FSSAI paves the way for Auriga Research to open its food testing laboratories in India, to ensure the safety of food consumed by Indian consumers
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has granted recognition and validation to two Auriga Research laboratories for food testing. One of the laboratories is situated at village Baghbania Baddi in Himachal Pradesh’s Solan district; and the other is situated in Yeshwanthpur Industrial Suburb, Bengaluru. Both these laboratories are now authorised to carry out testing of food samples within the scope of biological and chemical parameters.
The biological parameters test food samples for contaminants like bacteria, viruses, parasites and toxins. Chemical parameters test food samples for contaminants like fertilisers, pesticides, herbicides and animal tissues, heavy metals like lead, arsenic, mercury, cadmium, tin, copper, etc.
FSSAI, being an agency of the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, Government of India and the apex food regulator responsible for protecting and promoting public health through regulation and supervision of food safety, grants recognition and validation to laboratories for food testing, provided they have accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL). The NABL is a signatory to International Laboratory Accreditation Conference (ILAC) and Asia Pacific Laboratory Accreditation Co-operation (APLAC), and because of these agreements the test and calibration results are recognised and mutually accepted among all member signatories worldwide.
While NABL accreditation of laboratories is compulsory for FSSAI recognition, it is not binding on FSSAI to grant recognition to all NABL accredited laboratories. FSSAI bases its recognition on how well the laboratories have implemented and maintained quality management system in accordance with the latest version of ISO/IEC 17025 which is the general requirement for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories. The FSSAI recognition and validation suggests that the two Auriga Research laboratories at Baddi, Himachal Pradesh and Bengaluru, Karnataka have the capability and competence for testing foods for safety and quality parameters as per the requirements of Food Safety & Standards Act 2006. The Auriga Research laboratories are part of Arbro Pharmaceuticals.