To boost the manufacturing industry in India, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Central Scientific Instruments Organization (CSIR-CSIO) has developed and transferred the technology of Precision Iodine Value Analyzer (PIVA), an instrument for the measurement of the degree of unsaturation (iodine value) in vegetable oils.
This rapid analysis technique takes just three minutes to carry out the same analysis. The cost of analysis per sample saw a drastic reduction too.
Iodine value is conventionally determined using manual titration and a few analytical instruments based on automated titration. However, these methods take a longer time to analyze, are costly, and use toxic chemicals.
This homegrown food testing equipment has been recognized by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) on World Food Safety Day June 7, 2021.
The technology is also useful in determining adulteration in edible oils and fats.
The technology had been transferred to Comfax Systems, a Chandigarh-based start-up. The technology has applications in oil extraction units, quality control and assurance labs, food regulatory authorities, soaps and cosmetics, bakeries, meat industry, paint industry, biodiesel analysis, and charcoal industry.
Currently, PIVA has been calibrated and tested for coconut, sunflower, mustard, palm, rice bran, soybean, groundnut, olive oil and ghee. This new development is a part of the ongoing effort to strengthen the food testing capabilities by introducing quick and advanced food testing kits.
This is the newest addition to the approved kits/equipment approved by FSSAI for rapid food testing.