Food safety dept steps up vigil

Alappuzha: Food safety commissioner Veena N Madhavan has made it mandatory for all temporary food stalls and food business operators (FBOs) involved in the manufacture, sale, distribution and retails of all types of food in and around Sabarimala region to obtain Food Safety and Standards Authority of India licence or registration.

She said that action would be initiated against all the outlets that violate Food Safety and Standards Act, at Sabarimala. "We have set up food testing and other infrastructure facilities in Sabarimala to ensure safe and quality food and water to pilgrims during Sabarimala pilgrimage season. As many as 35 loads of jaggery, 10 loads of rice, two loads of green gram dal, two loads of crystallised sugar and raisins, two loads of cumin seeds and two loads of dry ginger have already been subjected to testing. Action as per the Food Safety and Standards Act has been initiated against FBOs and distributors, who were found indulging in distribution and sale of misbranded -incorrect and incomplete label declaration - green gram dal and kalkandam (crystallised sugar) in the vicinity," she said.

The food safety commissioner said that the food safety team conduct the inspection when raw materials were sent from Pamba to Sannidhanam. The lab testing infrastructure has been strengthened at Pamba and Sannidhanam and six food analysts are working round the clock at both the destinations.

"Two mobile food testing labs will be stationed and made operational at Nilackal and Erumeli to test the drinking water supplied to pilgrims. This lab is equipped to conduct tests on milk, oil, packaged drinking water, food colours, common adulterants and spices. Through these units, 24 tests can be conducted on milk, nine on edible oil, 17 on spices and 11 on other foods to check for adulterants," Veena said.

Also, the department has taken steps to conduct periodic quality analysis of the drinking water supplied by the Kerala water authority, Travancore Devaswom Board and the Ayyappa Seva Sangham. Food safety officers are actively involved in the sampling of raw materials used for 'annadanam' provided by the devaswom board at Nilackal, Pamba and Sannidhanam.

"The samples so collected are sent to the district food testing laboratory at Pathanamthitta for analysis," she added.

Devotees can contact the department on two toll-free numbers (8592999666 & 18004251125).