BIS working on standards for edible oil, soon to be ISI-marked product - New Delhi

The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is currently working on a set of standards for edible oil, which, as stated by Sunil Soni, its director general, are ready. As soon as the final draft of the standards for the same is released, the certification of the product would begin. “Edible oil would shortly be an ISI-marked product,” he informed.


Soni added, “A meeting with the stakeholders on the transition methods is slated to be held next month. Not only would the regulations and implementation time frame for the same be discussed, but a roadmap (which would be decided by the transition methods) would also be drawn up for the implementation of the edible oil standards.”


At the meeting, the stakeholders would put forth their concerns, because the director general said that BIS wanted a smooth transition. The standards would be applicable to the entire range of packaged edible oil sold at retail outlets across the India.


They would be accepted by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which is working on them with BIS. The former would use the standards to ensure food safety.


Soni informed that BIS was in continuous in talks with the country’s apex food regulator, adding that in addition to high-level coordination meetings, they were a part of a working group for oil standards.


It has been done to avoid overlapping and copying of standards by the various agencies working to ensure food safety. In the past, edible oil standards were a part of the AGMARK portfolio. But AGMARK has withdrawn itself from framing standards for manufactured agri products to focus solely on raw products.


BIS has standards ready for street foods and tap water as well. It would write to the Urban Development Department to ask local bodies to ensure the implementation of the standards for the latter. As for the former, each state’s food safety department would be the implementing authority.


However, it has been proposed that the standards, which are fairly high, would be implemented in phases, with levels one, two and so on.



Source : FnB News , 21st Oct 2014

IITs work on environment friendly cement

Researchers at India's top three IITs are working on a cement producing technique that is sensitive to the environment as well as the economy. Sanchayan Bhattacharjee reports.


Professors at IIT-Delhi, IIT-Bombay and IIT-Madras along with Technology and Action for Rural Development (TARA), a social enterprise, have come up with a Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC3) which is significantly less harmful to the environment. According to their research paper, production of LC3 will reduce the clinker factors down to 40 per cent and emissions by 50 per cent as compared to Ordinary Portland Cement. Clinker is a combination of limestone, clay and other minerals which is extensively used during cement production. The average cement available in the market consists of 74 percent clinker.


Reduction of clinker is not the only benefit. “A lower quality of limestone and clay can now be used to manufacture this cement. This means that the limestone mines will have a longer life,” says Shashank Bishnoi, professor, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Delhi.


In addition to being energy intensive and resource efficient, LC3 is also expected to save money. “In terms of capital investment, there will be huge savings. While a new clinker based factory will cost hundreds of millions of rupees, a LC3 plant will cost much less,” explains Bishnoi. Apart from these savings, even the production process will be economical depending on the location and raw materials available.


Currently, more than 30 tons of LC3 has been produced and a building has been constructed near Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh, to check the feasibility of the cement in constructions. The objective is to secure standardisation for the cement from the Bureau of Indian Standards. “The strength of the cement is easy to test, what takes time is checking the durability. We have to ensure that buildings constructed using this cement can withstand different geographic and climatic conditions,” says Bishnoi. As of now the project is a mix of basic and applied research. “While the IITs will focus on standardising the product, we will engage in discussions with the cement and construction industry to make them understand the need and benefits of LC3,” says Soumen Maity, general manager, TARA.


Although securing a standard for cement production is an arduous process, the benefits of this innovation are enormous. “The capacity of the cement industry doubles every decade. So in future, even if they take the LC3 production as a fraction of this expansion, the cumulative economic and environmental benefits will be enormous,” signs off Bishnoi.


India is the second largest consumer of cement in the world. According to a study conducted by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the per capita cement consumption in the country is expected to touch 400 kg in 2015 as against 185 kg today.  



Source : Zee News , 21st Oct 2014

Health Dept Gives a Bitter Pill to KSDP - Allaphuza

Kerala State Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd (KSDP), the only drug manufacturing company under the state government, is teetering towards crisis owing to the neglect of the Health Department.


