Test The Safety Level Of Your Food For Only Rs.20

The first mobile food testing laboratory in Ranchi has been launched on Friday reports Telegraph India. The lab is launched with an aim to keep adulteration under check within nominal rates.

First Mobile Food Testing Lab

The lab was allotted by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and can test the starch content along with the level of additives and adulterations in various foods like spices, flour, paneer amongst others. The association has also given an amount of Rs.5 lakh for running operations of the lab for a period of three years. The lab has two chemists and an assistant technician appointed by the health department along with a driver.

The report by Telegraph India further says that the lab will be at the Albert-Ekka Chowk for two days in the next week and the second phase of testing in Ranchi are currently underway. “On Monday and Tuesday, the van will be stationed at Albert Ekka Chowk on Main Road. One can get basic tests done for a nominal fee of Rs 20. Adulteration and additive tests can be done in 15-20 minutes and reports will be given on the spot,” said state food analyst Chaturbhuj Meena while talking to the publication.

“Besides testing food samples, the lab will also generate awareness against adulteration at marketplaces and educational institutions. An LCD screen has been fixed outside the van while there is a flat TV inside too,” he added. Elaborating on the functions of the lab he said, “It will readily get us survey samples; it will arm people with a platform to get their products checked; and last but not the least, it will allow us to penetrate the common market easily. In addition, it will instil fear among unscrupulous traders who deal in spurious items. In a nutshell, the lab will empower people,” Meena said.

The health department is aiming for more vans once the first lab comes into regular functions. The aim is to have one mobile lab each in the five commissionaries of Ranchi, Dumka, Chaibasa, Daltonganj and Hazaribagh. “The FSSAI recently allocated vehicles to Chhattisgarh, Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur and a few other states in its first phase. Once our first lab starts functioning properly, we shall pursue FSSAI for another,” confirmed Meena to Telegraph India.

Feature Image: Youth Incorporated Magazine

In-Article Image: The Indian Express