VISAKHAPATNAM: Eleven years after the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, the State is set to make its food testing laboratory in Visakhapatnam operational.
The Andhra Pradesh State Food Laboratory, established at a cost of Rs 4.77 crore, and inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on February 25, 2024, has remained non-functional since its inauguration. However, following a TNIE report on September 22, 2025, highlighting the delay, the State government has initiated steps to address the issue.
Notifications have now been issued to fill a few sanctioned posts at the laboratory, and the recruitment process has been set in motion. Officials indicated that the facility is expected to start functioning from January 2026. Sources said preparatory processes are underway to make the laboratory operational, with equipment already installed, and testing chemicals in the process of being procured.
“Once operational, the laboratory will have to function for at least six months to one year before it can be assessed for Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) notification, and National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) accreditation. Only after securing this accreditation can the laboratory’s test reports be used for legal action by the government in cases related to food adulteration and safety violations,” sources explained.
Progress in recruitment gained momentum after Dr Amit Sharma, Director (Quality Assurance), FSSAI, recently visited the lab, and expressed concern over its prolonged non-functioning. During the visit, he also reportedly took note of other lapses, including the non-utilisation of a food safety awareness truck for extended periods, sources said.
Over the years, in the absence of a functional State laboratory, food samples collected during inspections and raids across Andhra Pradesh continue to be sent either to private laboratories within the State, or to the State Food Laboratory in Hyderabad. For over a decade, Hyderabad has remained the primary destination for official testing of samples from Andhra Pradesh.
In some instances, the State has relied on private laboratories, incurring costs ranging from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per sample. This arrangement has drawn attention amid intensified food safety inspections across the State.
According to data available on the FSSAI website, Andhra Pradesh currently has only one State food laboratory, which is non-functional, while four private laboratories are operational. AP’s performance in the State Food Safety Index has reflected these limitations.