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An afternoon of insightful discussion and conversations
Kolkata, 3rd February, 2020– Top Food Bloggers Awards, a platform initiated and organised by Candid Communication & Sidd’s Hospitality with the aim to honour and celebrate the excellent work of the young and vibrant social influencers and bloggers, had an exclusive and interactive Panel Discussion Session on “The Usage of preservatives in food – Saving from wastage or harming health?” at Soul The Sky Lounge . The occasion was graced byMr. Muralikrishnan, Chief Brand Officer, Wow! Momo, Ms. Priyanka M, Celebrity Chef & Consultant and Mr. Indroneel Mukherjee, Fashion Designer in Conversation with Ms. Paromita Ghosh, Director, Candid Communication as well as Mr. Ankur Siddiqui, Director of Sidd’s Hospitality along with some of the Senior Bloggers of the city- Mr. Indrajit Lahiri, Ms. Rukshana A. Kapadia, Ms. Poorna Banerjee & Ms. Luna Chatterjee.
The food industry around us is changing at an incredible speed, and thus the industry keeps on evolving. The growth in technology has indeed had a notable impact on how and what we eat. Moreover, with improved standards of living, many young professionals have begun to experiment in their eating habits.
Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Paromita Ghosh, Director, Candid Communication,said, “I believe that bloggers bind the society together and blogging has emerged as the new trend in today’s food industry. Preservatives in foods are designed to prevent bacteria growth, spoilage and food separation, but not all preservatives are good for you. The effects of food preservatives vary. Depending on your age and health, but the negative effects of some preservatives are worth considering when you eat processed foods. We hope that we are able to change perceptions with this session today and are glad that we learnt something new and interesting”.
Mr. Ankur Siddiqui, Director of Sidd’s Hospitality, further added, “Food originality and the natural source it generates from is been tampered with and is of grave concern as it is happening globally. As dedicated members of the society it is our duty to address the issue and take meaningful insights from industry experts and bloggers as we certainly owe this much to the society and future generations to come. We are glad that we have had a promising turn out turn out for this discussion.“
Ms. Priyanka M, Celebrity Chef & Consultant, said “Preservative usage is a double edged sword that’s a boon for the manufacturers and bane for the consumers. Ask yourself, is this packet in my hand with preservatives added to lengthen the shelf life, worthy of shortening my own longevity in the bargain? The answer is a clear no. Instant convenience foods spiked with preservatives and additives play havoc with hormone systems, lead to allergies, headaches, irritable bowel syndrome and even cancer. So be mindful in your eating habits. Eat less of what is made in plants or factories and eat more of what grows on plants.“
Mr. Muralikrishnan, Chief Brand Officer, Wow! Momo, said, “The millennial today are changing the way we eat. The purpose of this discussion is to demonstrate the relationship between food preservation and reducing consumer waste which is valuable in developing sustainable meal options.”
Mr. Indroneel Mukherjee, Fashion Designer, said, ” As per generic opinion, all preservatives used in food are not harmful. It is only artificial preservatives used to delay food contamination, causes health problems. The rest of natural preservatives in fact add to taste and make food more palatable”.
Ms. Rukshana A. Kapadia,The Culinary Commentator, said, “While I am completely against food wastage it’s also an important point to keep in mind considering that we live on a planet where the ratio of resources vs. population is becoming increasingly misbalanced. Preservation therefore is important but it is the method of preservation that we have to be extremely particular about. Use natural preservatives instead of the chemical ones that are so very harmful to us. “
Mr. Indrajit Lahiri, Moha Mushkil,said, “I personally feel food is meant to be consumed fresh. But there are certain conditions on which preserving or rather storage of food is necessary. Now, there are lots of natural preservatives, organic being the keyword nowadays, which can be used. Now due to cost effectiveness or whatever godforsaken reason, usage of synthetic inorganic preservative is on rise nowadays. Maybe, I’m not qualified enough to talk on the commercial aspect of it- but personally, I do not support inorganic preservation.”
Ms. Poorna Banerjee, Presented by P, said, “Preservation enables long utilisation and less wastage of food. However, using the right additives to preserve products in a manner that’s both sustainable and easy is what should be the target of today, which is presently getting lost in the thirst for longer shelf life and ability to stand extreme temperatures. This is alarming, especially from the point of view of someone who’s not just interested in food preservation and better utilisation of food products, but also in their essential nutritional value, that’s getting seriously compromised in the current scenario.”
Ms. Luna Chatterjee, Mad Food Lover, said,” It’s my immense pleasure to be part of the panel discussion. Preservation is an age old technique and natural preservation has its own benefits.”
The session concluded on different perspectives and insights from the thought leaders of the food industry to lead any change with more conviction and confidence as well as improve eating lifestyle for a healthy future.
Top Food Bloggers Awards 2020 proud partners are Culinary Partner is International Culinary Institute, Radio Partner is Friends FM, Channel Partner is Siti Events, Documentation Partner is Studio15, Trophy Partner is The Aananda Imperial, Design Partner is Photo Gallery, Makeover & Fashion Partner is The Makeover Factory, Airline Partner is Thai Airways, Technology Partner is Namhin Web Solutions, Gift Partner is Auli along with the Hospitality Partners who are The Astor Hotel, The Stadel, Soul The Sky Lounge & Sanjha Chulha.
