Spices Board Set up Quality Evaluation Laboratory at Navi Mumbai

KOCHI:
Seeking to meet stringent global norms for food safety, Spices Board has set up a state-of-the-art Quality Evaluation Lab (QEL) at Navi Mumbai for pesticide residue analysis and microbial food safety in spices and spice products.
The QEL building is the first-ever pre-engineered structure designed and built to perfection by a government organisation. The laboratory, the eighth such facility established by the Board across India, is equipped with the most modern chromatographic and spectroscopic analytical instrumentations.
Dr A Jayathilak said that the lab would act as a centre of excellence to decontaminate the pesticide residue in spices. “It will also make a national data base on application of pesticide contamination in spices. This state of the art lab will elevate us to meet the global standards and export quality spices,” he added.
The centre is equipped with latest immuno, molecular, biochemical and spectroscopic instrumental techniques for the detection and enumeration of micro-organisms in food. The facilities in this laboratory will meet the demand for the next 10 years.
“The detailed drawings of the building were prepared and the entire building was built in the factory and assembled at site. The project was completed within 10 months” Dr. A Jayathilak said.
This structural steel building has greater earthquake resistance and being pre engineered building, minimal water was consumed for construction in this drought year.