Archive · 25 Sep 2026
CSIR-NIIST, Tata Consumer Products to establish food fortification centre
CSIR-NIIST and Tata Consumer Products are joining together to create a new food research centre.
The centre will be in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
It will study ways to add useful nutrients to everyday foods.
These foods may include grains, salt, milk and cooking oils.
Researchers will also work on protein-rich and specialised nutrition products.
The centre will test whether new food ideas are safe, stable and useful.
It will train students, researchers and industry workers.
The goal is to help develop better nutrition and food-quality solutions in India.
CSIR-NIIST and Tata Consumer Products will jointly establish a Centre of Excellence for Food Fortification Innovation, Research and Training.
The centre will be located at the CSIR-NIIST Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship Hub in Thonnakkal, Thiruvananthapuram.
The partnership was formalised through an MoU exchanged during the 85th CSIR Foundation Day celebrations.
Research will cover fortified staple foods, including grains, salt, milk and edible oils, along with specialised nutrition products.
The centre will support research, testing, training, technology transfer, scale-up and commercialisation of food-fortification solutions.
- Who
- CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology and Tata Consumer Products Ltd.
- What
- They will establish a Centre of Excellence for Food Fortification Innovation, Research and Training.
- When
- The MoU was exchanged during the 85th CSIR Foundation Day celebrations; the report is dated September 25.
- Where
- The centre will be located at the CSIR-NIIST Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship Hub at Bio 360 Life Sciences Park, Thonnakkal, Thiruvananthapuram.
- Why
- To strengthen research, innovation, training and technology development for fortified and nutrition-enhanced foods.
- Centre name
- Centre of Excellence for Food Fortification Innovation, Research and Training (CEFIRT)
- Partners
- CSIR-NIIST and Tata Consumer Products Ltd
- Location
- CSIR-NIIST Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship Hub, Bio 360 Life Sciences Park, Thonnakkal, Thiruvananthapuram
- Agreement
- Memorandum of Understanding exchanged during the 85th CSIR Foundation Day celebrations
- Research areas
- Fortification of grains, salt, milk and edible oils, plus protein-enriched, functional and specialised nutrition products
- Activities
- Collaborative research, analytical testing, validation, scale-up, technology transfer, commercialisation and training
- Stated goal
- Develop scientifically validated solutions supporting nutrition security, food quality and food security