CM to Inaugurate FSSAI Food Testing Lab at Tirumala Today
The laboratory comes in the backdrop of past concerns over the quality of ghee supplied for laddu preparation
TIRUPATI: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will inaugurate on Saturday a state-of-the-art FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) laboratory in Tirumala capable of detecting impurities at the levels of parts per trillion (PPT). Established with the support of central government in coordination with the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) and State Food Safety Commission, the lab will help ensure that ingredients used in the preparation of laddu and other prasadams meet strict safety standards.
Opening of the in-house PPT-level laboratory comes in the backdrop of past concerns over the quality of ghee supplied for laddu preparation. Spread over 12,000 square feet, the facility has been built in a record nine months at a cost of ₹19.15 crore.An additional ₹60 lakh have been spent on generators and transformers to ensure uninterrupted operations.
The lab’s main feature is its ability to detect adulteration at PPT levels. This is a significant improvement over earlier systems that operated at parts per million (PPM) levels. The FSSAI laboratory comprises chemical and microbiology divisions. On the ground floor, raw materials, such as ghee, oils and grains will undergo physical and chemical analysis, including checks for acidity, iodine value, infestation and damage. Drinking water will be tested for chloride, sulphate and magnesium levels. Advanced instruments, such as LC-MS (Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry) and ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma– Mass Spectrometry), will detect pesticides, antibiotics, aflatoxins and preservatives in food samples.
The ICP-MS can also detect trace levels of heavy metals like lead, arsenic and chromium. A bomb calorimeter is used to determine the energy levels in laddus, while a fat analyser helps measure the proportion of ghee used. TTD additional executive officer (EO) Ch. Venkaiah Chowdary said the facility will eliminate the need to send samples to external laboratories, enabling immediate detection of contaminants and chemical residues. “Equipped with advanced technologies, the lab is unique among temple institutions and is expected to set a benchmark in food safety management at major pilgrimage centres,” he stated.
The first floor of the laboratory houses microbiological testing facilities, where samples will be examined for harmful bacteria, like E. coli and Salmonella. An advanced air handling unit maintains controlled temperature, pressure and humidity to ensure sterile conditions, while a deep freezer capable of reaching -40°C is used for sample preservation. To further strengthen the facility, the centre has sanctioned ₹3 crore for the e-nose and e-tongue systems. To be installed within two months, these systems will analyse smell and taste to determine the purity of ghee and other ingredients.
