DRDO partners with AU for setting up a Food Testing Lab in Vizag

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will be part of the Food Testing Lab (FTL) set up by Andhra University (AU) in Vizag. On Monday, Associate Director of the Mysore-based Defence Food Research Lab (DFRL), Dr R Kumar, visited the varsity and had an interaction with AU Vice-Chancellor PVGD Prasad Reddy. DFRL is an Indian defence laboratory of DRDO. They research food science and the development of convenience foods, preservation of foods, nutritional and biochemical evaluation, food safety, and food packaging. 

Speaking about the new food testing lab in collaboration with DRDO, the VC said that this will be the first organic testing lab set up in Andhra University. It will be funded by the Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan (RUSA). The lab will conduct analysis, research, and testing of food. The VC said that DRDO’s help in conducting the research could give great results for the development of the nation. He also shared details about the pharma testing and genetic testing labs being set up by the university. 

The DFRL Associate Director, Dr R Kumar, shared details on the poke facilities and technical support required for the food testing lab. It is said that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the food testing lab will be soon taken up, between Andhra University and DRDO in Vizag, so as to begin research on food technology. 

A similar food lab with an estimated cost of Rs. 20 crore is coming up in Vizag. This will be the first lab in Andhra Pradesh by the Food Control Department, Andhra Pradesh. Currently, food samples from any raids conducted are sent to Hyderabad for a final report on the food quality checking and food quality control. Once the new lab starts functioning in the city, it will have quality checks on the food samples brought from surprise raids made at the eateries.