The Commissionerate of Food Safety Kerala has decided to set up checkposts across all entry points in the bordering districts of other states. These checkposts will be called ‘Onam Squads’ and will have mobile food testing labs that will help in inspecting the quality of food products brought in from other states.
The service of mobile testing labs will be made available in Amaravila (Thiruvananthapuram), Aryankavu (Kollam), Kumily (Idukki), Walayar, Meenakshipuram (Palakkad), and Manjeswaram (Kasaragod) to check the quality of milk, fish, meat, fruits and vegetables brought from other states.
The department will also carry out strict inspections along with Ksheera Development Board to stop poor quality milk from entering the state.
Health Minister KK Shailaja has stated that the special squads will ensure quality of food products as well as ascertain if the employees of local street stalls are wearing head caps and masks, check whether social distancing is followed in these places and provision for sanitisers and hand washes for the use of customers is made.
The special squads will remain active in the state till September 5.
“Milk, jaggery, coconut and other edible oils, ghee, lentils, fruits and vegetables that reach the Onam market will be inspected. Also, the manufacturing and packing units of bakery products, milk, ice cream, coconut oil will be inspected by the food safety squad,” she added.
Speaking to FnB News, Dr Pooja, Nodal Food Safety Officer, Trivandrum, Commissionerate of Food Safety, Kerala, said, “We have mobile food testing labs. We have completed 4 schedules of checking in this month. During Onam, the consumption of milk will be more in the state so to ensure the safety of people, this week, in our mobile lab; we will be conducting testing to check adulteration in milk. We are following all the Covid-19 protocols. Through the mobile lab, we are testing oils, water and milk. To check fruits and vegetables, we don’t have facilities to check in mobile labs so we are checking that through government labs in Trivandrum.”
While talking about the new developments of the mobile lab, she said, “The mobile labs were already allotted here, now, it is there in every district. This lab was founded in July, but there was a delay due to the lockdown in our district. Now, there are 3 schedules remaining to check the products which come through checkpost. The checking of those items will be done through a mobile lab. Even after Onam, the mobile lab will be active. We will give the lab to certain circles after scheduling it."
She added, "There are 14 circle officers i.e Food Safety Officers working in every district, so they take the lab in their circles. Through this, the locals can test the products they think are adulterated. The result of these products will be given on the same day."
Goureesh, Assistant Commissioner of Food Safety, Palakkad, Commissionerate of Food Safety, Kerala, said, “Due to the pandemic, there was a delay. The mobile testing lab is not there in our district and in Malappuram district as there is some problem in registration. Through checkposts, we are collecting the samples and checking the products in our main lab in our district. We are also trying to get Thrissur labs in our district for 2-3 days for the Onam Squad to speed the process. Other than that, there is Dairy Development Lab in Meenakshipuram in Palakkad. So, through this lab, we check the quality of milk."