Food processing industry should focus on quality, says Anita Praveen

Addressing stakeholders, secretary said that the industry will have to stand for itself by building quality products, adding that ultra-processed food cannot become the cause of disease

[This copy has been updated]

Amid growing scrutiny of processed food in the country, a senior official at the Ministry of Food Processing Industries on Wednesday asked that industry to take a cue from international standards even if they have to “compromise a little” on profit margins.

“Sometimes we say ‘we meet Indian standards’, but there is an international standard, which is better. Profit margins sometimes may have to be cut a little bit to meet them,” said Anita Parveen, secretary at the Ministry of Food Processing Industries, who was speaking at the 15th edition of FICCI Foodworld India.

“If Europe can have a food quality (standard), which has zero sugar in a product, why do we need anything else?” Parveen asked. 
 

In April, Swiss investigative agency Public Eye had found that global packaged foods major Nestle added sugar in the form of sucrose or honey in its Nido and Cerelac range sold in Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Speaking about the changing consumption patterns in the country, Prashant Peres, co-chair, FICCI food processing committee and managing director, India and south Asia, Kellanova, said that consumers now have a heightened awareness of nutrition nourishment, and are actively seeking benefits from the products without compromising on taste.

“It is a paradox that organisations have to find the answer on how to find the right balance to give to the consumer,” he said, adding, “various things like protein, affinity towards low sugar will see an uptick in the next few years and we will need to find a balance.”

Peres said that they have reduced almost 22 per cent added sugar in their products, since 2019. He also said that new technology will help companies further reduce sugar in their products.

Addressing the stakeholders, the Secretary further said that industry will have to stand for itself by building quality products, adding that ultra-processed food cannot become the cause of diseases.

“Processed foods will continue to stay, and it will still be consumed but let us ensure that it does not get questioned for its quality,” she said.