                          Kerala State Drugs and Pharmaceuticals Ltd at Kalavoor in Alappuzha

The production at KSDP has been hit following the lack of purchase orders from Kerala  Medical Services Corporation limited (KMSCL), the medicine purchasing wing of the Health Department, in last two months.

Following agitation by the employees under the leadership of T M Thomas Isaac MLA, around `3 crore was released by the KMSCL, on Saturday. But the amount is not sufficient to meet the needs of the company. 

“The government and KMSCL are spelling doom for the company, which plays a crucial role in controlling the price of life-saving drugs in the state. The ultramodern laboratory and beta-lactam plant remain incomplete owing to the neglect of Health Department,” Isaac said. KSDP Employees Union (CITU) joint secretary  K Rajendran said that last year `13 crore was sanctioned by KMSCL and the fund was released in time. This year only `8 crore is sanctioned and till now only `3crore is released. The delay in the release of amount has affected the purchase of raw material for the manufacturing of medicines.

Rajendran alleged that the policies of the state government has mired the company in crisis.  “KMSCL does not purchase medicines from the KSDP. It promotes private companies, which are distributing medicines at a higher price, which is 35 to 40 per cent more than KSDP’s price. The amount is distributed as commission to officials and leaders,” they alleged.

KSDP used to produce medicines worth over `40 crore during 2011-’12 as the LDF Government used to give huge order. Fund to establish a modern Beta-lactam plant, a modern laboratory and an injection plant were sanctioned by the previous government. Though the construction was started, the company failed to complete the projects on time owing to delay in the release of funds. The KSDP has the capacity to produce medicines worth `200 crore annually, he  said.

This year the KMSCL had allotted an order of only `8 crore. In the absence of orders, the production diminished and the company is moving towards loss, said  Rajendran.  He  said the company has the capacity to produce 45 varieties of medicines like   Antibiotics, Amoxicillin, Ciprofloxin and  Ampicilin, paracetamol, ORS, Avil and painkiller Brufin.

 A laboratory accredited by National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) with international standards, to check the quality of the medicines, is also under construction. With this, it will be able to conduct quality check of its products purchased by KMSCL from other producers, but the construction is not yet completed,  Rajendran said.  “The KSDP had earned record profit during last few years. In 2011-12, it reported a record profit of `3 crore. The company had supplied about `40 crore worth medicines to the state. In 2010-11 year they supplied medicines worth `33 crore and gained profit of `2.40 crore. In 2009-11 the profit was `25 lakh and they supplied medicines worth `17 crore,” he said.  He said that the shortage of fund has delayed the construction of injection plant.   “In 2011 the estimated amount of the plant was `4.7 crore. But the delay in the construction escalated the cost to `9 crore. The delay of fund releasing leads to loss of crores of rupees to exchequer,” he said.

KSDP MD K B Jayakumar said the KMSCL has released `3 crore. “We are expecting another `1 crore soon . The work  of the lab and plant will be finished soon,” he said.



Source : The New Indian Express , 20th Oct 2014

City farmer promotes organic farming, grows rare herbs in city - Barreilly

With people becoming aware about the benefits of organic farming, more and more farmers are opting for this trend. But Anil Sawhney experimented with this concept much before it became popular.


At a time when a majority of farmers laughed at him, Sawhney was busy cultivating rare herbs and plants without a trace of chemicals. Today, after experiencing the benefits, many others are following in his footsteps.


Talking to TOI, Sawhney says, "It took me four long years to prove myself to other farmers in the village who prefer conventional chemical farming over organic farming. I don't use pesticides or fertilizers, yet the yield of my crops is far better than that of traditional farmers. Now, a few other farmers, after seeing good results have decided to go with organic farming as well."


