FSSAI said it is committed to ensuring that Indian consumers have access to safe and healthy food.
Food regulator FSSAI has launched a project to assess microplastic contamination in food products and develop methods for their detection.
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has launched an innovative project to address the growing concern over microplastic contamination in food, recognizing microplastic contamination as an emerging threat that requires immediate attention.
According to an official statement, the project Micro and nanoplastics as emerging food contaminants: establishing validated methodologies and understanding the prevalence in different food matrices was launched in March this year.
The objective is to develop and validate analytical methods to detect micro- and nanoplastics in various food products, as well as assess their prevalence and exposure levels in India.
“The main objectives of the project include developing standard protocols for the analysis of micro/nanoplastics, conducting intra- and inter-laboratory comparisons, and generating critical data on levels of exposure to microplastics among consumers,” FSSAI said.
This study is being implemented in collaboration with leading research institutions across the country including CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicological Research (Lucknow), ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (Kochi) and Birla Institute of Technology and Science (Pilani).
FSSAI noted that the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in its recent report, has highlighted the presence of microplastics in common foods such as sugar and salt.
“While the report highlights the global prevalence of microplastics, it also emphasises the need for more robust data to fully understand the implications for human health and safety, particularly in the Indian context,” the regulator said.
FSSAI said it is committed to ensuring that Indian consumers have access to safe and healthy food.
While global studies have highlighted the presence of microplastics in various foods, FSSAI said it is imperative to generate reliable data specific to India.
“This project will help understand the extent of microplastic contamination in Indian food and guide the formulation of effective safety regulations and standards to protect public health,” the regulator said.
The findings from this project will not only inform regulatory actions but will also contribute to the global understanding of microplastic pollution, he added.
(Only the headline and image of this report may have been reworked by Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
First published: August 18, 2024 | 16:48 IS
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