Funds released for five more mobile food testing labs: official

PESHAWAR: Director General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Food Safety and Halal Food Authority (KP FS&HFA), Shahrukh Ali Khan has said the government has provided funds for five additional mobile food testing laboratories.

Speaking at an event regarding the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition’s 20th anniversary and decade of technical assistance on food safety in Pakistan, he said that seven mobile food testing laboratories had already been established and the new laboratories would strengthen its technical capacity to ensure the provision of safe and nutritious food to people.

Director Technical KP FS&HFA Dr. Abdul Sattar Shah, pro-vice chancellor Agriculture University Prof Dr Said Wahab, Senior Policy Advisor GAIN Faiz Rasool, President National Alliance for Safe Food Dr Hafiz Rehan Nadeem and representatives of food-related businesses attended the event.

He said the KP Food Safety Authority was going to procure high-tech testing equipment for the Food Testing Laboratory in Peshawar. He maintained that the authority realises the importance of awareness for the promotion of safe and nutritious food practices in the province.

Director Technical Dr Abul Sattar Shah said the KP FS&HFA along with routine inspections of the food outlets are frequently conducting awareness and training sessions for food handlers in the province.

He said that during the last one year, more than 7,000 food handlers were provided with food safety training. After the Food Fortification Act 2022, fortification of food would overcome various health-related issues and would result in a healthy and productive community, he added.