Scientists at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Indian Institute of Toxicology Research (CSIR-IITR) are developing certified reference materials (CRMs) for heavy metals, pesticides and pharma-grade castor oil, which could help the food and pharmaceutical industries test daily use products for contaminants and ensure quality standards.
The pharmaceutical and food industries use CRMs for a range of applications, including verifying the accuracy of label claims, assessing nutritive value, characterising materials and detecting adulterants. CSIR-IITR is currently working on CRMs comprising single-element solutions in a water matrix, multi-element mixtures in a water matrix and multi-element mixtures in an oil matrix. CRMs for heavy metals such as cadmium, arsenic, lead, mercury, copper, aluminium and tin are also being prepared. “The CRMs will help industries check the residual limits of heavy metals and pesticides in food products in accordance with regulatory requirements.
Currently, India is dependent on imported CRMs for standardisation and quality assessment of food products, according to CSIR-IITR director Bhaskar Narayan. A scientist involved in the process said the CRMs were being prepared at about one-fifth of the market price, making testing more cost-effective for industries. The CRMs imported into the country are not only highly expensive but also take longer to reach here,” Narayan said.
