficial regular breads. There are prebiotic features of sourdough
for gut health and makes the food more digestible. found in the non-digestible fibre present – just like
This is simply because sauerkraut enzymes are high in Gut Performance. These prebiotics help feed beneficial
antioxidants, can boost immunity and help decrease bacteria, so that they increase in number and diversity.
levels of ACE2, an enzyme in the cell membrane mostly A diverse gut microbiome is positively correlated with a
found in the lungs that is used by coronavirus as an entry stronger and more supportive immune system. That way,
point into the body they can do their job – keeping us and our gut happy,
Miso healthy and immune.
Miso means fermented beans in Japanese. Miso is
a Japanese fermented food prepared by soyabean, salt Pickles
and koji or barley with the strain of A. Oryza. Thick paste Pickling is one of the oldest preservation methods
of seasoning and soyabean is used for sauces, spreads of fruits and vegetables. Lactic acid bacteria, bacilli,
and soup stocks. It contains high amounts of protein, yeast play a major role in fermentation. Pickling involves
preserving food stuff in high acid concentration. Pickles
also contain turmeric that is loaded with curcumin that
has anti-inflammatory properties which help your body
to fight against bacteria and viruses.

Looking ahead
No single food can improve your immunity. Fermented
foods complement your gut health and improve your
health with immunity. In fact, Stanford researchers have
discovered that a 10-week diet high in fermented foods
boosts microbiome diversity and improves immune
responses. In times to come, science can help unravel
whether microbiota-targeted food could be an avenue for
combating the overwhelming rise in chronic inflammatory
diseases across the globe.

NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in ABR BACTERIA 39

Antibiotics and Prof. Indumathi Nambi,
Resistant Bacteria
Environmental and Water Resources
in Food Chain Engineering, Department of Civil
Engineering, IIT Madras

Antibiotics resistant (ABR) bacteria reach humans sludge from wastewater treatment plants, animal waste
via the food chain through multiple pathways. as manure and soil amendment is also a common
First is through consumption of both animal practice. Wastewater and sludge are rich sources of
products and vegetables which are exposed to antibiotics and resistant bacteria.
antibiotics. A second route is the possible presence
of resistance genes in bacteria that are intentionally Antibiotics have also been directly applied to crops
added during the processing of food (starter as a means to improve production by preventing
cultures, probiotics, bioconserving microorganisms diseases. Crops exposed to antibiotics and resistant
and bacteriophages). A last way is through cross- bacteria in one or the other way can bioaccumulate
contamination with antimicrobial resistant bacteria antibiotics and promote resistant bacteria. Consumption
during food processing. of fresh or uncooked vegetables exposed to antibiotic
residues and resistant bacteria could pose health hazards
Excessive and unsupervised use of antibiotics in in humans and animals.
poultry, dairy, aquaculture and food crops have not
only resulted in resistance gain and transfer among gut Food processing can also be another unintended
bacteria but has also resulted in treatment failure in route of transmission of resistance. Preservation
veterinary and aquaculture animals. For example, pork techniques such as heat and cold treatment inactivate
and poultry meat can both be sources of transfer of or kill bacteria. Stress conditions such as cold stress,
antimicrobial resistant Salmonella Typhimurium strains heat stress, acid stress, freeze injury among others may
to humans. A recent study estimated the probability of trigger several mechanisms in bacterial cells, e.g., stress
exposure to 1,000 colony forming units of cephalosporin adaptation, cellular repair, application of response
resistant Escherichia coli (CREC) through consumption of mechanisms and enhanced virulence . Antimicrobial
a meal containing chicken meat as low as 1.5 per cent. resistance genes that are present in partly inactivated,
stressed cells may be transferred to commensals and
Similarly, excessive pollution of rivers and farming pathogens, both in the foodstuff and after ingestion in
lands with domestic-industrial sewage and sludge have the digestive system of humans. This may be achieved
also resulted in introduction of antibiotic residues and either by conjugation, when resistance is located on
resistant bacteria into farming lands. In India, use of
partially treated and untreated wastewater for irrigation mobilisable elements, or by transformation and
is a common practice, especially transduction, however to a lower
in drought ridden places. degree.
Application of sewage Use of antibiotics in
animals is often unsupervised.
Antibiotic residues and
resistant bacteria have been
widely reported in animal
products such as meat, egg,
milk and fish. Consumption of
raw and semi-cooked animal
products could possibly increase the

exposure to drug resistant bacteria in
humans eventually leading to drug resistant

