NUTRITION AND FOOD

SCIENCE

UNIT - III
NUTRITIONAL PROBLEMS IN THE
COMMUNITY
 GOOD NUTRITION
- Good nutrition means eating a balanced and healthy diet. It’s important to make sure
you are getting the nutrients, vitamins, and minerals your body needs to function
properly.
• Plan your meals so that they are nutrient-dense and low in calories:
• Eat a varied diet that includes plenty of whole grain products, vegetables, and fruits.
• Drink more water and other calorie-free beverages, along with fat-free or low-fat
milk and 100% fruit juices.
• Include seafood, lean meat, poultry, eggs, beans,  peas, nuts, and seeds in your diet.
• Reduce your intake of saturated and trans fats, sugars, and salt.
• Limit your consumption of oils, butter, and margarine to:
– 5-6 teaspoons a day for women
– 6-7 teaspoons a day for men
• Foods are the most nutrient-dense when they are fresh, so try to eat fresh foods as
often as possible.
 IMPORTANCE OF GOOD NUTRITION:

• Eating a balanced diet is vital for good health and wellbeing.

• Food provides our bodies with the energy, protein, essential
fats, vitamins and minerals to live, grow and function properly.
• We need a wide variety of different foods to provide the right
amounts of nutrients for good health.
• Good nutrition is the key to good mental and physical health.
• Eating a balanced diet is an important part of good health for
everyone.
• The kind and amount of food you eat affects the way you feel
and how your body works.
 PREVALENCE:
• Prevalence in epidemiology is the proportion of a particular population found to be
affected by a medical condition (typically a disease or a risk factor such as smoking
or seat-belt use).
• It is arrived at by comparing the number of people found to have the condition
with the total number of people studied.
• It is usually expressed as a fraction, as a percentage, or as the number of cases per
10,000 or 100,000 people.
• Prevalence estimates are used by epidemiologists, health care providers,
government agencies, toxicologists, and insurers.
• Prevalence is contrasted with incidence, which is a measure of new cases arising
in a population over a given period (month, year, etc.).
• The difference between prevalence and incidence can be summarized thus:
prevalence answers "How many people have this disease right now?" or "How
many people have had this disease during this time period?" and incidence
answers "How many people per year newly acquire this disease?"
 ETIOLOGY:
•  Etiology is the study of causation, or origination.
•  The word is derived from the Greek aitiología, "giving
a reason for the word is most commonly used in medical
and philosophical theories.
•  It is used to refer to the study of why things occur, or
even the reasons behind the way that things act, and is
used in philosophy, physics, psychology, government,
geography, spatial analysis, medicine, theology, and
biology in reference to the causes of various phenomena.
•  An etiological myth is a myth intended to explain a
name or create a mythic history for a place or family, an
origin story.
 Malnutrition:
• Malnutrition refers to getting too little or too much
of certain nutrients.
• It can lead to serious health issues, including stunted
growth, eye problems, diabetes and heart disease.
• Malnutrition affects billions of people worldwide.
Some populations have a high risk of developing
certain types of malnutrition depending on their
environment, lifestyle and resources.
• This article discusses the types, symptoms and
causes of malnutrition and provides information
about prevention and treatment
 MALNUTRITION
•What Is Malnutrition?
•Malnutrition is a condition that results from nutrient deficiency or overconsumption.

•Types of malnutrition include :

•Undernutrition: This type of malnutrition results from not getting enough protein, calories or
micronutrients. It leads to low weight-for-height (wasting), height-for-age (stunting) and weight-
for-age (underweight).
•Overnutrition: Overconsumption of certain nutrients, such as protein, calories or fat, can also
lead to malnutrition. This usually results in overweight or obesity.
•People who are undernourished often have deficiencies in vitamins and minerals, especially iron,
zinc, vitamin A and iodine .

•However, micronutrient deficiencies can also occur with overnutrition.

