Food samples flood Telangana labs
Private food labs are an option but their fee is Rs 5,000 per sample.
Hyderabad: Following the crackdown that Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao ordered on the adulterated food business in the city, state food labs in TS and AP like Nacharam Food Lab, an affiliate of the Institute of Preventive Medicine, are struggling to analyse the flood of samples sent by the police and health inspectors. Private food labs are an option but their fee is Rs 5,000 per sample.
Mr N. Ravindra, in-charge chief public analyst of the TS and AP State Food Lab said, “FSSAI sent food samples while the cops gave gutka samples. But now they are sending samples of various food items particularly spices, masalas, chilli powder, oils and beverages.”
“Food inspectors book cases under FSSAI while cops book them under section 420 of IPC. Two cases can’t be booked for the same offence. Currently we are receiving 10 to 15 cases per day from FSSAI inspectors and four to five criminal cases from the cops,” said Ravinder.
The food lab is struggling to analyse the samples and send out reports due to the acute shortage of staff. Out of the 106 sanctioned staff strength, only 35 vacancies have been filled up.
The Chief Public Analyst post is also vacant. “I am only the in-charge officer. There are four deputy analysts posts, three senior scientific officers and seven junior scientific officers posts that are vacant.”
Adulteration has increased manifold. Leaf powder is being added in garam masalas and acetic acid and titanium dioxide added in ginger garlic paste. Officials said adulterated items are coming from Gujarat, Rajasthan and Delhi with Hyderabad becoming the distribution point for AP and TS.