Mumbai: The Indian Food Safety Authority and Standards intend to develop a special Rapid Food Analysis Analysis (RAFT) system or one-off tests that will provide timely food results if are adulterated.

"This new test kit will also reduce the test load of food safety officers (FSOs) and laboratories by providing quick test results," said an FSSAI official.

FSSAI also invited contractors to apply as part of its RAFT kit / equipment / methods development program to test food. The food regulator at the top issued guidelines on this, detailing the pro forma for filing the application.

A senior FSSAI official stated that when filing applications, applicants should also provide an appropriate rationale for each product category of the RAFT kit, as well as validation certificates. No application for general parameters such as pH, density or routine laboratory equipment and accessories, etc., will be accepted.

"Applicants must submit a separate application for each kit, equipment or method and each application must be accompanied by a separate application fee," reads the notice issued by the FSSAI.

Shailesh Adhav, FDA's Assistant Commissioner, Food, said that this kit will allow NPOs, as well as the labs, to quickly get results and will also help establish food security for the ordinary consumer. Indeed, the results of testing on various categories of food products such as milk and edible oils, among others, will be readily available, which often takes a lot of time.

"During festivals, the most common victim of forgery is khoya or mawa. Due to the high demand, people often engage in false activities. But with the help of the kit RAFT, it is possible to check very quickly on the spot - that the mawa is adulterated or not, "he said.