Will stevia replace artificial sweeteners in India?

Being the descendant of a long line of diabetics or not-yet-diagnosed-possible-diabetics, I have always had it drilled into my head that I “must control my sugar intake”. I have therefore always looked on, in interest while Sanjeev Kapoor and Bipasha Basu swear by Artificial Sweeteners as their life savers on TV. The brands, Sugarfree Gold and Sugarfree Natura, contain aspartame and sucralose respectively. Sucralose is derived from sugar, while aspartame is a non-saccharide, an artificial chemical sweetener. While both are clearly sugar replacements, they can hardly be considered wholly natural and healthy options. Consumption of sucralose can possibly trigger migraine attacks. Most of the independent mouse studies about aspartame have found dangerous side effects in the subjects. But the worst part about artificial sweeteners is that there is no way to say for certain that they are safe for everyone.

One other such sugar replacement is stevia, a tropical plant native to South America. Stevia extracts have up to 300 times the sweetness of sugar, with the potential to enhance glucose tolerance, reduce blood pressure and control obesity. Since the market demand for food products that help control diabetes and obesity is extremely high; a product such as stevia should not find it hard to gain popularity. This is true even in the case of nations like India, where the demand for “luxury” food products is slowly catching up with the demand for necessities.

However, stevia has yet to overcome many hurdles to reach the popularity of aspartame and sucralose. There have been many debates, not just in the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, but also all over the world about the legalisation of stevia. Stevia has been in use for quite some time, however, it was only accepted as a food supplement or an additive recently. Australia, and New Zealand legalised stevia extracts in October 2008; the US FDA approved a stevia extract called Rebaudioside A in December 2008, while the European Food Safety Authority only approved stevia or Steviol glycosides as late as December 2011. Brands like Pepsi and Coca-Cola have already released stevia-versions of their beverages in North and South America, Europe, Japan and Turkey. However, no such laws have yet been approved in India, and the debate rages on.

A panel from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India submitted a recommendation for approving the product after companies like Cargill, Coca-Cola and Stevia Biotech submitted applications for the use of stevia in their products. The panel also included recommendations from WHO-EFSA (European Food Safety Agency), JECPHA (Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives) as well as Australian and New Zealand Government's regulations to support their arguments. But there has been no talk of its approval as a tabletop sweetener. Supporters of stevia cite the example of Japan, which uses the ingredient in over 80% of its food products and has never reported any negative effects. Supporters also say that there is no need to differentiate between stevia and other products; it can simply be used as a supplement, in combination with other additives.

Stevia, like any other product, has had to face many hurdles in the form of its various “side effects”. Reports pore in about its supposed link to cancer, its effect on fertility, both male and female, as well as its harmful effect on an unborn foetus. Some studies even claim that despite being sugar-free, the product is detrimental to dental health. It is important to know that there have been no reports that directly link any ailments to the use of stevia, and laboratory experiments study the effect of a purer strain of stevia, in a dose that is much higher than what would be normally consumed. However, stevia has been known to cause an allergic reaction, anaphylaxis, in people who are allergic to flowers like marigolds, chrysanthemums or daises with symptoms like hives, shortness of breath, dizziness, weakness etc. Another common problem with stevia consumption is that, in strong doses, it has a bitter after taste, with a liquorice-like mouthfeel.

The issue about stevia’s unpleasant after taste has already been remedied by most of the companies implementing the ingredient in their products. The side-effects of stevia, in the case of consumers with allergies, are also a lot clearer than those of artificial sweeteners where no accurate predictions can be made. This makes it easier for consumers to make informed choices. Aspartame and sucralose gained popularity almost overnight, once their benefits were made known. At the moment, stevia is not as well known in India as it is overseas. But I think it is only a matter of time till India catches on with the Western trend. Once approval for stevia’s use has been granted, which is believed to be around the corner, stevia versions of “Sugarfree” will bag as much air time on TV as their sucralose counterparts. Global brands like Pepsi and Coca-Cola are simply biding their time till stevia is approved in India to launch stevia-based products that are already being widely consumed in Europe and the US. While no one can predict how quickly stevia will gain popularity, I think with time, it will definitely be on par with artificial sweeteners.

UP stand on gutkha ban contrary to earlier assurance: HC

‘On May 23, the state said imposing ban was under active consideration of the govt; now the matter has been referred to the Centre again’
The state government has told the Allahabad High Court that it has referred the matter of banning manufacture, sale and consumption of gutkha to the Central government.
The court, however, said that it was contrary to the stand taken by the state government in May, when it had maintained that banning sale of gutkha was under its active and serious consideration.
The Advocate General sought permission for filing written arguments, for which the court gave him three days. The other respondents, Union of India and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), have been asked to file their replies on September 17, the next date of hearing.
On Monday, hearing a PIL filed by Indian Dental Association (IDA) seeking ban on gutkha in the state, a division bench of Justices Amar Saran and Anurag Kumar, said: “On May 23, the advocate general had stated that so far as gutkha is concerned, the question of imposing ban/restrictions was under active consideration of the state government. However, contrary to the aforesaid, the state has filed a short counter affidavit today in the court wherein it is mentioned that the state government has again referred the matter to the Centre and sent a letter as late as September 5 seeking directions in the matter.”
Counsel for petitioner, Vishnu Behari Tewari, also pointed out before the court that already, after Madhya Pradesh, 11 more states including Bihar, Kerala, Punjab, Chhattisgarh and Mizoram, have banned manufacture, sale and consumption of gutkha.
“Our argument is that states have been imposing bans on the basis of a regulation formulated by FSSAI of August 5, 2011, which says that tobacco and nicotine cannot be mixed in any food product. Gutkha and paan masala have been held as food products by the Supreme Court. The bans were challenged in the High Courts of Patna, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh, but those petitions were disallowed. So, there is no reason why gutkha cannot be banned in the state,” said Tewari.
The court also took note of the petitioner’s counsel pointing out that the state government had lowered the taxes on gutkha, indicating that it was not intent on banning or putting reasonable restrictions on gutkha’s use.

