House panel moots steps to ensure food safety

Poor infrastructure and staff shortage have hampered the enforcement of food safety standards, creating conditions conducive to the rampant sale of adulterated food in Kerala, the Assembly Committee on Subordinate Legislation has found.

In its 11{+t}{+h}report submitted to the House on Tuesday, the committee chaired by M.Ummer said the creation of infrastructural facilities was inadequate to support the transition from the Prevention of Food Adulteration (PFA) Act to the Food Safety and Standards Act (FSSA).

Noting that the absence of laboratory facilities to test food samples was a major inadequacy in the State’s food safety regime, the report recommended the establishment of accredited food analytical laboratories in all districts.

Mr.Ummer told reporters that the panel had called for infrastructural improvement to secure NABL (National Accreditation Board for testing and calibration of Laboratories) accreditation for the regional food analytical laboratory at Thiruvananthapuram first and the two other regional government laboratories in the next phase.

The report highlighted the need to establish a food safety appellate tribunal and special court and appoint public prosecutors. It also called for steps to appoint food safety officers for each constituency.

The committee proposed the creation of a database of food vendors in each constituency to be inspected by designated officers. It mooted monthly inspections of pre-metric hostels, anganwadis and food godowns to ensure proper storage, quality of stocks and cooking environment.

The panel also recommended periodic inspections of eateries at tourist destinations and food processing factories.

Inspection of food items brought into the State through check posts and formation of district level vigilance squads are other major recommendations in the report.