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Over 13% of 2.4 lakh product samples failed lab tests
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Tuesday, 03 January, 2023, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Venkatesh Ganapathy
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Today marketing of food products has to be visceral and also directed at intellect. Indian consumers are becoming more and more empowered due to easy access of information online. When it comes to matters of food and nutrition, consumers have become fitness-conscious after the Covid-19 pandemic and believe in eating healthy to stay fit.
Consumers are keen to know the source of food items and whether these sources are sustainable. They believe that the food products that they buy and consume must be of superior quality. Therefore, food and beverage manufacturers are now forced to disclose full product traceability norms to meet consumer expectations. Stringent regulations and globalised supply chains coupled with geopolitical risks are complicating matters further.
According to FSSAI data, since 2011, over 13% of the 2.4 lakh product samples of different food items had failed laboratory tests. Before beginning commercial production, food must undergo testing and receive the proper certification from an Indian food testing lab. This eliminates public health risks.
Food testing and inspection are necessary in India's modern food business to guarantee good or acceptable quality and safeguard the general public's health. The need for food testing has grown as the occurrence of adulteration has become more widespread among consumers. This problem is widespread in the food sector; hence the demand for food testing is important. India is one of the low-ranking nations in terms of food safety. Due to improper labelling, the content of many food products and their nutritional information are unknown to consumers. Food testing is increasingly a must in India to preserve the food products' overall general quality and ensure that they are safe to eat.
Ingredients have become a key source in consumer’s decision-making process to buy food products. Government of India has framed several norms, which are covered under Food Safety & Standards Act, 2006. Integrated test facilities are available in India with modern technology and highly sophisticated testing equipment.
Food testing by accredited and certified laboratories is a must to ensure safety and hygiene of food products. Food product testing is necessary to ensure that the food is free of physical, chemical, and biological hazards and to ensure that it is fit for human consumption. Examples of potentially hazardous food contaminants include metals, pathogens, cleaning agents, additives, preservatives, pesticides, adulterants, and more.
Food product testing is the scientific analysis of food and its contents to provide information about characteristics of food like its structure, composition, and physico chemical properties. In India, regulations set up by FSSAI are most vital and should be followed and monitored regularly.
Food allergens are proteins that appear in huge quantities. Normally allergens are tested in food products such as peanuts, gluten in grains, eggs, nuts and milk. Nutritional analysis provides accurate information on the nutritional content of food products. Nutritional labels state the total calorific value of the food, as well as total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrate, dietary fibre, sugars, protein, vitamins, calcium, and iron.
Let us investigate the types of testing facilities that are available
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Food
Production
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Quality
and quantity inspection
certification
services, soil
and seed testing, pesticide analysis and certification of
responsible practice, demonstrate sustainability
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Food
Manufacturing & Processing
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Nutritional
or residue testing, best practice certification and supply chain
digital monitoring
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Food
Retail, Service & Hospitality
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Microbial
testing, digital self-check technology and in-store audits
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Organic
food testing
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Food
claimed to be organic should be free from synthetic chemicals and
testing helps in locating the presence of any pesticides or
fertilisers
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Gluten-free
food test
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Gluten
is a complex protein found in wheat, barley, rye and triticale.
People who are gluten intolerant should avoid wheat products
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Other
tests
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Pesticide
residue analysis, food labelling, Vitamin D, vitamin E (low
level), Niacin, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 testing, presence of
Phosphorus, Iodine, Potassium, Pantothenic Acid, Magnesium,
Copper, Zinc and so on
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Testing
of Dairy products
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Analysis
of milk, cheese, other dairy products, as well as products
containing ingredients derived from milk, cheese, and other dairy
products. These tests are done to determine alkalinity,
dispensability, fat, milk fat, Lactose, milk solids, non-fat,
moisture, minerals, microbiological tests, and so on
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Range of requirements covered by food testing
• Testing the quality of a product
• Quality control
• Food inspection and grading
• Food authenticity check
• Testing for adulterants
• Nutritional labelling
• Food nutrient content analysis
• Shelf-life analysis
• Sensory evaluation
Audit and certifications are issued against the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) and other internationally acknowledged standards like • AHA (Allergie, Haut, Asthma – Allergy, Skin and Asthma, for allergen management)
• Codex Verified Approval Scheme
• Hygiene Monitored Approval Scheme
• IFS Broker (International Featured Standard)
• ISO 22000 – Food Safety Management
• ISO 28000 – Supply Chain Security Management
• ISTA (International Seed Testing Association)
• Marine Stewardship Council
Food testing can also be done with the help of food testing strips. These strips determine whether or not a food product contains bacteria or whether it can cause foodborne diseases or not. The first one is an Assay Enzyme Reactant Test. These strips are considered used to detect strains of E. coli and Salmonella. The second type of food testing strip is a gram-negative swab, which can be put directly on the food itself. This test is more efficient than the assay enzyme reactant test.
In order to increase India's share of global food trade and improve the overall quality of food safety and hygiene in the country, HACCP and ISO Standards must be met. The scheme's primary goal is to encourage the adoption of procedures like TQM, ISO 9000, ISO 22000, HACCP, GMP, and GHP.
Based on internationally recognised Codex Standards, the Quality Council of India has launched two certification programs called "IndiaGHP" and "IndiaHACCP" for food manufacturers and supply chain operators so that global standards can be met. Many countries have made HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) mandatory for sectors like fish, dairy and meat.
The food industry requires accurate food testing, unbiased information, and a solid quality management system. Testing confirms the food's safety for consumption and protects a food business from legal scrutiny. It aids in providing food manufacturers with industry-wide traceability, ensuring that their products are safe, free of contaminants, residues, or bacteria, and providing consumers with accurate nutritional information.
The law punishes food businesses that are found to be violating FSSAI regulations on food safety and hygiene or even making false nutritional claims with hefty fines or the loss of their business licence. Rigorous food testing is the only way for business to succeed in the long run and the best way to guarantee the quality and safety of a food product before it hits the market.
(The author is assistant professor with Presidency College, Bengaluru)
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