Lok Sabha Question No. 2224 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-01-01
Subject: Import of Contaminated Food Products
Ministry: COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY
Asked by: PRITAM GOPINATH MUNDE, KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL, DHARMENDRA YADAV, SHIVAJI ADHALRAO PATIL, ANANDRAO  ADSUL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY (DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE)

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2224 TO BE ANSWERED ON 01 st  JANUARY,2018

## IMPORT OF CONTAMINATED FOOD PRODUCTS

## 2224.   DR. PRITAM GOPINATH MUNDE:

SHRI KUNWAR PUSHPENDRA SINGH CHANDEL:

SHRI DHARMENDRA YADAV:

SHRI ADHALRAO PATIL SHIVAJIRAO:

SHRI ANANDRAO ADSUL:

Will the Minister of COMMERCE & INDUSTRY ( वा ͨणÏय एवं उɮयोग मंğी ) be pleased to state:

- (a) whether radioactive contaminated food product is being imported in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has been scanning radioactive contamination of these food items and if so, the details thereof, country-wise;
- (c) whether any contamination has been detected in the scanned food products imported from some countries and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) the  details  of  infrastructure  available  in  the  country  for  scanning  of  such  food products  along  with  the  efforts  being  made  to  make  scanning  more  effective  for food products; and
- (e) whether the Government has discontinued the scanning of food products imported from some countries and if so, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY (SHRI C. R. CHAUDHARY)

- (a) to (c): Whenever any alert / feedback is received regarding radioactive contamination, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) issues necessary instructions / advisories to its field formations.

FSSAI released advisories in March and April, 2011 following the earthquake in Japan and consequent radiation leakage from affected Nuclear Plant that samples of imported food  articles  particularly  fresh  produce  exported  from  Japan  after  11th  March,  2011, such as sea food, fruits, vegetables and meat be tested for radioactive contamination. The testing was decided to be done at the following laboratories:

- (i) Board Radiation and Isotope Technology (BRIT / BARC), Navi Mumbai.
- (ii) Shriram Institute for Industrial Research, New Delhi.
- (iii) Monarch Biotech Private Limited, Chennai.

(d):  Currently  there  are  232  laboratories  which  are  utilized  by  FSSAI  for  testing  of  food samples. Out of these 232 laboratories:

- (i) 72 laboratories are State/Public food laboratories functioning under the State/ Union Territory Government (utilized for primary analysis of sample by the Food Analyst under FSS Act, 2006).
- (ii) 142  laboratories  are  NABL  (ISO  17025)  accredited  laboratories,  mostly  private, notified by FSSAI for primary analysis of sample by the Food Analyst under FSS Act, 2006.
- (iii) 18 laboratories are Referral Laboratories notified by FSSAI for the purpose of referral testing  under  FSS  Act,  2006/  Rules  &  Regulations,  2011  (i.e.  analysis  of  appeal samples). These come under various Central Government Ministries/ Departments/State  Govt.  2  of  these  are  FSSAI's  own  labs  viz.  Food  Research  and Standardisation laboratory (FRSL), Ghaziabad and Central Food Laboratory (CFL) , Kolkata .
- (e) As none of the samples tested had failed on the basis of radioactive contaminations, the said  advisory  was  withdrawn  by  FSSAI  on  17th  February,  2016.  No  instance  of radioactive food products import has been detected at the six ports where FSSAI is present even after withdrawal of the said advisory.

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