He says that while conventional farming practices promote soil erosion, increased salinization, danger to food quality, reduced socio economic values and other problems, organic farming increases productivity and leads to growth of healthy plants.


An environmentalist and genetic farmer from Tigra village, Sawhney wanted to make textbook knowledge a ground reality and motivate thousands dependent on farming as an occupation to start organic farming. Soon after completing his environmental engineering, he took up farming as his profession and at present is engaged in producing and preserving rare herbs that are on the verge of extinction or are difficult to come across. He is also a life time member of the Quality Council of India (QCI) along with Sugarcane Technologist Association of India (STAI).


Today in his farm stretches over an area of 40 acres. Some of the herbs that can be found here include, Passion fruit (passiflora edulis), red sandalwood (pterocarpus santolinus), Black turmeric (curcuma caesia), Kausanda(cassia sophera), Salparni (desmodium gangeticum), Putranjiva (putranjiva roxburghii), Nirgundi (vitex negunda), Sahadevi (vernonia cinereum), Sarpgandha (withania somnifera), Citronella grass - an oil yielding herb, Jal Neem (bacopa monnieri), Punarnava (boerhavia diffusa). These and many others herbs, irrespective of their climatic conditions, are grown successfully at his farm, much to the surprise of other farmers.


Talking about the motive behind cultivating herbs Sawhney says, "Mother Nature has an answer to all ailments be it for a human being or an animal. Even before modern medicines came into existence, it was the power of herbs that gave miraculous cure without any side effects. Today I have around 400 species of herbs growing in the farm, some of which are extremely difficult to find."


He adds, "It took me years to collect herbs from far off places including Himalayan trains and others and now after so many years majority of the herbs have started yielding desired results. At present I don't just want to grow and sell them in market, but I want to motivate other farmers too to take up this cause and save these herbs from becoming extinct."


Seed banks are the answer to the humans' increasing penetration of various ecosystem, he says, claiming that the seeds of herbs grown organically can be preserved for much longer as compared to genetically engineered seeds or ones with pesticide. "Genetically modified seeds can be used only during specific period and duration, falling which no yield is obtained," says Sawhney.


Organic farming is a time taking process and drying seeds naturally is science as well as an art, the scientist and farmer says. He adds, "Majority of herbs are in good health and their seeds are collected and then naturally dried for further use."


Experimentation comes naturally to him. Following the recent development of 'Lemon Tulsi' by the Lucknow based Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Sawhney also developed a variety of the plant which has the fragrance of lemons and the medicinal properties of Tulsi. He also discovered another plant called 'Lemon Pudina' i.e. lemon mint (Monarda citriodora).


Apart from accidental discovery of 'Lemon Pudhina', he recently developed a special variety of rice which has the fragrance of rose. This rice, which is short in height and has been termed 'Tigra basmati', is a mix of Basmati rice with a local variety of rose, which gives it the unique taste and fragrance. The species is with the patent department at present.


Sawhney gives credit to Japanese monk Masanobu Fukuoka's book on natural farming - 'The one straw revolution' - for changing his life. "Teaching is an integral part and very important activity for keeping oneself up to date with latest developments in the field of science and for disseminating scientific knowledge in society," he says. 


Source : TOI , 24th Oct 2014

‘India Lab Expo 2014’ to be held in Hyderabad from 6-8, November

The 6th international exhibition and conference on Lab, Analytical & Biotechnology Instruments ‘India Lab Expo 2014’ will be held in Hyderabad from November 6-8 at Hitex exhibition centre in Madhapur.

The main theme of this expo focusses on the laboratory, analytical, biotechnology and general lab instruments that are used in industry, research laboratories and manufacturing units across pharma, biotechnology and other allied industries.

“One major objective of India Lab Expo 2014 is to bring together all industry members dealing with laboratory equipment on one platform and discuss the emerging trends and deliberate on the new challenges faced by the laboratory industry in the country,” informed the organisers of the event.

