 "How healthy is the <i>paan</i> you love to chew?")
The import ban on Indian Alphonso mangoes by the European Union on account of a fruit fly infestation on May 1 had revived the debate around the quality and hygiene standards of food produced in India. Last week, the EU's Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed's (RSAFF) annual report came out with a warning of consistent salmonella contamination in paan (betel) leaves from South-east Asian countries, advising a ban on imports from Bangladesh and reinforced checks and restrictions on imports from Thailand and India.
Betel leaves are part of an important and symbolic tradition in many countries such as India, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Vietnam, among others. The leaves are chewed together in a wrapped preparation called paan, with or without the areca nut (which acts as a stimulant widely believed to be carcinogenic), mineral slaked lime (which aids sublingual absorption) and flavouring substances such as kaththa, saunf (fennel) and gulkand. Sometimes tobacco is added as well. Panwadis dot every nook and corner of big and small towns, and many paan shops such as Prince Paan and Yamu's Panchayat in New Delhi, have become celebrity favourites and household names. Fertile soil, proper shade and regular irrigation is required to grow betel leaves, and it makes up an important part of the economy in rural India and Bangladesh, fetching significant export revenues from the large Asian populations settled in the West. This is bound to fall now.
Salmonella is a strain of bacteria that is fairly common in tropical and sub-tropical countries, and is the leading cause of food poisoning and typhoid worldwide. It's commonly found in eggs, fruits and other sweet produce. According to S K Thakur, consultant gastroenterologist at Moolchand Medcity in New Delhi, "Salmonella can be transmitted to humans through oral or faecal routes, after which it enters the body, multiples and settles in the small intestine. It causes gastroenterological problems, including vomiting, nausea, dehydration, diarrhoea and high fever." While the severity of the infection depends on individual cases, salmonella poisoning can be debilitating at best and fatal at worst.
If contaminated water is used to irrigate the fields, salmonella starts growing irrespective of whether the crop is leafy, tuberous or fruity. In the case of betel leaves, treated water and proper handling of the heart-shaped creepers is required to keep salmonella at bay, says Vikramaditya Pandey, principal scientist, Indian Council of Agricultural Research.
Pandey says that Indian research labs don't have enough infrastructure to screen all samples before shipping abroad, nor any strict restrictions on movement of food produce. "We are progressing, but the addition of one Australia every year to our population slows down the pace," he claims ruefully. India does have a lot to catch up, if we compare the current situation to the last full-blown Entamoeba coli outbreak from spinach across the United States in September 2006, which was quickly traced to a single Angus cattle ranch that had leased land to the spinach grower.
According to S P Byotra, chairman of the department of medicine, Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, the fact that export quality produce that is technically considered superior to local produce is being rejected by EU only highlights the magnitude of the problem in India.
paan isn't composed of healthy ingredients to begin with. Sweet flavoured paans offer a great medium for the growth and survival of salmonella as well as amoeba. The kaththa and chuna, if stale, can become toxic and irritate the mouth. Betel leaves that are kept uncovered can be infected by salmonella and other bacteria. The areca nut is harmful for teeth, mucosa of the mouth, and is also considered carcinogenic. Chewing paan puts you at risk of contracting cancers of the stomach, mouth, esophagus, pancreas and kidney. The novel range of flavoured paans (such as strawberry, rose, khas, jasmine, mint among various others) are devoid of tobacco and areca nut, and are sold primarily as tasty mouth fresheners and carry fewer chances of any adverse effects.
The dubious quality of ingredients aside, the handling of paan is a critical concern. "The neighbourhood panwadi often uses unwashed hands to roll your paan," cautions Byotra. The recent trend has been to use sterilised plastic gloves for the handling of all food items in many restaurants, but according to Byotra this should be made mandatory nationwide for all food and drink vends and kiosks, if sanitation related health ailments are to be tackled head on.
Betel leaves are part of an important and symbolic tradition in many countries such as India, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Vietnam, among others. The leaves are chewed together in a wrapped preparation called paan, with or without the areca nut (which acts as a stimulant widely believed to be carcinogenic), mineral slaked lime (which aids sublingual absorption) and flavouring substances such as kaththa, saunf (fennel) and gulkand. Sometimes tobacco is added as well. Panwadis dot every nook and corner of big and small towns, and many paan shops such as Prince Paan and Yamu's Panchayat in New Delhi, have become celebrity favourites and household names. Fertile soil, proper shade and regular irrigation is required to grow betel leaves, and it makes up an important part of the economy in rural India and Bangladesh, fetching significant export revenues from the large Asian populations settled in the West. This is bound to fall now.
Salmonella is a strain of bacteria that is fairly common in tropical and sub-tropical countries, and is the leading cause of food poisoning and typhoid worldwide. It's commonly found in eggs, fruits and other sweet produce. According to S K Thakur, consultant gastroenterologist at Moolchand Medcity in New Delhi, "Salmonella can be transmitted to humans through oral or faecal routes, after which it enters the body, multiples and settles in the small intestine. It causes gastroenterological problems, including vomiting, nausea, dehydration, diarrhoea and high fever." While the severity of the infection depends on individual cases, salmonella poisoning can be debilitating at best and fatal at worst.
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Pandey says that Indian research labs don't have enough infrastructure to screen all samples before shipping abroad, nor any strict restrictions on movement of food produce. "We are progressing, but the addition of one Australia every year to our population slows down the pace," he claims ruefully. India does have a lot to catch up, if we compare the current situation to the last full-blown Entamoeba coli outbreak from spinach across the United States in September 2006, which was quickly traced to a single Angus cattle ranch that had leased land to the spinach grower.
According to S P Byotra, chairman of the department of medicine, Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi, the fact that export quality produce that is technically considered superior to local produce is being rejected by EU only highlights the magnitude of the problem in India.
paan isn't composed of healthy ingredients to begin with. Sweet flavoured paans offer a great medium for the growth and survival of salmonella as well as amoeba. The kaththa and chuna, if stale, can become toxic and irritate the mouth. Betel leaves that are kept uncovered can be infected by salmonella and other bacteria. The areca nut is harmful for teeth, mucosa of the mouth, and is also considered carcinogenic. Chewing paan puts you at risk of contracting cancers of the stomach, mouth, esophagus, pancreas and kidney. The novel range of flavoured paans (such as strawberry, rose, khas, jasmine, mint among various others) are devoid of tobacco and areca nut, and are sold primarily as tasty mouth fresheners and carry fewer chances of any adverse effects.
The dubious quality of ingredients aside, the handling of paan is a critical concern. "The neighbourhood panwadi often uses unwashed hands to roll your paan," cautions Byotra. The recent trend has been to use sterilised plastic gloves for the handling of all food items in many restaurants, but according to Byotra this should be made mandatory nationwide for all food and drink vends and kiosks, if sanitation related health ailments are to be tackled head on.