•It’s possible to be overweight or obese from excessive calorie consumption but not get enough
vitamins and minerals at the same time.
•That’s because foods that contribute to overnutrition, such as fried and sugary foods, tend to be
high in calories and fat but low in other nutrients .
 Protein–energy malnutrition
• Protein–energy malnutrition (PEM), sometimes
called protein-energy undernutrition (PEU), is a form of 
malnutrition that is defined as a range of conditions arising
from coincident lack of dietary protein and/or energy (calories
) in varying proportions. The condition has mild, moderate,
and severe degrees.
• Types include:
• Kwashiorkor (protein malnutrition predominant)
• Marasmus (deficiency in calorie intake)
• Marasmic kwashiorkor (marked protein deficiency and
marked calorie insufficiency signs present, sometimes
referred to as the most severe form of malnutrition)
 Kwashiorkor

• This occurs due to the abandonment of breastfeeding

before the actual age due to the birth of a younger sibling.
• Kwashiorkor may also be the outcome of acute illness such
as gastroenteritis. It is confined only to a few parts of the
world such as rural regions of Africa, Pacific Islands,
Caribbean. In these places, the food is low in protein and
high in carbohydrates.
• It causes leakage of the cell membrane, releasing the
intravascular fluid and proteins. This results in oedema.
• It weakens the immunity of a person, making him
susceptible to diseases.
KWASHIORKAR
 KWASHIORKAR
• Signs and symptoms

• The defining sign of kwashiorkor in a malnourished child is pitting edema

 (particularly swelling of the hands and feet). Unlike marasmus, where the liver and
other essential organs are reduced in size, kwashiorkor is characterized by "an
enlarged fatty liver, fibrosis, and dysfunction of several organs (such as the liver,
kidneys, and nervous system)". Other signs include a distended abdomen, thinning
of hair, loss of teeth, skin or hair depigmentation, and dermatitis. Children with
kwashiorkor often develop irritability and anorexia. Generally, the disease can be
treated by adding protein to the diet; however, it can have a long-term impact on a
child's physical and mental development, and in severe cases may lead to death.

• In dry climates, marasmus is the more frequent disease associated with

malnutrition. Another malnutrition syndrome includes cachexia, although it is often
caused by underlying illnesses. These are important considerations in the
treatment of individuals with kwashiorkor.
 Marasmus
• Weight Loss
• Fat and muscle depletion
• Most common in developing countries.
• More common than Kwashiorkor
• Prevalent in children younger than those
affected by Kwashiorkor
• Cell-mediated immunity is impaired, making
the children more susceptible to infections.
MARASMUS
 Signs and symptoms
- Marasmus is commonly represented by a shrunken, wasted appearance, loss of muscle mass
and subcutaneous fat mass.

- Buttocks and upper limb muscle groups are usually more affected than others. 

- Edema is not a sign of marasmus and is present in only kwashiorkor and marasmic
kwashiorkor.

- Other symptoms of marasmus include

- unusual body temperature (hypothermia, pyrexia); anemia; dehydration (as characterized

with consistent thirst and shrunken eyes); hypovolemic shock (weak radial pulse; cold
extremities; decreased consciousness); tachypnea (pneumonia, heart failure); abdominal
manifestations (distension, decreased or metallic bowel sounds; large or small liver; blood or
mucus in the stools), ocular manifestations (corneal lesions associated with vitamin A
deficiency); dermal manifestations (evidence of infection, purpura, and ear, nose, and throat
symptoms (otitis, rhinitis).

- Dry skin and brittle hair are also symptoms of marasmus. Marasmus can also make children
short-tempered and irritable.
 Symptoms of Protein Energy Malnutrition

• Apathy and irritability

• The patient becomes weak and inefficient.
• Impaired cognition and consciousness.
• Temporary lactose deficiency
• Diarrhoea
• Gonadal tissues atrophy
• Causes amenorrhea in women
• Causes libido in both men and women
• Weight loss
 Symptoms of Protein Energy Malnutrition
• Shrinking of muscles
• Protrusion of bones
• The skin gets thin, pale, dry, inelastic and cold
• Hair fall
• Impaired wound healing
• Risk of hip fractures and ulcers increases in elderly patients
• Heart size and cardiac output decreases in severe cases
• A decrease in respiratory rate and vital capacity
• Liver, kidney or heart failure
• Acute PEM might also prove fatal
 Treatment of Protein Energy Malnutrition

• Protein Energy Malnutrition can be treated in the following

ways:
• Oral feeding
• Avoiding lactose
• Supportive care
• Reduction in poverty
• Improving nutritional education and public health measures
• Starvation can be treated by providing a balanced diet
• Multivitamin supplements
• Treat infections and fluid and electrolyte abnormalities, in
severe case
 Micronutrient deficiency

