CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST) and Tata Consumer Products Ltd (TCPL) have joined hands to establish the Centre of Excellence for Food Fortification Innovation, Research and Training (CEFIRT) at the CSIR-NIIST Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship Hub at Bio 360 Life Sciences Park, Thonnakkal, Thiruvananthapuram.
The collaboration was formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding exchanged during the 85th CSIR Foundation Day celebrations in New Delhi on September 25, 2026, in the presence of Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Dr Jitendra Singh and CSIR Director General Dr N Kalaiselvi.
CEFIRT will serve as a national platform for food fortification research, innovation and training, focusing on staple foods including grains, salt, milk and edible oils, besides protein-enriched and specialised nutrition products. It will support research on nutrient stability, quality assurance, bioavailability, technology development, scale-up and commercialisation.
In Guwahati, the initiative could have relevance as demand grows for fortified and nutrition-enhanced food products, particularly across urban and emerging consumer segments. Greater availability of scientifically validated fortified foods could also create opportunities for industry and nutrition-focused product development in the Northeast.
CSIR-NIIST Director Dr C Anandharamakrishnan and TCPL Global Chief R&D Officer Vikas Gupta highlighted the importance of industry-academia collaboration in developing scalable food fortification solutions.