The expo is expected to witness leading firms from pharmaceutical and drug discovery, clinical diagnostics, biotechnology, life sciences, agriculture and food, environmental science, forensic science and research and development. Members from education and academia, measurement and testing, laboratory technology, petrochemicals and minerals will also take part in this global conference.

Alongside of lab exhibition, the organisers are also planning to conduct ILE seminar where scientists, leading researchers and expert lab managers will deliberate on various aspects relating to labs and analytical instruments.

Leading laboratory equipment manufacturers are expected to exhibit various laboratory products ranging from analytical instrumentation & systems, instruments for physical & chemical analysis, chromatography, spectroscopy, microscopy & optical imaging, biotechnology, life sciences, bioinformatics, laboratory instruments & apparatus, laboratory planning & furniture, laboratory automation, laboratory diagnostics, laboratory chemicals & consumables, instruments for environmental labs, forensic lab instruments, laboratory glassware & balances, testing & measuring instruments, material & water testing, quality control in industries & research labs, educational lab products for all levels. The expo is also expected to display literature & information on lab & scientific research areas.

It is estimated that over 300 exhibitors from across the globe will exhibit their products. The organisers have also invited leading scientists, researchers, lab managers, chemists, pathologists, academicians, & laboratory professionals to this big event.

Last time India Lab Expo 2013 had attracted 8600 trade visitors from 19 countries. There were 252 exhibitors from 15 countries. It witnessed 459 delegates and 32 speakers. This time India Lab Expo 2014 is planning to bring together complete lines of new technologies and products in the field of analytical and laboratory sector. This time more than 4000 brands are expected to be on display.


Source : Pharmabiz , 25th Oct 2014

Multipath Ultrasonic Flow Meter Successfully Tested - Palakkad

The newly erected 2,000 mm test line in the large water flow lab has been successfully used for calibration of a multipath ultrasonic flow meter at the Fluid Control Research Institute (FCRI) laboratory in Kanjikode here on Friday.

The newly erected 2,000 mm test line in the large water flow lab that was used successfully for the calibration of a multipath ultrasonic flow meter at the FCRI, Kanjikode, in Palakkad on Friday


This flow meter is to be used for measurement of discharge at Koteshwar Hydro Electric Project (KHEP) of M/s THDCIL (Tehri Hydro Development Corpn. India Ltd) Uttarakhand. KHEP is a 100MW x 4 power plant located at the downstream of Tehri Dam on river Bhagirathi. The FCRI is stated to perform Field Efficiency (FE) testing of this 100MW Unit Hydro-turbine in November. The achievement brings India ahead of all Asian countries in this field. This is the largest ever flow meter tested in laboratory conditions in India so far. The FCRI’s large water flow lab is also the largest NABL  (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories) accredited flow laboratory in India, said the Director of FCRI Jacob Chandapilla. It also happened to be the silver jubilee year of the FCRI at Kanjikode, Palakkad. The FCRI was set up under the Ministry of Heavy Industries in order to help industries get their flow products tested and certified in its different laboratories.  The FCRI’s newly constructed large water flow laboratory is the largest in Asia, based on the size of pipes used for testing and calibration of flow meters and  valves from various industries in India and overseas.

Chandapilla informed that the newly set up large water flow lab of FCRI is capable of undertaking testing and calibration of Flow Meters and Valves up to 3,000mm in diameter.


Source : The New Indian Express , 25th Oct 2014

ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board

ACLASS, one of three brands of the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board, provides ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation for testing and calibration laboratories, ISO/IEC 17020 accreditation for inspection bodies, ISO Guide 34 accreditation for reference material producers, ISO/IEC 17043 accreditation for proficiency testing providers, ISO 15189 for medical laboratories, and numerous industry-specific programs.

ACLASS is recognized by ILAC, APLAC, and IAAC as a signatory of multilateral recognition arrangements that facilitate acceptance of test and calibration data internationally.

Source : Aclasscorp