The waiters serving you food in trains will no longer be untidy and shabbily dressed.

Clean shaven with neatly cut nails and wearing crisp, ironed uniform with name badges —this is how the waiters will soon look.

Rattled by the increasing number of complaints, the Indian Railways has finally drawn up a plan that involves basic personal hygiene for its cooks and waiters in pantry cars.Sources said the plan needs to come in effect immediately and railways have been asked to start working towards implementing it at the earliest.

Besides cleanliness and hygiene of those handling food, the new policy by the railway board will allow you to taste regional cuisines, book a meal on the train and takeaway menus.The draft policy document has created a new post of a manager of a captain in each pantry car who would be in charge of the staff working in the pantry car.

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The Expert’s Thought: Hygiene in Trains is a must component of Hospitality. Hygienic Practices would help to minimize the  contamination by Food Handler.

Sabrina Scott appreciates the benefit of working out in a group. The 48-year-old New Yorker lost about 40 pounds in a year by attending Francesca Meccariello’s fitness classes at Equinox gym. “I like the camaraderie and support of a class,” says Scott. “Working out at home doesn’t work for me.” Scott’s classmates not only encourage her to come to class, they compliment her on her new figure and tell her she is an inspiration to them. “I can’t tell you how good that makes me feel, especially when I’ve been working so hard at it.”

Experts agree that group exercise can be beneficial. “Working out in a group provides support, accountability, and structure,” says Lynne Vaughan, Chief Innovation Officer of the national YMCA. “People don’t want to let their buddy or group down, which is terrific in terms of adherence to an exercise routine.”

Patient information published in 2005 in the Journal of American Academy of Physician Assistants also recommends that people exercise with a partner or group because they “are more likely to stay on track.” The group encourages exercisers to involve family members, friends, and even pets, as “dogs need exercise too.”

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The Experts Thought: Exercise help you to stretch all your muscles which are in relax mode and keeps it active all the time. Heavy Exercise will help you to burn out your fat and thus preventing you from cardio Diseases.

Our control over our food and our health requires inventive institutional reordering and new ideas about the way food regulations work, writes Sunita Narain.

The Food contamination is harmful and shows the complete disregard of the regulatory system for safety over business. What can be done? The obvious answer is to improve the science of food regulation.

But no one is discussing how India should devise its regulations in a way they can promote food which is good for its people in terms of nutrition and health.

The answer is not so obvious because even though food regulations all over the world are designed for consumer safety, they end up compromising on the consumer’s health by willy-nilly pushing bad food and bad industrial food practices. So, the question I have is:

How does India improve not just the science but also the art of good food?

Even as I write this, two important discussions are taking place in two important food countries. In the US, the Senate is hotly debating the Food Safety and Accountability Act 2010, which would give more powers to the country’s food and drug administration to inspect and recall contaminated or mislabelled food.

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The Experts Thought: Food Safety has always been a major Challenge in India in terms of its regulation, its implementation and other regional Problems. Maintaining it accessible to all sections of society would be a tough job either.

As any veteran of the dieting wars can tell you, losing weight isn’t nearly as difficult as keeping it off over the long term.

“Whenever I take a diet history, I get a litany of weight-loss plans and programs from experienced dieters,” says Molly Gee, M.Ed., R.D., a weight-loss counselor and researcher at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Yet most dieters’ successes with these plans are short-lived and, annoyingly, the pounds quickly return. Gee calls it the “then some” problem: “A lot of women lose ten pounds, then regain it and then some. A few years later, they’ll lose fifteen pounds, but regain it and then some.” Many clients, she says, have entire wardrobes in several different sizes in their closets.

But it’s more than just a clothing issue, unfortunately. The consequences of weight cycling include an increase in disease risk, and the habit can also lead to an undesirable alteration in body composition that ups fat and decreases muscle. This bleak picture explains why nutrition experts advise you to shelve your yo-yo habits and break the cycle with long-term strategies.

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The Expert’s Thought: The Yo-Yo Diet is associated with extreme food deprivation as a substitute for good diet and exercise techniques. I think, one should adopt this diet after looking its physical and mental capability.

