FSSAI bans Silver
Leaf (Chandi ka Varakh) of Animal Origin
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
has banned the use of any material of animal origin in silver leaf (chandi ka
warq/Varakh), commonly used in confectioneries (sweet meat) and sweets like
barfi for decoration and also in paan and packaged supari.
This news is reported by the Times of India-Aug 2, 2016 and I have provided some links of actual news from various newspapers at the end of the e-mail.
The FSSAI authority of India has banned this item because
in the manufacturing of silver leaf (Varakh), cow’s or buffalo’s intestine
(ox-gut) is used which is obtained from the slaughterhouse. The intestine (ox-gut) is smeared with blood
and mucus when is pulled out from the slaughtered animal by the butcher and
sold as is to the Silver Leaf (Varakh) manufacturers. The small thin strips of silver placed between
layers of intestines and continuously hammered for up-to 8 hours a day for few days until the desired result of the glittering foil is obtained.
The FSSAI official said that this manufacturing process is offensive
and unhygienic posing potential risk to
consumers. Moreover, such silver sheets
do not carry any green dot or maroon dot.
Hence, consumers fail to differentiate between a vegetarian and
non-vegetarian product.
There were also concerns that the
silver leaf (Varakh) contained heavy metal traces such as nickel, lead,
chromium and cadmium - which are harmful for health.
These are the main reasons the FSSAI authority of India has
banned the Silver Leaf (Chandi ka warq or varakh) on the food product.
Recently several companies have advertised that they
produce the Veggie Varakh without using cows’ intestine. They use the machine for hammering and patented
synthetic material to replace the leather (cow’s intestine) which can take intense
hammering of the machine for several days. This process is very costly and hence in the
country like India, one can easily obtain false certification and sell the
regular non-vegetarian Varakh as cheap veggie Varakh. Also the function of Varakh is to decorate
the food/sweets only. It does not add
any nutritional value to it. The best
alternative is to avoid Varakh on the food.
Where to Report/Complain about Violators
FSSAI encourages to post complains/comments about food
safety issue related to adulteration, contamination, poor quality, improper
packing, insufficient information on label, misleading advertisements,
incomplete information about food, clarification from food operator on license,
etc " by going to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
(FSSAI) website http://www.fssai.gov.in/ or click
the link http://www.fssai.gov.in/Feedback.aspx and Fill in online the “Consumer's Complaints
/ Suggestions / Queries Form”
The FSSAI will be every much happy to help you as well
guide you. Please insert your e-mail and
identify yourself to receive a suitable reply.
·
India is the World’s Largest Beef Exporter
CNN money news of August 5, 2016 published that India is the
world's largest beef exporter. The article indicates that the large number of animals are needed to keep India's huge
domestic dairy industry going. Because
of the existence of this huge dairy industry, there are plenty of grown-up cows
and buffaloes are available to slaughter for beef. The dairy cows and buffaloes
are significantly cheaper than the animals which are raised for beef only, because
the dairy animals produce income during their growth period of first 5 years. Hence 5-year-old dairy cow and buffalo is much
cheaper than non-dairy cow or buffalo raised for beef only.
In other words, Jains and vegetarian Hindus who consume milk and other dairy products directly support the beef industry because every milk producing Cows and Buffaloes are slaughtered after about 5 years of age to support beef export industry while their life expectancy is about 20 years. I have also compiled the CNN’s article at this link for easy review http://www.jainelibrary.org/$india_beef_export
Baby Calf’s Milk is Stolen from Mother
Cow by Humans
Any drop of milk that we use or consume is stolen (taken
without the permission) from mother cow or buffalo that was meant for her
baby. Nature has not made cows or
buffaloes to produce more milk than the need of their babies unless we feed
them hormones and genetically modify their genes. With the continuous use of
hormones, we have forced the bodies of the mother cows and buffaloes to produce
three to four times more milk than their natural need of their babies. Because of this reason, cows and buffaloes body
breaks-down in five years and milk production yield drops significantly. At this time, we send them to
slaughter-house.
Summary
We Jains and vegetarian Hindus use Silver Leaf (Varakh) and milk in Tirthankara’s/God's Puja, other religious rituals, and almost all sweets served in Jain functions. Such items are very Himsak (Violent). It is obtained by torturing and indirectly or
directly killing Cows or Buffaloes or other five sensed animals.
In today’s environment, the production of milk (other
dairy products), wool, silk, and pearl are as Himsak (violent) as the production
of meat and silver leaf. We Jains and vegetarian Hindus should
banned all such items in our religious rituals and religious functions.
