GRANT’S DESI ACHIEVER

FOOD DETECTIVE HAS MUCH ON HIS PLATE

Dr Arun Krishnamurthy, food scientist.

 By SHAGORIKA EASWAR

 As science advances, so does the science of adulteration. The days of white and coloured stones in rice and pulses are long gone – now adulterants are difficult to tell apart from the real thing.

Peanut shells in cumin, tomato skins in paprika, and toxic dyes in turmeric. What’s a consumer to do?

That’s where food scientist Dr Arun Krishnamurthy comes in. As a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopist, he oversees analysis of botanical and probiotic test samples through NMR metabolomics.

NMR, he explains, is very much like MRI.

“Both are built on fundamentally similar principles. In an MRI, we scan human or animal tissues. In NMR, we identify the spectrum or chemical nature of molecules. Simply put, it’s like tuning a radio to different frequencies to listen to different channels.”

He works with his team at Guelph-based Purity-IQ to conduct research, authenticity testing and provide certification to a whole slew of products.

“We test to see if a product has everything claimed on the label, and also if there’s something that’s not been listed as an ingredient,” says Krishnamurthy. “Take turmeric, for instance. It has a chemical fingerprint which we should see over and over again, in whichever batch we test. ”

Turmeric belongs to the curcuma genus, but is the only one among the curcuminoids with that distinctive yellow colour. If any of the others are added for bulk, you are not getting pure turmeric.

The presence of the toxic dye metanil can be identified by its own fingerprint.

Purity-IQ was founded in 2020 to help ensure that consumers have full transparency, trust and confidence in all the products they use. They bring an investigative lens to their work and embrace curiosity as a guiding principle.

NMR is not new, Krishnamurthy clarifies, it’s been used as an academic tool for a while. “But what we are doing with it is innovative, one-of-a-kind. We have built a library based on samples, and can do non-targeted fingerprinting and authenticate natural botanical and health products and extracts by applying their chemical fingerprint against the data we have. We test botanical products for the species present and we id samples for species authenticity.

Cinnamon from Sri Lanka has the highest value in the world, but what consumers get may have been “cut” or diluted with other cinnamon, he says. “Sometimes a product’s chemistry doesn’t comply with the claim and it’s not pure. In some cases we’ve found no pure extract at all.”

Krishnamurthy is also responsible for several R&D projects in collaboration with key industry partners and clients.

An online search for say, lion’s mane mushrooms can lead to hundreds of products, but there’s nothing to ensure authenticity. A client marketing the mushrooms may seek certification to set his product apart from the rest so people looking for the health benefits of mushrooms know what they are getting.

At Purity-IQ, they are working on coffee authentication. The higher-value Arabica is known to be adulterated with the lower-value Robusta. They also compare batch-to-batch consistency to ensure production practices are constant because large manufacturers may have production facilities in different parts of the world for a product sold under one label.

“Someone in India could be supplying spices to different companies, each of whom has a different formulation. If a batch meant for company A goes to company B – in error – they’ve not got what they asked for.

“The supply chain is long, a final goods seller goes through many vendors and samples change many hands during the process. Any error or intentional adulteration at any point has an impact on the health value to consumer and monetary value to the seller. A consumer buys 50 or 100 grams of a spice, a manufacturer buys in bulk. Any adulteration can potentially compromise millions of dollars worth of products.”

Addressing the thorny issue of the belief among some consumers that spices from Asia are adulterated, Krishnamurthy says that while it’s certainly true that they have found cases of adulteration, one has to see things in perspective.

“Stories of adulterated or contaminated products abound but many are hearsay, not backed by scientific proof.

“India specially, and then China, are the two biggest spice manufacturers in the world. You may come across a couple of products that are contaminated – it’s only a couple, but India’s or China’s share is big because they are the main manufacturers. We must also remember that food regulations differ from country to country, so what might be perfectly fine in India might not be accepted in Europe.

“And Indian regulatory bodies have come a long way in gaining consumer confidence. The FSSAI, for instance, is a federal regulatory body in India, much like Health Canada or FDA in the US.”

