The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has published a list of referral food laboratories for testing of fortificants in fortified rice products. This list was issued on 2nd November, 2023.
The products covered by this notice are as follows:
- Fortified Rice (FR)
- Fortified Rice Kernel (FRK) and
- Vitamin- Mineral Premix for Fortified Rice Kernel (FRK)
These laboratories will be testing fortificants comprising of iron, vitamin B12 and vitamin B9.
The National Food Laboratory, Kolkata, West Bengal and the Centre for Food Research and Analysis (CFRA), NIFTEM Sonipat have both been notified as referral food laboratories for testing of fortificants in FRK and vitamin-mineral premix for FRK.
Additionally, NDDB CALF Ltd., Anand, Gujarat has also been notified as a referral food laboratory for testing of fortificants in FRK.
Furthermore, the following four laboratories have been notified as referral food laboratories for testing of fortificants in FR:
- NDDB CALF Ltd., Anand. Gujarat
- National Food Laboratory, Mumbai, Maharashtra
- Punjab Biotechnology Incubator, Punjab
- National Food Laboratory, Kolkata, West Bengal
Only those samples that fail in the primary food testing laboratories notified for testing FR, FRK and Vitamin- Mineral Premix for FRK shall be sent to the presently notified referral food laboratories.
All concerned stakeholders are directed to the latest accreditation validity of these laboratories from the NABL website prior to sending the samples to these laboratories.
