SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Sept 19: State Food Testing lab based in Namkum (Ranchi) finally got recognition for conducting legal sample tests after 22 months.
Food Safety and Standard Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a notification in the Gazette of India regarding the recognition of Jharkhand’s State Food Testing Lab to conduct legal testing of food under Section 43 (1) of the FSS Act.
The legal samples test at Ranchi State Food Testing lab Namukum had been stopped since November 2020 after the completion of two years accreditation period of the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).
Though in April, NABL had given the accreditation to Jharkhand State Lab Ranchi for two years (April 2022 to April 24) to carry out legal testing of food samples, FSSAI had been holding up notification under Section 43 910 of the FSS Act to kick-start.
As per FSS Act 2006 after NABL accreditation, FSSAI issues a notification in the Gazette of India under Section 43 (1) giving legal permission to a lab to conduct samples tests.
In the lack of FSSAI notification, hundreds of food samples including Babadham and Basukinath Dham Shrawani Mela were pending for test in the Namkum State government lab. The health department had to send food samples to Kolkata national lab for urgent legal reports.
“Now after notification by FSSAI in the Gazette, no one can challenge the test report of the State Food Testing Lab in court,” said Chaturbhuj Meena, chief analyst of Jharkhand, who is considered the senior-most analysts in the country.
Meena further said as per FSS Act 2006, notification for the Jharkhand State Food Testing lab should be issued in 2008 after it was set up as per the guidelines and got accredited duly by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL).
“The notification in the Gazette would not only save massive expenditure in testing food samples but would also help in getting the reports timely. Ranging from Rs 5000 to Rs 10,000, the cost came on samples of each item for testing at of state lab. But now, we would do the same in less cost and minimum time at Ranchi,” said Chaturbhuj Meena.