• Micronutrient deficiency or dietary
deficiency is not enough of one or more of
the micronutrients required for optimal plant
or animal health. In humans and other animals
they include both vitamin deficiencies and 
mineral deficiencies,[whereas in plants the
term refers to deficiencies of essential 
trace minerals.
 1. Iron deficiency
• Iron is an essential mineral.
• It’s a large component of red blood cells, in which it binds with hemoglobin and transports
oxygen to your cells.
• The two types of dietary iron are:
• Heme iron. This type of iron is very well absorbed. It’s only found in animal foods, with 
red meat containing particularly high amounts.
• Non-heme iron. This type, found in both animal and plant foods, is more common. It is not
absorbed as easily as heme iron.
• Iron deficiency is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies in the world, affecting more
than 25% of people worldwide .
• This number rises to 47% in preschool children. Unless they’re given iron-rich or iron-fortified
foods, they are very likely to lack iron.
• Around 30% of menstruating women may be deficient as well due to monthly blood loss, and
up to 42% of young, pregnant women may be deficient as well.
• Additionally, vegetarians and vegans have an increased risk of deficiency because they consume
only non-heme iron, which is not absorbed as well as heme iron .
• The most common consequence of iron deficiency is anemia, in which the number of your red
blood cells and your blood’s ability to carry oxygen drops.
 1. Iron deficiency
• Symptoms usually include tiredness, weakness, a weakened immune system, and impaired brain function .

• The best dietary sources of heme iron include :

