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Molecular testing can strengthen food safety practices
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Monday, 07 September, 2026, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Shardul Nautiyal, Mumbai
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Molecular testing can help verify ingredient quality and strengthen food safety practices across the supply chain, informs Ajay Kandhari, Managing Director, DSS Imagetech Pvt. Ltd. further adding that many contaminants cannot be identified through visual inspection alone.
Handling of ingredients by staff, shared preparation areas and inadequate storage conditions can potentially lead to cross-contact and bacterial contamination.
He further says, "As consumers become increasingly aware of the food and water ecosystem, food manufacturers and dairy processors are increasingly using advanced molecular diagnostic solutions at different stages of production. These include testing kits for pathogen and allergen detection, species identification, Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) screening and DNA extraction."
For manufacturers and testing laboratories, such solutions can support the verification of raw materials and finished products, product authenticity and microbial quality before products reach consumers. This is particularly important during the monsoon, when contamination risks can increase across sourcing, processing, storage and distribution.
Water logging in residential areas during the monsoon can create conditions that contribute to the spread of serious diseases such as malaria, cholera, typhoid, dysentery, diarrhoea and hepatitis. Contaminants such as E. coli, Salmonella, Coliforms, Shigella, Vibrio cholerae, Campylobacter and Legionella can pose health risks when present in drinking water, making regular monitoring of water quality essential for community safety.
Kandhari explains, "Molecular testing can play a critical role here by enabling laboratories and food businesses to examine samples at the DNA level and identify specific contaminants with high sensitivity and specificity. The ability to obtain results in less than three hours can help organisations act faster when contamination is suspected, allowing them to investigate the source, strengthen quality-control measures and prevent potentially unsafe water or food from moving further through the supply chain."
Beyond responding to individual contamination events, the wider adoption of molecular diagnostics can help build a more proactive approach to food and water safety. For manufacturers, laboratories and food businesses, timely testing can support better decision-making during a season when environmental conditions make contamination more likely.
He adds, "Molecular diagnostic technologies are essential to preserve food safety all year round, but their role becomes particularly valuable during the rainy season, when increased humidity, water contamination and improper storage can heighten food and water safety risks."
“When India's food ecosystem adopts molecular testing proactively, it can move towards a safer and more transparent food future, where potential hazards are identified earlier and food safety decisions are supported by reliable scientific testing,” Kandhari concludes.
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