With the motive of strengthening the food safety mechanism across the state, the Commissionerate of Food Safety is planning to set up a mobile food testing laboratory in the state for the first time. The lab will be equipped with all facilities and testing instruments and diagnostic kits for detection of adulteration in various food samples.
An official said that the mobile labs will basically serve for preliminary surveillance purpose. “During the spot testing, we will get some idea what is going on and then detailed tests can be later done at the main lab. Through the mobile tests, we will know how to proceed. It will save a lot of time taken to collect the samples and bringing it to the lab located at Bamunimaidam,” the sources said.
Each vehicle will have three technical personnel and a driver. “The FSSAI will impart training to the personnel. The authority will bear the recurring expenses of the mobile lab, like on fuel and chemicals used for testing and other maintenance,” the official said.
Though primarily the mobile lab will be deployed in Guwahati, it will also be used during incidence of food poisoning in rural areas.