Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:
(a) the number of food testing laboratories in the country;
(b) whether the Government is planning to set up the International Standards for Food Testing Laboratory in all the States of the country;
(c) if so, the details thereof;
(d) whether a minimum quality standards and testing has been prescribed for imported food products; and
(e) if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI FAGGAN SINGH KULASTE)
(a): At present, there are 219 Food Testing Laboratories [72 labs functioning under the State/Union Territories; 131 National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) accredited private laboratories and 16 Referral Laboratories notified by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)] in the country under the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006, Rules and Regulations made thereunder.
(b) & (c): A Scheme titled “Strengthening of Food Testing System in the Country Including Provision of Mobile Food Testing Labs” has been rolled out by FSSAI with an outlay of Rs. 481.95 Crore for the period 2016-17 to 2018-19. Under one of the component of scheme, the State Food Testing Laboratories are under obligation to attain the NABL Accreditation i.e. International Standards Organisation Accreditation (ISO/IEC 17025:2005)
(d) & (e): Imported food products are required to conform to the standards prescribed under the FSS Act.
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