40 ABR BACTERIA NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in

Lack of strict and stringent monitoring of food population increases the risk of exposure to antibiotic
residue and resistant bacteria. Food safety can be
quality coupled with unawareness among gradually improved if more attention is paid to quality
of the animal and vegetable produce for domestic use
the large population increases the risk of rather than only for export. Spreading awareness among
farmers, use of organic produce, stringent monitoring of
exposure to antibiotic residue and resistant antibiotic application for veterinary and crop cultivation
can break the antibiotic resistance spread via the food
bacteria. Food safety can be gradually chain. With advancement in analytical technologies such
as LC MS/MS and RT-PCR, regular testing of animal and
improved if more attention is paid to quality vegetable produce for the presence of antibiotic residues
and resistant bacteria before the product reaches the
of the animal and vegetable produce for market can certainly improve the produce quality and
ensure food safety.
domestic use rather than only for export.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the
Spreading awareness among farmers, use United Nations (FAO), the World Organisation for
Animal Health (OIE), and the World Health Organisation
of organic produce, stringent monitoring of (WHO) endorsed the One Health approach, affirming
that healthy animals contribute to healthy people
antibiotic application for veterinary and crop and environments. In keeping with this, supranational
programmes and systems for monitoring antimicrobial
cultivation can break the antibiotic resistance resistance in animals and foodborne (namely
originating from food or food products) pathogens,
spread via the food chain. namely, the Global Foodborne Infections Network, the
WHO's Advisory Group on Integrated Surveillance of
infections and failure of treatment. According to a study Antimicrobial Resistance and the Codex Alimentarius
conducted by Center for Science and Environment in Commission, have been established. The WHO's Global
2014 of the 70 chicken samples collected from Delhi and Action Plan and FAO's Action Plan on Antimicrobial
NCR regions 40 per cent of the samples contained at Resistance were recently published to address this
least one antibiotic. The concentration of six antibiotics worldwide threat.
viz; oxytetracycline, chlortetracycline, doxycycline,
enrofloxacin, ciprofloxacin and neomycin were in the A number of low- and middle-income countries
range of 3.37-131.75 μg/kg. According to the Food (LMICs) have also initiated efforts to contain antibiotic
Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) antibiotic resistance (ABR), albeit with a focus on human health
tolerance limit for 76 antibiotics in milk, meat and meat but they have a long way to go. India introduced
products, poultry and fish are 0.01 mg/kg and maximum and has begun to implement national guidelines for
residue limit is 1 μg/kg. antibiotic use in 2013 and National Action Plan on
AMR in 2018. China launched a National Antibiotic
Salmonella and Campylobacter are the most Restraining Policy to reduce antibiotic consumption in
common causes of bacterial foodborne diseases in the country, Thailand implemented a national strategy
industrialised countries and an increasing prevalence for emerging diseases, including ABR, and a policy for
of antimicrobial drug resistance has been recognised. rational drug use in 2011, as well as an ABR Containment
Studies have shown that infections with antimicrobial Programme for 2012–2016. South Africa developed and
resistant Salmonella and Campylobacter can result implemented a National Framework of Antimicrobial
in higher mortality as compared to infections with Resistance for 2014–2024. Given the expansion of the
susceptible strains. Therefore, special attention has to human population, globalisation of trade in animals
be given to reduce the prevalence of these pathogens and food products, international travels and host
on food products and to reduce the presence of movements, AMR can easily spread globally via the food
antimicrobial resistance genes in these strains. Also, chain. If preventive and containment measures are not
the antimicrobial resistance of zoonotic pathogens, applied locally, nationally, regionally and internationally,
including those that confer a risk by direct contact the limited interventions in one country or continent,
with living animals throughout the food chain as for instance, in the developing world, can compromise
seen for e.g., livestock-associated methicillin resistant the efficacy and endanger the policies of containment of
Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA), have to be reduced. AMR implemented in other parts of the world.
The situation has been recently worsened with the
emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria having
significant pandemic potential, such as carbapenem-
resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) (harboring a VIM-1
carbapenemase resistant to the beta-lactam antibiotics
family plus additional co-resistance) and colistin-
resistant E. coli.

Lack of strict and stringent monitoring of food
quality coupled with unawareness among the large

NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in HEALTHY DIET 41

Why Food Industries George Cheriyan,
must promote healthy
Director, CUTS International
and sustainable diets