We have banned such items in our JAINA Pathashala Educational books of North America (USA and Canada). More than 3000 students are in Pathashalas of North America.
We have banned such items in our JAINA Pathashala Educational books of North America (USA and Canada). More than 3000 students are in Pathashalas of North America.
“We must
Practice our Religion based the Time, Place, and Environment we live in” and “We must
accept the truth from whatever source it comes.” This is the essence of Lord Mahavir’s
preaching.
The
Book of Compassion
In the year 2000, Pujya Paramodaben Chitrabhanuji and I
(Pravin K Shah) have compiled several such types of articles in English in a
book named “The Book of Compassion”. Later
the book was translated in Gujarati and Hindi languages. You can download the soft copy of any of these
books from the following links of the Jain eLibrary website
(www.jainelibrary.org).
List
of Articles compiled in “The Book of Compassion”
01 - My Visit to A Dairy Farm
02 -Dairy Cows - Life, Usage,
and Sufferings
03 - Recycling of Slaughterhouses
Waste
04 - Milk – Its Impact on
Health, Cruelty, and Pollution
05 - Is Nothing Sacred? -
Cruelty towards India’s Holy Animals
06 - Vegetarianism - A
Compassionate Approach to Life
07 - Varakh (Silver Foil or
Leaf)
08 - Facts about Eggs
09 - Story of Silk
10 - Story of Pearls
11 - The Myth about Milk
12 - Alternatives to Animal
Abuse
·
Food Alternatives:
·
Clothing Alternatives:
·
Household Goods Alternatives:
·
Medicines, Drugs, Vitamins Alternatives:
·
Sports, Entertainment Alternatives:
·
Animal Based Additives to Avoid
13 - What Our Readers say
about – “My Visit to A Dairy Farm” article
Pravin K Shah
Jaina Education Committee
Jain eLibrary in-charge
E-mail – jainaedu@gmail.com
Aug 6, 2016
Jaina Education Committee
Jain eLibrary in-charge
E-mail – jainaedu@gmail.com
Aug 6, 2016
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Actual
News of various Newspaper Links
Times of India-Aug
2, 2016
The Food Safety and Standards Authority
of India (FSSAI) has banned the use of any material of animal origin
in silver leaf (chandi ka warq), ...
Hindustan Times-Jul
19, 2016
Food regulator bans use of animal parts in manufacturing silver
leaf ... leaf cannot be manufactured using any animal material of animal
origin ...
Times of India-Jul
21, 2016
Following the Food Safety and Standards
Authority of India (FSSAI) notification, the ... Fine silver foil or silver leaf,
is used to decorate sweets and ... any animal material of animal origin at
any stage of manufacturing process.
The Siasat Daily-Jul
20, 2016
FSSAI bans on silver leaf from animal
parts ... New Delhi: The food regulator of India, FSSAI has banned
the use of silver foil with ... silver leaf cannot be manufactured using
any animal material of animal origin at any stage.
Respected Pravin bhai,
ReplyDeleteI understand the feelings expressed in your article,specially about beef export,and how indirectly we Jains are supporting it by consumeing dairy products.But,I would like to mention here that only milk is not given by cows,but cow dung (Gobar)and Gaumutra ,which are given away,are also very useful.the only thing is that we are not properly utilising it.I would like to suggest you here to please look into the AMRIT MITTI and AMRIT JAL concepts given by Deepak Sachde, a reknown Agro-Scientist,through his videos/webs.i have personally visited his place in M.P.
Most of the times the meaning of Ahimsa is taken as Non-Violence, which is a literal translation. Though correct, it might be a lot more meaningful, at least to a larger audience, to portray it in a positive connotation (non = not), that the meaning is more in line with Lord Mahavira professing LOVE FOR ALL BEINGS and the result is the manifestation of Ahimsa is one's behaviour.
ReplyDeleteNice article..
ReplyDeleteMr. Shah,
ReplyDeleteEven before reading your Article i believed that consuming Milk is not justified for pure Vegetarians.
Some 3 months ago i visited a place where Buffalo was being milked after denying milk to her offspring. There i told my friend that consuming Milk is as good as consuming Meat.
i have a query that how milk consumption supports Beef production and export. Even if we do not consume Milk, animals will be killed after 5 years of age for Beef/ Meat.
As far as i know human beings may be classified as:
ReplyDelete1. Vegetarians.
2. Lectarians.
3. Eggatarians.
4. Non-Vegetarians.
Nice decision by FSSAI.
