India Food Stats

Olympic javelin throw champion and India's first athletics gold medalist, Neeraj Chopra, initially took up the sport to combat childhood obesity. As a thirteen-year old boy he weighed 85 kg as Norris Pritam writes in " The Man Who Made History: The Neeraj Chopra Story ". He maintains his elite fitness through rigorous discipline and a strict diet. According to a 2022 article on the official Olympics website , Neeraj Chopra aims to keep his body fat percentage at 10 percent . While he's a non-vegetarian now, it's interesting to note that Chopra was a strict vegetarian until 2016. This dietary shift occurred during a training camp in Portland, USA.

Advice from a NYT article - A good rule of thumb: If you bought it from the refrigerated section at the store, it should stay in the fridge at home Always use a clean, dry spoon or knife — no fingers — to avoid planting bacteria or the moisture they crave. Which condiments should go to fridge or pantry: Pantry Kept in an airtight container, ghee — butter that has been simmered until its water evaporates — can keep for six months or longer at room temperature So long as you don’t let moisture in — a wet spoon, a loose lid in 90 percent humidity — honey will last virtually forever in the pantry. Pantry is fine for vinegary hot sauces , but double-check the label for other styles where the pH is unknown. Tabasco, a vinegar-based hot sauce, will be just fine stored in a cool, dark pantry for at least five years after opening. Refined oils will have a longer shelf life than unrefined but all will oxidize more quickly in bright light, heat and open air. So tuck oils away in a cool, dar...

You'll often spot an interesting linguistic mix on Indian product packaging!  Due to historical ties and the enduring legacy of the Commonwealth education system, British English spelling (e.g., "colour," "flavour," "fibre," "centre") is the most prevalent and widely accepted standard across India. Baskin Robbins uses the American English spelling 'flavored' instead of 'flavoured'  Image: Open Food Facts However, as global markets intertwine, it's increasingly common to see products from American brands (or even Indian brands targeting international markets) adopting American English spelling (e.g., "color," "flavor," "fiber," "center").  It's a subtle reflection of India's diverse linguistic landscape and its position as a vibrant hub where various global influences converge, even on something as simple as a food label!

Having reached the 10,000 food products milestone in the India database of Open Food Facts sometime in September 2024 , the current product count has crossed 15,000 in 9 months - a 50% jump! The product range spans across more than 3,300 brands and over 1,500 categories . If you'd like to help improve data quality and ensure each product has all the essential details, you can start contributing from this link . The database is also steadily growing in other categories like beauty products and pet food . If you're interested in food transparency or open data, Open Food Facts is a great platform to contribute to and use for the public good . According to DataKart , the national product database maintained by GS1 India, there are currently 42,815,849 products with barcodes from 32,993 companies in India. DataKart provides detailed information about each retail product, including ingredients, images, MRP, net content, and packaging dimensions. GS1 India is the official organisati...