Parul Thapar
Indira Gandhi National Open University, India
Title: Application of biosensors for detection of contaminants in milk and milk products
Biography
Biography: Parul Thapar
Abstract
Statement of the problem: There are certain thermoduric organisms in milk and milk products which survive pasteurization temperature. Also, besides pasteurization, there are certain pathogenic organisms which gets activated during storage and packaging of milk products. Therefore, it is very necessary to keep the quality and nutritional aspects of food safe to consume it for the human being before it gets packaged. The advancement in technology is being carried out to in dairy industry, which has emerged out with the use of biosensors for determining the quality of milk and milk products. Biosensors are devices that can combine a biochemical molecule with a physical signal that can be translated into an indication of the safety or quality of food. These devices are evolving as substitutes for the existing conventional techniques. There are different types of biosensors depending upon the substrate to be used. Example- Electrical biosensors, Immobilized based biosensors, Optical biosensors, nano-material based biosensors and microbial biosensors.
Methodology & Theoretical orientation: Various techniques like enzyme substrate assay and spore based biosensors have been experimented at various research institutes in India for detection of thermoduric organisms like Micrococci spp, Listeria spp and broad-spectrum antibiotics in milk and milk products.
Findings: These technologies have come out to be cost-effective, highly-sensitive, wider applicability and a good replacement for the existing conventional techniques.
Conclusion and significance: India is the major producer and exporter of milk and milk products. The use of this technology can be beneficial for keeping the nutritional and quality aspects of milk and other food products. This will also reduce packaging costs and there is a potential in carrying out online monitoring of raw materials, trace compounds, vitamins, flavours, additives and contaminants in future.