Festivals end before Indore gets food reports:Despite new lab 500 samples pending, Diwali result arrive on Holi; system’s flaws exposed

Even as Indore intensifies its crackdown on food adulteration during peak festive seasons, laboratory reports continue to arrive months after samples are collected—often when the celebrations are already over. In January and February alone, more than 500 food samples were collected across the city ahead of Holi. However, officials say the reports of these samples are expected only after two to three months, delaying legal action and raising concerns about consumer safety. Reports of November samples received in February Food safety officers confirmed that in February, they received laboratory reports of samples collected in November and December. This three-to-four-month delay means that by the time a product is declared substandard or misbranded, it has already been consumed during the festive rush. In the last three months, 320 samples were sent for testing, of which 209 reports have been received so far. Out of these, 18 samples were found substandard or misbranded . Legal proceedings have been initiated in these cases. State-of-the-Art lab lacks accreditation Six months ago, a state-of-the-art Food and Drug Testing Laboratory (FDTL) was inaugurated at Talawali Chanda in Indore. Built at a cost of ₹8.30 crore, it is the state’s second such facility after Bhopal. The laboratory was projected as a model unit aimed at ensuring faster and more transparent testing of food and drug samples. At the inauguration, Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav said that for the first time since the formation of Madhya Pradesh in 1956, a food and drug testing laboratory had been established at the divisional level in Indore. He also announced plans to set up similar facilities in Jabalpur, Gwalior and other divisions, along with district-level expansion in the future. Dependency on Bhopal, delays continue Despite the infrastructure being in place and testing equipment installed, the Indore laboratory is yet to receive NABL accreditation and other mandatory licences. Because of this, samples processed locally still require confirmation from the state laboratory in Bhopal. Since the Bhopal facility receives samples from across Madhya Pradesh, the backlog continues, resulting in delays of two to three months in receiving final reports. As a result, the intended benefit of quicker testing for Indore residents has yet to materialise. Food safety sampling reports status Establishments where action was initiated Recent laboratory findings led to action against several establishments: Legal action has been initiated against the concerned parties based on the reports. Drive to ensure food safety ahead of festivities Chief Food Safety Officer Manish Swami said enforcement action is ongoing. he said. He added that in the past two months, 15 major actions were carried out, including seizures of fake mawa, ghee and gulab jamun. The larger concern While inspections increase before every major festival, confirmation of adulteration often comes after the products have already been consumed. Until the Indore laboratory becomes fully operational with accreditation and independent reporting authority, the gap between sampling and enforcement is likely to remain a serious concern for consumers.