It is estimated that 25% of people with normal blood pressure and about 60% of those with high blood pressure are salt sensitive, which means that as salt intake goes up so does blood pressure.

“Salt to taste” as it reads in most recipes….at times far exceeds the sodium requirements of our bodies, resulting in water retention, stress on our kidneys and bloating up. Not to mention the fact that if you are salt-sensitive then you may be at a much higher risk of strokes and heart attacks.

Apart from the salt that you add to your food, do you know the amount of stealth salt you are exposed to? The papads, the pickles and the farsan that you eat have excessive salt and so does any other packaged food that you may be consuming on a regular basis. A good idea is to read the labels of what you are buying.

Let us help you identify the stealth salt in your food…

• Use less, or no, salt in cooking or preparing dishes like salads, sauces and dips.
• Remove the table salt and any salt seasoning – such as lemon, pepper, garlic and onion salts.
• You should set aside the masala sachets that come with instant noodles, readymade soups, sauces etc.
• Don’t use readymade salad dressings.

The Alternatives:
For additional flavour to your food, minus the excessive salt, keep a stock of fresh garlic, onion, ginger, parsley, coriander, and seasonings like, dry onion powder, dry mustard, nutmeg, black pepper and roasted cumin powder in your kitchen.

Source:  healthnnutrition.co.in

The Expert’s Thought: It’s easier to cut down on sodium when you are on a healthy diet of fruits, vegetables and low fat dairy products

Introduction

Several Acts and orders prevailed in India to safeguard food safety and the health of the consumer. They were introduced to complement and supplement each other in achieving total food safety and quality. However due to variation in the specifications/standards in different Acts/Orders, and administration by different Departments and Ministries, there were implementation problems and the a lack of importance given to safety standards over a period of time. The food industries were facing problems as different products were governed by different orders and ministries and the rules and regulations in the Country needed consolidation.

Food Safety and Standards Act 2006

The Food Safety and Standards Act 2006 was introduced to overcome these shortcomings and to give more importance to safety standards. This Act consolidates the laws relating to food and establishes the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSA) for laying down science-based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import, to ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption.

This Act provides for the establishment of the FSSA which is an autonomous body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. FSSA’s work programs ensure the provision of appropriate scientific, technical and administrative support for scientific committees and scientific panels, ensuring that the FSSA carries out its tasks in accordance with the requirements of its users, prepares statements of revenue and expenditure and executes the budget, while developing and maintaining contact with the Central Government and ensuring a regular dialogue with its relevant committees. The FSSA shall establish a Central Advisory Committee, and this committee shall advise the FSSA in drawing up proposals for the FSSA’s work program, prioritization of work, identifying potential risks, pooling of knowledge and other functions specified by the regulations.

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The Expert’s Thought: After FSSAI rules coming into picture, i personally think the incidences of Food Poisoning would show downward trend and will create mass awareness about Personal and Kitchen Hygiene

WEDNESDAY, Oct. 26 (HealthDay News) — Researchers have put the health promises of popular probiotic yogurts to the test and found they may alter the way in which food is metabolized.

But whether that means probiotic foods and supplements can improve your health remains to be seen, they said.

“Federal regulatory agencies are increasingly interested in evaluating all the health claims being made by probiotic food manufacturers,” said study co-author Dr. Jeffrey Gordon, a biologist and director of the Center for Genome Sciences at Washington University School of Medicine, in St. Louis. “So what we did was try to develop a model for the human gut that can give us a way to measure the effects.”

What they saw, Gordon said, “is that adding a few billion of these microbial organisms to a gut community already containing tens of trillions of bacteria can, in fact, influence the metabolism of food ingredients. The structure of the microbe community doesn’t change. But the function does.”

Funding for the research came from the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Danone Research, an arm of the food conglomerate that makes Dannon probiotic yogurt Activia.

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The Expert’s Thought: Yogurt is most consumed on daily basis. Any changes in its biochemical nature would affect the profile of the enzymes.