What can consumers do to protect themselves?

“Make informed choices,” says Krishnamurthy. “While I believe the onus is mainly on manufacturers to educate consumers on what they are doing to earn their trust, outside of Purity-IQ, I am also a consumer! As consumers, we have to rely on third party certifications and become more aware of food fraud practices. I might look at certifications a product has.

Krishnamurthy came into food sleuthing via his interest in research. “It’s impossible to separate science and research from my life,” he says.

After completing his Master’s in Analytical Chemistry in Bangalore, he was recruited by the American global corporation Perkin Elmer for their Mumbai operations. But a job in technical sales was less than satisfying and he quit to join the NMR Research Centre at the prestigious Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore. There, he was exposed to many exciting projects and saw how the technology has applications to life outside, how it can benefit many. After two years, he was ready to apply for his PhD. He was looking at universities worldwide, and was delighted to be accepted at the University of Manitoba.

 “Have a big picture of your goals.” Dr Arun Krishnamurthy with his wife Rohini.

He came to Canada in 2016 and worked under Professor Scott Kroeker for his thesis on nuclear waste immobilization.

“Nuclear waste is a big deal,” says Krishnamurthy. “There’s talk of it being clean and eco-friendly, but it’s not. It generates radioactive waste and we’re still working on ways to store that safely.”

For anyone wondering how nuclear waste led to food adulteration, the answer is NMR. “More than three-fourth of the elements in the periodic table are NMR-active,” says Krishnamurthy. “At Purity-IQ, I am able to use a combination of my knowledge and training in NMR and materials chemistry.

“I wanted to solve real world problems, and my current role has direct real time applications and implications. I can help pull bad products from the market – I’m like a food cop!”

Every day is different, there’s a new product to be tested, authenticated or certified. “My hand is in every cookie jar – there’s nothing mundane or routine about the analytical process. We add new aspects of learning and my learning continues.”

It’s an uncommon field, but his parents didn’t harbour any doubts about his chosen path. His father, a mechanical engineer and his mother, a homemaker who passed away some years ago, encouraged their two sons to pursue higher studies.

“My family wasn’t financially well-off. We lived in a small house and it was a struggle for our parents to educate us and help us grow. But there was never any pressure from them to stop studying and take up a job to help the family. Even when I gave up a well-paying job to return to study further, they said, if this is what you want do, go for it. I was very fortunate I got into IISc and had such great teachers. I worked very hard, and always had their blessings and support. My brother Kiran did the same and now he is also at Purity-IQ!”

Krishnamurthy credits Prof Kroeker  for helping him grow.

“He helped me evolve intellectually. My English improved! I’m from what used to be a rural part of Bangalore, we had to go through paddy fields to get to school.”

The cultural difference, thus, was huge. As was the difference in weather. “It was 30 degrees when I boarded my fight in Bangalore. I landed in Winnipeg in December and it was -30. I questioned my judgement!”

But Indian diaspora is big in Canada and he shared an apartment with people from Andhra Pradesh. Sourcing food was not an issue and he adapted quickly. “I was able to find stuff here that can be hard to source in India, we have food items and ingredients from everywhere!

“Mainstream Canadians are so friendly and helpful, they welcomed me and helped me integrate.”

Krishnamurthy married Rohini Badajji Rangappa in February this year. The software developer working for HCL in Bangalore had just got her PR at the time of this interview.

His advice for others considering moving to Canada is to come to pursue a passion, not just for the immigration status.

“Canada is very attractive for immigrants. When they get here, they need a job, a good, healthy life. That can sometimes be difficult to achieve if not backed by passion.

“And work hard – everybody should! Have a big picture of your goals, where you want to be in five years, and ten, and work towards that.

“Find good people, like-minded people. Not necessarily from your own community, but those who are working towards a common goal and will not distract you from yours. We all need moral support. These are not the sole drivers, but go a long way in helping achieve equilibrium and success.” 

• Grant’s is proud to present this series about people who are making a difference in the community. Represented by PMA Canada (www.pmacanada.com).