Madurai begins use of mobile food safety van
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Safety first
According to a report by TOI, Madurai has got ‘Food Safety on Wheels’, a mobile van to test the quality of food materials and sensitize people on the quality of food they consume. The vehicle provided by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) will be deployed throughout the southern districts.
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A recent addition
Officials from the food safety department said that Tamil Nadu was given two such vehicles, each costing Rs 50 lakh. While one was delivered to Chennai a couple of years ago to cover northern districts, Madurai got the second vehicle a few months ago. Designated officer for food safety, Madurai district, Dr M Somasundaram told TOI that only recently the vehicle registration process was completed.
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Starting with Khova
To start with, the vehicle is being used to check the quality of ‘khova’. “It is a major ingredient of some sweets like milk peda which is often adulterated with sugar and starch. When the quality of khova is set right, the final products will be of good quality,” he said.
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Strengthening public awareness
An analyst from the food safety department said that the vehicle will soon be put into direct public use. All basic tests to check the quality of milk, tea powder, oil, ghee, colouring agents and pulses can be done using the facilities available in the vehicle. People can bring food materials they want to check and get results in no time. “The initiative will help to create awareness on the quality of products people are consuming. The vehicle will reach out to people in rural areas too,” the official said.
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Red-flagging adulteration
Food safety officials said that legal samples cannot be tested using the facility. However, when a food material gets red-flagged during the check, the respective food safety official will be alerted. He would lift legal samples and get them tested and will take legal action against the manufacturer or seller.
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Nominal fee
Officials said that each testing will attract a nominal fee, which needs to be paid by the people. They are in the process of fixing a fee for each testing. Normally, it takes up to Rs 6000 to get a food material tested in a private laboratory, but one can get it tested at a fraction of the cost, they said.