Safe Food and Clean Drinking Water for Sabarimala Pilgrims a Priority
Pathanamthitta: Ensuring safe food and clean drinking water for the millions of devotees arriving in Pathanamthitta from different parts of the country for the Sabarimala pilgrimage is a major responsibility of the district, District Collector A. Nizamuddeen said.
He was inaugurating the first anniversary celebrations and a one-day seminar organised by the District Food Testing Laboratory at Vettipuram.
The Collector highlighted the importance of accuracy, reliability, timely testing and technical excellence in food inspections. He said even a minor error in analysing a food sample could lead to serious consequences. Therefore, every test must be conducted with a high level of professional responsibility and scientific precision.
He also stressed the need to create greater public awareness about food quality and adulteration in view of changing food habits. The laboratory can play an important role in promoting scientific thinking among students and improving awareness of food safety, he added.
The Collector also pointed out the close connection between laboratory activities and academic disciplines such as chemistry, which examines the composition and quality of food products; botany, which evaluates plant-based products; and zoology, which studies food-borne microorganisms.
Food Safety Department Assistant Commissioner Sujith Pereira presided over the function. Binoy T. Thomas, Professor of the Botany Department at Catholicate College, delivered the keynote address.
Government Analyst M. Subburaj, Deputy Analyst T. Shainu Mol, Research Officer H. Hemlal, Aranmula Food Safety Officer Prashanth Kumar, Professor V.P. Thomas and Research Officer S.J. Sreedevi also spoke at the event.
As part of the anniversary celebrations, the laboratory organised free preliminary water quality testing for the public. A special food safety seminar was also conducted for postgraduate science students of Catholicate College.