Looking Back Down Memory Lane – Vol 2 Are you really a Vegetarian or a Vegan??

Gel Eye drops

Gel Capsules

Soft Gel capsules

I am sharing some interesting incidents of my professional life through these anecdotes.

In this episode if you are a Vegetarian or Vegan this blog is for you! The intent is not to point fingers but just to create the awareness.

I am looking back at the year 1997 when I had joined Tata Honeywell Chennai as Manager Projects. Just then the company had bagged their biggest order in south a multi- million dollar turnkey instrumentation contract  with KCPL a joint venture of KSIDC with Nitta gelatin Japan (one of world’s leading gelatin manufacturer)for their new plant at Cochin. One of the conditions in the contract was that a Project Manager should be stationed permanently by Honeywell at site till the completion. I was asked to take over as PM at Cochin site.

I had never been to Cochin before that and initially it was exciting. I stayed at BTH (Bharath Tourist Home) an amazing hotel and hopped from one island after another in the evening thanking the CPM government for keeping the boating charges so low! I used to come back home Chennai once a fortnight! So far so good.

I remembered only 2 words in JapaneseOhayōgozaimasu(good morning) and Domo Arigato (Thank you so much) thanks to my past experience at L&T in the year 1986 when I was sent for 3 months to Japan for technology transfer .This helped in becoming friendly with the Japanese team at the KCPL site.

On a lighter note during that time DTPH was craze of the country. During breakfast when they were asked to stay back that day as I greeted the Japanese said Dil to pagal hai dil diwana hai in his own accent. I can’t help laughing as I realized that the cab driver used to put this same cassette every day when they go to site.

Even before the start of the plant the labor union was strong in the plant. Of all the places why did they start in Kakkanad in Kerala I used to wonder? The project was delayed as atleast one day in the week there used to be labor problem and the GM of KCPL will call his Japanese colleagues to stay back at the hotel as the road is blocked. This will frustrate the Japanese who had never seen anything like this in their country.

The manufacturing process of gelatin is complex with tight controls. In the end depending on the yield the product will be segregated. The best grade will be used for pharma. The gelatin is used in pharma for capsules and eye drops etc. The next grade is used in food products yoghurt, icecream etc. The lowest grade was used in consumer products like tooth paste shampoos etc. The plant was automated with state of the art DCS from start to finish. There are only few manufacturers of gelatin who supply the entire world.

Let us move to the main subject. I was shocked when I found out about the basic raw material. Animal Bones were crushed and that is the start of the process for making gelatine. Every day, Trucks used to come loaded with animal bones to the site.

Gelatin is made from bones and skins and tissues of bovines (cows and buffaloes).

Gel Icecream

Gel Yoghurt

Why gelatin is used in products? Gelatin is rich in proteins and has many health benefits due to combination of amino acids. It forms the shells of capsules which gives cohesiveness resistance and hardness to the tablets. Why it is used in food? Gelatin thickens puddings, yogurt, gummy candies, fruit gelatin desserts, ice cream and is rich in protein.

Alternatives to gelatin which is taken by vegans include non-animal gel sources such as agar-agar seaweed, carrageenan, pectin, konjak, and guar gum for food items. But do we have a choice of choosing the tablets?

 So if you are vegetarian and have the pride that you do not eat meat at all are you really? The fact is no one is 100% vegetarian. Next time you see pure vegetarian restaurant please have a special look at the yoghurt icecream and pudding!

 In our life everything is there for purpose and we can be selective but not exclusive.  The animals give their life for us and give us protein and make us healthy. We must accept it as nature’s gift and be happy and grateful.

(To be concluded)