Guyana’s food safety testing capabilities strengthened as new lab commissioned
The equipment that was purchased for the facility (Ministry of Agriculture photo)
Guyana’s Agriculture Minister, Hon. Zulfikar Mustapha, Saturday commissioned the Guyana Food Safety Authority’s Laboratory and Office, at the Ministry’s LBI complex, East Coast Demerara (ECD).
The commissioning of the facility is said to be a collaboration between the Inter Development Bank (IDB) and the Government of Guyana.
At the event, Minister Mustapha emphasised that as Guyana’s agri-food production increases, citizens must be confident that the commodities produced are safe for human consumption.
He added that, the Government remains committed to ensuring that food is safe, and it has been working with the relevant agencies and partners to strengthen the capability of the Guyana Food Safety Authority.
Hon Zulfikar Mustapha and IDB’s Lorena Solozar during a tour of the lab with one of the technicians (Ministry of Agriculture photo)
Speaking at the commissioning, IDB Country Representative, Lorena Solorzano, said that the facility is also a shared vision between the IDB and Government, to ensure food safety and public health, as international markets are also requiring traceability and quality.
According to a Ministry of Agriculture report, through funding from the IDB, more than $520 million was spent to outfit the laboratory with state-of-the-art equipment that is capable of testing a wide range of commodities.
The equipment can also be used to conduct sophisticated traceability studies and analysis, and stay ahead in the rapidly evolving global food safety landscape, the report noted.
