Food Quality Testing & Analysis

Sri Lankan food industry is a fast developing area with many ready to eat products, food products claiming many health benefits and food products targeting various age categories and disease categories being launched by many different local and international companies.  In addition, many novel products are being developed by many companies with claims on health benefits. Additionally, labeling of food composition is a requisite for food products. This helps consumers to select the foods that suit them without having to worry about the effects on health etc. According to Sri Lankan “Food Control Administration Unit” guide, claims on food labels need to have scientific proof (eg: glycaemic index labeling).  However, though many private manufacturing companies have laboratories, analysis of the proximate composition, glycaemic index testing or toxicological studies on foods are not covered. The ITI and some analytical laboratories are available for proximate analyses of food products but not for glycaemic index (in vivo) or toxicological assessments.

Since the Department of Biochemistry/FMS and Department of Food Science and Technology/FAS, USJ have the human resources with expertise and some equipment which are already available and could be utilized for analysis, a service component could be handled by a centre utilizing the human resource and equipment available. This could be initiated until a fully equipped laboratory is established.  This centre will generate funds for the University and the 2 faculties and will help increase industry-academia (Public-private) collaborations and provide opportunities for research for undergraduates/postgraduates and increase their employment opportunities.  In addition, novel product development could be facilitated by the academia and industry collaborations contributing to a healthy sustainable food industry sector.