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8/7/2019 ETHICS IN FOOD INDUSTRY (2)
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ETHICS IN FOOD INDUSTRY
Business Ethics
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Group Members
Akanksha Shrivastava (10IB-007)
Chhavi Agarwal (10IT-013)
Pratima Rao Gunta (10IT-021)
Rajesh Mohan (10FN-088)
Rudra Shankar Chowdhury(10FN-097)
Shamindra Mukherjee (10FN-138)
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Roadmap Introduction
Ethical consideration for business
Ethical consideration for consumers
Ethical issues in marketing
Genetically modified food
Ethical issues in infant food industry Baby food
Packaging
Breeding of animals
Harmful chemical food additives Analysis of the practices
Recommendations Ethical matrix
Relevant statistics
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Introduction
Ethics refers to the values, principles andcodes by which people live.
Food and ethics are intimately connected.
Whether youre a food producer, business,
consumer or policy-maker, decisions aboutfood involve consideration of the health and
welfare of our planet, people and animals.
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AQuoteA half-century after the Bengal
famine [where, during Britishcolonial rule, most of the foodgrown was exported for tradeand for UK, instead of feedinghungry local people], a newand clever system has beenput in place which is onceagain making the theft of theharvest a right and the keepingof harvest a crime. Hiddenbehind complex free-tradetreaties are innovative ways tosteal nature's harvest, the
harvest of the seed, and theharvest of nutrition.
Vandana Shiva, StolenHarvest (South End Press,2000), p.
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Ethical Consideration for Business and
Consumers
Consider whether your customers
would continue with food
produced/served by you, if they knewwhere it came from.
Value all your stakeholders, and
consider anything that matters in its
own right- a farm animal or even an
ecosystem- as a stakeholder.
When buying food, go for fresh,
unprocessed and unpackaged food as and
when you need it.
Eat organic, fairly traded fruit and
vegetables, and less but better quality meatand dairy and sustainably caught fish.
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Ethical Issues in Marketing
Clustering of fast food
restaurants around
educational institutions
Marketing of beverages
in and around educational
institutions
Eating your greens
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Ethical Issues in Marketing(Contd.)
Discounted Pricing
ChildrensFood
Misleading Commercials
Pricingofhealthfood
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Genetically Modified Food (Contd.)
The transfer of genes from animals whose flesh is forbidden for use
as food by certain religious groups (e.g. pigs for Muslims and
Jews) to animals they normally eat.
The introduction of animal genes into food crops
The use, as animal feed, of organisms containing human genes.
The practice will be unfair to the under developed/ small farmers
whose cost of production will naturally be higher than those of the
developed world utilizing the latest practices. Modification in food chain
Terminator technology. Example : Monsanto/Syngenta
Narrowing of gene
Domination of food production by a few countries
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Ethical Issues inInfantFood Industry
Is food manufactured to support adequate growth of infants
under six months of age when fed as a sole source of
nutrition.
Is necessarily an imperfect approximation of mothers milk.
Is made by blending similar materials in an attempt to match
the characteristics of true milk
Main types: powdered formula, concentrated liquid formula ,
Ready-to-use formula.
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Reasons to Use InfantFormula
The mother's health
The baby is unable to breastfeed
Personal preferences and beliefs
absence of the mother
Food allergies
Financial pressures
Societal structure
Social pressures
Lack of training
Lactation insufficiency.
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Quality Control ofInfantFormula
In the United States, there are governmental
standards, which establish the nutritional
quality of infant formulas and other dairy
substitutes.
The dairy industry sets its own industry-wide
quality control standards. The industry is self-
policing and has its own regulatory
organization, the International DairyFederation, which sets industry standards for
manufacturing and quality control.
Individual companies set their own standards
for quality control.
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Harmful Effects of Synthetic InfantFood
Mothers milk is considered the "ideal food" for babies, and the"ideal addition" to other foods.
Examples of disasters due to harmful baby food products:
-Melamine contamination2008 Chinese milk scandal
-In 1985, Syntex was ordered to pay $27 million for the death oftwo infants who were given the Syntex baby formula, called Neo-mull-soy.
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Other HealthEffects
Poses numerous health risks.
Studies suggest consumption of formula increased
risk for acute otitis media, non-specific
gastroenteritis, severe lower respiratory tract
infections, atopic dermatitis, asthma, obesity, type1 and 2 diabetes, sudden infant death
syndrome (SIDS), eczema, necrotizing
enterocolitis and autism when compared to infants
who are breastfed. Recently it has been discovered that iron
supplementation in baby formula is linked to
lowered I.Q. and other neurodevelopmental
delays.
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Baby Food
Any food, other than mothers milk or infantformula.
WHO recommends that infants should beexclusively breastfed for the first six months of life.
Experts have provided evidence that introducingsolids earlier than six months increases babies'chances of illness like: Iron deficiency
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Packaging
BPA Bisphenol A, organic compound used in the manufacture of Polycarbonate
plastics. Used in baby and water bottles, sports equipment, medical and dental
devices etc
CONCERNS :
Causes endocrine disruptors , can upset normal hormonal balance in ourbodies,
Stimulate the growth and development of cancers (breast, uterine and prostate),
Impair fertility and disrupt pregnancy
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Packaging
Toxic Glue Food is at risk of being contaminated by a highly toxic chemical
found in the glue of packaging labels.
CONCERNS :
Toxic compounds on glues can seep through paper and plasticpackaging and contaminate the food inside.
