Tirupati Temple to Test Prasad with ‘E-Tongue’ and ‘E-Nose’ Technology

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh is set to launch a state-of-the-art food testing laboratory at Tirumala, aimed at ensuring the quality of prasadam offered to devotees. The lab, costing ₹25 crore, will employ advanced equipment to examine the quality of nearly 60 raw ingredients used in prasadam preparation, including ghee, cashews, raisins, almonds, chickpeas, sugar, cardamom, turmeric, and chili powder, according to State Health Minister and BJP MLA Y. Satyakumar Yadav.

A unique feature of the lab will be the use of imported French machines—an ‘E-Tongue’ and an ‘E-Nose’ costing ₹3.5 crore—which can detect even the slightest change in the quality of ghee. “Even minimal discrepancies in quality can now be identified with these devices,” said the minister. The laboratory’s construction is nearly 90% complete, and operations are expected to begin next month, with the equipment installation slated for May.

The project stems from an agreement signed on October 8, 2024, between the State Health Department and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) in New Delhi, which approved ₹23 crore for the initiative. The lab is being set up in a renovated two-storey building spanning 12,000 sq ft at Tirumala.

The facility will be equipped with 50 advanced instruments for chemistry and sensory analysis and will test for over 200 types of pesticide residues, heavy metals, microbes, and antibiotics in food and water samples. Regular checks will be conducted on prasadam and TTD water samples, managed by a team of around 40 staff from the Health Department and Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD).

Officials note that this will be the first advanced food-testing facility at a major pilgrimage site in Andhra Pradesh, aimed at restoring and maintaining public trust in Tirumala prasadam. The move follows revelations by Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu in 2024 regarding adulteration in ghee at one of the world’s richest hill temples, which prompted a Supreme Court-monitored SIT investigation led by the CBI.

The SIT report found that between 2019 and 2024, approximately ₹250 crore worth of adulterated ghee was used in prasadam preparation. The investigation involved both central and state agencies, including scrutiny of purchase records and questioning of former temple officials.

The issue has also sparked political debate between the ruling Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and the opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP). While TDP accused the previous YSRCP government of mismanagement and compromising food quality, YSRCP denied the allegations and criticized the state government’s decision to form a review committee to examine the SIT’s findings.