Food safety department aims for NABL accreditation for microbiology labs

Health Minister Veena George announced that NABL accreditation for all three labs will be achieved within a set timeline.
Kerala Health Minister Veena George.
Kerala Health Minister Veena George.(File Photo | Express)
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THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state’s food safety laboratories are on track to receive accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) in the microbiology category, with the inauguration of a new microbiology laboratory at the Government Analysts Laboratory here on Wednesday.

Health Minister Veena George announced that NABL accreditation for all three labs will be achieved within a set timeline. This recognition is expected to boost the state’s standing in food safety, as Kerala has held the top position in the National Food Safety Index for two consecutive years.

The minister emphasised that food adulteration is a serious crime and assured that stringent action would be taken against those who violate food safety standards.

The new laboratory in Thiruvananthapuram will enhance the Food Safety department’s ability to detect harmful microbes in food items.

Previously, such facilities were only available in Ernakulam and Kozhikode. The microbiology lab has been set up in line with NABL standards at the Food Safety Department’ Government Analysts Laboratory which receives over 25,000 food samples from four districts.

Kerala is the first state in the country to complete the FSSAI NABL Integrated Assessment. In 2021, 75 parameters were approved, and this number has now increased to 1,468, all of which have achieved NABL accreditation.

Microbiology testing has been prescribed as per FSSAI norms for most food categories, including milk and milk products, fruits and vegetables and their by-products, spices and herbs, bottled water, drinking water, meat and meat products, fish and fish products, eggs and egg products, health supplements, nutraceuticals, foods for special dietary use, foods for special medical purposes.

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