Port Blair, Dec. 8: The Food Safety Department in its continuous efforts to ensure the availability of safe, wholesome and hygienic food to the Islanders have tied up with a mainland based NABL accredited and FSSAI notified laboratory for analyzing food samples of Andaman & Nicobar Islands.

This arrangement started from March, 2020 and till date 114 samples were dispatched for analysis. Regulatory samples of highly perishable food articles like prepared food and ready to serve foods, fish and fishery products, poultry products, milk and milk products, vegetables and fruits are being sent for analysis under proper cold chain. Samples of non-perishables such as infant milk substitutes, grocery items, nutraceuticals, health supplements are also being tested through the laboratory. So far reports of 70 samples have been received and all the samples were found as per standards laid down by FSSAI.

In addition to this, samples for surveillance purpose are also collected and tested through Mobile Food Testing Laboratory.  Further under PAN India milk and edible oil quality survey 10 samples of each category were also tested through mainland based laboratories.

The Commissioner Food Safety/Deputy Commissioner, South Andaman District has requested all hoteliers, restaurants and other ready to serve food vendors to test their water samples at least once in a month to monitor the water quality.