Sri Lanka: food safety at risk due to delayed checks

Sri Lanka Public Health Inspectors (PHI) Union is concerned that a lack of proper government facilities is putting food safety at risk. Recently, the Government Analyst Department could not check 6000 food samples due to the absence of enough testing structures. This has delayed important food safety and quality tests, including those about the potential presence of chemicals, bacteria, and pesticides. Pesticide checks on some vegetables and fruits could also not be performed due to the lack of facilities. Upul Rohana, chairman of the PHI Union, said that health officers should address the issue as soon as possible to ensure food is safe for consumption and avoid harmful substances going undetected.