The Andhra Pradesh government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Food Safety Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for setting up laboratory infrastructure, testing food samples and creation of awareness on food safety among people in the State.
A work plan ₹88.41 crore for the 2024-25 financial year is part of the MoU that was signed at the FSSAI headquarters in New Delhi in the presence of Health, Family Welfare and Medical Education Minister Y. Satya Kumar and FSSAI Chief Executive Officer G. Kamala Vardhan Rao. The MoU was signed by Food Safety Commissioner C. Hari Kiran and FSSAI Executive Director Inoshi Sharma on October 8, Tuesday.
Around ₹40 crore has been earmarked for setting up State food laboratories in Tirumala and Kurnool. Out of ₹20 crore sanctioned for each laboratory, ₹6.5 crore has been earmarked for procurement of basic equipment and sample preparation facility, ₹8.46 crore for high-end apparatus and ₹4.28 crore for setting up of microbiological laboratory. The high-end equipment is used to detect pesticide residues, heavy metals and nutritional values in food products, a release issued by the Food Safety Department said.
Basic labs in Eluru and Ongole
Another ₹13 crore has been allocated for establishment of basic food laboratories in Eluru and Ongole. At present, there are only three notified State food laboratories. With the sanctioning of funds as per the MoU, there will be seven laboratories in total.
Around ₹12 crore has been sanctioned for testing food samples for pesticide residues, heavy metals and other parameters from time to time, as advised by the FSSAI, the release said.
Awareness on food safety
A sum of ₹11 crore has been set aside for creating awareness on safety aspects among consumers, food industry and farmers. The awareness drives will include production and screening of short films, radio jingles, posters, bill boards and food safety manuals.
Pointing out that the previous government neglected food safety, Mr. Satya Kumar Yadav described this MoU as the first step towards achieving the government’s goals of staying in the bracket of the top five States on food safety index. “The state-of-the-art laboratory at Tirumala will ensure the quality of prasadams,” he said.
‘Lab in every district’
Mr. Hari Kiran said that there were four mobile food testing laboratories in State. “Another 22 turnkey mobile food testing laboratories worth ₹15 crore would be sanctioned by the FSSAI to ensure that every district in the State has a mobile lab,”
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