Advanced food testing laboratory coming up in Tirumala

A key highlight of the facility will be the installation of Electronic Tongue (E-Tongue) and Electronic Nose (E-Nose)machines, being imported from France at an additional cost of ₹3.5 crore

Metro India News | AMARAVATI

In a major step toward strengthening food safety standards at the Tirumala temple, the Andhra Pradesh government is set to operationalise a state-of-the-art food testing laboratory equipped with advanced international technology, Health and Medical Education Minister Satya Kumar Yadav announced.

The laboratory, being established at a cost of Rs 25 crore, aims to ensure the highest quality and safety standards for prasadam and food served to millions of devotees visiting the hill shrine every year. According to the Minister, nearly 90 percent of the construction and installation works have been completed, and the facility is expected to become operational next month.

The lab will test nearly 60 varieties of raw materials and food products, including ghee, cashew nuts, raisins, almonds, chickpeas, sugar, cardamom, turmeric, chilli powder and other ingredients used in the preparation of temple prasadam. The initiative comes in the wake of concerns over food quality and alleged adulteration incidents, prompting authorities to introduce advanced quality monitoring systems.

A key highlight of the facility will be the installation of Electronic Tongue (E-Tongue) and Electronic Nose (E-Nose)machines, being imported from France at an additional cost of Rs 3.5 crore. These highly sensitive instruments can detect even microscopic variations in taste and smell, enabling officials to identify minute quality deviations in ghee and other food ingredients. The equipment is expected to be installed by May.

The laboratory is being set up following an agreement signed on October 8, 2024, between the State Health Department and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which sanctioned Rs 23 crore for the project. The facility is being developed in a renovated 12,000-square-foot two-storey building located within the Tirumala flour mill premises.

Equipped with around 50 advanced testing instruments, the lab will conduct microbiological, chemical and sensory analyses. It will also detect pesticide residues, heavy metals, microbial contamination, antibiotics and up to 200 types of pesticide traces in food samples. Water samples used in temple operations will also undergo regular testing.

About 40 personnel from the Health Department and TTD will jointly manage the laboratory. Officials said the Tirumala facility would be among the most technologically advanced food laboratories established at a pilgrimage centre anywhere in India, setting new benchmarks for food safety and quality assurance.