The chemical as a highly toxic chemicals can cause organ
failure and even death in high doses.
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Packaging
PFOA Perfluorooctanoic acid is a synthetic,
stable carboxylic acid, used to make
Teflon and also found in grease-resistant
coatings for food packaging.
CONCERNS:
Causes developmental toxicity and
other unwelcomed effects in
laboratory animals.
The chemicals persist in the
environment and can cross the
placenta to contaminate babies
before birth.
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BreedingofAnimals
Natural rights of animals are being forfeited by theartificial breeding practices.
Heavy criticism to food industry for their focus onprofit maximisation.
Treatment towards animals as commodities.
Industry Malpractices: Forced feeding;
Usage hormones;
Restricting animal movement; Forced breeding;
Canned hunting;
Using artificial lights to reduce sleeping time
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Harmful Chemical Food Additives
Chemical food additives are used to preserve the flavour or improve the taste and
appearance of processed junk foods. A list of food additives you may want toavoid:
FD&C Red Dye #3: A cherry red dye derived from coal tar. May interfere with
the transmission of nerve impulses in the brain, even low doses caused
cancerous changes in human cell cultures.
BHA (Butylated hydroxyanisole): A preservative used in cereals, potato chipsand chewing gum to stop them from becoming rancid. It accumulates in the
body fat, known to disrupt the body's hormone balance. Has been shown to
cause cancer in mice, rats and hamsters.
SodiumBenzoate,BenzoicAcid: A preservative
added to fruit juice, carbonated drinks, andpickles. Problems occur when sodium
benzoate is used with ascorbic acid
(vitamin C) to reformulate affected
beverages, typically fruit-flavored products.
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Harmful Chemical Food Additives (Contd.)
Acetone peroxide: A bleach and conditioner used in milling flour and maturing dough.It is strongly oxidizing and can damage the skin and eyes.
Diacetyl: A chemical that imparts the buttery flavor in microwave popcorn. Affects the
lungs with a condition called Diacetyl Induced Bronchiolitis Obliterans or "Popcorn
Worker's Lung".
Polysorbate 80 (Tween 80): A stabilizer used in a wide variety of products including icecream, milk products, vitamin tablets, lotions, creams, vaccines and anti-cancer
medications. Leads to nonimmunologic allergic reactions, infertility.
Potassium Bromate: A chemical added to flour to make bread rise better and give it a
uniform consistency. An excess intake of bromide weakens the thyroid and kidneys.
The unbroken potassium bromate remaining in food, known as carcinogen is banned inmost countries except the U.S. and Japan.
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Analysis ofthe Practices
Discountedpricing
Company has the
right to offerdiscount. Customerside utilitarianismsupports theproposition. Butethics of care willoppose theproposition. Golden
rule will support.
Childrens food
Company has theright to market and
customer has theright to use product.But the children hasthe right to have abalanced meal, whichmight be violated.Utilitarianism willsupport theproposition. Goldenrule will oppose.
Commercials
Company has right topromotion and sell.
Customer has theright to knowregarding theproduct, but is notinformed of all thedetails.
Geneticallymodified food
Utilitarianism will
support the theory.But rights ofinformationisviolated.Attempt toplay God by alteringthe food chain.Goldenrulewilloppose. By ethics of
care, we should notdisturb the balance ofnature.
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Analysis ofthe Practices (Contd.)
ArtificialInfant/Baby food
Utilitarianism will
support theproposition. Butethics of care willoppose as thechildren are requiredto be fed with propernutrition. We areunaware of the
implications of theartificial food. Goldenrule will oppose.
Packaging of food
Utilitarianism willsupport the theory.
Ethics of care willoppose as the food isbeing contaminatedwith harmfulchemicals. Rights ofconsumers for alogical decision areviolated throughpersuasion byattractiveness of thepackage. Golden rulewill oppose.
Animal Breeding
Utilitarianism willsupport the theory.
But rights of animalsare being violated.Golden rule willoppose. Ethics of carewill be violated.
Addition ofChemicals
Utilitarianism will
support theproposition. Butethics of carewilloppose as the food isbeing contaminatedwith harmfulchemicals. Goldenrulewill oppose.
Rightto availabilityof harmless food isviolated.
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Recommendations
General Recommendations:
Spread consumer awareness
List ingredients and source for all food products.
Protection of farmers interests. Laws to prevent usage of harmful chemicals. Severe
penalties.
Provide proper breeding environment for animals.
Commercials, esp. of unhealthy food products, shouldnot be targeted at children.
Childrens food should be healthy.
Proper monitoring of food additives.
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Recommendations (contd.)
Regarding Infant formula:
Ethical dilemma: Nutrition and monetary benefits
vs. health risks.
Utilitarian theory supports use of infant formula
Ethics of care theory advocates taking care of
innocent and vulnerable infants.
Stress on use of breast feeding for at least 6months and homemade baby food.
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Recommendations (contd.)
For Consumers:
Watch out for plastic food packaging containingtoxic chemicals like Bisphenol-A etc.
Use safe plastic or glass containers to store food. Use stainless steel or BPA-free plastic bottles to
store water.
Remove plastic containers and wraps before
cooking in microwave. Use stainless steel or cast iron utensils for
cooking. Teflon-coated surfaces release noxiousgases on heating.
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Ethical Matrix
Devised by Prof. Ben Mepham of University ofNottingham.
Versatile tool for analyzing various ethical issues.
Intended to help people make ethical decisions, esp.about new technologies.
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Ethical Matrix (contd.)
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