Even well before the onset of the pandemic, food systems Situation became grave as the economic fallout
within a huge developing country like India faced forced many people to depend on cheap stomach
enormous challenges in achieving equitable access to filling foods that lack nutrition. The share of vegetables,
healthy, nutritious, sustainable and balanced diets for all. fruits, pulses, meat, fish and eggs in people’s diet is
Now, COVID-19 has further pushed the country behind significantly lower and whole grains accounted for
in reaching the UN Sustainable Development Goals more than what is needed. To address such nutritional
(SDGs) and has caused widespread loss of livelihoods imbalances the government has invested in a national
and incomes, threatening the food security, health, and nutrition strategy, including the multi-ministry flagship
nutrition of poor and marginalised people. This can be initiative called the Poshan Abhiyaan (nutrition mission).
corroborated through the latest Global Hunger Index But even such schemes and other nutrition specific
Report where India has slipped to 101st position of 116 awareness initiatives alone cannot help in meeting the
countries, from its 94th position in 2020. Let’s examine objectives. It demands coordinated action and support
where the food industry stands with respect to churning by all concerned including the governments, the health
out healthful and sustainable options for the post- experts, civil societies, the food industries and the media.
pandemic, choosy consumer.
Vital role can’t be overlooked
India's top five risk factors for mortality include Considering the extent of influence the food industry
high blood pressure, high blood sugar levels, and
overweight/obesity. The prevalence of overweight and has on the entire food supply chain, the vital role they
obesity is growing faster than the world average, and it can play in bringing sustainably sourced, nutrient-
is projected to hit 30.5 per cent and 9.5 per cent among dense foods to the majority of consumers cannot be
men, and 27.4 per cent and 13.9 per cent among women, overlooked. Industry has the power and control to act as
respectively, by 2040. Also, as quoted in the Lancet drivers for encouraging production of innovative food
Diabetes & Endocrinology journal in 2018, nearly 98 crops, raw materials and other food ingredients using
million people in India may have type-2 diabetes by 2030 more sustainable practices and hence such power needs
and that the amount of insulin needed to effectively to be exercised for the larger benefit.
treat type-2 diabetes will rise by more than 20 per cent
worldwide over the next 12 years. More importantly, industry needs to support and
facilitate healthy food policies and be attracted to invest
The Economic Survey 2020-21 also highlights that more towards sustainable innovation and marketing
non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are now responsible to manufacture and market healthier processed foods.
for more than 65 per cent of all deaths in the country, In today’s time, packaged foods are widely accessible,
or approximately six million-plus deaths. Between 1990 affordable, and consumed by the majority of our
and 2016, the contribution of NCDs increased from 37 to consumers, both urban and rural. It can, therefore,
61 per cent of all deaths in the country. Even the World help provide access to healthy and nutrient rich foods
Economic Forum and Harvard School of Public Health regardless of economic status. There are numerous
had earlier highlighted the economic burden of NCDs in instances to point out, wherein essential vitamins and
India in their study wherein it states that India stands to minerals fortified in packaged foods when consumed
incur a cost of $4.58 trillion between 2012 and 2030 due lead to improved health outcomes across a broad
to NCDs and mental health conditions. spectrum of the population. For instance, iodine
deficiency that was once a major public health problem
was effectively addressed when small amount of iodine

42 HEALTHY DIET NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in

From a business perspective,
implementing an overall

sustainable approach from farm
to plate can help reduce operating

costs, increase yield and profit,
ensure stable price and minimise

loss through waste, and more
importantly lessen the negative
media attention on extensive use
of chemicals. In addition to these,
such companies through creating a
transparent supply chain could build
their brand image as a sustainable
responsible business in the long run,
rather than just profit motivated.

was added to the common salt. chemicals. In addition to these, such companies through
Likewise, finding ways to bring down costs for creating a transparent supply chain could build their
brand image as a sustainable responsible business in the
sustainable and organic food products which are often long run, rather than just profit motivated.
priced high is pertinent to drive adoption of sustainable
food options for consumers. Bringing the operation cost down could be
by improving the overall efficiency of their entire
The threat of pandemic and associated dramatic shift production process including conserving water, low
to home cooking has raised the demand for organic and energy consumption, less dependence on chemicals,
sustainable produce as more consumers began paying fertilisers and so forth. Besides, one of the pillars of
attention to how food is grown and produced. This sustainable diet being consumption of more local
surge in demand can help food industries bring down produce, industries could reduce dependence on long-
prices to a reasonable level for such sustainable products haul transportation of food products. Simultaneously
and still earn profits. This will further attract even more by bringing in efforts to find innovative ways to tackle
consumers, including the poor and marginalised towards processing wastes in a more efficient manner, which is
sustainable food shopping. also a prerequisite for sustainable diet, industries can
save more. For instance, recently few local experiments
At the same time, food industries also have the moral have shown that the mango fibre discarded as waste
and social obligation to ensure that the sustainable and after extracting its juices by processing companies
healthy claims made by them are true and accurate can be converted to biodegradable cutleries and as
without any intention to mislead consumers. At present, packaging material. Such innovative innovations should
without proper environment labelling standards, Front be given due weightage as it would not only help tackle
of the Pack Labelling (FoPL) etc., consumers could not wastage along the food value chain but would also be a
differentiate which food products are truly healthy and solution to tackle plastic wastes.
sustainable and end up paying extra for false products.
Reinforcing the positive
Ultimately it brings benefits The threat to life and health caused by the pandemic
Though food industries could face challenges while
has forced consumers to give a greater thought on their
attempting to deliver both sustainable and healthy overall health and wellbeing. Today, consumer awareness
products as well as keep up with consumer needs for is not only on the rise but is significantly influencing the
taste, affordability and nutrient density, the enormous purchasing decisions. So, enlightening and assisting
opportunities such entities reap if they successfully them to identify and pick easily available foods that are
address them are multitudinous. From a business affordable and convenient, but still nutrient dense and
perspective, implementing an overall sustainable sustainably sourced, will likely be more profitable to
approach from farm to plate can help reduce operating business and the society, than advocating them to avoid
costs, increase yield and profit, ensure stable price and foods they currently consume and enjoy.
minimise loss through waste, and more importantly
lessen the negative media attention on extensive use of

NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in CANCER DAY 43

Beating Cancer
with Onco-nutrition

Cancer has been hailed as the Emperor of all Maladies, as it afflicts millions Dr Ajaikumar B.
of lives every year and is attached with economic burden and social stigma. Kunnumakkara,
Cancer is an amalgamation of genetic mutations caused by various internal
(genetic predisposition, and immune response) and external factors (smoking, Professor, Cancer Biology Laboratory
alcohol, environmental pollutants, and lifestyle). Interestingly, only 5-10 per & DBT-AIST International Centre for
cent of the cancers are caused by the genetic predisposition and the rest are
caused by the modifiable, external risk factors. As we observe World Cancer Translational and Environmental
Day on February 4, onco-nutrition as another arsenal in the fight against this Research, Department of Biosciences
and Bioengineering, Indian Institute
dreaded killer, deserves a closer examination.
of Technology (IIT), Guwahati

The enormous variance in rates of various Anti-carcinogens
malignancies in many nations, as well as the From scientific research, it was proven that these
reported incidences of cancer in migrating people,
point to a relationship between food and cancer, for polyphenols directly interact with cancerous cells and
example, Asians have a 25-fold lower incidence of induce cell apoptosis, decrease cell proliferation, and
prostate cancer and a ten-fold lower incidence of breast suppress cancer cell growth through various biochemical
cancer than inhabitants of Western nations, and these pathways. Green tea polyphenols are studied extensively
cancer rates dramatically increase whenever Asians for their anti-carcinogenic effect. Green tea contains
relocate to the West. catechins and epigallocatechin-gallate as major
bioactive compounds and it has been reported that
Prevention with right diet daily consumption of green tea up to prolong time can
Growing lines of experimental evidence have delay the onset of cancer in humans. Components of tea
have been shown to alter the metabolism of chemicals
proved that a diet comprising various bioactive that are known or suspected carcinogens, as well as
compounds such as polyphenols and carotenoids, boost detoxifying enzyme systems. Tea polyphenols also
vitamin C, and dietary fibres have a beneficial effect on appear to be more powerful antioxidants in vitro than
different types of cancers. According to joint research either vitamin C or vitamin E, indicating that teas may be
by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American beneficial due to their ability to prevent oxidation and
Institute for Cancer Research, a high-fruit and vegetable reduce oxidative stress.
diet can lower the risk of malignancies of the mouth
and throat, esophagus, lung, stomach, colon, and Studies have proven that redox imbalance exists in
rectum. the malignant cell. Natural antioxidants such as ascorbic
acid (Vitamin C) and tocopherol (Vitamin E) can aid in the
Dietary fibre can reduce the occurrence of colorectal battle against cancer by triggering apoptosis, regulating
cancer, which is proven by various research studies. cell cycles, and preventing proliferation of tumor cells.
This functionality of dietary fibre is mainly exerted
by functions like reduction in transit time of food in Ancient Indian herbs and spices
the colon. It was also found to inhibit the interaction Spices have been used for a number of reasons
between carcinogen and colon tissues by binding with
the carcinogens and their metabolites. for ages, including flavouring agents, colorants, and
preservatives. It's well-established that dietary elements
Various dietary antioxidant molecules are also might reduce cancer risk and influence tumor behaviour.
beneficial in the treatment of cancer; polyphenols are
one such compound exhibiting high anti-tumorigenic According to studies, various processes such as
activity. Polyphenols are the major category of proliferation, apoptosis, angiogenesis, and immune-
compounds that comprises various other molecules competence have been shown to be impacted by one or
such as flavanols, flavonoids, anthocyanins, flavones, more spices. Turmeric is a spice that has been long used
isoflavones, etc. by Ayurveda for the treatment of various human disorders.
Curcuminoids found in turmeric have anti-carcinogenic,

