Amul opens organic testing laboratory 

Inauguration of the organic testing laboratory at Amul Fed Dairy, Gandhinagar by Shri Amit Shah, minister of home affairs and cooperation for the government of India, 21 May 2023. Image: Amul

Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Limited (GCMMF) (Amul Federation), the largest food products organisation of India, has set up an organic testing laboratory at Amul Fed Dairy, Gandhinagar. The lab was inaugurated by Shri Amit Shah, the minister of home affairs and cooperation for the government of India.

With the increasing demand for organic food products in India, there is a growing need for advanced laboratories dedicated to organic food testing. Organic food is produced without the use of synthetic fertilisers, pesticides, and other chemicals. To meet these demands, an advanced laboratory for organic food testing plays a crucial role in verifying the organic integrity of food items.

The laboratory employs various testing methodologies and techniques to detect the presence of pesticides, heavy metals, and other contaminants. It ensures that organic food products adhere to national and international organic standards, enhancing consumer confidence and protecting public health.

This is the first dedicated lab by Amul for organic testing and supporting organic producers.

The organic industry relies on consumer trust and confidence. Organic testing laboratories play a pivotal role in building trust by providing reliable testing results and ensuring that organic claims are backed by scientific evidence. By upholding the integrity of organic products, the laboratory supports market demand for organic produce, benefiting both farmers and the industry as a whole.

Amul moved into the organic business in May 2022 with the launch of Amul Organic Atta. Over the past year, Amul has expanded its organic product portfolio to include products such as organic basmati rice, toor dal, chana dal, masoor dal, moong, rajma, besan and kabuli chana. A range of other organic products are in the pipeline.

The lab equipment includes a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer (GC-MS), liquid chromatograph-mass spectrometer (LC-MS), inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS), and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), among other items.

This equipment will help identify and quantify organic compounds in food samples, such as pesticides, herbicides and other organic contaminants, along with trace elements and heavy metals in food samples, and mycotoxins, additives and preservatives. 

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