(GCMMF), popularly known as Amul, a leading food products organisation of India has set up Advanced Organic Testing Laboratory at Amul Fed Dairy, Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The lab was inaugurated by Amit Shah, Minister of Home Affairs and Cooperation, Government of India, on Sunday.
With the increasing demand for organic food products in India, there is a growing need for advanced laboratories dedicated to organic food testing. Organic food is produced without synthetic fertilisers, pesticides, and other chemicals. To meet these demands, an advanced laboratory for organic food testing plays a crucial role in verifying the organic integrity of food items. The laboratory employs various testing methodologies and techniques to detect the presence of pesticides, heavy metals, and other contaminants. It ensures that organic food products adhere to national and international organic standards, enhancing consumer confidence and protecting public health.
“This is the first dedicated lab by Amul for organic testing and supporting organic producers,” Amul said.
The organic industry relies on consumer trust and confidence. Organic testing laboratories play a pivotal role in building trust by providing reliable testing results and ensuring that organic claims are backed by scientific evidence. By upholding the integrity of organic products, the laboratory supports market demand for organic produce, benefiting both farmers and the industry as a whole.
Amul ventured into the organic business last year in May 2022 with the launch of Amul Organic Atta. Over the past year, Amul has expanded its organic product portfolio to include products such as Organic Basmati Rice, Organic Toor Dal, Organic Chana Dal, Organic Masoor Dal, Organic Moong, Organic Rajma, Organic Besan and Organic Kabuli Chana. A range of other organic products are in the pipeline, the federation said.
Speaking at the occasion, Jayen Mehta, MD, Amul Federation said that the latest state-of-the-art equipments such as Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS), Liquid Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer (LC-MS), Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS), High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) had been installed at the new organic testing laboratory at Amul.
These equipments will help identify and quantify organic compounds in food samples. They can detect pesticides, herbicides, and other organic contaminants, determine trace elements and heavy metals in food samples and also detect mycotoxins, additives, and preservatives.
Amul aims to provide organic testing results meeting international standards to organic farmers and industry players at an affordable price.
Source : Agriculture Post May 22nd 2023