Fermenta Biotech Limited, India's leading manufacturer of premium-grade APIs, intermediates, and nutritional premixes for the global markets, announced the inauguration of the ‘Fermenta – Centre of Excellence for Food Fortification’ at the National Institute of Food Technology, Entrepreneurship and Management – Thanjavur (NIFTEM-T).
Developed as a collaborative initiative involving the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), Government of India; NIFTEM-T; Fermenta Biotech Limited; and the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), the Centre brings together government, academia, industry and nutrition expertise on a common platform.
The Centre was inaugurated by Dr. Ranjit Singh, IA & AS, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Government of India, in the presence of Prof. V. Palanimuthu, Director, NIFTEM-T; Prashant Nagre, Managing Director, Fermenta Biotech Limited; and Dr. Bhuvaneswari Balasubramanian, Country Director, GAIN India.
The inauguration marks an important step in advancing India’s food fortification efforts, bringing together scientific expertise, technical capabilities and infrastructure to advance innovation in food processing and nutrition. The Centre is designed to enable research, knowledge exchange and collaborative efforts that can support the development of effective fortification approaches relevant to India’s nutritional needs.
Fermenta – Centre of Excellence for Food Fortification will focus on translating fortification science into practical applications through the development, demonstration and dissemination of fortified food technologies. By bridging research with real-world implementation, the Centre aims to facilitate scalable and application-oriented solutions for commonly consumed foods. Its scope also provides opportunities to strengthen engagement between academia and industry and to build technical capabilities relevant to India's evolving nutrition and food-processing landscape.
As envisaged, the Centre will also facilitate industry exposure for students, sponsored research, technology transfer, and engagement with food startups and innovators. The initial framework will focus on fortification opportunities across commonly consumed staples, including edible oil and wheat flour.
