Cutting-Edge Lab to Safeguard Consumers

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin inaugurated, via videoconference on Monday, state-of-the-art equipment worth ₹8 crore at the Food Safety Lab in Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu, strengthening the region’s food safety framework.

The upgrades include a Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometer (LC-MS) to detect residual pesticides in foodgrains, fruits, vegetables, and antigens in animal protein; Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectroscopy (ICP-MS) to identify heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury in food and water; and Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS) to estimate pesticides, weed killers, chemical growth promoters, and artificial coloring agents in prepared foods.

Monitoring Adulteration and Chemical Residues

Collector R. Sukumar said the lab will detect adulteration in restaurants, bakeries, and packaged foods, including items colored to attract children, such as sweets, savoury snacks, and meat preparations. Officials have been instructed to test greens grown with sewage water for heavy metals that can affect the kidneys and other vital organs. The lab will also monitor residues in foodgrains, fruits, vegetables, and animal protein to ensure consumers receive safe, high-quality food.

Enhancing Public Health

With these advanced instruments, the laboratory can rapidly and accurately identify contaminants, enabling regulators to take swift action against unsafe food products. By detecting adulteration, chemical residues, and unsafe additives, the upgraded Tirunelveli lab will play a critical role in protecting public health, especially for children and vulnerable groups.

Source: The Hindu