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Personnel from State Public Health Laboratory (SPHL), Kohima, conducting test on food samples in New Market in Dimapur on April 25.[/caption]
Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, April 24: Under the aegis of the Food Safety & Standard Authority of India (FSSAI), food safety on wheels collected and tested samples of food items at the New Market, Dimapur, on April 24. Nagaland received the mobile lab from the FSSAI.
Food safety on wheels would cover the entire state, district by district, manned by chemists from the State Public Health Laboratory (SPHL), Kohima, in coordination with the respective district FSOs.
“We are to check whether the packaged food items available in the market comply with the FSSAI standard,” said FSO, Dimapur, Sendong Jamir, who was supervising the tests today.
Samples of packaged drinking water, spices and beverages, including milk and fruit juices would be tested during the two-day programme. It is aimed at taking sample as many as 200 different food items in two days.
According to Jamir, the tests were “preliminary” in nature and samples failing the on-site tests would be referred for further laboratory analysis.
SPHL assistant chemist, I Ayangba, who conducted the tests, said that by using the test kits provided in the mobile lab, they look for signs of adulteration. Samples failing the on-site tests would require further analysis after which report would be send to the FSOs.
Citing an instance of haldi (turmeric), he said they look for signs indicating the presence of colouring agents not permitted by food safety law.
As for perishable fruits and vegetables, he said samples would be required to be taken to the laboratory in Kohima.
His colleague, assistant chemist, Neiphresenuo, added that some 50 samples of various spices were tested till noon. “As of now, they (samples) are within the standard of FSSAI,” she said.
The report of the final analysis would take 1-2 weeks. However, it is subjected to the quantity and nature of tests.
It sample would continue on April 25 but the officials did not specify any location in particular. The next stop after Dimapur would be Peren, it was informed.