Lok Sabha Question No. 724 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-02-05
Subject: Laboratories for Food Testing
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Krupal Balaji Tumane

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 724 TO BE ANSWERED ON 5 TH February, 2021

## LABORATORIES FOR FOO D TESTING

## 724. SHRI KRUPAL BALAJI TUMANE:

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

- (a) the details of the laboratories meant for testing food items in the country, State/UT -wise;
- (b) the details of the quality test conducted on the refrigerated food items imported from foreign countries as per the fixed minimum quality norms;
- (c) whether the Government has carried out any study to assess the effect of iodized salt sold b many producers for preventing thyroid and other diseases cau d by iodine deficiency in the country, if so, the details thereof;
- (d)  the  corrective  steps  taken  in  this  regard  along with  the  details  of  actions  initiated  under National Iodine D ficiency Disorder Control Programme (NIDDCP); and
- (e) the likely beneficiaries of this programme, State/ UT - wise?

## 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) has informed that it has a network of 226 laboratories across the country comprising of 190 primary testing laboratories rec and notified under Section 43(1) of Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006; and 18 re laboratories for appellate (referral) testing under S ection 43(2) of FSS Act, 2006.  Further, there are 18 State Food Testing Laboratories working under transition provision of Section 98 o Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006. State/UT - wise number of these laboratories is placed at Annexure .
- (b): Q uality  and  safety  standards  of  frozen  food  products  belonging  to  different categories  are  specified  in  Food  Safety  and  Standards  (Food  Products  Standards  and  F Additives) Regulations, 2011.  Imported frozen food product are subjected to relevant t sts at ports of entry  to ensure adherence to the  prescribed standards
- (c): Under National  Iodine  Deficiency Disorders Control Programme (NIDDCP), District IDD Surveys /resurveys are conducted regularly by many States/UTs. Over the years, Tot Goitre Ra te (endemicity of Goitre) has come down.

The National Family Health Survey (NFHS) -4 conducted by MoHFW in 2015 - 16 had assessed the consumption of Iodated salt at household level. As per the Report, the Na average consumption of Iodated salt at household level was 93%.

Further, the Comprehensive National Nutrition Survey (CNNS) conducted by MoHFW between  2016  to  2018  across  30  States/UTs  of  India  had  estimated  median  urinary  iod concentration  (mUIC)  levels  of  children  and  adolescent s.  The  results  demonstrated  that  the Urinary Iodine Concentration (mUIC) level in children (1 - 9 y s) and adolescents (10 - 19yrs) was >100µg/Litre  (optimal),  which  indicates  adequate  level  of  Iodine  intake  essential  to Iodine Deficiency Disorders inc luding Hypothyroidism.

(d): In order to prevent & control Iodine Deficiency Disorders (IDD), the Government o India launched a 100 per cent Centrally assisted National Goitre Control Programme (NGCP in 1962. In August, 1992 the National Goitre Control P rogramme (NGCP) was renamed as National  Iodine  Deficiency  Disorders  Control  Programme  (NIDDCP)  with  a  view  to  cover spectrum of Iodine Deficiency Disorders.

NIDDCP is being implemented in all the States/UTs for entire population with the g to bring th e prevalence of IDD to below 5% in the country and to ensure 100% consumption o adequately  iodated  salt  (15ppm)  at  the  household  level.  For  effective  implementatio programme,  financial  assistance  is  provided  to  all  States/UTs  for  establishment  of ne Deficiency  Disorders  Control  Cell  and  IDD  Monitoring  Laboratory,  conducting  district  I Surveys/ Resurveys, health education and publicity to create awareness about IDD, promo consumption  of  adequately  iodated  salt  and  monitoring  of  Iodine  content of  salt  through  salt testing kit at the Household/Community level.

(e): All  segments  of  population  in  all  the  States/UTs  are  being  benefitted  under  Nat Iodine Deficiency Disorders Control Programme (NIDDCP).

