The Ministry of Commerce launched a food laboratory yesterday in Poipet with an aim to ensure food safety, particularly goods crossing the nearby border with Thailand. The lab will analyze food and commodities at the border checkpoint and markets to protect the welfare of citizens and their economic interests through facilitation of trade and management of risks, according to Commerce Minister Pan Sorasak. He said the ministry had built three small laboratory projects since 2016, when the first was set up in Sihanoukville. The second was in Svay Rieng and now the third had been established in Poipet. In 2017, the ministry constructed three more lab buildings in Kampong Cham, Prey Veng and Takeo provinces. This year, three more labs at Phnom Penh Autonomous Port, Preah Vihear and Boeung Trakoun checkpoint of Banteay Meanchey will be built. The minister added that these small labs would help facilitate trade by providing a timely check and analysis service without sending samples to the Camcontrol General Department in Phnom Penh, which could take one to two days. (Source: Khmer Times)