Gutkha pouches dangle no more at paan shops

The small gallawalas of the city said their business was ruined as the state government’s ban on sale of gutkha came into force from Tuesday onwards. However, big paan shop owners said the ban was unlikely to affect their clients.
The long dangling rolls of gutkha pouches disappeared from gallas and paan shops since morning as the prohibition order took effect. However, many customers, who did not know about the ban, were heard asking stall owners as to why the pouches were not available. Others were discussing the possible aftermath of the state government’s decision.
“Almost 25 customers today asked for gutkha pouches and I had to say them they were no longer available. I used to earn
Rs 500 per day from their sale and it was my main business,” a stallwalla in a corner of Illora Park area said.
However, he said the ban was welcomed and that people would change their habit gradually. “So far as my business is concerned, I hope that sale of paan and masala (betel nuts mixed with tobacco and lime) picks up,” he said adding he had returned old stock of pouches to his dealer friend.
But an owner of a popular paan shop in posh on RC Dutt road said he was not worried over the ban. “Gutkha sale was just 10 per cent of our daily turn over. We are more known for our paan and now customers will have to change their habit,” he said, adding the decision was in the greater interest of public health.
The paan shop owner said he had stopped taking his daily delivery of gutkha from Monday. Both the owners said nobody had come to check their outlets.
On the other hand, those who are in the habit of chewing gutkha, expressed mixed sentiments.
“I went to 10 stalls but did not find a pouch. I am sure many store owner have them but they are scared to sell them. I had to make do with masala. But it is very difficult for me to live without gutkha,” Sanjya Shah (40) said.
However, an elderly said the ban would help him get rid of his bad habit. “After years of chewing gutkha, I am hardly able to open my mouth. I hope this improves after I stop chewing it,” he said requesting anonymity.
The state government has banned sale, storage and production of gutkha under Food Safety and Standards Act 2006. The violators can be jailed for up to six months and fined up to Rs 5 lakh.
Deputy municipal commissioner (health) of Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) said, “We have formed five special teams and they will start checking shops and stalls for gutkha from tomorrow onwards in the city.”
RMC raids over 600 paan shops
On the first day of gutkha ban, the Rajkot Municipal Corporation (RMC) officials raided several paan shops and burned down all seized pouches.
However, the local body officers remained a bit lenient toward shop owners as most of them were unaware of the ban. The RMC had formed 12 teams that fanned across three zones of city on Tuesday. According to an official release, the teams raided 650-odd shops and recovered over 6,000 gutkha pouches.

“Address shortcomings in Food Safety Act” - THE HINDU

Adverse impact of the act on farmers highlighted by them in a petition

Twenty-one Members of the Parliament from Tamil Nadu have signed a petition urging the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad to address “shortcomings” in the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSA) 2006.

The Act established the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSA) as a statutory body coming under the Health Ministry for laying down science-based standards for articles of food and regulating manufacturing, processing, distribution, sale and import of food.

The petition was the result of a campaign undertaken by Tamil Nadu Foodgrains Merchants Association, which met all the 40 MPs from the State at New Delhi recently and highlighted the adverse impact the Act could have on farmers and small food business operators.

Addressing a press conference in Madurai on Tuesday, association president S.P. Jeyapragasam said that rules and regulations of the FSA were heavily influenced by multinational companies and domestic corporates who dominated the 123-member committee formed to frame the standards under the Act. He also noted that this committee was dissolved by the Supreme Court on February 2011.

Even M.S. Swaminathan, the Rajya Sabha MP known widely as the ‘Father of the Green Revolution,’ whom the delegation met in New Delhi, concurred with the traders’ opinion and voiced his concern with the Union Health Minister.

The Act, which replaced the Prevention of Food Adulteration Act, levied penalties in the range of Rs. 1 lakh to Rs. 10 lakh besides prescribing jail terms ranging between six months to 10 years.

Further, it had retained the standards set in 1954 for most of agricultural food produce though farming practices and the environment had undergone a sea change since then.

“While we welcome the intentions of the Act to provide quality and hygienic food to the public and coming down heavily on adulterated food, its rules and regulations are impractical.

The Act was framed in 2006 but notified in 2011 and yet, the Government did not utilise the five intervening years to crate awareness among the business community.”

He also noted that Tamil Nadu was being considered as being in the forefront of implementing the Act by officials in New Delhi even as several States were yet to establish the offices for implementing agencies.

Further, Mr. Jeyapragasam said, the standards of food produce would surely vary from region to region and sometimes within the region itself depending upon rains or lack of it, fixing one quality for all was not a practical move.

The association also urged the Central Government to rectify the various “anomalies” in the Food Safety Act 2006.

ADVISORY ON PRODUCT APPROVAL - FSSAI