| S. No.   |                                    | State/UT Food Testing of Food Safety Government   | State/UT Food Testing of Food Safety Government   | State/UT Food Testing of Food Safety Government   | Section 43(1) Act, State Food Laboratories under Transition phase under Section98 of FSS Act   | Referral Laboratories notified under Section 43(2) FSS Act, 2006   |
|----------|------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
| S. No.   |                                    |                                                   |                                                   | Private                                           | Section 43(1) Act, State Food Laboratories under Transition phase under Section98 of FSS Act   | Referral Laboratories notified under Section 43(2) FSS Act, 2006   |
| S. No.   |                                    | State                                             | Other Institutions                                | Private                                           | Section 43(1) Act, State Food Laboratories under Transition phase under Section98 of FSS Act   | Referral Laboratories notified under Section 43(2) FSS Act, 2006   |
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh                     | _                                                 | 1                                                 | 5                                                 | -                                                                                              | 1                                                                  |
| 2        | Andman & Nicorbar Islands          | _                                                 | _                                                 | _                                                 | _                                                                                              | _                                                                  |
| 3        | Arunachal Pradesh                  | _                                                 | _                                                 | _                                                 | _                                                                                              | _                                                                  |
| 4        | Assam                              | 1                                                 | _                                                 | _                                                 | _                                                                                              | _                                                                  |
| 5        | Bihar                              | _                                                 | _                                                 | _                                                 | -                                                                                              | _                                                                  |
| 6        | Chandigarh                         | _                                                 | _                                                 | _                                                 | _                                                                                              | _                                                                  |
| 7        | Chhattisgarh                       | _                                                 | _                                                 | _                                                 | -                                                                                              | _                                                                  |
| 8        | Dadar Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu | _                                                 | _                                                 | 1                                                 | _                                                                                              | _                                                                  |
| 9        | GNCT of Delhi                      | 1                                                 | _                                                 | 20                                                | _                                                                                              | _                                                                  |
| 10       | Goa                                | _                                                 | _                                                 | 1                                                 | -                                                                                              | _                                                                  |
| 11       | Gujarat                            | 4                                                 | _                                                 | 10                                                | -                                                                                              | 1                                                                  |
| 12       | Haryana                            | _                                                 | 1                                                 | 14                                                | -                                                                                              | _                                                                  |
| 13       | Himachal Pradesh                   | _                                                 | _                                                 | 1                                                 | -                                                                                              | _                                                                  |
| 14       | Jammu & Kashmir                    | _                                                 | 1                                                 | _                                                 | 1                                                                                              | _                                                                  |
| 15       | Jharkhand                          | _                                                 | _                                                 | 1                                                 | -                                                                                              | _                                                                  |
| 16       | Karnataka                          | _                                                 | _                                                 | 13                                                | -                                                                                              | 2                                                                  |
| 17       | Kerala                             | 3                                                 | 6                                                 | 7                                                 | _                                                                                              | 2                                                                  |
| 18       | Ladakh                             | _                                                 | _                                                 | _                                                 | _                                                                                              | _                                                                  |
| 19       | Lakshadweep                        | _                                                 | _                                                 | _                                                 | _                                                                                              | _                                                                  |
| 20       | Madhya Pradesh                     | _                                                 | _                                                 | 8                                                 | 1                                                                                              | _                                                                  |
| 21       | Maharashtra                        | 2                                                 | 3                                                 | 24                                                | 2                                                                                              | 3                                                                  |
| 22       | Manipur                            | _                                                 | _                                                 | _                                                 | -                                                                                              | _                                                                  |
| 23 24    | Meghalaya Mizoram                  | _ _                                               | _ _                                               | _ _                                               | 1 _                                                                                            | _ _                                                                |
| 25       | Nagaland                           | _                                                 | _                                                 | _                                                 | 1                                                                                              | _                                                                  |
| 26       | Odisha                             | _                                                 | _                                                 | 1                                                 | 1                                                                                              | _                                                                  |
| 27       | Puducherry                         | _                                                 | _                                                 | _                                                 | -                                                                                              | _                                                                  |
| 28 29    | Punjab Rajasthan                   | _ 1                                               | 1 1                                               | 2 5                                               | 1 7                                                                                            | 1 _                                                                |
|          | Sikkim                             | _                                                 | 1                                                 | 17                                                | -                                                                                              |                                                                    |
| 30 31    | Tamil Nadu                         | _                                                 | _                                                 | _                                                 | -                                                                                              | _ 2                                                                |
|          | Telangana                          | 1                                                 |                                                   | 9                                                 | _                                                                                              | 3                                                                  |
| 32       |                                    |                                                   | _                                                 |                                                   |                                                                                                |                                                                    |
| 33       | Tripura                            | _ 3                                               | 1                                                 | _ 4                                               | - 2                                                                                            | _                                                                  |
| 34       | Uttar Pradesh                      |                                                   | 4                                                 |                                                   |                                                                                                | 2                                                                  |
| 35       | Uttarakhand                        | _                                                 | _                                                 | 1                                                 | 1                                                                                              | _                                                                  |