FSSAI Notified Laboratory
Definition
A food testing laboratory recognised under Section 43 of the FSS Act 2006 to analyse statutory food samples. The network includes 22 referral laboratories and over 200 notified laboratories across the country, with NABL accreditation as a prerequisite.
- Legal basis
- Section 43, FSS Act 2006
- Network size
- 22 referral labs, 200+ notified labs
- Accreditation prerequisite
- NABL accreditation
- Function
- Statutory food sample analysis
Common questions
What is the difference between an FSSAI referral laboratory and a notified laboratory?+
Referral laboratories, a smaller set of about 22, handle appeals and disputed or high-complexity samples and act as the authoritative check when a first analysis is contested, while the larger network of notified laboratories performs the routine statutory testing of food samples collected under the FSS Act.
Why does NABL accreditation matter for a laboratory's results to hold up in an FSSAI prosecution?+
NABL accreditation confirms the lab's methods, equipment calibration, and quality management meet ISO/IEC 17025 competence requirements, which supports the evidentiary reliability of its report if the finding is challenged in an adjudication or court proceeding under the FSS Act.
Related terms
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- Aflatoxin B1
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- Botulinum Neurotoxin (BoNT)
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- Infection vs Intoxication
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- Staphylococcal Enterotoxin (SE)
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