Better labs to ensure food Safety

Laboratory facilities across the State will be developed and enhanced at a cost of Rs. 50 crore to strengthen the implementation of the Food Safety and Standards Act, Health Minister V.S. Sivakumar said here on Sunday.

In a press release, he said steps would be taken to improve the facilities at the Government Analysts’ Laboratory here and the regional analytical laboratories in Ernakulam and Kozhikode and to secure accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Laboratories. New labs were being planned in Kasaragod and Palakkad.

Three new mobile labs will be started for improving emergency food safety testing facilities, Mr. Sivakumar said.

Food Safety and Standards Act is being strengthened in the State with Central assistance. A total of Rs. 12 crore is being provided, including a Central assistance of Rs. 9 crore, for completing the development initiatives at the Thiruvananthapuram laboratory during 2013-16. The proposal for securing NABL accreditation for this lab is being submitted in December. He said the development of the regional labs in Kozhikode and Ernakulam was being taken up at Rs. 24 crore, including a Central assistance of Rs. 18 crore.