Report

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) of India has exposed critical delays and failures in Tamil Nadu food safety enforcement, warning that systemic lapses in Food Analysis Laboratories (FALs) threaten public health.

88% of Food Test Reports Delayed

Between 2020 and 2023, six FALs—located in Chennai, Coimbatore, Madurai, Palayamkottai, Salem, and Thanjavur—tested 62,170 samples. In 88.61% of cases (55,091 samples), labs delayed results beyond the 14-day limit mandated by the Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act. Some delays stretched over two years, including unsafe samples, leaving contaminated food in circulation and delaying corrective action.

Staff Shortages, COVID Disruptions Blamed

The Tamil Nadu State Government, in its June 2024 response, attributed the delays to a shortage of analysts, labs operating beyond capacity, and COVID-19 disruptions. It also noted that delays in lab accreditation forced officials to outsource testing to private NABL-accredited labs. Due to delayed testing, 19.79% of collected samples expired before analysis and were discarded, weakening enforcement efforts. The State further lacked a complete database of Food Business Operators. Many Anganwadi Centres and slaughterhouses operated unregistered. From 2020–21 to 2022–23, only 60–62 of 92–93 slaughterhouses were licensed. Vacancies among Food Safety Officers further limited inspections, reduced sampling, and delayed prosecutions.

Labs Skip Key Safety Checks, Store Samples Poorly

None of the FALs tested the samples against all required safety parameters. The audit also found unhygienic storage conditions, with samples dumped on racks in the offices of Designated Officers.

CAG Calls for Urgent Action

The CAG urged the State of Tamil Nadu to strengthen staffing, upgrade lab capacity, and tighten regulatory oversight to protect consumers and ensure food safety.

Source: The Times of India