Centre in Thiruvananthapuram will focus on fortification technologies, research, training and commercialisation of nutrition products
The CSIR-National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST) and Tata Consumer Products Ltd (TCPL) will jointly establish a Centre of Excellence for Food Fortification Innovation, Research and Training in Thiruvananthapuram.
The proposed centre, CEFIRT, will be located at the CSIR-NIIST Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship (ITE) Hub at the Bio 360 Life Sciences Park in Thonnakkal. The collaboration was formalised through a memorandum of understanding exchanged during the 85th CSIR Foundation Day celebrations in New Delhi.
The MoU exchange took place in the presence of Union Minister of State for Science and Technology and Earth Sciences Jitendra Singh, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research Secretary and CSIR Director General N Kalaiselvi, and TCPL President (RTD Business) Partha Biswas.
Focus On Food Fortification Technologies
CEFIRT will serve as a platform for research, technology development, technology transfer and entrepreneurship in food fortification. Its work will cover fortification technologies for staple foods including grains, salt, milk and edible oils, alongside protein-enriched, functional and specialised nutrition products.
The centre will support collaborative research between scientific institutions and industry, covering technology development, analytical testing, validation, scale-up, technology transfer and commercialisation.
It will also offer specialised training and technical programmes for researchers, students and industry professionals, with the aim of building capabilities in food fortification and nutrition science.
Strengthening Research And Industry Collaboration
The initiative will bring together CSIR-NIIST’s scientific and technological expertise with Tata Consumer Products’ experience in food products, nutrition and product innovation.
The centre will focus on areas including nutrient stability, safety, quality, bioavailability and consumer acceptability, with the stated objective of developing scientifically validated and practical solutions for fortified and nutrition-enhanced foods.
CSIR-NIIST Director C Anandharamakrishnan said bringing together scientific expertise and industrial capabilities would help develop innovative, scalable and impactful solutions in food and nutrition. TCPL Global Chief R&D Officer Vikas Gupta highlighted the role of industry-led innovation and collaborative research in developing food fortification solutions.
The initiative builds on the development of the CSIR-NIIST ITE Hub at Thonnakkal, which was inaugurated in February 2026. The hub is intended to facilitate the translation of scientific research into technologies and strengthen partnerships between research institutions, industry and other stakeholders.
Through CEFIRT, the two organisations aim to create a sustained platform for food fortification research, innovation, training and technology translation, with a focus on nutrition, food quality and food security.
