Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission Amendment List -001 for 2018 The 8th Edition of the Indian Pharmacopoeia will come into effect from 1 April 2018. Based on Scientific inputs some monographs required to be upgraded. Therefore the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission has published an Amendment List-001 which contains these amendments. Pharmaceutical manufacturers will need to be compliance with […]
What are Naturally Occurring Toxic Substances – NOTS?
Naturally Occurring Toxic Substances (NOTS) are naturally occurring toxins that are found in certain types of foods, which may be of fungal, plant or marine origin. Fungal Toxins Fungal toxins include the following: Mushroom toxins Aflatoxins Ochratoxins Mushroom Toxins: The Death Cap Mushroom is deadly and its toxins cause 90% of all deaths related to […]
Your Breakfast Cereal: Does it Serve its Purpose?
Your breakfast is the most important meal of the day. After a night-long fasting, a wholesome breakfast will help pep you up for the day-long activities that will follow. A proper breakfast will set the tone for the day and will also get the metabolism going so that there is a smooth transition of the […]
Natural & Artificial Flavours – What Do the FSSAI Regulations Say?
Flavors can be either natural or artificial. Natural & Artificial Flavoursenhance the taste of the food to make it more appetizing. Flavoring Agents: These include flavoring substances/ extracts/preparations, which give the food its taste or odor or both. Flavoring agents are of three types. Natural Flavours and Natural Flavouring Substances: These are flavor preparations or […]
Monosodium Glutamate – Its use in food and the regulatory guidelines?
Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is the sodium salt of glutamic acid. This is a non-essential amino acid that is widely available in nature. Vegetables like tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, potatoes, mushrooms, and other vegetables and fruits contain naturally-occurring MSG. It is used as a flavor enhancer with an umami taste – the so-called “fifth taste” – that is responsible for the meaty, savory flavor of food. […]
What is the Role of Micronutrients in Food Products?
Micronutrients are nutrients that are required in very small amounts in our diet on a daily basis in order to replenish any deficits that may occur in our body. The standard Indian diet is usually deficient in many of the micronutrients that are essential for the proper functioning of the body. There are over fifty […]
Eating Food at the Roadside – What Should You Take Care?
World Health Organization estimates that 600 million people worldwide suffer from consumption of contaminated food, of which 420,000 die. This includes approximately 125,000 children in the under-5 years’ age-group (WHO, 2015). Five-year data (2011-2016) from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has shown that food-borne outbreaks along with acute diarrheal diseases account for almost […]
Butter vs. Margarine – Which is Better for Your Heart?
What is Butter? Butter is the product obtained by churning milk or cream. After churning, the milk solids constitute the butter, while the liquid is the buttermilk. Butter is conventionally prepared from cow’s milk, although it can also be prepared from the milk of other animals such as buffaloes, goat, sheep, and even yak. The […]
Desi Ghee vs Vanaspati – Which Will Kill You Sooner?
Ghee, also called clarified butter, originated in India and has been in use since antiquity in food recipes, Ayurvedic medicine, and religious rituals. The market size of ghee in India is INR 10,000 crores as of 2016. India is the world’s largest producer and consumer of ghee. Ghee is an ideal fat for deep frying because of its high smoke point at 250°C, so it […]
AOAC Method for Trans Fats Detection by Gas Chromatography
What is AOAC? The AOAC, currently known as AOAC INTERNATIONAL since 1991, was founded way back in 1884 as the Association of Official Agricultural Chemists by the US Department of Agriculture. Since 1965, AOAC has become known as Association of Official Analytical Chemists. Currently, the AOAC INTERNATIONAL reflects its international character. However, AOAC is not […]