The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has entered into Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) with three private laboratories for the operation of certain National Food Laboratories. FSSAI has issued an Order in this regard to sending of referral samples to National Food Laboratories under Public Private -Partnership (PPP). This Order was issued on 31st July, 2023.
The PPP model involves the following National Food Laboratories and their respective private partners:
- National Food Laboratory, Ghaziabad – Partnered with M/s Arbro Pharmaceuticals Pvt. Ltd. (M/s APPL)
- National Food Laboratory, JNPT, Mumbai – Partnered with M/s Vimta Labs Limited
- National Food Laboratory, CPT, Chennai – Partnered with M/s National Commodity Management Services Limited (Formerly National Collateral Management Services Limited)
The partnerships with these private laboratories are intended to bolster the capacity and reach of the National Food Laboratories and strengthen the overall food testing infrastructure in India. By combining the expertise and resources of the public and private sectors, the FSSAI aims to ensure that food samples are tested with greater efficiency, accuracy, and speed, thus contributing to enhanced food safety and consumer protection.
As part of the arrangement, the FSSAI has also issued an important advisory for all stakeholders involved in food sample testing. According to the advisory, if a food sample has already been tested in any of the primary notified laboratories under private partnership, regardless of their geographical location, the appeal/referral sample shall not be sent to the corresponding National Food Laboratory operating under the PPP mode with the same primary notified laboratory where the primary sample was tested.
