E-Paper
CSIR-IITR developing CRMs for food safety testing to reduce import dependence
Currently, India is dependent on imported CRMs for standardisation and quality assessment of food products, according to CSIR-IITR director Bhaskar Narayan. “The importance of CRMs is that reference standards play a pivotal role in maintaining quality while producing products that are globally acceptable, with defined quality and shelf life, through testing and calibration measurements. Development of indigenous CRMs will save foreign exchange and lead to exponential economy growth,” Narayan said.
Prefer HTon Google
Scientists at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR) are developing certified reference materials (CRMs) for heavy metals, pesticides and pharma-grade castor oil, which could help the food and pharmaceutical industries test daily use products for contaminants and ensure quality standards.
CRMs are used to ensure that measurements are traceable to the International System of Units (SI) and help assess the quality of products used in daily life.
Currently, India is dependent on imported CRMs for standardisation and quality assessment of food products, according to CSIR-IITR director Bhaskar Narayan.
“The importance of CRMs is that reference standards play a pivotal role in maintaining quality while producing products that are globally acceptable, with defined quality and shelf life, through testing and calibration measurements. Development of indigenous CRMs will save foreign exchange and lead to exponential economy growth,” Narayan said.
The pharmaceutical and food industries use CRMs for a range of applications, including verifying the accuracy of label claims, assessing nutritive value, characterising materials and detecting adulterants. CSIR-IITR is currently working on CRMs comprising single-element solutions in a water matrix, multi-element mixtures in a water matrix and multi-element mixtures in an oil matrix.
The institute has also prepared CRMs for pharma-grade castor oil, single and mixed pesticides, fatty acid ester mixtures and aflatoxin mixtures.
CRMs for heavy metals such as cadmium, arsenic, lead, mercury, copper, aluminium and tin are also being prepared. A scientist involved in the process said the CRMs were being prepared at about one-fifth of the market price, making testing more cost-effective for industries.
“The CRMs will help industries check the residual limits of heavy metals and pesticides in food products in accordance with regulatory requirements. The CRMs imported into the country are not only highly expensive but also take longer to reach here,” Narayan said.
Once ready, the indigenous CRMs will help reduce dependence on imports and support research in academic institutions and industries, he added.
