Srinagar, July 10: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has highlighted various deficiencies in food testing laboratories, both at Srinagar and Jammu.
Meanwhile, hearing a Public Interest Litigation, a division bench of high court also impleaded FSSAI and observed that various deficiencies highlighted in the report needed to be addressed immediately.
“One of the major concern is that there was no food safety commissioner,” the court according to Kashmir Glory said and directed Commissioner secretary Health to file his compliance report, indicating as to what steps have been taken for appointment of the FSC on next date with his personal appearance.
It compliance to the court’s direction, Chief executive Officer FSSAI had deputed two teams to visit both the laboratories at Jammu and at Srinagar. The report stated as to whether the laboratories fulfil the requirement for testing of samples as required under the FSSA, 2006.
Visiting team comprising Dr Lalitha R Gowda, former chief scientist & Director Referral Food Laboratory Mysore and Shailender Kumar, Assistant Director Quality Assurance FSSAI, New Delhi visited both labs on 27-28 June, and Public health lab, Dalgate, Srinagar on 28-29 June and prepared detailed report viz-a-viz their visiting.
As per the report, both the laboratories are currently equipped with minor equipment, which are in working condition. These include electronic balance, muffle furnace, butyro-refractometer and tintometer etc.
With the available instruments, the labs undertake preliminary food analysis such as moisture, crude fiber, ash, milk analysis using the milkoscan, physical and visual examination, qualitative test for added color, sweeteners and adulterants of milk and spices and BRR of oils and fats. Scrutiny of test reports at both labs illustrate that a wide spectrum of food categories listed in the FSS rules and regulations, are tested, but the testing parameter are limited.
“Both labs do not carry out any tests for contaminant such pesticide residues, heavy metals, veterinary drug residues, crop contaminants and naturally occurring toxic substances,” the report said.
Currently, the report said, both the labs neither have in place state-of-the –art equipment necessary for pesticide, heavy metals and drug residues etc nor competent and trained manpower to operate the equipment. A major limiting factor towards fulfilling the requirements of testing of food samples is the non-availability of sophisticated instruments, the report said.
The current analytical facilities and chemical testing capabilities of the labs do not fulfil the requirements of the FSS act and rules as also regulations.
At Jammu lab, the report said a High Performance Liquid Chromatograph (HPLC) with a UV detector as also Gas Chromatograph with a Mass Spectrometer were installed but no samples analyzed due to lack of trained manpower. Besides, the report said, two equipments are not in working condition.
A major constraint observed by the team is the space required to install high-end equipment of PHL, Srinagar. The required space was available in the adjacent Forensic Science Laboratory that now belongs to Drugs and Food Control Organization.
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