Liquids are very important for the human body, as they play a vital role in the detoxification process. In fact, many people have been known to follow a complete liquid diet too, so that they can cleanse their bodies once in a while. This is why health experts also ask people to drink a high amount of water, to get rid of all the toxins and impurities from the digestive tract. Apart from water too, there are other beverages, which are very helpful in repairing the liver and healing it. Some of the most commonly recommended liver cleansing drinks include:

• Lemon juice, but with no sugar and preservatives
• Grapefruit juice with some Epsom salts
• Herbal tea

At the same time, there are several food items that could have an adverse effect on the health and functioning of the liver and therefore, they should be avoided as far as possible. On case you are following a liver cleansing diet, the foods you need to steer clear off include:

• Sugar and other artificial sweeteners
• Foods that contain any pesticides, preservatives or additives
• Junk food
• Caffeine
• Aerated drinks
• Alcohol
• Red meat or lunch meat
• Fried food
• Processed food or food high in sodium

In order to maximize the success of the diet, it is absolutely essential to follow the liver cleansing diet steps carefully. There are also several recipes for liver cleansing diet that are easily available through health articles and online resources. However, it is absolutely essential to consult a doctor and get an approval before using any recipes, foods or drinks that detoxify the liver. In case the liver is already damaged, the repair procedure could take a bit longer. However, most health experts recommend that a liver cleansing diet should last for no more than three days or so.

The Experts Thought: Liver play an important role in the Digestion Process. They play a crucial role in Immunological functions, synthesizing albumin and Vitamins. Hence, a care should be taken for the its healthy state.

Over the last year, the Swedish Institute for Communicable Disease Control (Smittskyddsinstitutet, SMI) has seen a rise in reports from people in Stockholm contracting food poisoning from tuna.

However, the agency stopped short of issuing a warning to consumers to avoid eating the popular fish.

“Tuna is something that we all eat and there’s no reason to stop eating it,” Sofie Ivarsson, an epidemiologist at the agency, told The Local.

She added that the issue is something that those who handle fish professionally, such as distributors and restaurants, need to be aware of, as it is during the shipping and preparation process that the fish can become contaminated.

According to Ivarsson, there’s not much the individual consumer can do. She added that reason the rise in reports is limited to Stockholm may be due to the introduction in 2009 of a system allowing Stockholm residents to report suspected food poisonings online.

Since then, nine out of ten reports of histamine poisoning in 2010 originated from the Swedish capital. It is fairly uncommon to get histamine poisoning, sometimes called scombroid poisoning, from fish. When it happens, however, it is usually when eating fish from the scombridae family, which includes tuna, mackerel and wahoo fish.

The Experts Thought: Tuna is widely eaten and most popular fish in Scandinavian Region. The source of Tuna poisoning should be traced  and adequate steps should be placed to avoid mass food poisoning

We’re in the middle of a national health epidemic: According to the latest statistics, one in three American adults is considered clinically obese! So what’s behind our battle with the bulge? Experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say these four bad habits are largely to blame:
Eating out: Americans today are eating out more often than ever before. While it may save time, it’s not good for the waistline. Cut fat and calories by eating more quick-to-fix meals at home. If you must eat on the run, opt for the healthy choices on the menu.

Super-sizing: We want the best deal for our dollar, but getting oversize portions for a few cents more is no bargain. Stick to small orders, and even then be sure to watch your portion sizes — today’s “small” size can exceed a single recommended serving! The same goes for eating at home, too.

Liquid sugar: Health experts say Americans are literally drinking on the pounds. Reach for water or iced tea rather than soda or other sugary drinks. If you absolutely cannot give up soda, switch to sugar-free — but remember, even these drinks are full of artificial chemicals, so don’t overdo it!

Too much TV: Experts say our couch potato lifestyle is just as much to blame for our bulging bellies as what we eat. Instead of turning on the tube when you want to unwind, do something active! Go for a walk, head to the park, or get the family involved in a game of catch. Do anything but sit!

Source: Every Day Health

The Experts Thought: Obesity is the common problem what people around the world are facing today. Regular exercise, planned meal and simple dietary habits would help to avoid putting on.

