Visakhapatnam: IT Minister inaugurates food testing laboratory

Visakhapatnam : A food testing and standardisation laboratory was inaugurated here on Wednesday as part of the Global Investors’ Summit held in Visakhapatnam and an MoU signed as part of it.

Mayor G Hari Venkata Kumari, MLC Varudhu Kalyani and district collector A Mallikarjuna attended as guests in the inaugural ceremony organised at Andhra University. Industries and IT Minister Gudivada Amarnath from Tadepalli and Agriculture, Marketing and Food Processing Minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy from Nellore inaugurated the lab virtually.

AP Food Processing Society allotted Rs 5 crore to set up the lab in an extent of 6,000 feet at AU Chemistry department premises.

During the programme, AU Vice Chancellor PVGD Prasad Reddy briefed the ministers about the features of the state-of-the-art laboratory. He said the laboratory would be utilised for educational and commercial purposes.

The VC mentioned that people’s health is affected by adulterated goods.

The quality standards of the food and other products can be examined through the laboratory, he added. He informed that the District Collector is sanctioning Rs 2 crore of CSR funds for the project.

AU Registrar Prof M James Stephen, College of Science and Technology principal K Srinivasa Rao, Pharmacy College principal Y Rajendra Prasad, professors of various departments were present.