44 CANCER DAY NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in

anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, which is of millions of people worldwide, it raises an urgent need
proven by various preclinical and clinical trials. To date to develop a dietary intervention to provide treatment
over >18,000 scientific studies have showcased the and preventive strategies to individuals. An alliance
beneficial effect of this spice and its components for the between academia and industry is inevitable in order to
prevention and treatment of various diseases. achieve this milestone. According to various studies, a
diet rich in antioxidants can easily prevent or provide a
In addition, around 100 clinical trials have been therapeutic outcome in cancer patients.
investigated to explore the putative role of turmeric
and curcumin against cancer. Curcumin is known to Ensuring efficacy and potency
modulate various signaling pathways, transcription Already there are a large number of nutraceutical
factors and their effector downstream molecules thereby
inhibiting the key hallmarks of cancer progression. It has products in the market. Interestingly, the global
shown to be safe, efficacious in almost all types of solid nutraceutical market size was estimated to be $450
tumours because of its wide pleiotropic properties. billion annually and it is expected to grow at a rate of 9
per cent per year which also shows the beneficial effect
Garlic, ginseng (Panax), soya, and tomato may all be of wide acceptability of these agents in human health.
linked to a lower risk of cancer, according to the research. However, there are several important points regarding
Sulforaphane, found in cruciferous vegetables such as product formulation to be kept in mind during the
broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts, has design of food products for cancer patients.
also been reported to contain potent anti-cancer effects.
Chlorophyll containing green plants are beneficial in The product should have a low amount of simple
cancer prevention as chlorophyll and its derivatives sugar (glucose, fructose), as cancerous cells are fast-
effectively bind with various carcinogens that are difficult growing cells; a diet high in simple sugar will boost the
for the body to absorb, and the bulk of it is eliminated growth of such cells. Instead of simple sugar, a resistant
from the systems. Several studies have discovered links starch should be used as a bulking agent.
between increased lycopene consumption through high
tomato intake with lower risk of prostate cancer. Food products should have an optimum effective
concentration of bioactive compounds because the
Plant-based foods should be a big component bioavailability of particular compounds in the human
of your diet if you want to avoid cancer. Many vital body differs from person to person. Targeted delivery of
minerals and dietary fibres may be found in wholegrains, bioactive compounds can increase the effectiveness of a
vegetables, fruit, and pulses (legumes) like beans or specific product.
lentils. The World Cancer Research Fund advises 30
grammes of fibre and five to twelve servings of fruit Processing of the food products is also a crucial
and vegetables each day for effective cancer preventive part, according to industrial perspective a processing
measures. Yes, cancer can be prevented with the correct of product should be economically viable and should
modulation of dietary habits and lifestyle. be fit with conventional processing machinery
otherwise it will substantially increase the capital
Freezing on dietary intervention investment in development of new infrastructure.
As cancer is the second most causative for the death Bioactive compounds in food are heat sensitive hence,
a special focus on heat treatment of products should
be given during technology designing to deliver a
product having the highest amount of nutrients while
meeting the quality standards set by food regulating
authorities. Modern discovery of advanced non-thermal
technologies such as pulsed electric field, ultra-
sonication, enzyme assisted extraction has enabled
us to extract bioactive compounds from the food
materials, which can be further utilised as nutraceutical
supplements.

Furthermore, for economic viability, a product should
be shelf-stable at room temperature for a prolonged
time; it will provide enough time for the marketing of
the product. The market of cancer-specific nutritional
products is vast, allowing an economically viable
business and providing hope to humanity in the form of
effective preventive measures for cancer.

NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in PEOPLE NEWS 45

Rebel Foods Prabhu Pingali joins
Advisory Committee
names Prakash Dutta on Indian National
Food Security Act
as Global COO
Prabhu Pingali, Founding Director of the Tata-Cornell
Mumbai-based cloud kitchen company Rebel Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition (TCI), has been named
Foods has announced the appointment of to the Indian government’s technical advisory committee
Prakash Dutta as the Global Chief Operating for evaluation of the National Food Security Act (NFSA)
Officer (COO). With over 20 years of experience of 2013. The committee comprises more than a dozen
in e-commerce and Indian government officials, researchers, and academics. It
FMCG, Dutta will will provide guidance to the Development
oversee the company’s Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO)
operations in 10 of the Niti Aayog (Planning Commission)
countries and focus on as it evaluates food subsidies under
sustainable growth. the NFSA. In addition to being the
He will work directly director of TCI, Pingali is a professor
with country heads in the Charles H. Dyson School of
and operations teams Applied Economics and Management,
while expanding to with joint appointments in the
new geographies. Division of Nutritional Sciences
An alumnus of Birla and the Department of
Institute of Technology, Dutta was formerly the Global Development in the
Vice-President Customer Fulfillment Operations College of Agriculture and
& Supply Chain for Amazon India. In his previous Life Sciences at Cornell
stint, he worked with ITC for nearly 15 years. This University, US.
appointment comes at a critical time when the
company aims to be present across 100 Indian
cities and 20 countries in the next few quarters.

Vini Mahajan takes charge as Secretary,
Ministry of Jal Shakti- DoDW&S

Vini Mahajan has assumed the Medical Education and Research, and
charge as Secretary in the Ministry Principal Secretary Finance, Punjab.
of Jal Shakti, Department of Drinking Vini served as Joint Secretary to the
Water and Sanitation (DoDW&S) Prime Minister of India from 2007-
in New Delhi. She is an MBA from 2012, and earlier in 2004-05 as Director
Indian Institute of Management in the Department of Economic
(IIM) Calcutta. Prior to this, she was Affairs, Ministry of Finance. She has
serving as Punjab Chief Secretary served in various capacities in the
from June 26, 2020. Earlier she served State of Punjab, as M.D. of the Punjab
as Additional Chief Secretary of the Infrastructure Development Board,
Departments of Housing & Urban as the first Director Disinvestment in
Development, Government of Punjab the State, as Secretary, Power and as
and Industries & Commerce, IT and Special Secretary, Expenditure. She
Investment Promotion. She was ACS/ has over 8 years' experience in cutting
Principal Secretary of the Department edge positions at the field level,
of Health and Family Welfare from including as Deputy Commissioner
April 2012 for 5 years. She also served (the first woman to be posted as such
as Principal Secretary Department of in Punjab in 25 years).

