Portable Food Adulteration Testing Kit CSR: Rapid, Low Cost Food Safety Innovation

Development of an SERS sensor for rapid detection of food adulterants

Objective

• The proposal is aimed at standardizing food testing protocols for rapid testing of food samples at high testing rates with low kit costs.

Description

• The proposal describes the development of a portable food testing kit for rapid quantification of food adulterants using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) substrates. SERS substrates are manufactured using a novel (patented) approach, which is capable of sensing adulterant(s) less than parts-per-trillion levels. The proposed method incorporates a portable Raman spectrometer loaded with intelligent software for rapid identification of the adulterant(s) right after the test is performed.

Impact

• The proposal brings a suitable method for shorter testing time as well as optimal capital and testing cost. The method also eliminates the need for the stationary testing facility as the testing followed by analysis and data storage happens remotely using the IoT enabled spectrometry. Overall, the proposal brings up new-age testing methodology, which would showcase our nation's commitment and advancement across the countries.