We are what we eat 2.0

What makes food unsafe?
• bad practices (poor hygiene, reliance on
antibiotics and pesticides)
• unproven or risky technologies (genetic
modification, nanotechnology, irradiation,
cloning)
• deliberate contamination (such as tampering)
• just poor supervision,
• Genetic predisposition causing allergies, and
• Food habits including the combinations

Food is as safe as it is grown

• What is sprayed comes to your
plate

• What is left comes into your
bottle of water, tea, coffee,
softdrink, packed or breast milk

Pesticides are poisons
• Bhopal gas tragedy and Endosulfan
poisoning in Kerala killed and
effected lives of millions of people
and poisoning continues
• Nagarjuna chemicals in Srikakulam
• During 2005 studies show that more
than 500 people died spraying
pesticides in Warangal district alone
• Only 99 % of the pesticide sprayed
is useless and spreads in air mixes
in soil and water
• CSE study showed that farmers
blood in Punjab, Vegetables in
Delhi, Hyderabad, soft drinks and
bottled water across the country
pesticide residues beyond toxic
limits
• Pesticides constitute 40% to 60% of
Cost of Cultivation in many crops…

Pesticide residues in your food and water
• Pesticides used in production of crops and
storage are retained as residues in your food
• Pesticide residues also contaminate all sources of
fresh water, seen in bottled water and soft drinks
• Body Burden defined as the total pesticide
residue in a human is the highest in India
• Breast milk has pesticide residues beyond
tolerant limits
• 51% of the food in India is contaminated with
Pesticide Residues
• Products like Chillies that are never washed
contain heavy does of Pesticides in them

NIN found 18 pesticides in
Hyderabad vegetables, Feb’ 2012
• Atrazine • Chlorfenvinphos
• Propanil • Diazinon
• Imidacloprid • Phosalone
• Triazophos • Fenitrothione
• Ethion • Acephate
• Monochrotophos
• Simazine
• Quinalphos
• Malathion
• Metribuzin
• Alachlor
• Cholrpyrifos
• Aldicarb

Binjal, Cabbage, Cauliflower, Tomato, Bendi

Bio-accumulation and Bio-magnification
• Bio-accumulation is the phenomenon when an organism absorbs a
toxin at a rate greater than that at which the substance is lost. For
instance, when the half life period (the time that it takes to
disintegrate or get destroyed by half) is very long, bio-accumulation
poses a greater risk of chronic poisoning by that toxin. Those chemicals
that are lipid-soluble (fat-soluble) also create bio-accumulation
especially in women with more fat-tissue, for example.
• Bio-magnification, on the other hand, is the increase in the
concentration of a pesticide along the food chain (pesticides ending up
in water bodies ending up in fish, eaten by birds, eaten further down
by animals and then by humans etc.). The substances become
concentrated in tissues or internal organs as they move up the chain.
This phenomenon of buildup is usually connected with persistence,
slow metabolisation and excretion often due to water insolubility etc.
• While bio-accumulation occurs within an organism, bio-magnification
occurs across food chain

What reports say?
1999 AICRPPR Report had the following findings for instance:
• 20% samples exceed MRLs (all commodities included)
• Finds fruits, vegetables and milk to be highly contaminated
• In states like UP and Kerala, more than 40% fruits and vegetable samples
exceeded MRLs – finds monocrotophos, DDVP and Methyl Parathion as
most prevalent – all 3 WHO class I pesticides
• Finds 78% milk samples exceeding HCH MRL and 43.4% exceeding DDT
MRL
2001 AICRPPR Report:
• Again finds high contamination levels in fruits and vegetables – 61%
contaminated – 11.7% failed MRLs
• In milk, contamination still high – 15.2% failed HCH MRL and 7.7% failed
DDT MRL.
• Finds new pesticides like Endosulfan, chlorpyrifos and chlorthalonil in
milk.

Who regulates whom?
• In 2003, CSE findings on pesticides in bottled water in India, followed by another
analysis on pesticides in soft drinks
• Fourth time in Indian history and for the first time on health and food safety, a
Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) was set up to look into Pesticide Residues in
and Safety Standards for Soft Drinks, Fruit Juice and other beverages
• Ministry of Agriculture’s scheme called “Monitoring of Pesticide Residues at
National Level” (started in 2005-06, with 21 labs representing various ministries)
The main findings of this monitoring scheme for 2010-2011 are:
• Out of a total of 15321 samples analysed, residues were detected in 1044 or 6.8%
of samples; out of this, residues were detected above maximum residue limit in
188 or 1.2% of samples.
• 11.5% of the 5170 vegetable samples were contaminated, with 2.3% being above
MRL; only 0.9% of 2062 fruit samples were found to fail MRLs.
• None of the fish/other marine product samples or CTC tea or pulses samples or
milk/meat/eggs/honey/soil samples were found to be contaminated.
• These findings however do not reflect or resonate with the findings from various
independent studies from around the country, including from various
government/public sector institutions.