46 INGREDIENTS NEWS NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in

Novozymes acquires majority stake in Synergia Life Sciences

By acquiring Mumbai-based scientifically proven portfolio that its functional food offerings.
Synergia Life Sciences, strengthens Novozymes’ human Synergia Life Scienes is already
Novozymes strengthens and health business and accelerates a key supplier to Microbiome
accelerates its position in human Labs, which was acquired by
health and functional foods Novozymes in early 2021. The
adding strong developing and founders of Synergia will continue
manufacturing capabilities in to be actively involved in the
spore probiotics and vitamin K2- business. Novozymes’ strong
7. The vitamin K2-7 portfolio is a presence in the functional foods
strong complementary enabler and dietary supplement space
to support growth in Denmark- makes this a strategic fit for
based Novozymes’ BioHealth Synergia’s innovative product
platform. The acquisition offers a portfolio.

Gryphon Investors Amyris, Minerva
acquires Vivify
Specialty Ingredients Foods to scale

Gryphon Investors, a US-based middle-market private equity low carbon protein
firm, has acquired Vivify Specialty Ingredients in partnership
with the company's current family owner Aakash Shah, who will production platform
remain on the Board of Directors, and Vivify management. This
represents the third platform investment closed by Gryphon's US-based Amyris, Inc. has announced
Heritage Fund, a small-cap fund offering launched by Gryphon the completion of a previously
in 2020. Based in the US, Vivify is a leading provider of specialty announced joint venture agreement
chemicals for colorant and related specialty applications in the with MF 92 VENTURES LLC, a Minerva
personal care & cosmetics, food & beverage, packaging, plastics, Foods subsidiary, to develop molecules
coatings, and agriculture industries. Specialising in organic for the sustainable production and
pigments, dyes, liquid colorants, slip additives, specialty resins, distribution of animal protein. The
and specialty food ingredients, the company distributes products Joint Venture between Amyris and
that are manufactured both domestically and internationally and Minerva will be focused on enhancing
sold in more than 50 countries. Through a technical, high-touch the sustainability of the Brazilian meat
salesforce, innovative lab and regulatory support capabilities, exporting market, which is the largest
and the ability to support short turnaround times, the company in the world. Minerva and Amyris
supports customer-specific solutions focused on product will collaborate on the development,
performance and customized applications. scale-up and production of new target
molecules, which Minerva will fund
and bring to market commercially.
The new molecules will target several
sustainability objectives, including
improving and lowering the carbon
intensity of producing animal
protein; sustainable packaging;
and fermentation-based, natural
preservatives that facilitate the transport
of meat around the world. Additionally,
the parties expect to work on the
production of fermentation-based
protein as an alternative to animal-based
protein.

NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in INGREDIENTS NEWS 47

Tate & Lyle reinforces benefits ADM
of increasing intake of fibre announces
acquisition of
Tate & Lyle PLC, a leading global provider of food and beverage solutions Flavor Infusion
and ingredients, has signed up to the UK’s Food and Drink Federation’s International
(FDF) Action on Fibre. The FDF’s Action on Fibre initiative has been launched
ADM has acquired Flavor
to help consumers ‘bridge the Infusion International, S.A.
gap’ between fibre intake and (FISA), a full-range provider of
the dietary recommendation flavor and specialty ingredient
to help improve gut health and solutions for customers
reduce the risk of heart disease, across Latin America and the
diabetes, and certain types of Caribbean. ADM’s nutrition
cancer. Through the Action on business has been delivering
Fibre initiative, Tate & Lyle has profit growth of 15 to 20 per
pledged to continue to promote cent a year, and the flavors
the benefits of increasing intake business has been an important
of fibre and the importance of driver of that success, with
gut health through its thought leadership, communication initiatives and annual sales growth of
ongoing engagement with industry experts, healthcare professionals and more than 10 per cent. This
food and beverage manufacturers. acquisition represents another
important bolt-on addition
Glanbia optimises as the company expands its
nutrient portfolio with capabilities in this high-value
Ashwagandha root extract segment. With this acquisition,
ADM adds an experienced and
Ireland-based Glanbia Nutritionals has partnered with Ixoreal Biomed Inc. successful team of 60 colleagues
(having operations in US & India) to optimise its KSM-66 Ashwagandha, highly who serve a growing list of
concentrated root extract with NutraShield Technology, to provide functional food and beverage customers
and application dosage improvements. KSM-66 Ashwagandha is a branded across Latin America and the
extract from Ixoreal Biomed Inc., and it has the highest concentration of all Caribbean with a wide range
major root-only extracts available on the market today. It is produced using of flavor ingredients and
a unique proprietary extraction process that is based on Green Chemistry solutions from two state-of-the-
principles and does not use alcohol or any other chemical solvent. By art manufacturing facilities in
optimising KSM-66 Ashwagandha with its NutraShield Technology, Glanbia Panama and Colombia.
Nutritionals has utilised the powder extract as a carrier of their flavor masker
during an encapsulation process. This provides additional support and
protection when included in a formulation that contains other vitamins and
minerals with off notes, and it allows for a higher ashwagandha inclusion rate
in products to better meet efficacy dose requirements.

