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| Sunday, 11 April 2004 |
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| News Business Features Editorial
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ITI expands test services to food industry thro' Japanese aid The Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) has received food analytical equipment to the value of Rs. 44 mn through Japanese Grant-aid assistance that has pledged a total package of Rs. 530 mn to upgrade and strengthen the capabilities with respect to food technology, food analytical services and post-harvest management so as to provide technological support services to upgrade quality, safety and output of processed food as well as to minimise post-harvest losses. During the first phase of implementation of the project during the year 2003, microbiological, chemical and physical quality testing equipment have been received. The microbiological quality testing equipment received include a microscope incorporating a digital camera and a colour monitor, a membrane filtration unit, a colony counter with automatic marker, several incubators a Colifrom incubator bath, a distilled water unit, a cold room as well as a generator, for the laboratory. At present, the microbiology laboratory of the ITI that provides test services, training on laboratory planning, quality control and consultancy services is internationally accredited by SWEDAC in compliance with the ISO/IEC 17025 Standard. The Japanese Grant-aid project assistance that has now been received will upgrade the facilities of the laboratory further with new equipment that has been received as well as by the several capability enhancement programs that have been made available to the laboratory personnel. The digital electronic microscope has enabled the laboratory to enhance the capabilities in the field of identification of fungi by studying the morphological features and providing the client with photographic evidence of such organisms, especially in detection of food spoilage. The laboratory has already initiated the building up of a database of fungi associated with food spoilage. Other than in the field of microbiology, the microscope can be used for identification of starches (wheat, corn, rice, manioc etc.), the detection of adulteration of ground spices with these types of starches as well as in the determination of the level of mixing in mixtures of flours. The procurement of the membrane filtration unit has enabled the laboratory to keep abreast with current standards as the microbiological methods stipulated in the revised Sri Lanka standard for natural mineral water is based on membrane filtration. Further endeavours of the laboratory are targeted towards a microbial culture collection of economically important cultures. The stand by generator provided through the project, has been very useful in maintaining the temperatures of equipment in the laboratory to obtain precise and accurate test results during interruptions of power supply. Chemical analytical equipment received include fibre analyzers, Kjeldhal protein analyzers, a soxtec fat analyzer, accessories for high performance liquid chromatography system, a flame photometer, a gas chromatograph, analytical balances, pH meters, a Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) densitometer, a Spectrophotometer and a Homogeniser. Using these equipment, protein, fat and fibre that are essential parameters for determining quality of food can be carried out faster. Determination of minerals such as sodium and potassium are carried out using the flame photometer. the procurement of the fibre analyzer and the kjeldhal analyzer has enabled the laboratory to provide an efficient service in the areas of proximate composition and nutrition labelling as these equipment have replaced items that were over 15 years old.The increased demand for testing of food for vitamins, histamine (that causes food allergies) in fish and preservatives in food is fulfilled using the accessories received for the high performance liquid chromatography system. The gas liquid chromatograph is used for determining the nutritional quality and safety of food such as profiling fats and carbohydrates and detecting certain adulterants. The TLC densitometer is used for scanning and quantifying thin layer chromatographic data in chemical investigations and this technique is used for quantitative analysis of constituents of food and the spectrophotometer is used for determining the quality of fruits and vegetables in post-harvest management. The equipment for physical testing of food includes, a texture analyzer, viscometer thermo hygrometers and refractometers. Food texture analysis is one of the important measurements required to ensure quality and consistency of a food product. Texture analysis in food measure the properties related to how a food product is felt in the mouth and this is determined using a sensory panel comprising trained panelists as well as by instrumental methods. Since it is difficult for machines to imitate biting and chewing, the sensory panels are used as correlative instrumental test methods. Instrumental analysis of texture in food provides for more accurate and repeatable results, with the equipment software performing complex calculations in a very short time and producing detailed reports. This analysis also helps in monitoring product quality, providing an objective measure of customer acceptance, shortening new product development cycles as well as providing process control feedback. The Agro and Food Technology Division of the Industrial Technology Institute (ITI) invite food industrialists in Sri Lanka to use the state-of-the-art facilities of the food laboratory. With the facilities that the ITI has received through the Japanese Grant-aid assistance, the institute now acts as a useful and efficient partner for the food industry to reach technological excellence in producing products that are safe and nutritious. |
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