Central Government has approved Rs 50 Lakh for strengthening two food testing labs in Udaipur and Jodhpur. This approval has come after the visit by team from Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in April last week.

Revealing the details, Ravi Prakash Mathur, the additional director, rural health, said that health department has received letter from FSSAI approving Rs 50Lakh for the two labs in Udaipur and Jodhpur. MoU has ben signed by Government of Rajasthan with FSSAI after which Rs 50L will be credited to the Government’s account.

The laboratory will include provision of infrastructure and manpower. In addition, Government will procure coupled plasma mass spectrometer, gas chromatograph tandem mass spectrometer and liquid chromatograph tandem mass spectrometer from the money received by FSSAI. The availability of these high end equipment will enable tests like detection of pesticide, heavy metals, antibiotics etc. These detection can currently be carried out only in Jaipur lab.