The FASSAI department of India has issued order regarding the time limits for testing of domestic and imported samples by laboratories in India.
The order syas as below:
It has come to the notice of Food Authority that several FSSAI notified laboratories are not adhering to the time limit specified for testing of regulatory samples as per FSS Act, 2006 and
Rules thereon.
2. In this connection, FSSAI notified laboratories are hereby advised to strictly comply with the
timelines especially for regulatory samples as specified below:
(i) Domestic Regulatory samples: The Food Analyst shall issue the signed report within 14 days of
the receipt of the article of food for analysis as per the format specified under FSS (Laboratory and
Sampling Analysis) Regulation, 2011. Provided that, in case the sample cannot be analyzed within
14 days of its receipt, the Food Analyst shall inform the Designated Officer and the Commissioner of
Food Safety giving reasons and specifying the time to be taken for analysis. Further, in case of appeal, Referral laboratory shall issue the report signed by the Director within 14 working days of receipt of sample as per the format specified under FSS (Laboratory and Sampling Analysis) Regulation, 2011. Provided that, in case the sample cannot be analysed within 14 working days of its receipt, the Referral laboratory shall inform the Designated Officer and the Commissioner of Food Safety giving reasons and specifying the time to be taken for analysis.
(ii) Import: Notified laboratory or Referral laboratory, as the case may be, shall provide the
laboratory analysis report as per the format specified under FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017 within five days from the date of receipt of the sample. If the sample cannot be tested by the laboratory within the specified time, it shall state the reasons for the same in writing to the Authorised Officer.
3. Further, it is also clarified that, when a notified laboratory perform dual roles (i.e both as Primary
and Referral laboratory), such laboratory can either function as a Primary laboratory or a Referral
laboratory for a single sample. For example, if a laboratory has tested a sample as a Primary laboratory then the appeal against the test results of that particular sample will not be entertained by the same laboratory, irrespective of the fact that the same laboratory is playing the role of a Referral laboratory as well. The same sample will invariably be sent to another Referral laboratory as per the testing capability and scope of that Referral laboratory.
4. All the FSSAI notified laboratories are hereby advised to strictly comply with the above said
matters. Stringent action may be taken against the defaulters.