ReplyDeleteWe are indirectly contributing the torture of Cows and Buffalos as the milk sold by farmers is for the offsprings of the animal.Atleast 25% of the milk must be reserved for the new born.
Pravinbhai, thanks for highlighting the plight of cattle and the issue of 'violence'. Jains must practice non-violence not just in speech and deeds but also thoughts. So it naturally follows that silver foil use is forbidden for us. My uncle Navinchandra Kapadia wrote a book called "Varakh" which showed its dirty underbelly in production and has been translated in hindi, gujarati and english. Alas, he is no more but would have been thrilled to know that FSSAI has banned Varakh in some form. According to him, not only silver foil but milk and even flowers should not be used in pooja. Lastly, not consuming milk may not be palatable truth for many but I pose a question: Can you point out any animal who grows out of mother's milk and keeps consuming milks of other animals (cow, buffalo, goat, donkey, camel...) till the day he dies apart from humans? Only we humans are so arrogant to think that all these other animals exist for us. Thank you for publishing the article, and wish you all the success in your endeavors.
ReplyDeletePravin bhai, great efforts and courage to put up this ahimsa kriya in front of people. I total agree on Kapadia sir's talk. Not only jains but we all humans must think on it and have a loving heart towards these animals which cant express their feelings. we humans are the only creature who have brain, heart and POWER to love in return.
ReplyDeleteresp.Pravinbhai... i too agree about milk etc... but then we should provided other substitute easily available at compititive rate. like soy milk... - this should be spread & recognized like how product of "baba ramdev " - we should bring awarness by rally - whats up face book and declare one day as s" avoid ahinsak milk " once this become like mission...- then it wolud get response. .we should also need to stop "varakh " used in deraser. ..by involving all MAHARAJ SAHEB.
ReplyDeleteTHANK U FOR BRINGING AWARNESS.
Jay Jinendra.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing such a valuable information with us. I take a promise today itself for non-consuming of Chandi Baraq by any mean.
Thanks and Regards,
Rajesh Kumar Jain
NAMASKAR
ReplyDeleteCongratulations for your efforts to force Government of India to ban the use of animal fats in production of silver and gold foils used in Indian sweets and Pan decoration which has been consumed innocently by all vegetarians and Vegans as the ingredient used was not disclose or declared by manufactureres of Silver and gold Vearakhs. It is a great victory for Hindus, Jains and other Vegatarians and vegan communities. That practice of manufacuting companies is not only a breach of trust of Vegatarians but also elligal and unethica. The manufucturing companies must be sued for hurting the religious feeling and sentiments deliberately by hiding the fact that those Silver leafs contains animal fats of Cows, bulls, fuffalos,pigs etc.
I would like to bring it to your attention that almost all Ayurvedic and Allopathy medicines in Capsule and soft cells form are made from animal Gelatin of Cows, bulls, fuffalos,pigs etc. unless the label of medicine indicates suitable for vegetarians and vegan. I had informed many friends by e-mails last week and asked them to do their best to stop this mileading and religiously hurting the feelings of vegetarians by hiding the facts that those capsule cells are made from Animal Gelatin. Many of our vegetarian brothers and sisters are ignorant about this fact and we should ask FSSI to bring the law for the Ayurvedic and Allopathy medicine manufacturers to disclose the information whether the products are suitable for vegetarians or not sutable for vegetarians showing all ingredients of medicine including the shells of capsules or impose ban the use of animal gelatin in all products.
I have sent an e-mail letter to The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and some MPs. I hope other Hindu and Jain organizations would follow the step and write a protest letters to FSSI and Members of the parliament of India. This is also very serious issue and i am sure that your would do your utmost to stop the use of Animal Gelatin in Capsule shells and other cofectionaries too.
I look forward to your response soon.
Yours sincerely
H Padhya
United Kingdom
I really appreciate all your write ups and read with interest and sometimes write to you.
ReplyDeleteThe silver Varakh story is factual but somewhat skewed. It's a fashion in India right now. The goraksha movement only talks of problems without showing alternatives. That would be intelligent. Just sensationalism is counterproductive. Each problem must have a solution we live in the most enlightened most connected century.
I know my fellow Jains of JAINA are all educated intelligent beings.
There are several solutions as I see it as of now. I have learnt from many including Pramidaben.
Pramodaben has been a vegan for more than 18 years now. She has been teaching it. She is a living proof of sanity of being a vegan and a scientific example. I saw her after about four years of her being a vegan in Philadelphia JAINA meeting she had not aged one iota. It's because of prevention of mucus and inflammation that the modern processed milk induces in the gut and hence the body, because she had given up milk etc.