48 ACADERM&IDC NEWS NUNFUFOFFOODOSDSSPSEPCETCRTURMUM| |FebMruaracrhy 20212 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in

IISER Bhopal India gets research lab to
develops fight child food insecurity
microbicide using
food-based tyrosine The Akshaya Patra Foundation, in collaboration with Indian
Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru to form ‘The Akshaya
A team of researchers from the Indian Patra Research Lab’. First of its kind lab run by a not-for-profit
Institute of Science Education and in the country and an academic institution, aims to conduct
Research (IISER) Bhopal has developed comprehensive studies in the areas such as child food security,
a safe and easy procedure to produce community participation for social welfare, elimination of
silver nanomaterials that can be used as malnutrition, policy development, and advocacy for battling
hunger. In partnership with the academic strength of IISc,
antimicrobial agents. the Foundation aims to develop a knowledge epicenter with
The researchers used the think tanks consisting of economists, philanthropists, research
amino acid Tyrosine to scientists, government officials, and global institutes for building
produce nanomaterials its efforts towards global advocacy and ending classroom hunger
of silver that had and malnutrition. Established under The Centre for Society and
excellent antimicrobial Policy (CSP) at IISc, the partnership has so far resulted in an
properties. Tyrosine is evidence-based research study and published papers on Vaccine
present in many food hesitancy analysis; COVID-19’s impact analysis on a child’s
items, including meat, education and nutrition, psychology study of school children,
dairy, nuts, and beans. water-food-energy nexus, and assessing human security crisis.
The nanoparticles thus Some of the long term plans of the lab include: Impact assessment
formed were found to kill microbes such as of Mid-Day Meals and developing a socio-human model to build
S. cerevisiae (associated with pneumonia, scenarios that can cause positive social impact at a larger scale.
peritonitis, UTI etc.), C. albicans (oral
and genital infections), E. coli (stomach
infection), and B. cereus (stomach infection),
in about four hours. According to the
researchers, the product comprises two
components and it can be utilised for
multiple purposes: from photophysical
studies to applications in biological systems.

Study demonstrates possible prophylaxis of
CurQfen-Curcumin against chronic diseases

In a first of its kind of studies, a regulated and vice versa. Similarly, steatosis were also modulated
group of cancer biology researchers many of the genes differentially by the treatment of CurQfen.
from Indian Institute of Technology expressed in various chronic Therefore, the results shed light
(IIT)- Guwahati have reported inflammatory conditions, obesity, on the protective role of CurQfen
the molecular evidence for the cardiovascular diseases and liver in the prevention and treatment
remarkable ability of CurQfen- of multiple chronic diseases and
curcumin to modulate the genes paved the evidence for the earlier
responsible for various chronic clinical studies of CurQfen. Kerala-
diseases indicating its effectiveness based Akay Natural Ingredients
as prophylaxis. Many interesting is the manufacturer of CurQfen,
observations were made in this which recently was awarded
study; say, the genes which as the ingredient of the year
significantly upregulate during 2021 for cognitive function by
various cancer types got down NutraIngredients Asia.

NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in SUPPLIER NEWS 49

Godrej Appliances unveils nano disinfection technology for food safety

Godrej Appliances, part of Godrej it controls microbial activity The clear reduction in microbial
& Boyce, the flagship company in the enclosed refrigerator activity helps ensure better food
of the Godrej Group, has been compartment, further disinfecting preservation, keeping it fresh
strengthening its product offerings food surfaces in the refrigerator. and healthy for longer. Unlike
in line with the consumer shift This technology has been tested regular refrigerators which reduce
towards more health and hygiene to deliver 100 per cent surface microbial growth with cooling, the
consciousness. To cater to this sterilisation at the duct and an disinfection technology goes a
increasing demand, the brand average of 95 per cent food step further in sanitising the air in
has introduced advanced ‘Nano surface disinfection against germs. the refrigerator and therefore the
Disinfection Technology’ to its exposed food surfaces against any
range of frost-free refrigerators, for germs which may be present on it.
which the company has also filed The machines are available in 244-
a patent. The Nano Disinfection 350 litres capacity starting from
Technology uses a special anti- Rs 29,000. With this technology,
germ nano coating in the air flow the company aims to strengthen
duct of the refrigerator. The air its market position and increase
passing through this duct gets health-oriented solutions to 30 per
disinfected and as it circulates, cent of overall portfolio in 2022.

