Through, Eat Right Research Awards and Grant FSSAI is intending to identify & promote new methods/techniques/products/procedure to encourage and recognize high-quality research in the area of food safety and nutrition in India which can be adapted/ adopted by FSSAI to further strengthen its role in the country. Some of the key objectives are as follows:

1. To promote/encourage research and innovation in the healthy and safe food domain with a view to update or upgrade food formulations and/or technologies (as per the standards defined); awareness and availability of more variants of safe and healthy food.
2. Foster a culture of scientific thinking among students and research community.

The Food Authority is looking at:

Research in food testing, food safety systems and practices and/or food delivery services covering the following:

• Rapid/quantitative food testing kits/ devices for detection of contaminants, adulterants, food spoilage organisms and food borne pathogens, etc.
• Monitoring tools/apps/ to check hygiene at cooking/ food manufacturing facility and for monitoring of process hygiene parameters.

Research in food processing, new product/ingredient development/quality; use of millets/bio fortified cereals, etc covering the following:

• Food processing which includes research around cost effective and indigenous techniquesto:

- minimize the nutrient loss during processingfor developing the ready to serve or ready to eat processed food products.

- reformulate food product to limit fatand/or sugar and/ or salt in the food product maintaining organoleptic characteristics of the product

• New Product (commercially viable)/IngredientDevelopment that focusses on:

- Food fortification, use of prebiotics and probiotics, use of millets etc. with bio accessibility and bioavailability studies on the targeted nutrient(s) in the product.

- Other techniques to enhance availability of nutrients

- Wholesome indigenousfoods promoting diet diversity.

• Data base/calculators for effective nutrient profiling

Research in sustainability covering below areas:

• sustainable packaging solutions/development of bio-plastic solutions for packaging
• reducing food wastage during the production stage
• conserve water in food processing
• reduce chemicals in food chain
• technique for safe bio-disposal of used cooking oil - technique for re-use of used cooking oil – formulation of products/ (to be used as an ingredient for a non-edible product)