Beyond the Wrapper: Unmasking Packaged Food Secrets
- Sharanya Shenoy
- Jun 24, 2024
- 3 min read
Every millennial including myself remembers the time when “organic” or “natural “foods were thought to be consumed by the elites and celebrities only. But something did change for all during COVID. We as consumers wanted to boost our health and wellness. Consuming healthy foods, no longer became a trend but a necessity.
But how did this paradigm shift arise?
Over the years we have seen many consumables being adulterated. In items such as milk, paneer, pulses, edible oils, sugar, chilli, turmeric powder, the list is endless. As for packaged food, label reading was only limited to expiry date and manufacturing date the most popular green dot/brown dot/red dot, and to certain extent, calories. Beyond that the consumers assumed the packaged food to be “clean”.
The world is indeed moving at a fast pace thereby changing an individual's food intake habits as well. Our preferences have shifted from home-cooked food to packaged foods, from dining at restaurants to online food delivery, from movie theatres to OTT subscriptions. This has not only resulting in poor diet but also an increase in medical expenses as well.
image courtesy : istock photos
COVID got the people to dig further into what we were fuelling our bodies with. Prioritizing a healthy body and healthy mind grew awareness. their health and well-being, as well as a growing awareness of the detrimental effects of chemical-laden
The global food industries especially in countries like India face the tremendous challenge of feeding billions due to growing population, environmental disruptions, and inflation. To keep the prices affordable to the public, F&B industries started compromising on the products to maintain profit.
How else can you sell chocolates for INR 10 when the rate of cocoa has risen from INR 150-250/kg to INR 800/kg? well they started Utilizing cheaper materials like sugar grape seeds, and sunflower protein flour for producing chocolate without cocoa.
Image courtesy : The Sun UK
Here are a few common misleading label claims or rather tactics companies use to attract customers to buy more of their products.
(the table is created with reference to various sources mentioned in the end)
From unauthorized vendors to relaxed food safety policies to illegal vendors, these are
leading causes of compromise in food safety. Food fraud is directly harming consumer health and eroding away customer trust in the F&B industry.
To cover-up the companies have a great marketing team who are there to capture consumer interest by promoting unique selling points of their products with creative packaging and claims. So until and unless a consumer doesn’t clearly understand what the food labels exactly indicate , you are more likely to fall for the marketing tactics of "healthy foods".
As I was researching on this topic , I came across so many articles addressing the same issues from all across the world . The one thing common that all of them had was the sheer complexity of ingredient list along with "permitted preservatives/ food coloring" and grey areas of food restrictions, it is really difficult to single handedly point out one product/Company that is misleading us.
In order to prevent Industries from taking advantage of loopholes and grey areas with respect to ingredients, Food regulations and labeling standards must be stricter. Labeling standards must become more consumer friendly. Serving size should me more realistic than according to food regulations. It's good to see the youth slowly becoming conscious of their food choices with initiatives "label padega india" and Satvic Moment. How effective it is, only time shall tell... but for now it is a long road for change ahead.
But wait!
what about standard of foods without label? What about quality of food served in restaurants? What about ingredients used in bakeries and cafes?
image courtesy :NDTV Foods, Stock adobe,iphotos) Do we just blindly assume they are safe and upto food standards?
Well that's a story for another day :)
For now have chocolates, but ensure there is a major portion of cocoa instead of sugar.
Have ice creams, but ensure it is made of milk and not palm oil/ hydrogenated vegetable fats.
Enjoy the fried snacks in this monsoon , but ensure its not cooked in highly refined oils.
All i can say is enjoy all foods in moderation but keep in mind that the cleaner the ingredient list ,the better will be your food choices , the healthier you live.
References: https://www.indiatvnews.com/lifestyle/food-healthy-lifestyle-tips-make-healthier-food-choices-with-right-food-labels-493826 https://blog.aibinternational.com/is-india-on-the-verge-of-a-major-food-safety-shifthttps://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/voices/the-green-wave-indias-organic-food-market-poised-for-exponential-growth/https://startuptalky.com/the-rise-of-organic-food-brands-in-india/https://edantseva.gov.in/content/types-sugar
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