Food safety at risk due to testing delays

By Poojathmi Rivithma

Colombo, Feb 18 (Daily Mirror) - The Public Health Inspectors' (PHI) Union raised concerns that lack of facilities at the Government Analyst's Department is affecting food safety checks.

A total of 6,000 food samples were collected to check their safety and quality, ensuring that the food meets health standards and is safe for human consumption.

However, due to limited facilities at the Government Analyst's Department, food samples cannot be tested properly. This has delayed important checks for chemicals, bacteria and pesticides, thus affecting PHI inspections.

Meanwhile, in recent days, pesticide checks on some vegetables and fruits could not be done properly due to a lack of facilities.

Furthermore, Rohana said that to ensure food is safe for consumption, chemical labs must be maintained.

He said that health officers should address this issue as otherwise harmful substances in the country may go undetected.