EU hands over mobile food-testing lab to BFA.

ISLAMABAD -- The European Union (EU) Ambassador to Pakistan Dr Riina Kionka handed over keys to a mobile food-testing laboratory to the Balochistan Food Authority (BFA) at a ceremony held in Quetta on Wednesday.

This was was part of the Growth for Rural Advancement and Sustainable Progress (GRASP) project, funded by the European Union, and implemented by the International Trade Centre (ITC), said in a press release issued here.

Provincial Minister for Food, Engineer Zmarak Khan, Chief Secretary Abdul Aziz Uqaili, Secretary Food Ayaz Mandokhel, as well as officials from the Balochistan Food Authority also attended the event.

Following an assessment of the Food Authorities of Sindh and Balochistan in 2020, the GRASP identified the need to provide mobile food testing facilities to both provinces to help support the implementation of food safety standards and overall quality assurance of food items being supplied to markets.

As part of its duties, the van will also be used to check for food contamination to ensure, in particular processed foods, are free from undeclared ingredients, are accurately labeled and are compliant with relevant food safety standards and rules. Equipped with a suite of testing technology, along with its crew of technicians, the van will provide expert on the spot scientific expertise to help support both consumer confidence, but also public health.

Through GRASP, the officials of BFA have also been trained on Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) compliance issues in relation to requirement for wider market access, including towards potential international exports, in addition to supporting and reviewing regulatory and operational frameworks of the authority, towards its overall strengthening and operational...