Kashmir’s Food Safety laboratory ill-equipped to test all foods

Srinagar, Mar 01: Food Safety department is yet to procure major machines for proper functioning of its Food Testing Laboratory in Kashmir.
The only food testing lab in Kashmir is unequipped to test all foods, while the quality of tests by the laboratory cannot be assured.
Last year, as per the report prepared by the two teams deputed by Chief Executive Officer , Food Safety and Standards Authority of India, “Both labs (one at Srinagar and another in Jammu) do not carry out any tests for contaminant such as pesticide residues, heavy metals, veterinary drug residues, crop contaminants and naturally occurring toxic substances.”
Last year, the High court also directed the Commissioner Secretary Health to present compliance report on the poor condition of the laboratories in the state.
The state government has also admitted the lacunae in the food testing laboratories.
Sources said the department lacked many advanced equipment, due to which they had to send some food samples outside the state.
“The department gets the food samples tested from outside due to lack of equipment. It always takes one or two weeks to get the reports,” he said.
He said the lab in Srinagar was not fully equipped to test the samples.
However, Hilal Ahmad Mir, Food and Safety Commissioner said that after High Court directions, they have improved the condition of the laboratory.
“The court has asked us to enhance the equipment for testing the food samples and improve the condition of the lab. We have procured the equipment, but we still need to update the lab,” he said.
He said they were working on functioning of the laboratory and would further enhance it.