Lok Sabha Question No. 3884 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-24
Subject: Food Testing Laboratories
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: DEVJI MANSINGRAM PATEL, HARI BABU KAMBHAMPATI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3884 TO BE ANSWERED ON 24 th MARCH, 2017

## FOOD TESTING LABORAT ORIES

## 3884. SHRI DEVJI M. PATEL: DR. KAMBHAMPATI HARIBABU:

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

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  a scheme  for  setting  up/upgradation  of Quality  Control  and Food Testing Laboratories, if so, the details thereof, including number of laboratories set up since inception of the scheme, State - wise;

(b) whether the present network of food testing laboratories is adequate to meet the growing requirement  of  this  sector  and whether  existing  standards  of  food  testing in  food  processing indust ries is at par with the standards adopted by developed countries, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and

(c) whether the Government plans to set up more laboratories in the future, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI FAGGAN SINGH KULASTE)

(a): 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 R s. 481.95 Crore to be implemented  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 Lab s; (iii)  Support for Mobile Food labs; (iv) Capacity Building of Food    Testing Laboratories; (v) Incentivising States to utilise the faciliti available in Food Safety and Standards Authority of India ( FSSAI) Notified Labs; (vi) School Food & HygieneProgramme; and vii) creation of new food testing labs in Arunachal Prades Manipur,  Mizoram  and  Sikkim. So  far,  no  laboratory  has  been  set  up  under  the  aforesaid Scheme.

- (b): Adequate  number  of National  Accreditation  Board  for  Testing  and  Calibration  o f Laboratories (NABL) accredited laboratories have been notified to undertake analysis of samples in addition to State/Public Food Laboratories. Presently, there are 213 Food Testing Laboratories for testing food products as per standards prescribed under the Food Safety and Standar 2006 and regulations thereunder, as per following details: -
- (i) 72 State/Public food laboratories functioning under the State/ Union Territory Government;
- (ii) 16 Referral Laboratories notified by the FSSAI for referral testing; and
- (iii) 125  National  Accreditation  Board  for  Testing  and  Calibration  Laboratories  (NABL accredited private laboratories notified by FSSAI.

Standards for various food product categories have been prescribed in the Regulat under  the  Food  Safety  and  Standards  Act,  2006.  FSSAI  benchmarks  these  standards  wit international standards.

(c): As  stated  in  reply  to  part  (a)  above,  approval  has  bee n  accordedto  a  scheme  for strengthening Food Testing System in the country.