And that's one way to reduce numbers of cows that would have to be born and raised for the Jains and Vaishnavs of this world. If they are not raised for us they would not have to be killed for us.
Secondly insist on nonviolent Varakh. Please peruse this link. This nonviolent Varakh Is made in Jaipur. I tracked down the story after I saw a TV show on a channel called " living foodz " while visiting India. I tracked the story. It's not that new.
Here is the link reported by the vanishnav community the Hharekrishna group in Canada.
http://www.harekrsna.com/sun/features/06-08/features1052.htm
And a word file I saved by copy pasting the story ( just to prove to you all that the link is legit and safe). That will come separately. Just because I have not figured out how to include a file in iOS mail. There is no such button here.
Any you get the idea.
Jai Ahimsa
Usha Desai
Thank you very much for sharing this. I did not realise the origins of the silver leaf in confectionary. I will be passing this message on to friends and family. And i look forward to reading the Book of Compassion.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your dedication to the cause of universal non-violence.
Best wishes,
Keval
Have been watching the cruel manufacturing of Waraqs right behind the back door of Godiji Jain Temple in Mumbai since many years. Banning the use of waraq on Bhahwaan murtis has been discussed with many Jain aagewans including many high level Jain Munis in India, some did agree but many have given a blind eye and anyone who calls for a change has been tagged as one doing prahar on Jainism, not to forget they have an excuse that now a days waraqs are compressed under machines which is not true as those waraqs are never used as they are thicker and don’t stick on Murtis, airlines had already banned in their food items, good thing now its banned all over.
ReplyDeleteIt’s a shame now a days many Jains specially in USA are directly or indirectly into business like stores and restaurants selling meat, some immediate members in family also eating meat with no objection from elders. Surprisingly same people at many centers enjoy the post of a president, secretary or a committee member, even the food for pathshala is ordered from their very shop where meat is sliced, sadly even cheese pizza (contains animal rennet) is served in Jain Pathshalas in USA.
There use to be a system where who so ever wishes to be a president or committee member has to disclose and sign a document indicating they and their immediate family members are pure vegetarians and do not sell meat, but seems that rule has disappeared to nowhere.
For this very reason in many temples people refrain themselves from discussing or preaching about Vegetarianism and animal cruelty which in reality is 1st basic step to be called a Jain. During such time it is nice to see someone showing concern and sending such emails about compassion. Thanks for all the info and please keep it up.
Regards
S. Jhaveri
I really appreciate the information. Though many people know about it. Unless it is backed by such news in media or logical scientific explanations, people tend to ignore it. I am following restraint on varakh since many years now and i am thankful for the information. I have shared with all whatsapp groups i am part of.
ReplyDeleteN. Doshi
Dear Mr. Pravin,
ReplyDeleteYour article regarding animal milk is totally misleading and misguiding. It seems you have written this article without having understanding of proper ground reality. Moreover solution provided by you is like "If you have headache then cutoff the head".
Commercial dairy industries might be operating in the manner specified by you. But we have option of promoting Gaushalas thereby saving Cows and providing milk to humans.
Milk and milk products are important for vegetarians for protein, carbs etc. In India substitutes for milk and milk products are not available easily.
Solution provided by you will not help in any way in saving those animals. You are just trying to abandon them.
DS GROUP is making varakh through machine by compresssing silver plates at higher degree temperatures. http://www.yogashayan.com
ReplyDeleteGood effort as human being it is not for any religions but necessary for world as whole.
ReplyDeleteIt is also very saddening to that some of the religious munis advocate to their society for things like ANGI or even MOVDI mandir where the varak is used.
ReplyDeleteThis is my personal experience in 2010 I had aggressively promoted pure vegetarian varak made in Japan by a 120 years old 4 generation company.
I went to kandivali and met one of the sects muniji he told me that using leather is not prohibited in Jainism and it's ok .
Since the price was expensive and also I offered at cost in exchange for endorsement .
Now I also met one of the member of board in charge of sametshikar mandir and he very casually said that if my varak is not cheaper than ismailbhai (a Muslim maker of varak) then we are not interested.
More than 80% of varak used in India is fake and harmful yet the mithaiwala think it is better to use that rather than one which may have a minuscule portion and that too if regulated can be controlled now I cannot understand which is sinful of the two.
Anyway the Japanese have an ancient technique of producing varak in a vegetarian way but India and INDIAN want that Chinese price which will never happen .
There is a price for quality and assurance and that awareness will never come except the ultra rich
Regards