Active Stocks
Thu Mar 28 2024 15:59:33
  1. Tata Steel share price
  2. 155.90 2.00%
  1. ICICI Bank share price
  2. 1,095.75 1.08%
  1. HDFC Bank share price
  2. 1,448.20 0.52%
  1. ITC share price
  2. 428.55 0.13%
  1. Power Grid Corporation Of India share price
  2. 277.05 2.21%
Business News/ Companies / News/  FSSAI to spend Rs482 crore to upgrade food testing laboratories
BackBack

FSSAI to spend Rs482 crore to upgrade food testing laboratories

FSSAI will upgrade 45 food testing laboratories across the country and 14 Referral Food Testing laboratories to enable them to obtain NABL accreditation

FSSAI currently owns and operates two central laboratories in Kolkata and Ghaziabad and state governments run 82 laboratories. The money will be used to upgrade and modernize these laboratories.Premium
FSSAI currently owns and operates two central laboratories in Kolkata and Ghaziabad and state governments run 82 laboratories. The money will be used to upgrade and modernize these laboratories.

New Delhi: The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) will spend Rs482 crore to strengthen food testing infrastructure, including upgrading laboratories, the regulator said on Thursday.

FSSAI currently owns and operates two central laboratories in Kolkata and Ghaziabad and state governments run 82 laboratories. The money will be used to upgrade and modernize these laboratories.

The decision came after the Bombay high court observed that there was urgent need to upgrade food testing laboratories. The court’s observation came during the hearings of a case related to Nestle India Ltd’s Maggi noodles that was banned by FSSAI on 5 June 2015 on allegations that Maggi noodles contained monosodium glutamate, and lead in excess of prescribed limits. The Bombay high court, however, overturned the FSSAI order to ban Maggi noodles in August 2015.

FSSAI has also set up an empowered committee, with representatives from the organization, ministry of health and family welfare, ministry of food processing industries, Export Inspection Council, National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) and seven state governments and union territories, FSSAI said in a statement.

Under this scheme, 45 food testing laboratories across the country and 14 Referral Food Testing laboratories will be upgraded to enable them to obtain NABL accreditation. FSSAI will also set up 62 mobile testing labs. At present, there are four mobile food testing labs in Punjab, Gujarat, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Also Read: FSSAI finalizes norms for fruit content in fizzy drinks

In its first meeting on 2 November, the empowered committee has considered proposals from Goa, Delhi, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Punjab for strengthening their food testing infrastructure. “Two proposals, from Chandigarh (Punjab) and Calicut (Kerala), were approved in principle. The other states were requested to revise and resubmit their proposals according to the scheme guidelines with mentorship support from FSSAI," the regulator said in a statement on Thursday.

The committee also approved the proposal for strengthening the Referral Food Laboratory at Central Food Technology Research Institute (CFTRI) through provision of modern equipment and facilities to significantly enhance the testing capability of CFTRI for adulteration of honey and pesticide and antibiotic residues in food samples, FSSAI added.

FSSAI has been planning to revive its Ghaziabad laboratory, which is almost defunct now, through public-private-partnership arrangement, Mint reported on 15 April.

Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!

Catch all the Corporate news and Updates on Live Mint. Download The Mint News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.
More Less
Published: 03 Nov 2016, 09:32 PM IST
Next Story footLogo
Recommended For You
Switch to the Mint app for fast and personalized news - Get App

Chat with MintGenie