Quick detection of pathogens in food products now possible: Scientists
21 Feb 2014 11:41 PM GMT
Department of health and research in association with Indian Council of Medical Research launched these Pathogen Detection kits at India Habitat Centre on Thursday.
‘Food poisoning has been rampant in our country and latest studies show that about 13 per cent deaths among children up to the age of 5 are due to diarrhoea caused essentially due to consumption of contaminated food and water. A study conducted by NIN recently indicated that in 13.2 per cent households surveyed in India, at least one person has suffered from food-borne illness during a fortnight that preceded the survey. Also a recent review on food-borne diseases has shown that more people are at risk of food poisoning owing to microbiological contamination of food,’ said Ghulam Nabi Azad, minister of health and family welfare.
Food-borne diseases are a major public health problem and it is now well recognised that microbiological contamination of foods is a major safety concern for scientist and researchers.
‘The pathogen detection system will be of immense help to the regulatory system of Food Safety Authority of India and Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, which reports to some extent outbreaks of food poisoning. Common diagnostic laboratories in the government as well in the private sector also have the mechanism in place. But these bodies incur major costs in procuring such kits’ said Professor Rajora from the University College of Medical Sciences.
According to scientists and researchers, kits developed by NIN and BioServe are indigenous, less time-consuming and cost one-third of the imported kit costs. Also, this rapid detection of food samples for microbiological contamination will reduce mortality rates in society.
‘Food poisoning has been rampant in our country and latest studies show that about 13 per cent deaths among children up to the age of 5 are due to diarrhoea caused essentially due to consumption of contaminated food and water. A study conducted by NIN recently indicated that in 13.2 per cent households surveyed in India, at least one person has suffered from food-borne illness during a fortnight that preceded the survey. Also a recent review on food-borne diseases has shown that more people are at risk of food poisoning owing to microbiological contamination of food,’ said Ghulam Nabi Azad, minister of health and family welfare.
Food-borne diseases are a major public health problem and it is now well recognised that microbiological contamination of foods is a major safety concern for scientist and researchers.
‘The pathogen detection system will be of immense help to the regulatory system of Food Safety Authority of India and Integrated Disease Surveillance Programme, which reports to some extent outbreaks of food poisoning. Common diagnostic laboratories in the government as well in the private sector also have the mechanism in place. But these bodies incur major costs in procuring such kits’ said Professor Rajora from the University College of Medical Sciences.
According to scientists and researchers, kits developed by NIN and BioServe are indigenous, less time-consuming and cost one-third of the imported kit costs. Also, this rapid detection of food samples for microbiological contamination will reduce mortality rates in society.
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