DIMAPUR, May 15 - The Nagaland State Food Laboratory has been upgraded to a Level-2 Laboratory. This is the first state-of-the-art Level-2 food laboratory in the entire North East.
The laboratory has been equipped with three major equipment � liquid chromatography mass spectrometer, gas chromatography mass spectrometer and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer � for analysing a wide range of food components such as cereals, oils, food products, beverages, spices, sweets, vegetables, additives, etc., besides organic and inorganic parts of food contents like vitamins, proteins, peptides, amino acid hormones, food colours, minerals, etc., and test their purity.
The machinery of the new laboratory, costing Rs 10 crore, was provided as non-recurring grant by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
Principal Secretary and Commissioner of the Food Safety wing of Nagaland Health and Family Welfare department, I Himato Zhimomi, inaugurated the upgraded laboratory at a function held at the State Public Health Laboratory in Kohima on Tuesday.
Speaking on the occasion, Zhimomi said Nagaland was fortunate to install the Level-2 State food laboratory, which is equipped with high-end equipment of the best quality to give high accuracy results.
He appealed to those, who are in the food business, to test their products in the laboratory before selling them to the public. He also requested the food business operators to comply with the food safety rules.
Principal Director and Additional Commissioner, Food Safety, Health and Family Welfare Department, Dr Vikeyie Losu, said the State Public Health Laboratory department has developed step by step from its dormant stage.
Nagaland Voluntary Consumers� Organisation president Kezhokhoto Savi said it would soon place food safety as a main agenda.