• Red meat. 3 ounces (85 grams) of ground beef provide almost 30% of the Daily Value (DV).
• Organ meat. One slice (81 grams) of liver gives more than 50% of the DV.
• Shellfish. Clams, mussels, and oysters are excellent sources of heme iron, with 3 ounces (85 grams) of
cooked oysters packing roughly 50% of the DV.
• Canned sardines. One 3.75-ounce (106-gram) can offer 34% of the DV.
• The best dietary sources of non-heme iron include:
• Beans. Half a cup (85 grams) of cooked kidney beans provides 33% of the DV.
• Seeds. Pumpkin, sesame, and squash seeds are good sources of non-heme iron. One ounce (28 grams) of
roasted pumpkin or squash seeds contains 11% of the DV.
• Dark, leafy greens. Broccoli, kale, and spinach are rich in iron. One ounce (28 grams) of fresh kale provides
5.5% of the DV.
• However, you should never supplement with iron unless you truly need it. Too much iron can be very
harmful.
• Notably, vitamin C can enhance the absorption of iron. Eating vitamin-C-rich foods like oranges, kale, and
bell peppers alongside iron-rich foods can help maximize your iron absorption.
 Vitamin A deficiency
• Vitamin A is an essential fat-soluble vitamin. It helps form and maintain healthy
skin, teeth, bones, and cell membranes. Furthermore, it produces eye pigments,
which are necessary for vision .
• There are two different types of dietary vitamins .
• Preformed vitamin A. This type of vitamin A is found in animal products like meat,
fish, poultry, and dairy.
• Pro-vitamin A. This type is found in plant-based foods like fruits and vegetables.
Beta carotene, which your body turns into vitamin A, is the most common form.
• More than 75% of people who eat a Western diet get more than enough vitamin A
and do not need to worry about deficiency .
• However, vitamin A deficiency is very common in many developing countries.
About 44–50% of preschool-aged children in certain regions have vitamin A
deficiency. This number is around 30% in Indian women .
• Vitamin A deficiency can cause both temporary and permanent eye damage and
may even lead to blindness. In fact, this deficiency is the world’s leading cause of
blindness.
• Vitamin A deficiency can also suppress immune function and increase mortality,
especially among children and pregnant or breastfeeding women .
 Vitamin A deficiency
• Dietary sources of preformed vitamin A include :
• Organ meat. One 2-ounce (60-gram) slice of beef liver provides more than 800%
of the DV.
• Fish liver oil. One tablespoon (15 ml) packs roughly 500% of the DV.
• Dietary sources of beta carotene (pro-vitamin A) include:
• Sweet potatoes. One medium, 6-ounce (170-gram) boiled sweet potato contains
150% of the DV.
• Carrots. One large carrot provides 75% of the DV.
• Dark green, leafy vegetables. One ounce (28 grams) of fresh spinach provides
18% of the DV.
• While it is very important to consume enough of this vitamin, too much
preformed vitamin A may cause toxicity.
• This does not apply to pro-vitamin A, such as beta carotene. High intake may
cause your skin to turn slightly orange, but this effect isn’t dangerous.
 Iodine deficiency
• Iodine is an essential mineral for normal thyroid function and the
production of thyroid hormones .
• Thyroid hormones are involved in many bodily processes, such as
growth, brain development, and bone maintenance. They also regulate
your metabolic rate.
• Iodine deficiency is one of the most common nutrient deficiencies,
affecting nearly a third of the world’s population .
• The most common symptom of iodine deficiency is an enlarged thyroid
gland, also known as a goiter. It may also cause an increase in heart rate,
shortness of breath, and weight gain .
• Severe iodine deficiency is linked to serious harm, especially in children.
It may cause mental retardation and developmental abnormalities .
• Good dietary sources of iodine include :
 Iodine deficiency
• Good dietary sources of iodine include :
• Seaweed. Only 1 gram of kelp packs 460–1,000% of the DV.
• Fish. Three ounces (85 grams) of baked cod provide 66% of the DV.
• Dairy. One cup (245 grams) of plain yogurt offers about 50% of the
DV.
• Eggs: One large egg contains 16% of the DV.
• However, these amounts can vary greatly. As iodine is found
mostly in soil and ocean water, iodine-poor soil will result in low-
iodine food.
• Some countries mandate the enrichment of table salt with iodine,
which has successfully reduced the incidence of deficiencies .
 Overnutrition
• Overnutrition (also known as hyperalimentation) is a form of malnutrition
 in which the intake of nutrients is oversupplied. The amount of nutrients
exceeds the amount required for normal growth, development, and 
metabolism.
• The term can also refer to:
• Obesity, a disorder which occurs by eating more calories than one burns, as
well as:
• Oversupplying a specific nutrient, such as dietary minerals or 
vitamin poisoning.
• For mineral excess, see:
• Iron poisoning, and
• Low sodium diet (a response to excess sodium).
• Overnutrition may also refer to greater food consumption than
appropriate,as well as other feeding procedures such as parenteral nutrition.
 Overnutrition
•  Obesity is defined as excess adipose tissue.
•  It is a medical condition in which excess body fat has
accumulated to the extent that it may have a negative effect
on health.
•  It is most commonly caused by a combination of excessive
food intake, lack of physical activity, and genetic susceptibility.
•  There are several different methods for determining excess
adipose (fat) tissue; the most common being the Body Mass
Index (BMI)
•  BMI is defined as the subject's weight divided by the square
of their height and is calculated as follows.
• BMI = m / h2
 FOOD ADULTERATION:
•  Adulteration is an addition of another substance such as mixing, substitution,
abstraction, concealing the quality, putting up decomposed food for sale,
misbranding or giving false labeling and addition of toxicants to food, which are
having adverse effect on the health of the consumer, is called as food
adulteration.
•  These food item in order to increase the quantity of the food item in raw form
or prepared form, which may result in the loss of actual quality of food item.
•  These substances may be other available food items or non-food items.
•  Among meat and meat products some of the items used to adulterate are
water or ice, carcasses, or carcasses of animals other than the animal meant to
be consumed.
•  Adulteration usually refers to mixing other matter of an inferior and
sometimes harmful quality with food or drink intended to be sold. As a result of
adulteration, food or drink becomes impure and unfit for human consumption.
 Types of Food Adulteration
• There are four different types of food adulteration.

• Intentional Adulteration:- When substances that look similar to the constituents of

the food are added to it, to increase its weight and gain more profit. Example- mixing
of pebbles, stones, marbles, sand, mud, filth, chalk powder, contaminated water, etc.

• Incidental Adulteration:- Incidental adulteration occurs due to negligence while

handling food. Like residues of pesticides in grains, larvae growth, presence of
droppings of rodents, etc.