Skin Prick test
Skin Allergies with GM Soya
• To improve the nutritional
quality, methionine-rich 2S Brazil nut allergin
albumin from Brazilnut
(Bertholletia excelsa) was
introduced into soybeans
• Study shows that an allergen
from a food known to be
allergenic can be transferred
into another food by genetic
engineering

(Nordlee J A, Taylor S L, Townsend B S ,
Thomas L A & Bush R K, 1996: “Identification Transgenic soya
of a Brazilnut allergen in transgenic
soybeans”, The New England Journal of
Medicine, Volume 334: 688-692)

Health Hazards: Various studies & instances

 1998: Arpad Puzstai’s study on GM
Potatoes – change in organs (liver, heart,
Intestinal Wall brain) of rats & immune systems-CaMV
promoter effect??
• Potentially pre-cancerous cell growth in
the digestive tract
Non-GM GM
• Smaller brains, livers and testicles

Stomach lining • Partial atrophy of the liver, and
• Immune system damage
S. W. Ewen, A. Pusztai, 1999: “Effect of diets
containing genetically modified potatoes
Non-GM expressing Galanthus nivalis lectin on rat
small intestine” Lancet 354(9187):1353

GM

Health hazards…contd.
 1998: Monsanto & Russian Academy of Medical Sciences –
GM Potatoes – higher organ & tissue damage: “Not safe to be
used in the nourishment of people”
[“Medical-biological investigations of transgenic potatoes, resistant to the Colorado beetle
(under agreement with Monsanto Co.)”, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Institute of
Nutrition, Moscow, 1998. Signed off by V.A.Tutelian, Deputy Director. Physiological,
biochemical and morphological investigations in rats. Full Report 275 pp, including raw
data.]

 1999: Journal of Medicinal Food – beneficial phytoestrogen
compounds lower in GE soybeans – 12-14% lower
[Marc Lappe, E. Britt Bailey, Chandra Childress, Kenneth D.R. Setchell, 1999: “Alterations in
Clinically Important Phytoestrogens in Genetically Modified, Herbicide-Tolerant Soybeans”,
The Journal of Medicinal Food, Vol. 1:4, pps. 241-245]

 2001: Starlink Corn contamination – one billion dollars’ cost of
recall….

Health hazards….
 2003: Terje Traavik – Filipinos & allergies (skin, respiratory,
intestinal, with fever) – pollination of Bt corn field – blood
tests showed an immune response
[Terje Traavik & Jeffrey Smith, 2004: “Bt-maize (corn) during pollination, may trigger
disease in people living near the cornfield”,
http://www.mindfully.org/GE/2004/Bt-Corn-Human-Disease24feb04.htm]

 2004: Nature biotechnology – only human feeding trial of GM
crops – gene transfer from GM soy to human gut bacteria!
[Netherwood et al, “Assessing the survival of transgenic plant DNA in the human
gastrointestinal tract,” Nature Biotechnology 22 (2004): 2]
 2005: Monsanto – Bt Maize – kidney abnormalities & high
WBC levels
[Seralini et al, 2007: New Analysis of a Rat Feeding Study with a Genetically Modified
Maize Reveals Signs of Hepatorenal Toxicity, Archives of Envir.l Contamination &
Toxicology, Vol. 52, No 4 ]

 2005: Irina Ermakova – offspring
of GM-soy-fed rats die – growth
abnormalities
 Within three weeks, 25 of the 45
(55.6%) rats from the GM soy
group died compared to only 3
of 33 (9%) from the non-GM soy
group and 3 of 44 (6.8%) from
the non-soy controls.
Rat testicles

On the right is a 20-day old rat from GM
soy-fed study group and at left is a 19-day
old rat from control group
Control GM soy fed
Ermakova, I: Preliminary Findings presented at Symposium of National Association for
Genetic Security, October 10, 2005; also,
"Influence of genetically modified soya on the birth-weight and survival of rat pups" In
Proceedings of the Conference Epigenetics, Transgenic Plants & Risk Assessment,
Institute for Applied Ecology, Frankfurt, 2006, pp. 41-48

Health hazards…
 2005: University of Urbino - misshapen nuclei in liver cells of
rats – dramatic reduction in enzyme production in pancreas –
cells in liver, pancreas and testes affected
Malatesta M, Caporaloni C, Gavaudan S, Rocchi MB, Serafini S, Tiberi C, Gazzanelli G.
(2002): “Ultrastructural morphometrical and immunocytochemical analyses of
hepatocyte nuclei from mice fed on genetically modified soybean”, Cell Struct
Funct. 27: 173-180; Manuela Malatesta, et al, (2002): “Ultrastructural analysis of
pancreatic acinar cells from mice fed on genetically modified soybean”, Journal of
Anatomy, Volume 201 Issue 5 Page 409