Smarting after the food infection incident in September in which over 500 students of IIT-Bombay fell ill, the premier engineering institute has laid down strict rules for the new contractor to be appointed.
The mess contractor must pay heavy fines if he didn’t conform to the conditions laid down in the tender that was floated last week. The institute floated the tender inviting expression of interest for a new mess contractor for the common mess for students of hostels 12, 13 and 14, during the weekend.

If hard objects like glass pieces or nails are found in food, the mess contractor will be charged a fine amounting to Rs 15,000. They will also be fined heavily if objects like cloth or insects are found.

If the mess council finds the food uncooked, the contractor will be charged a fine of Rs 10,000. If the proprietor or his representatives are unable to attend the monthly meeting called by the mess council, they will be fined to the tune of Rs 10,000.

The last mess contractor’s contract was terminated after the incident. This time around, the institute has ensured that there will not be any kind of negligence.

The tender, which runs into 12 pages, has additional clauses on strict compliance of hygiene. While charging penalty is a regular feature, this time, the fine amounts have been increased to ensure strict adherence of norms laid down in the contract.

Most of the clauses have been prepared by the students on the campus.

Source: Times of India

Indian eateries that do not maintain food safety standards may find the going tough before long. A central food safety law has finally been instituted. Among other things, it will look into food safety violations by restaurants and manufacturers and provide compensation to victims.

Though the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA) was passed in 2006, it was not until August this year that the law was notified and its rules and regulations drafted and put into place. Until now, matters concerning food safety were dealt with under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954. However, experts say that the FSSA is much more comprehensive and tackles food safety issues head on. “The law tries to cover every possible aspect related to food safety and consumer rights protection. It is a progressive and well drafted law,” says Pervez Rustomkhan, a Mumbai-based advocate.

Indeed, the FSSA brings in its purview every sort of food — from genetically modified food to fortified food, mineral water, infant food, chewing gum, and so on. And even more significantly, it sets up a single reference point, the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), for all issues related to food safety and standards and harmonises them with international standards.

The FSSAI has been mandated to ensure the implementation of the food standards specified under the act. The body is to lay down the limits for food additives, set up the procedure for the accreditation of the bodies associated with food safety management, and regulate and monitor the manufacturing, processing, distribution, sale and import of food.

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The Expert’s Thought: Hope this Law be a boon for Food and Beverage Industry.

Diverticular disease describes two common diseases of the colon, diverticulosis and diverticulitis.

When small pouches form in the colon wall, the condition is called diverticulosis. The pouches, called diverticula, can become inflamed; when this happens, the condition name is diverticulitis. Diverticulitis can be dangerous if left untreated, causing bleeding, blockages, tears, and infection.

Diet and Diverticular Disease: Is Low Fiber the Cause?

“Diet probably has a role in the development of diverticular disease,” says Osama Alaradi, MD, a gastroenterologist and senior staff physician at the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Mich. Researchers have noticed that a low-fiber diet in particular seems to play a huge role.

“Countries where they continue to eat high fiber still have lower incidence of disease,” Dr. Alaradi explains. Diverticulosis and diverticulitis are less common in Africa and Asia, and most common in Western nations like the United States, where incidence reaches as high as 40 percent of people over age 60, Alaradi says.

In the United States, diverticular disease was less common at the beginning of the 19th century and has been steadily increasing since the 1960s. “Less exercise, more fast food, and less fiber. The lifestyle has changed,” Alaradi explains. “It’s much less common in vegetarians.” Vegetarian diets tend to be higher in fiber than non-vegetarian diets.

Source: Digestive Health

The Experts Thought: Diverticular disease” is the condition of having diverticula in the colon, which are outpocketings of the colonic mucosa and submucosa through weaknesses of muscle layers in the colon wall. Adding high fiber in diet would help to avoid this disorder and further complications.

For something so small, flaxseed has big benefits. Recent studies have shown that flaxseed, known to the world for thousands of years, may aid in lowering cholesterol, stabilizing blood sugar, reducing bone loss, promoting weight loss, increasing immunity, and fighting cancer, says clinical nutritionist Stella Metsovas of Laguna Beach, Calif.