• Metallic Adulteration:- The addition of metallic materials into food like lead or
mercury is metallic adulteration. It may happen accidentally or even
intentionally.Packaging Hazard:- The packing materials in which the food is packed
may also interfere and mix with the constituents of the food, leading to packaging
hazards.
 Effects of Food Adulteration
• Food adulteration has a great impact on our health.
• Be it any kind of adulteration, prolonged consumption of this
type of food is very harmful to the body.
• Consuming such food increases the toxicity in the body.
• As the nutritional value of the adulterated food goes down,
such food is no longer nutritive for the body.
• The addition of chemical adulterants and colours many times
proves to be fatal.
• as they pose an onset of health risks and also carcinogens.
• Some adulterated food may also affect our internal organs
directly leading to heart, kidney, liver, and many more organ
disorders and failure.
 COMMON ADULTERANTS:
– Food grains and grams : Marble pieces, sand
particles, clay gilts, soap stone pieces.
– Pulses : Kesari dhal – colours.
– Wheat flow maida : Powdered lime –
talcum powder Turmeric powder
– (Haldi ): Metanil yellow
– Pepper : Dry papaya seeds.
– Chilli powder : Coloured saw dust.
– Sweets : Colours not permitted.
– Honey : Jaggery – sugar.
– Tea : coloured tea leaves after
removing the essence.
 FOUR TYPES OF DIFFERENT FOOD ADULTERATION AND ITS
HARMFUL EFFECTS:
• Food adulteration is the addition or mixing of inferior, harmful, substandard,
useless or unnecessary substances to foods. This spoils the nature and quality
of food items and is considered food adulteration
• . 1. MILK ADULTERATION:
• In India, which is the land of cows, large quantities of milk are
adulterated. Milk adulteration involves adding water to milk and removing the
beneficial fats from milk. Often soya milk, starch, groundnut milk, and wheat
flour are added to milk. This makes the milk less nutritious and it results in milk
being useless for the consumer. Packaging Hazards Polyethylene, polyvinyl
chloride and allied compounds are used to produce flexible packaging material.
– ADULTERATION OF FATS AND OILS:
• It is easy to adulterate oils and fats. But it is difficult to detect such
adulteration. Ghee is often mixed with hydrogenated oils and animal fats.
Synthetic colours and flavours are added to other fats to make them appear
like ghee.
 FOUR TYPES OF DIFFERENT FOOD ADULTERATION AND ITS HARMFUL
EFFECTS:

3. FOOD GRAIN ADULTERATION:

• Food grain adulteration involves mixing sand
or crushed stones to increase the weight of food grains. Cereal
grains and pulses are mixed with plastic beads that resemble
grains in colour and size. Very often, water is also sprayed on
grains to increase the weight.
4. OTHER ADULTERATIONS:
• Chilli powder is often mixed with brick powder, while tea leaves
are often mixed with used tea leaves. These adulterations are
very harmful to the consumer and they should be addressed by
consumer organizations and consumers seriously.
 FOOD STANDARD:
• It is defined as a set of criteria that a food must meet if it is to be suitable for human consumption,
such as source, composition, appearance, freshness, permissible additives, and maximum bacterial
content.
•  The standard helps organizations to identify and control food safety hazards. Due to the
enhanced international trade in food products, international standards are needed to ensure the
safety of global food supply chain.
• MEANING AND IMPORTANCE OF STANDARDS AND STANDARDIZATION:
•  A standard is a document that provides requirements, specifications, guidelines or characteristics
that can be used consistently to ensure that materials, products, processes and services are fit for
their purpose.
•  Product standards and code of practice assist manufacturers to produce commodities that meet
minimum specifications for quality and safety.
•  Standardization is a process of ensuring uniformity in products and services by use of appropriate
standards. The process ensures efficient utilization of resources through reduction of wastes.
•  Food standards are documents containing requirements, specifications, guidelines or
characteristics that can be used consistently to ensure that food materials, products, processes and
services produced are fit for human consumption.
•  In any country, food standards are established by regulatory authorities and enforced by
governments, food companies and retailers.
FOOD STANDARDS
International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO)

• The International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) is a

worldwide, non-governmental federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The mission of ISO is to promote
the development of standardisation and related activities in
the world with a view to facilitate the international exchange
of goods and services, and to develop cooperation in the
spheres of intellectual, scientific, technological and economic
activity. The work done by ISO results in international
agreements which are published as International Standards.
• ISO 9000 is an international reference for quality
requirements. It is concerned with “Quality Management” of
an organisation. Adoption of these standards is voluntary.
 BENEFITS OF ISO STANDARDS:
• They ensure that products and services are safe, reliable and of good
quality.
• They are strategic tools for minimizing waste and errors,
• They increasing productivity and enhance customer satisfaction.
• They level playing fields for developing countries and facilitate free
and fair trade.
• They breaking barriers to international trade which assists food
companies access new markets,
• They help to harmonize technical specifications of products and
services making industry more efficient.
• Conformity to the above international standards helps reassure
consumers that products are safe, efficient and good for the
environment.
 BUREAU OF INDIAN STANDARDS (BIS):
•  The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is the
national Standards Body of India working under
the aegis of Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food
& Public Distribution, and government of India.
•  It is established by the Bureau of Indian
Standards Act, 1986.
•  The Minister in charge of the Ministry or
Department having administrative control of the
BIS is the ex-officio President of the BIS.
 BUREAU OF INDIAN STANDARDS (BIS): (INDIAN STANDARDS INSTITUTION)
REGULATION:

• Prescribing of standards, formulation of

standards, specification of foods, standards for
limit of toxic compounds as applicable.
• Implementation of regulation by promotion
through its voluntary and third party
certification system, specifying of packaging
and labeling requirements.
 BIS
• Bureau of Indian Standards (B.I.S.):
• ❑ A national standards body of India which is responsible
for formulating National Standards for various types of
articles (both edible & nonedible i.e. food & non-food
articles e.g. live stock feed, cattle housing, equipments,
dairy products, food additives, food hygiene), testing
apparatus and methods etc.
• ❑ The old name of this organization was ISI (Indian
Standards Institution), which was established in 1947.
• ❑ The new name i.e. BIS came into existence from 1st
April, 1987 under the BIS Act 1986.
 STRUCTURE OF BIS
• Structure of BIS/ Members of BIS Membership of BIS is broad based
and all important interests are represented. Minister for food and
civil supplies is the President of BIS Members of BIS include:
• • Members of Parliament,
• • Ministers of state govts.,
• • Nominees of central Govt. Ministries and departments,
• • Farmers community,
• • Consumers organizations,
• • Academic institutions,
• • Research institutions,
• • Industry and
• • Professional Associations.
 OBJECTIVES and FUNCTIONS OF BIS:
• 1. To formulate Indian standards for various articles, processes, methods of test,
codes of practices etc and promote their implementation.
• 2. To promote the Concepts of standardization and Quality control in industries.
• 3. To coordinate the efforts of producers and users for making improvements in
the materials, products, processes and methods.
• 4. To operate ISI certification scheme.
• 5. To establish testing laboratories of its own.
• 6. To operate laboratory recognition scheme to meet the requirements of
testing.
• 7. To offer technical and consultancy services within and outside the country.
• 8. To have cooperation and coordination with international standard making
bodies like ISO.
• BIS is a member of ISO and IEC
• ISO- international organization for standardization.
• IEC- international electro-technical commission.
 AGMARK:
ETYMOLOGY:

• The term agmark was coined by joining the words ‘Ag’ to mean
agriculture and “mark” for a certification mark.
• This term was introduced originally in the bill presented in the
parliament of India for the Agricultural Produce (Grading and
Marking) Act.
• The entire system of Agmark, including the name, was created by
Archibald Macdonald Livingstone.
• Agricultural and Marketing Advisor to the Government of India,
from 1934 to 1941. He was supported by a staff of several hundred.
• This system was designed to benefit local growers throughout
India.
• The absence of a certification as to quality, exposed to receiving
less for their produce from dealers than its true worth.
Agriculture Produce (Grading and Marking) Act
(AGMARK)
• ❑ Agmark stands for ―Agricultural Marking.
• ❑ In order to have a systematic marketing of Agricultural
Produce on the basis of well defined quality, Indian
Legislature in 1937 passed an act known as ―Agriculture
Produce (Grading and Marking) Act, 1937.
• ❑ This act is not mandatory.
• ❑ It is permissive in nature.
• ❑ It is one‘s choice to go for Agmark grading, if one can
meet their specifications.
• ❑ Rules under this Act are called ― General Grading and
Marking Rules, 1937.
 FOOD LAWS:
•  The notion of “food law” is defined in article 3 (1) of the regulation(EC) No
178/20002 of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and
requirements of food law, established the European Food Safety Authority and
laying down procedures in matters of food safety.
•  Accordingly, the laws, regulations and administrative provisions governing food
in general and food safety in particular, whether at community or national level,
covers any stage of production, processing and distribution of food, and also of
feed produced for, or fed to, food producing animals. The BIS hallmark is a
hallmarking system for gold as well as silver jewellery sold in India certifying the
purity of the metal. It certifies that the piece of jewellery conforms to a set of
standards laid by the Bureau of Indian Standards, the national standards
organization of India. Food safety refers to the conditions and practices that
preserve the quality of food to prevent contamination and food-borne illnesses.
The Food Safety and Inspection Service of the USDA educate consumers about the
importance of safe food handling and how to reduce the risks associated with food
borne illness.