 Cooked GM soy is reported to contain twice the amount of
soy lectin, which can also block nutrient assimilation
Stephen R. Padgette et al, 1996:, "The Composition of Glyphosate-Tolerant Soybean
Seeds Is Equivalent to That of Conventional Soybeans," The Journal of Nutrition,
vol. 126, No. 4

 2007: study done by Vavilov's Agrarian
University in Russia: RoundUp Ready soy
approved for human consumption in the
Russian Federation and in many other
countries, induced serious changes in the
morphology of viscera (liver, kidney, testis)
of mice, in their histological and cell
structures. GM-soy also is found to impact
the size of litters, and the mortality of the
young.
 2011: A recent study from Canada
published in the Journal ‘Reproductive
Toxicology’ has shown that Bt proteins have
survived the human digestive system and
passed into the blood supply and found in
the unborn babies (
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21338670
).
On top is a mouse fed with GM soya and at the bottom is one fed with non-GM soya, in this Russian study

Can there be a choice to consumer?
 Labelling still to be put in place
 How primary products like vegetables would be labelled ?
 Who is accountable ?
 In a country with more illiteracy how to implement ?

 Problems with detection due to
 Degradation of DNA
 High degree of processing
 Low amount of ingredient

 Highly Processed food
 May contain GMOs (oil, starch, glucose syrup)
 Detection not possible, no DNA left after processing

 Mixed processed food
 May contain GMOs in flour, or any other ingredient
(e.g. cheese)
 Detection possible but in most cases very
complicated, time consuming and expensive

How, what, who and where to detect ?

Food processing, storage

• Highly polished rice-
diabetes
• Calcium carbide used
in ripening
• Wax coated apples
• Transfats in edible
oils

Food Adulteration
• Synthetic milk
• Metalic colors on
greens
• Growth hormones to
fruits and animals
• Animal oils
• Turmeric,
chillipowder, tea
adulteration

Changing Food Habits
• Loosing diversity in food
• Millets, minor fruits, vegetables disappearing
• Unseasonal vegetable
• Pizzas, softdrinks, icecreams
• Unnatural combinations: cooldrinks/ice
creams after fatty food

Junk food
• Junk food is bad for health
• It lacks nutrition and is loaded with empty calories
(refined carbohydrates)
• High on Salt, Sugar and Fats, including Trans fat
• Unhealthy diet is one key cause of the growing global
burden of disease-WHO
• Changing diet -- low on nutrients and high on salt,
sugar and fat, are directly indicted to disease.
• Junk food is responsible for rising cases of obesity and
non communicable diseases (NCDs) like cardiovascular
diseases and diabetes

Salt in your food
• The amount of dietary salt consumed is an
important determinant of blood pressure
levels and overall cardiovascular risk.
• WHO recommends salt intake of less than 5
grams per person per day; NIN recommends 6
gm
• India has a serious salt problem; more than
40% population consume above 10 gm/day

Nutritional guidelines
• Fats: 15-30% of total calories
• Trans fats: Max. 1% of total calories
• Carbohydrates: 55-75% of total calories
• Proteins: 10- 15% of total calories
• Sugar: 20-25 gm/day added sugar
• Salt: 5-6 gm/day
Person Kilo Carbohydrate Salt Total fats Transfats
calories (gm/day) (gm/day) (gm/day) (gm/day)
allowed/
day
Adult male 2,320 290-348 6.0 39-78 2.6
Adult female 1,900 263-315 6.0 35-70 2.1
Children (10-12 yr) 2,100 238-285 6.0 32-64 2.3

Potato chips
• Total fats: 33 gm
• Carbs: 57.5 gm
• Trans fats:
• 0.6 gm (Bingo Oye Pudina)
• 3.7 gm (Lay’s American style cream & onion, March, 2012 batch)
• Salt:
• 1.2 gm (Lay’s American style cream & onion
• 3.5 gm (Uncle chips Spicy Treat)

What these numbers mean?
Values per 100 gm
• Munching a standard-sized packet (65-75gm); finish about half of the daily fats
quota.
• Munching a packet of Lays March, 2012 batch will exceed Trans fat quota
• And a packet of Uncle Chips Spicy Treat 60-70% salt quota

Study done by CSE, New Delhi March 30, 2012

Indian Snacks
Total fats: 36 gm
Carbs: 50 gm
Trans fats:
• 0.7 gm (Kurkure masala munch)
• 2.5 gm (Haldiram’s Aloo Bhujia)
Salt:
• 1.6 gm (Kurkure masala)
• 3.3 gm (Haldiram’s Aloo Bhujia)