PerkinElmer India picks Thermo Fisher
Everest Instruments as channel
partner for dairy testing solutions offers new

PerkinElmer Inc. is set to provide customers with even greater access sample prep
to its extensive and innovative dairy testing portfolio as it welcomes
Everest Instrument as its head dairy solutions distributor in India. solution for food
Ahmedabad-based Everest Instruments is a leading, advanced
automation, digital solution, and device provider for the Indian dairy safety testing
industry. The collaboration is aimed at helping organisations across
the large, in-country supply chain leverage innovative technologies Food industry, government and
designed to meet regulatory and consumer demands, like the contract testing laboratories performing
recently announced PerkinElmer IndiScope FT-IR raw milk analyser. food safety analysis can now benefit
The IndiScope analyser, developed in India and available globally, from a new portfolio that offers cost-
establishes key quality indicators and detects adulterants right at effective, robust Solid-Phase Extraction
milk collection points in just 30 seconds. PerkinElmer’s dairy and (SPE) solutions to support food safety
milk testing portfolio covers composition testing (e.g., fat, solids not workflows and meet regulatory
fats (SNF) and protein), as well as detection of veterinary residues, requirements across Europe, Asia and
adulterants and pathogens in liquid and solid forms, spanning from the Americas. The Thermo Scientific
collection points through processing and food production plants. QuEChERS product line provides an easy-
Automation, services, software and reagents round out the offerings. to-use, sample preparation workflow,
with sample extraction and cleanup kits
that allow for comprehensive pesticide
residue extraction to produce cleaner
extracts for chromatographic analysis.
With pre-weighed, high-quality salts
and sorbents, specifically designed to
eliminate salt clumping during sample
preparation, laboratories will achieve
reliable and reproducible results,
allowing them to meet regulatory food
safety requirements.

50 LET’S TALK FOOD NUFFOODS SPECTRUM | February 2022 | www.nuffoodsspectrum.in

Adopting Millets for

nutritional and agri resilience
Undernutrition and malnutrition remain a major
challenge for India. Along with a diversified intend to identify and address these challenges in a
diet we are emphasising development of systematic and effective manner.
biofortified crops for quicker solutions to improve
the health of women and children. As it is well NITI Aayog signed a Statement of Intent (SOI) with
known traditional diets include a significant amount WFP on December 20, 2021. The partnership focuses
of millets (nutra cereals) which have much better on mainstreaming of millets and supporting India in
nutrition and health effects. However, rice and wheat taking lead globally in knowledge exchange using the
have replaced these millets in the diet. The Millet opportunity of 2023 as an International Year of Millets.
Mission has been started to reverse this trend. Further, the partnership will aim at building resilient
livelihoods for small-holder farmers and adaptation
capacities to climate change and transforming food

Researchers discovered that when rice is substituted systems. Under the partnership, WFP and NITI Aayog

with millets, these ‘smart foods’ can boost growth in will support the documentation of good practices on
children and adolescents by 26-39 per cent and can mainstreaming millet and provide technical support to

significantly help in overcoming malnutrition. A report state governments and other institutions including the

of the study conducted by seven organisations in four Indian Institute of Millets Research.

countries, was published in the journal Nutrients. The The SOl focuses on strategic and technical
research was a meta-analysis of 22 studies on humans collaboration between NITI Aayog and WFP, to

and eight laboratory studies on millet consumption strengthen climate resilient agriculture for enhanced

and anaemia, led by the International Crops Research food and nutrition security in India. Bolstering this
Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT). It revealed commitment, the WFP and the Government of Odisha
that regular consumption of millets can improve have joined hands on January 13, 2022 to improve the

haemoglobin and serum ferritin levels to reduce iron food security of small and marginal farmers in India by

deficiency anaemia, which is rising globally. strengthening their resilience to climate change. In a
Recognising the importance of millets, the participatory pilot initiative, climate advisories will be
tailored to enable smallholder farmers to adapt to the
Government of India observed 2018 as a year of millets

to encourage and promote millet production. The impact of climate change. Smallholder farmers, who

initiative is aligned with India’s global commitment to constitute 90 per cent of farming communities in Odisha,
achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). will be able to select the right farming and livelihood

Leading this initiative further, the Centre spearheaded options to improve their food security and incomes.

the UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution that WFP and the state agriculture department will develop

promotes diversified, balanced and healthy diets toolkits, modules, and guidelines during the project to
through the sustainable production and consumption provide climate services to smallholder farmers.

of climate-resilient and nutritious millet. The resolution The State of Odisha has implemented Millet Mission

has led to the declaration of 2023 as the International very successfully since 2017 which offers critical

Year of Millets. learnings as a model for other states. Recognising
Numerous steps have been taken to promote its contribution the Government of India has asked

millets, including establishment of centre for Excellence, all states to adopt the Odisha Millets Mission (OMM)

Integration of nutri-cereals in National Food Security Act model for promotion of millets, pulses and oilseeds.
and establishment of Millet Mission in multiple states. Cambridge University, too, has partnered with OMM
Despite this, various challenges in terms of production, to explore the possibility of adopting OMM as an

distribution and adaptability among consumers remain. alternative to the Green Revolution framework. By

Under the distribution system, there needs to be a clear following this model, farming communities can make
shift from‘calories fundamentalism’to providing a more informed decisions for a transformation towards a more
diversified food basket, including coarse grains and productive and resilient agricultural system.

millets to improve the nutritional status of pre-school Narayan Kulkarni
children and women of reproductive age. NITI Aayog Editor
and United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)
[email protected]