Kerala to set up new food safety labs as part of safe food campaign

Amidst incidents of suspected food poisoning reported in various places in the state, the Kerala government has decided to set up two new food safety labs in Kannur and Pathanamthitta districts as part of efforts to ensure safe food for the public.

State Health Minister Veena George, on Tuesday, said the ongoing food safety inspections and raids would be intensified further and the food safety calendar has been modified with options for the public to upload their complaints with photos in this connection.

The inspections would not be based on any specific incident, but a continuing process, she said while speaking in a national seminar organized to mark the Food Safety Day celebrations here. Detailing various steps to be taken to ensure food safety, the minister said more food safety labs would be opened in the southern state. ''At present, there are mobile food safety labs in all 14 districts. Regional labs are there in three districts. Besides this, construction of food safety labs in Pathanamthitta and Kannur districts will begin soon,'' George said.

Noting that the recently launched campaigns like ''Operation Matsya'' and ''Operation Jaggery'', conducted to ensure that safe fish and jaggery reach the public, were a huge success, she said a total of 9,600 kilograms of stale fish was seized and destroyed from a private market in Anchuthengu on Monday.

Over 6,000 raids have been conducted as part of the 'Operation Matsya' campaign so far and inspections at checkpoints have been tightened as part of the drive, she said.

With this, the arrival of chemical-laced fish through state check-posts has decreased remarkably, the minister added.

Reminding that society has a huge role to play in food safety, the Minister said the hotels and eateries, which provide good and safe food, would be encouraged by the department.