* Values per 100 gm
• Highly fatty food; Don’t eat too much Aloo Bhujia – will get heavy dose of salt and
Trans fat
• Eating a packet of Kurkure will exhaust one-third of your calorie quota and two-
third of your total fat quota


Carbonated drinks
Carbs:
• 14 gm (Pepsi Cola)
• 14.8 gm (Coca-Cola)

They say all of it is Sugar
* Values per 100 gm
• A 300 ml bottle will have over 40 gm sugar;
consumption of a single bottle will exhaust your
added sugar quota almost twice over

Instant noodles
Total fats:
• 14 gm
Carbs:
• 72 gm
Trans fats:
• 0.6 gm (Masala Maggi)
• 0.7 gm (Top Ramen, Super Noodles)
Salt:
• 4.2 gm (Masala Maggi)
• 3.2 gm (Top Ramen, Super Noodles)

* Values per 100 gm
• Highly salty food with lots of empty calories; 70% of calories is just from refined
carbohydrates
• Eating a packet will exhaust more than half of your daily salt quota

Burgers
• Total fats: 10.5 gm in veg --- 13.5 gm in non-veg
• Carbs: 33 gm in non-veg --- 43 gm in veg
• Trans fats: 0.4 gm
• Salt: 1.2 gm in non-veg – 1.8 gm in veg

• Highly salty food with lots of empty calories; non-
veg high on fat (40-45%); veg high on refined
carbs (55%)

Fries
• Carbs: 56 gm
• Salt: 0.4 gm; Add to taste

• Rich in Trans fat; a medium fries (about 150
gm) will exceed your safe limit for Trans fat

Pizzas
• Carbs: 50 gm
• Salt: 1 gm
* Values per 100 gm
• Low on fat, salt and Trans fat; high on refined
carbs --- only the basic version

Chicken fries
• Total fats: 23.4 gm
• Carbs: 14 gm
• Salt: 0.9 gm

• A two piece KFC chicken (about 250 gm) will
exceed your Trans fat and total fat

Carbs sugar fats

r

Transfats
T salts % of daily need

• This meal will stuff you with fats and trans
fats, and take care of 60-70% of your calorie
requirement for the day

Carbs sugar fats

Transfats salts % of daily need


Food Laws
Food laws in our country
The Indian Parliament has recently passed the Food Safety and
Standards Act, 2006 that overrides all other food related laws.
Such as;
Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, 1954
Fruit Products Order,1955

Meat Food Products Order ,1973;
Vegetable Oil Products (Control) Order, 1947

Edible Oils Packaging (Regulation) Order 1988

Solvent Extracted Oil, De- Oiled Meal and Edible Flour (Control)
Order, 1967,
Milk and Milk Products Order, 1992 etc are repealed
after commencement of FSS Act, 2006.

2004
2006
Commnity Managed Sustainable Agricutlure in
Andhra Pradesh
2004-05 started with 225 acres in one dist and
reached 7 lakh acres in 2007-08 in 18 dist. today
the prog covers 20 lakh acres in 18 dist
World Bank says this is a good tool for poverty
eradication
With 50 % development expenditure one can
double the incomes of the farmers
2009

Farmers and area covered under CMSA
RKVY funds MKSP funds

pilot * Planned intervertion
CSA handholding support
NGOs technical support at field level

SHG groups ind. handling
…aiming to reach 100 lakh acres across crops in all districts of AP in by 2014

Who benefits from your purchase
• Farmer gets Rs 15 for each kg of rice you
purchase at Rs 35

• Farmer gets Rs 30 for each Kg of Toor Dal you
purchase at Rs 80

• In case of other foods the farmer’s share is
similar or lesser.

• In processed foods farmers share is less than
10% and the rest goes to the Industry,
advertising and sales.

• Your purchases in retail chains go towards
energy-hogging facilities like air-conditioned
stores, cold storages and transportation all of
which have a huge ecological cost.

YOUR CHOICES CAN IMPROVE YOUR
HEALTH, THE ENVIRONMENT AND
LIVELIHOODS

How your choice of food impacts
livelihoods?
• What you buy is what is grown

• Where and from whom you buy determines the farmers’ share in
your rupee

• Today farmers income is less than Rs. 20/- a day

• Perpetual losses and indebtedness is driving farmers suicide

• 16 of the 32 crisis ridden districts are in AP

www.indiaforsafefood.in
www.csa-india.org
www.agrariancrisis.in
Facebook: ramoo.csa; indiaforsafefood

SAFE FARMING FOR SAFE FOOD

We are what we eat 2.0

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