Kochi, January 15 (IANS). Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying George Kurien will inaugurate a state-of-the-art food testing laboratory in Kochi on Saturday.
This is an important step towards strengthening the quality assurance infrastructure for the dairy and food sectors of Kerala.
The facility has been set up in collaboration between MILMA (Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Limited) and National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).
This laboratory, established under NDDB CALF (Centre for Livestock and Food Analysis and Learning) Limited, is located at Ernakulam Regional Cooperative Milk Producers Union (ERCMPU) campus at Edappally.
This Kochi facility will function as a branch of NDDB CALF Limited and will follow the same stringent professional and quality standards adopted by other NDDB laboratories across the country.
This laboratory will initially cater to the testing needs of the dairy industry primarily in Kerala and neighboring states, which already have facilities in place for comprehensive quality and safety testing of milk and milk products.
According to CN Valsalan Pillai, Chairman, ERCMPU, the scope of services of the laboratory will be expanded in a phased manner to include testing of food and agricultural commodities such as spices, fruits, vegetables, bakery products, ready-to-eat foods, fish and allied products.
The laboratory is accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL), New Delhi, ensuring compliance with nationally recognized testing standards.
Dr. Rajesh Nair, Managing Director, NDDB CALF, said the Kochi laboratory, equipped with modern infrastructure and advanced equipment, will also support state government departments and food safety authorities by providing scientific testing services aimed at reducing food safety risks.
NDDB CALF Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of NDDB, is headquartered at Anand, Gujarat.
The company has been providing analytical testing, research and advisory services to the dairy, food and agriculture sectors as well as regulatory authorities for over 17 years.
–IANS
ASH/DKP