Celebration of World Food Day in ICAR-CIRCOT on 16th Oct. 2021 as 15th event under DARE- ICAR Campaign for India@75

The “World Food Day” was celebrated at ICAR- Central Institute for Research on Cotton Technology, Mumbai on, 16th October, 2021 with the theme “Safe Food Now for a Healthy Tomorrow” in the hybrid mode with an interactive lecture on “Common Food Adulterants and Household Methods for their Detection”. It was the 15th DARE-ICAR-CIRCOT public awareness campaign under India @75.

The webinar started with ICAR Song. Dr Sujata Saxena, Director (Acting), ICAR-CIRCOT welcomed all dignitaries, CIRCOT scientists, technical and other staff from the Headquarters, GTC and other regional units, incubatees and other participants of the programme. She further told that after oxygen and water, food is the basic requirement to sustain life on earth. As humans cannot survive without food, it is the fuel of life. Plants are the primary source of food and we humans as also all other animal forms derive nutrition from them. Though research is currently going on at many places in the world to synthesize food in the labs and some success has very recently been reported by Chinese scientists in synthesis of starch from carbon dioxide, presently plants through the process of photosynthesis remain the source of all food and nutrition for living beings.

The lecture on “Common Food Adulterants and Household Methods for their Detection” was delivered by Dr Sheshrao Kautkar, Scientist, TTD, ICAR-CIRCOT. He explained about food adulteration and its various types like intentional, non-intentional and natural etc. The common food adulterants, their ill effects on human health and techniques for their detection using materials readily available in the household were also explained in a simple way. How commonly consumed products like fruits, vegetables, fish, honey, paneer and spices such as turmeric etc. are being adulterated with harmful dyes, chemicals and other substances was also explained with clear examples. The lecture evoked a lot of interest among the participants and there was good interaction. Dr. Kanika Sharma, scientist, CBPD was the anchor for the programme which ended with the national anthem.

The program was also live streamed on YouTube and was attended by more than 100 viewers which included scientists and staff of ICAR-CIRCOT and its regional units, students, incubatees and cotton experts.