Question : Food Testing Laboratories

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) the details of laboratories to test food samples in the country, State/ UT-wise;

(b) whether there is lack of food testing laboratories and adequate modern equipment to test food samples in the country and if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether there is lack of uniformity in test standards which lead to contradiction in test results; and

(d) if so, whether the Government has formulated any action plan to deal with this situation?

ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)
(a): Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) at present has a network of 262 laboratories across the country comprising of 244 laboratories for primary testing and 18 laboratories for appellate (referral) testing recognized & notified under sections 43(1) and 43(2) of Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 respectively. The category-wise composition of these laboratories is as below-
(a) Primary Food Testing laboratories
State Food laboratories 13
Central Government institutes/autonomous bodies 21
Private laboratories 149
State Government laboratories under transition provision* 61
Total 244
(b) Appellate (Referral) Food Testing laboratories
Central Government institutes/autonomous bodies 16
FSSAI’s own laboratories 02
Total 18
Grand Total 262
(*brought from the PFA regime; working under the transition provision of section 98 of Food Safety and Standards Act 2006). State/UT-wise number of these laboratories is Annexed.




(b): No. At present, the country has adequate number of food testing laboratories. Insofar as State Food Testing Laboratories are concerned, FSSAI is implementing a Central Sector Scheme for “Strengthening of Food Testing System in the Country including Provision of Mobile Food Testing Labs” with an outlay of Rs. 481.95 crore. Further, most of the private laboratories have adequate modern equipment to conduct various kinds of tests for checking the food samples.

(c) to (d): Food Safety and Standards Authority of India has prescribed the testing methods in its 14 FSSAI Manuals of Methods of Analysis for testing of food products as per standards for food products prescribed under various regulations of FSSAI. In addition to these Manuals, several other methods on need basis have also been developed from time to time.