Food Standards and Quality Control

Food Standard and Quality Control

Lesson 01 : Food Quality

History of Quality control in ancient India

The concept of food quality is not totally new. Food Laws in some form existed as religious tenants or prohibitions. They were inherent in all ancient civilizations and have come down to us from early times. The history of food quality is mentioned below.

• In the ancient Egyptian, Chinese, Indian, Greek, and Roman literature food regulations were mentioned.
• The trade guilds (associations) in the middle ages exerted a powerful influence on the regulation of food trade and the prevention of falsification of food products.
• As a consequence of the steps taken for regulation of food trade during Middle Ages, the state, municipal or other local authorities took initiatives in food quality control.
• In seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, chemistry was being used as an analytical tool to fight against food adulteration. Foundation for the scientific detection of the adulteration of food was established using the principles of specific gravity.
• In the nineteenth century due to the industrialization and tremendous increase in urban population there were big changes in food production as well as distribution coupled with heath problems. As a result many industrialized countries introduced food laws.
• After the introduction of early food control measures by developed and industrialized countries, some of the larger, better established, non industrialized countries also took initiatives to set up measures of control.
• In the year 1907 attempts were taken to regulate the malpractices in food production by the American Food Industry. During this period, the use of poisonous preservatives like boric acid and formaldehyde were brought to public notice by Dr. Harvey W. Wiley of USDA.
• In the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, all the earlier rules were consolidated and created a separate branch of law relating to foods.
• In 1920s many national standards organizations were established in Europe. The need for improved health and food control and the rapidly expanding international food trade stimulated cooperation on an international level.