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NCFST offers collaboration in food safety & innovation
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Wednesday, 03 March, 2010, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Our Bureau, Mumbai
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Dr Darsh Wasan, NCFST's (National Centre for Food Safety and Technology) Acting Director and Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) vice-president, has announced a new collaboration between the US National Academy of Engineering (USNAE), the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE) and the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), aimed at identifying the challenges and opportunities in improving global food safety and innovation.
The organisations held the first joint US-Indian symposium, "Food Processing Technologies for Food Safety and Innovation," on February 25-26, 2010, at The Taj Mahal Palace & Tower in Mumbai.
Dr Wasan's presentation revolved around exploring possible ways in conducting collaborative research. He elaborated on the NCFST model. With FDA as the major partner and industry as the other, he claimed the model was one of its kind in the world. However, he agreed that India's CFTRI had a significant resemblance to NCFST.
The NCFST model was construed in 1988 with primary focus on food processing safety. It was established by IIT to bring together the food safety and technology expertise of academia, industry and FDA with a common goal of enhancing and improving the safety of food for the US. It is funded by FDA and industry and manages to raise around $12-15 million every year.
Dr Wasan thought the model was great because the FDA division of food processing and packaging was physically located with NCFST. Along with conducting research, NCFST also gives professional Masters degree like Masters of Food Safety & Technology, Masters of Food Processing Engineering and certifications to the students enrolled in the Centre.
With risk management and innovation being the two important agendas for the Centre, whenever a food crisis arises in the US, the first call goes to the NCFST.
Along with collaborative research, proprietary research and specific projects with the industry are taken up by the Centre. The advisory committee of NCFST sets up a 5-year strategic plan which revolves around lending timely support to FDA and industry on urgent issues. The Plan then goes to the Science Forum for an in-depth study. From the Science Forum collaborative project proposals are sent out and the project with a higher overall ranking related to industry-wide issue is selected.
The Centre along with doing research does validation of traditional and new technology. Fresh produce has become a major problem in the US where the whole supply chain is affected. NCSFT uses ultra sound technology for fresh produce. It has pilot plant facilities like the GMP Food Pilot Plant and BSL-2 Pilot Plant. In the US food security is a major concern and NCFST is the only Plant in the country where work on special pathogens is carried on. It is the only lab which can handle both expert knowledge on bacterial and viral pathogens. Additionally, it is equipped with new molecular tools for studying microbial residual. It is developing new facilities in the nutrition area. The research centre also helps in checking health claims by the companies.
The Centre has given some fruitful research finding to the US, like grape seed extract is useful in reducing blood pressure, use of strawberry in prevention of post-prandial oxidation of LDL in men and women.
Dr Wasan said that this was the best collaborative model that one could put together. He said, "In November 2009, US President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh backed proposals to work towards a worldwide food security through closer international collaboration in a host of market sectors, including food processing and production, particularly in the sharing of technology and research.".
"The Indian government has identified the food processing sector as an engine of economic growth for the country, recently unveiling plans to double the size of its food manufacturing capabilities within five years and setting the stage for India to become a major player in food exports. At the same time, however, the safety of imported products has emerged as a major issue in the US, both in terms of consumer confidence and public health, prompting a drive towards stronger collaboration between the US and importing countries to improve preventive risk management approaches and risk reduction technologies throughout the global food supply chain."
IIT's Distance Education Programme in India
Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), founded in Chicago in 1890, is an independent technological, PhD-granting research university, with world renowned programmes in engineering, architecture, humanities, psychology, business, law and design.
Giving details about the courses provided by IIT, Sam Pitroda, a very successful and eminent alumnus of the university, told newsmen in Mumbai that IIT was among the leading destinations for Indian students seeking post-graduate qualifications in the US. About 1,000 of its students were from India. Since 1997, upon advice from Sam Pitroda, IIT began offering professional master's Distance Education programme in India in four metros - Bangalore, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Chennai. It offers IT, Innovation and Urban Sustainability programmes in India. Some 300 engineers had so far earned US master's degrees without leaving their home turf. The Distance Education programme, costing $10,000, stretches to 3-4 years, instead of two years in Chicago.
The press conference was also addressed by John Anderson, president, IIT; Patrick A Whitney, Dean of the Institute of Design; Jamshyd Godrej, also an alumnus and Trustee and member of the Board of Overseers and CMD of Godrej & Boyce Mfg Co. Ltd, Mumbai and Dr Darsh Wasan.
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