A Pharmacovigilance laboratory for animal feed and food safety was inaugurated here on Monday by T. Ramasami, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology.
Praising the efforts of the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (TANUVAS) for making the laboratory a national one, Dr. Ramasami said a total of 38 national laboratories funded by his department were functioning in the country. Of the total 37 were involved in doing different research programmes on drugs meant for human beings. This is the only institution, which is involved in doing research of animal feed and human food products.
More research is needed for ensuring animal care and health as the subject was still at an initial stage in the country, he said. At present the feed provided to the livestock is not diagnosed to check the presence of toxins and other hazardous heavy metals, he added.
Speaking on the occasion P. Thangaraju, Vice-Chancellor, TANUVAS, said though the country had achieved adequate food production, the quality of the produces were not assessed. The lab would help in assessing both the animal feed and certain products consumed by humans also.
Nearly 15 years ago a toxicological lab was formed to help dairy and poultry industry to check the presence of a few toxins. This led to the assessing the quality of food and to eliminate the toxins in the feed. Already the lab had identified a genetically modified organism in the food processing chain with the help of the laboratory, Dr. Thangaraju said.
The Department of Science and Technology had provided Rs 3.01 crore to the TANUVAS for improving the laboratory into a national one.
V. Purushothaman, Director of Research, TANUVAS, R. Prabakaran, Dean, Madras Veterinary College, were among those participated.
