Lab at PAU to detect heavy metals in food, water

Strap: Testing open for govt departments & farmers at subsidised rates

xxxxxxxxxx

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, March 12

To detect heavy metals in food and water, a quality control laboratory has been established at Punjab Horticultural Postharvest Technology Centre (PHPTC), Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana. The laboratory is equipped with inductive coupled plasma mass spectrophotometer (ICP-MS), microwave digestion system (MDS) and ultra water purification system. Testing is open for government institutions, departments, farmers and private institutions and industries as well.

Dr BVC Mahajan, director of the centre, said, four heavy metals — lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercury — were of particular concern in the food.

Dr Mahajan added that the laboratory was funded by the Punjab Mandi Board and provided testing services to farmers, entrepreneurs and government and private institutions. The rates for government institutes, departments, farmers and students were subsidised. “Tests are carried out for heavy metals in water and a variety of food products for compliance with the requirements laid down by the FSSAI under the Food Safety and Standards Act,” he said.

Other testing services such as the estimation of quality attributes in fresh and processed food products and portability of water, including biochemical and microbiological parameters, were also available.

Dr Ritu Tandon, chemist and in-charge of the laboratory, said increased industrialisation and urbanisation had polluted groundwater. These heavy metals beyond certain limits might affect human health. The detailed list of test parameters and their charges could be accessed on the website of the PHPTC (www.phptc.org).