Now, get food tested on your doorstep for Rs 30

Charu Chhibber

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 18

In as little as Rs 30, city residents will now be able to get their food items tested on the spot on their doorstep.

In a welcome move, the UT Health Department, concerned over the ever-increasing instances of food adulteration, is all set to launch its mobile food-testing laboratory next week. The lab, set up in an old ambulance of the department, will tour the city, collecting samples and spreading awareness about common food adulterants from Monday to Friday. The test will cost Rs 30 per sample.

According to the food safety administration, the plan is to examine the quality of food items, including milk, milk products, oil and water, in view of increasing concerns on the influx of adulterated food items in the market. The Health Department, in collaboration with resident welfare associations, will make the mobile laboratory available in each sector turn by turn. This will facilitate instant testing of daily use kitchen items and on-the-spot results to residents of all sectors.

Talking about the lab features, Dr Rajinder Sharma, designated officer in charge of food safety administration-cum-senior medical officer, orthopaedic surgery, said, “The van will focus on checking the quality of food being used by city residents and the test will be done on the spot. The results will also be provided on the spot.”

The Health Department has already recruited two technicians for the mobile laboratory and a driver for the van.