Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government proposes to strengthen the process of laboratory testing of meat products;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the details of the steps being taken by the Government to check the loss to human health due to the use of antibiotics in meat products?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI FAGGAN SINGH KULASTE)
(a) & (b): A Central Sector Scheme for “Strengthening of Food Testing System in the Country including Provision of Mobile Food Testing Labs” with a total outlay of Rs. 481.95 Crore during 2016-17 to 2018-19, has been approved by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The components of the Scheme include: (i) Strengthening of State Food Testing labs; (ii) Strengthening of Referral Food Testing Labs; (iii) Support for Mobile Food labs; (iv) Capacity Building of Food Testing Laboratories; (v) Incentivising States to utilise the facilities available in FSSAI Notified Labs; and (vi) School Food & Hygiene Programme.
Under the scheme, grant is being provided to the State/Union Territory Governments and the Food Safety and Standards of India (FSSAI) notified Referral Laboratories towards strengthening of laboratory testing of food products including meat products.
(c): Keeping in view the need to preventing use of excessive antibiotics in meat products, the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945 have been amended to make a provision that the container of a medicine for treatment of food producing animals shall be labelled with the withdrawal period of the drug for the species on which it is in intended to be used. Further, if the specific withdrawal period has not been validated, the withdrawal period shall not be less than seven days for eggs or milk, twenty eight days for meat from poultry and mammals including fat and offal and five degree days for fish meat. Further, the FSSAI has also approved Maximum Residue Limits for antibiotics for meat products. FSSAI is also organising training programmes to strengthen analytical abilities in the country.