On August 18, 2024, in New Delhi, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) unveiled an innovative project to address the growing worry of microplastic contamination in food, recognising microplastic pollution as an emerging threat that requires immediate attention.
In order to develop and validate analytical methods for detecting micro and nanoplastics in various food products and to assess their prevalence and exposure levels in India.
The project “Micro-and Nano-Plastics as Emerging Food Contaminants: Establishing Validated Methodologies and Understanding the Prevalence in Different Food Matrices” was initiated in March of this year, according to the release.
“The primary objectives of the project include developing standard protocols for micro/nano-plastic analysis, conducting intra- and inter-laboratory comparisons, and generating critical data on microplastic exposure levels among consumers,” FSSAI said.
The ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (Kochi), the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (Pilani), and the CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (Lucknow) are among the top research institutes in the nation working together on this project.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recently brought attention to the existence of microplastics in everyday food essentials like salt and sugar.
In order to safeguard the public’s health, this study will aid in determining the degree of microplastic contamination in Indian food and provide guidance for the creation of safe and effective legislation.
FSSAI said it is committed to ensuring that Indian consumers have access to safe and healthy food.
The results of this initiative will not only help shape regulatory policies but also advance knowledge about microplastic pollution worldwide, establishing Indian research as a crucial component of the global effort to address this environmental issue.
Official Press Release click here
Date : 24 & 25 August 2024 (2 Days)
Time : 10 AM to 05 PM
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