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Fermented foods from jalebi to dosa are common across India. Scientists are now focusing on them as fermented foods are not just a part of food culture but they also harbour microbial diversity. A study of 'starters’ that are used to prepare ethnic fermented foods in Sikkim and Meghalaya has revealed that they have rich microbial diversities. The novel study was undertaken to find out the type of bacteria and fungi present in two traditionally prepared ‘starters’-marcha and thiat-which are used to ferment a variety of starchy substances to produce a sweet alcoholic beverage popular in the two north-eastern states. The traditional practice of using marcha and thiat starters in the process of fermentation is an integral part of socio-cultural heritage of Sikkim and Meghalaya respectively. This technique also helps in keeping alive important locally-found bacteria and fungi which could otherwise disappear over time.Marcha and thiat are traditionally-prepared starters similar to s...

The doctor's words will always ring in your ears: eat more protein-rich foods. But this timeless advice may be hard to implement if the latest report of the National Institute of Nutrition (NIN), Hyderabad, is to be believed. The levels of protein in Indian foods, both vegetarian and non-vegetarian, are declining rapidly. For instance, between 1993-94 and 2011-12, protein levels in beans dropped around 60 per cent; in brown lentil (whole), it went down by 10 per cent; and, in goat meat, it has come down by 5 per cent. Protein is a vital macronutrient needed to cope with the wear and tear of the body, in making enzymes and hormones. It is the building block of bones, muscles, cartilage, skin and blood. The deficiency of protein can manifest itself in many ways—sluggishness, slow recovery from injuries and brain fog (lack of focus). If not addressed, this deficiency can lead to nutritional diseases in children like Kwashiorkor and Marasmus. According to a recent report of the Na...

As aerated drinks are in the category of demerit goods, they come under the highest GST slab of 28 per cent. Credit: Max PixelAs aerated drinks are in the category of demerit goods, they come under the highest GST slab of 28 per cent. Credit: Max Pixel The Goods and Services Tax (GST) council agreed on May 18 to fix the compensation cess rate at 12 per cent for aerated beverages. As they are in the category of demerit goods or sin goods and luxury goods, they come under the highest GST slab of 28 per cent. It means, aerated beverages will attract a total tax of 40 per cent (28+12). “The changed tax structure is likely to have an incremental impact on the price of aerated beverages overall in the country. Impact will vary from one state to another on account of difference in the prevailing tax structure in the states,” says Rajat Mittal, an Indirect Tax lawyer and Senior Associate at Advaita Legal. In the existing tax regime, two taxes: central excise (central tax) and VAT, which ...

Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has recommended additional taxation on ultra-processed food and sugar-sweetened beverages. India’s top food regulatory authority also suggested a ban on advertising foods with high fat, salt and sugar content on children’s shows and channels. The recommendations were recorded in a report released on May 8 by an 11-member expert group set up by the body. The expert group was set up in 2015 after Delhi High Court ordered FSSAI to issue guidelines for making available wholesome, nutritious, safe, and hygienic food to school children in India. Other recommendations of FSSAI include nutrient specific guidelines, monitoring systems to assess fat, salt and sugar intake periodically, nutrition education and awareness, reformulating commercialised products, positive nutritional labelling, among others. However, the report lacks clarity on how these recommendations would be implemented as it does not assign roles and responsibilities to...

Recently at the release of our book First Food: Culture of Taste, which discusses the link between biodiversity, nutrition and livelihoods, I was asked a question. “Why do you not, as an environmentalist espousing the cause of traditional and local diets that are sustainable, condemn meat eating? After all, meat production is bad for climate—agriculture contributes roughly 15 per cent of all greenhouse gas emissions and half of this comes from meat production. It also has a huge footprint in terms of land and water consumption since an estimated 30 per cent of the world’s land not covered with ice is used to grow food, not for humans but for livestock. A 2014 University of Oxford study on British diets found that meat-rich diets—defined as eating more than 100 g of meat per day per person—emitted about 7.2 kg of CO2 per day as compared to 2.9 kg of CO2 emitted by vegan diets. So, figuring out the sustainable diet should be a no-brainer, I was told. I differed. As an Indian (I underl...