Scientist ‘F'
Food Safety



Email:  vasanthi.siruguri@gmail.com
Contact:  +91-40-27197280

Brief Profile

Joined the National Institute of Nutrition of the Indian Council of Medical Research permanent services in 1992. Awarded PhD on work on dietary intake of aflatoxin and risk assessment by the SNDT Women’s’ University Mumbai in 1993. Area of research includes risk assessment of dietary mycotoxin exposure and its control and prevention, food safety risk management, safety and allergenicity assessment of genetically modified foods and their detection.
Actively involved in international and national scientific fora on mycotoxins as member and co-chairperson of EWG of Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants’ for setting maximum mycotoxin limits in cereals, groundnut and spices. Established protocols on bioinformatics, pepsin digestibility, and thermal stability for pre-market regulatory approval of allergenicity of novel proteins introduced into GM foods.
International training obtained on safety assessment and detection of GM foods, in vitro toxicity assessment of mycotoxins, and risk analysis of food contaminants for WTO-SPS measures.

Resource person for national & international training programmes/ workshops on mycotoxins and GM foods safety assessment. Awards and nominations received include DBT Biotechnology Overseas Associateship (2001), USDA NE Borlaug International Fellowship in Agricultural biotechnology and food safety (2007), and Joint FAO/WHO JECFA Expert for naturally occurring toxicants in foods for 2007-2011.

Total publications : 30 ; List of Publications last 10 years
  1. Siruguri V, Kurella S, Nupur Bharadwaj N. Assessing Aflatoxin Contamination from Presence of Discoloured Kernels in Ready-To-Eat Processed Groundnut Products. The Indian Journal of Nutrition and Dietetics 2018 55 (4) (October- December) (In press).
  2. Vasanthi S, BhatRV  Management of Food Safety Risks in India. Special issue of the Proceedings of the Indian National Science Academy on Nutrition 2018. (in press).
  3. Jain P, Singh S, Siruguri V, Surekha MV, Rao, VV, Uday Kumar P. Knowledge, attitude and practices of general practitioners regarding 4food allergy and anaphylaxis in India. Indian Journal of Applied and Pure Biology 2017 32 (2): 205-216.
  4. Siruguri V, Bhat RV. Assessing intake of spices by pattern of spice use, frequency of consumption and portion size of spices consumed from routinely prepared dishes in southern India. Nutrition Journal 2015 14:7. http://www.nutritionj.com/content/14/1/7 doi:10.1186/1475-2891-14-7.
  5. Siruguri V, Bharatraj DK, Vankudavath RN, Mendu V, Gupta V, Goodman RE. Evaluation of Bar, Barnase, and Barstar recombinant proteins expressed in genetically engineered Brassica juncea (Indian mustard) for potential risks of food allergy using bioinformatics and literature searches. Food and Chemical Toxicology 2015 83: 93 -102.
  6. Siruguri V, Uday Kumar P, Raghu P, Vishnu Vardhana Rao M, SesikeranB,  Toteja GS, Gupta P, Rao S, Satyanarayana K, Katoch VM, Bharaj TS, Mangat GS,  Sharma N, Sandhu JS, Bhargav VK, Shobha Rani. Aflatoxin contamination in stored rice variety PAU 201 collected from Punjab, India. Indian Journal of Medical Research 2012 July 136: 89-97.
  7. Siruguri V, Ganguly C, Bhat RV. Utilization of mouldy sorghum and Cassia tora through fermentation for feed purposes. African Journal of Biotechnology 2009 8 (22): 6349-6354.
  8. Khandare AL, Siruguri V, Rao A, Venkaiah K, Reddy G, Rao GS. Diet and Nutrition Status of Children in Four Tribal Blocks of Thane District of Maharashtra, India. Pakistan Journal of Nutrition 2008 7(3): 485-488. 
  9. Bhat RV, Vasanthi S. Antiquity of the cultivation and use of brinjal in India. Asian Agri-History 2008 12 (3) 169-178.
  10. Sesikeran B,Siruguri V, Constantly evolving safety assessment protocols for GM foods. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition 200717 (S1): 241-244.
Total number of books and book chapters : 08 ; List of Publications last 10 years
  1. Vasanthi S. 2007. Chapter 25. Simple methods of aflatoxin detection. In moulds and mycotoxins in poultry diseases. Editor Mohiuddin SM. Lucknow International Book.
  2. Ramesh V Bhat &Vasanthi Siruguri, 2015. Mycotoxin health hazards from millets. Millets – Promotion for food, feed, fodder, nutritional and environment security. Editors: Vilas Tonapi, B Dayakar Rao and JV Patil), Published by Society for Millets Research, 11-127, ICAR-Indian Institute of Millets Research, Rajendranaar, Hyderabad 500 030. Pp258
  3. Ramesh V Bhat &Vasanthi S 2016. Food borne diseases including fluoride toxicity. Chapter 29. Textbook of Human Nutrition. 4th Edition Eds: Bamji MS, Krishnaswamy, K, and Brahmam GNV. Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt.Ltd. New Delhi.pp477-499.
  4. Sudhershan Rao V, VAsanthi S, &Sesikeran B. 2016 Standards of food safety. Chapter 30. Textbook of Human Nutrition. 4th Edition Eds: Bamji MS, Krishnaswamy, K, and Brahmam GNV. Oxford & IBH Publishing Co. Pvt.Ltd. New Delhi. pp 500-509.
Awards and Honours
  1. DBT Biotechnology Overseas Associateship (2001)
  2. USDA Norman E Borlaug International Fellowship in Agricultural biotechnology and food safety (2007)
  3. Joint FAO/WHO JECFA Expert for naturally occurring toxicants in foods for 2007-2011.