Only One Food Analyst, Rising Sample Load Delays Testing at State Food Laboratory

Hyderabad: The State Food Laboratory (SFL) at Nacharam is facing an acute shortage of manpower, with only one food analyst overseeing the analysis of food samples, resulting in delays in issuing test reports of surveillance samples compared to statuary ones because many samples are collected during surveillance ride.

The workload has further increased following inspections carried out by the Hyderabad Food Adulteration Surveillance Team (H-FAST) of the Hyderabad city police.

Several sanctioned posts at the laboratory remain vacant. Following the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, three officers were allocated to Andhra Pradesh, while only two remained in Telangana. Of these, one retired in 2024, leaving a single food analyst to supervise all junior analysts working on a contract basis.

Sources said that due to the heavy workload, samples are processed on priority only during emergencies. In routine cases, reports can take anywhere between 20 days and a month to be completed.

The food safety department collects two categories of samples — surveillance samples for quality monitoring and statutory samples for initiating legal action. According to FSSAI guidelines, every food safety officer must conduct at least 10 inspections per month and collect 15 surveillance samples and 10 statutory samples.

Once these samples reach the laboratory, junior analysts conduct the testing, after which the food analyst reviews the findings, verifies compliance with standard protocols, makes corrections if required, and certifies the final report, a source told Deccan Chronicle.

The laboratory’s regular staff strength, including administrative personnel and employees from other sections, is only nine. Sources said even junior food analysts are leaving for better opportunities in private companies, further aggravating the staffing crisis.

As per the regulations of H-FAST, which was established in March 2026, food safety officers are required to accompany police teams during raids and inspections based on intelligence inputs regarding food adulteration.

While the police handle legal procedures, food inspectors collect samples and send them to the State Food Laboratory for testing. Sources estimate that around 15 such samples are being sent every month, with analysis often taking up to a month.

“There are different parameters for testing products ranging from milk and honey to processed foods. Each category requires detailed scrutiny and time-consuming analysis,” the source added.

In Hyderabad, the food safety department has an umbrella term, but food safety inspectors are also working under municipal corporations and samples are sent to the same laboratory, including new corporations like the Cyberabad municipal corporation and districts as well.

The results, which should come within a week, are taking a month's time as analysts are occupied. The officials said the latest rides were conducted by the food safety department a month ago for surveillance, such as in restaurants and other eatery places, which are delayed as analysts need time to utilise separate parameters from dairy products to varieties of food.