The Tirumala temple town is getting ready for a major upgrade in how food is tested and checked. The Andhra Pradesh government has announced that a new, high-tech food laboratory will soon begin work there.
The focus is to make sure that the prasadam served to devotees meets strict safety and quality standards.
State Health Minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav shared that the facility will use advanced machines called an “electronic nose” and an “electronic tongue.” These devices will help test the ingredients used in making the famous Tirumala laddu and other offerings.
High-Tech Lab To Start Soon
The new food testing laboratory is being set up in Tirumala in Tirupati district. It is expected to begin operations next month. The project is being developed after an agreement between the Andhra Pradesh government and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), signed in October 2024. Around Rs 25 crore has been approved for the lab.
State Health Minister Yadav reviewed the progress of the project and said that most of the work has already been completed.
“The testing at the lab will ensure that the laddu and the prasadams served to the devotees will be of the highest quality. About 90 per cent of the work is over, and operations may start next month,” Yadav said as quoted by The Indian Express.
The lab is being set up in the old flour mill building, which has been renovated and offers around 12,000 square feet of space. A team of about 40 people, including staff from the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) health department and the state health department, will run the facility.
How The Electronic Nose And Tongue Work
The main highlight of the new lab will be the electronic nose and electronic tongue machines. These are being imported from France reportedly at a cost of Rs 3.5 crore.
The electronic nose is designed to detect changes in smell. It can sense even very small differences in aroma and identify if something is off. The electronic tongue checks taste and purity. It can study slight changes in flavour and texture that may not be easily noticed by humans.
Officials say the machines will be especially useful in checking the quality of ghee, which is a key ingredient in the Tirumala laddu. The devices can detect even the minutest changes in the purity, taste, smell, and texture of ghee.
Apart from these two machines, the lab will also have many other instruments. These include sensors to check the freshness of raw materials and microbiology testing equipment. There will also be machines that can detect metal contamination and pesticide residues.
The lab will test over 60 types of raw materials. These include ghee, cashew, cardamom, sugar, almonds, jeera, water, dry fruits, rice, raisin and chickpea.
Where Else Is This Technology Used
Electronic nose and tongue systems are not new in the food industry. Many countries reportedly use them in food and beverage testing. They are used to check milk products, oils, spices, tea, coffee and even packaged foods.
These devices are also used in quality control labs, research centres and food safety departments. Some pharmaceutical and environmental labs reportedly use similar technology to detect chemical changes and contamination.
By bringing this technology to Tirumala, officials hope to make food testing faster and more accurate. The goal is to prevent any issue before ingredients are used in preparing prasadam.
Background Of The Ghee Controversy
The decision to set up a stronger lab comes after serious allegations about adulterated ghee used for making laddus.
In November 2025, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) said that an Uttarakhand-based company supplied nearly 60 lakh kg of adulterated ghee to TTD between 2019 and 2024. The supply was worth around Rs 240 crore.
The SIT found that the ghee supplied by Bhole Baba Dairy was allegedly mixed with palm oil, palm kernel oil, palmolein, beta-carotene, acetic acid ester, ghee flavour and other adulterants. It was reportedly prepared in a way to “adjust” lab test values and to “maintain aroma.”
The company is also accused of using proxy suppliers from Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu to sell the ghee to TTD.
