Food safety lab at Pathanamthitta gets infrastructure upgrade

The long-awaited modernisation of the Food Safety Laboratory at Pathanamthitta has finally become a reality, with the establishment of a new state-of-the-art building fully funded by the State government. The upgraded facility was inaugurated by Health Minister Veena George here on Tuesday.

Following a 1997 High Court directive to test offerings and materials used during the Mandalam-Makaravilakku festival, the district-level food testing laboratory was set up here in 1998. Until recently, it had facilities only for preliminary testing of drinking water and food samples.

The lab has now been expanded and upgraded with advanced testing systems at a cost of ₹3 crore. The new facility is equipped with comprehensive infrastructure spread across three floors. The ground floor houses a sample receiving and storage section, office, chemical storage room, laboratory, staff room and food analysis rooms. The first floor includes an instrumentation room, sample preparation area and staff room, while the second floor features dedicated spaces for a water lab, food lab, balance room and space for a microbiology lab.

To strengthen its operations, the government has sanctioned 10 additional staff positions, apart from the existing three, and installed modern equipment to enhance testing accuracy and efficiency.

Deputy Speaker Chittayam Gopakumar presided over the function.