State Public Health Laboratory

Your editorial about the State Public Health Laboratory, the pioneer food and water testing laboratory in Assam published on 14th March, 2020 is really informative and useful for the general public. However, I would like to add one more recent development which will actually help the SPHL to serve public in a better way.

On 17th February, 2020 the Government of Assam has notified four Food Analysts who will be now able to sign the analysis reports of food and water samples. Before that there was only one signatory not for the whole state of Assam but also for some neighboring States like Meghalaya, Mizoram, Arunachal etc. which resulted in delay of report delivery. In the event of absence of the lone signatory, the people of the state had to wait for his return. As Assam has such qualified persons (one has to clear public analyst / food analyst qualifying exam), the Government of Assam could take this big step by notifying all four of them.

Again, Fssai has given two mobile food testing laboratories (MFTLs) to SPHL which can serve the consumers/ public by three ways — testing of food and water samples, training of small roadside vendors and bringing awareness regarding detection of adulterants at home. People can test food items (simple parameters) for a nominal fee at these MFTL. There are videos at you tube regarding MFTL provided by FSSAI.

Kalyanee Bargohain,

SPHL, Guwahati