Flaxseed is high in:

• Vitamins and minerals, including most of the B vitamins, magnesium, and manganese
• Fiber, both soluble and insoluble
• Phytochemicals, including many powerful antioxidants such as lignans. In fact, because it’s a plant, flaxseed is one of the best sources of lignans around, Metsovas says.
• Omega-3 fatty acids, key to fighting inflammation. Flaxseed is a mega-source of the plant version of omega-3 called alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). Flaxseed oil is about 50 percent ALA — five times more than walnut oil or canola oil, which are the next highest sources of ALA.

Flaxseed Benefits

Flaxseed may:

• Lower blood cholesterol and blood sugar levels. The soluble fiber in flaxseed has been shown to lower cholesterol, helping to prevent the buildup of plaque, which can clog arteries and lead to high blood pressure, stroke, or heart attack. Fiber is also believed to lower blood sugar levels, which is important for people who have type 2 diabetes.
• Reduce bone loss. A study of diabetic rats showed a delay in bone loss after they were fed flaxseed, thanks to its concentration of fatty acids.
• Help with weight management. Flax expands when ingested, making you feel fuller. You might want to take flax 30 minutes before meals to control your appetite.
• Improve digestive health. The fiber in flaxseed can help relieve constipation and make you more regular.
• Increase immunity. ALA has been shown to decrease inflammation, which allows your immune system to function better. Preliminary research suggests that flaxseed can help relieve autoimmune and inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, and lupus.
• Fight cancer. Studies show that flaxseed may have a role in fighting cancer, particularly colon and breast cancer. The benefit is based on its high concentration of lignans, which are believed to inhibit tumor growth.

Flaxseed Cautions

Metsovas says that, despite all the good research about flaxseed benefits, false claims about flaxseed do exist and more research is needed. She also thinks that fish oil, and its omega-3s, are more beneficial. “Although I hold flaxseed in high regard when it comes to fiber and colon health, I do not believe plant sources of omega-3s are as beneficial as fish oils,” she says.

The Experts Thought: It may be tiny, but it’s mighty: The flax seed carries one of the biggest nutrient payloads on the planet. Adequate consumption would help us to eliminate disorders.

As the result of the release of the FDA environmental assessment at Jensen Farms, the roles of all food safety persons involved at Jensen Farms-Frontera have rightfully come under fire. Once again the nature of industry-led food safety regulation itself (food safety auditing) is in question.

That all involved maintain some degree of responsibility for this disaster is without question. When a disaster like this occurs, one must ask who is responsible, but also why did it occur and how can it be prevented in the future.

The produce industry is unregulated and has been since the founding of this country, and this is the primary problem. In the recent past, we have become painfully aware of the inadequacies of our industry-led prevention efforts at the farm level. In defense of the effort, while much has been done, it has been a short time to change the nature of agriculture. This is what we are doing by implementing food safety strategies in open air and on-farm environments. We must also change the culture; animals on farms, for example, have been a given for centuries.

Food safety auditors executing a buyer-driven auditing model rely upon the certification body to develop and manage the standard that guides their work in the field. The standard is not a public health law and it is not developed like one. The auditor has no legal authority to demand records, embargo products, or close an operation, for example.

Enforcement, if you will, has been in the hands of the “buyers.” They rely on third-party audits, their own second-party audits, letters of guarantee and the like, before make buying decisions. Buying decisions should take into account food safety, but supply and demand pressures might induce buyers to purchase from sources without a clear safety margin. However wrong this is, there is nothing illegal about this practice.

Auditors currently are not required to inform FDA of violations, but auditors are currently required to know what regulatory violations have been cited in the records of the firm, and if they were corrected. Auditors are also expected to follow the guidelines of the audit and make an accurate assessment of findings. When this is not done we must ask why.

Source: FnB news

The Expert’s Thought: Food Safety Auditing would help to identify critical control points thereby eliminating hazards and ensuring safer food for human consumption.