The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (Fssai) on Sunday launched a project to tackle microplastic contamination in food.
The project was started in March this year to develop and validate analytical methods for detecting micro and nano-plastics in various food products, and to assess their prevalence and exposure levels in India.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) had recently highlighted the presence of microplastics in common food items such as sugar and salt.
“While global studies have highlighted the presence of microplastics in various foods, 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 regulations and safety standards to protect public health,” Fssai stated in a release.
Through the project, the food regulator will develop standard protocols for the analysis of micro/nano-plastics, conduct intra- and inter-laboratory comparisons, and generate data on microplastic exposure levels among consumers.
The study is being implemented in collaboration with the CSIR-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (Lucknow), ICAR-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (Kochi), and the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (Pilani).
First Published: Aug 18 2024 | 4:48 PM IST