Kochi: Milma (Kerala Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Limited) has partnered with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) to operationalise a food testing laboratory here. The NDDB CALF (Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food) Laboratory will be inaugurated by Shri George Kurian, Union Minister of State for Animal Husbandry & Dairying, on January 17.
The CALF Laboratory is situated at the MILMA Ernakulam Regional Co-operative Milk Producers’ Union Ltd. (ERCMPU) campus in Edappally, Kochi.
This laboratory will function as a branch of NDDB CALF Limited and adhere to the stringent quality and professional standards followed at its other laboratories. In the initial phase, the laboratory will cater to the testing requirements of the dairy industry in Kerala and neighbouring states. Facilities for comprehensive quality and safety testing of milk and milk products have already been established, said C N Valsalan Pillai, Chairman of ERCMPU.
In a phased manner, the scope of services will be expanded to include testing of food and agricultural commodities such as spices, fruits, vegetables, bakery products, ready-to-eat food, fish and allied products. The laboratory is accredited to the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL), New Delhi, he added.
With its state-of-the-art instrumentation and modern infrastructure, the Kochi Laboratory will also support State Government departments and food safety authorities in mitigating food safety risks through advanced testing services, said Dr Rajesh Nair, Managing Director, NDDB CALF.
NDDB CALF Limited (NCL) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the NDDB, with its head office at Anand in Gujarat. For over 17 years, NCL has been providing comprehensive analytical testing and research services to the dairy, food and agricultural sectors, regulatory authorities, and allied industries.