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Government strengthens food safety & quality assurance
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Tuesday, 10 February, 2026, 14 : 00 PM [IST]
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Our Bureau, New Delhi
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The Government of India is significantly enhancing the country’s food safety and quality assurance ecosystem by strengthening modern food testing facilities as part of the Food Safety & Quality Assurance Infrastructure (FSQAI) component under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY), the Ministry of Food Processing Industries announced.
The initiative aims to expand the network of NABL-accredited food testing laboratories across India by providing financial assistance for setting up and upgrading food testing infrastructures. The enhanced laboratory network will help close compliance gaps, reduce testing turnaround times, and deliver reliable and internationally accepted analytical services closer to key production and export hubs.
Under the scheme, access to ISO/IEC 17025-compliant testing services will support food businesses, exporters, and regulators by ensuring faster certification, improved regulatory compliance, and a stronger foundation for domestic safety monitoring and global market access. Accredited laboratories under arrangements like APAC and ILAC MRA will further strengthen confidence in Indian food products and minimize technical barriers to trade.
The expansion of NABL-accredited facilities has already shown positive outcomes, with reduced sample rejections at importing country borders in sectors such as fruits, vegetables, spices, marine products, and processed foods. This has helped Indian exporters achieve improved conformity with international safety and quality benchmarks.
Financial support has also been channelled into upgrading university and R&D food testing facilities, notably at NIFTEM-Kundli and NIFTEM-Thanjavur, which now serve as Centres of Excellence. These institutions are equipped with advanced analytical capabilities and provide specialized training in GMP, HACCP, sensory science, food safety management, and regulatory compliance.
The strengthened testing capability will also benefit MSMEs, start-ups, FPOs, SHGs, and food entrepreneurs by improving access to scientific testing, certification, and export readiness, contributing to a more robust, science-driven, and globally competitive food safety ecosystem in India.
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