The University of Calicut has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Kerala Exporters’ Forum to set up a food testing lab on the campus.
A release said on Thursday that the lab would be set up at the food science and technology department. A sum of ₹11 crore would be required for the purpose and efforts are on to get help from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade and the Agriculture and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority, Kochi.
Exports said that certification of food samples was mandatory for exporting them abroad through the Calicut International Airport. At present, this is being done at the labs outside the State. Exporters are incurring huge financial losses because of the delay in getting it done. Once the lab is set up at the University of Calicut, the tests can be conducted fast, the release added.