New precision Iodine Value Analyzer gets recognition by FSSAI

BakeryBiz, May-Jun, 2021

Indigenous food testing equipment recognised on World Food Safety Day

CSIR An indigenous food testing equipment – Precision Iodine Value Analyzer (PIVA) has been recognized by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on the occassion of World Food Safety Day. This home-grown kit is developed by CSIR along with Central Scientific Instruments Organization (CSIO) and can determine the Iodine Value (degree of unsaturation) measurement in edible oils and fats in a faster, better, and cheaper way.

Currently, PIVA has been calibrated and tested for Coconut, Sunflower, Mustard, Palm, Rice Bran, Soyabean, Groundnut, Olive Oil and Ghee. This new development is a part of the ongoing effort to strengthen the food testing capabilities by introducing the quick and advanced Food Testing Kits.

FSSAI has, thus far, approved 65 rapid food testing kits/ devices and this is the newest addition to the approved kits/ equipment. In the last one year,
FSSAI has provided technical and financial assistance to States/UTs for creation of necessary infrastructure, testing equipment and mobilizing resources for carrying out special camps, inspections, awareness drives, etc. by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

FSSAI has dispersed almost Rs 65 crores to the States/ UTs as part of the MoU in the year 2020-21. A set of amendments have been proposed by FSSAI to revamp Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Business) Regulations. The Food Regulator is also releasing new regulations to facilitate and speed up import clearances by expanding the coverage across the point of entries for quality assurance and testing of food imports. As part of the World Food Safety Day celebration, FSSAI, announced the winners of the Eat Right Creativity challenge organized online for school children to unleash their creativity by inculcating the message of ‘Safe, Healthy and Sustainable Diets’.

Over 26,000 entries were received across India, 640 entries were awarded as Regional Winners and 250 entries were identified as National Winners under this challenge. Further, Ahmedabad, Nagpur, Chennai, Lucknow and Pune were identified as winners of the NeTProFaN challenges for conducting mass awareness activities in last one year.