India Launches First Accreditation Scheme for Mobile Food Testing Labs

Mobile food testing laboratories can support food safety systems by bringing testing capabilities closer to markets, communities and other locations where surveillance is required.

India has introduced its first accreditation scheme specifically designed for Mobile Food Testing Laboratories, creating a framework that can take quality-assured food testing closer to communities while strengthening food safety surveillance and helping regulators respond more quickly when concerns are detected.

The National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL), a constituent board of the Quality Council of India (QCI), launched the scheme under the Integrated Assessment Programme during 'Gunvatta Samanvaya – A Multilateral MoU Exchange Ceremony' held at Hotel Ashoka in New Delhi.

The event brought together senior representatives from QCI, NABL, regulatory authorities and commodity boards associated with the Integrated Assessment Framework, with Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) Secretary Amardeep Singh Bhatia also attending the programme.

Accredited Food Testing to Move Closer to Communities

The new accreditation scheme establishes a structured framework under which mobile laboratories can provide reliable and internationally benchmarked food testing services outside conventional laboratory settings, making accredited testing more accessible in locations where permanent testing infrastructure may not always be readily available.

Mobile food testing laboratories can support food safety systems by bringing testing capabilities closer to markets, communities and other locations where surveillance is required. NABL's accreditation framework is expected to provide greater confidence that these mobile facilities operate according to defined quality requirements and produce dependable testing results.

Greater availability of accredited mobile testing could also help authorities identify food safety issues faster, strengthen surveillance activities and support quicker regulatory action. For consumers, easier access to credible testing services can contribute to greater confidence in the safety and quality of food products available in the market.

The initiative reflects a wider effort to build quality into different stages of India's value chain rather than limiting quality assurance to traditional institutional settings.

Multilateral MoU Seeks to Reduce Assessment Duplication

Another major part of Gunvatta Samanvaya was the exchange of a Multilateral Memorandum of Understanding among participating organisations, bringing different institutions together around coordinated assessments, regulatory harmonisation and a stronger Integrated Assessment Framework.

The arrangement is designed to reduce duplication across assessment processes and encourage greater mutual recognition among participating organisations, which can make regulatory procedures more efficient while maintaining the required standards of quality and compliance.

A more coordinated assessment system can also benefit businesses dealing with multiple regulatory requirements, since unnecessary repetition can add time and administrative effort without necessarily improving the quality of the final assessment. Greater convergence among institutions is expected to support ease of doing business while keeping credible quality checks at the centre of the system.

DPIIT Secretary Amardeep Singh Bhatia stressed the need to embed quality throughout the value chain and said initiatives such as Gunvatta Samanvaya can contribute to India's development journey towards 2047 by encouraging stronger quality-led practices.

QCI, NABL Push for a More Connected Quality Ecosystem

NABL Chairperson Dr Sandip Shah highlighted the importance of both the new accreditation scheme and the Integrated Assessment Framework, pointing to credible institutions and collaborative assessment processes as important elements in supporting India's development.

QCI Secretary General Chakravarthy T. Kannan also emphasised collaboration, convergence and mutual trust as essential ingredients for building a stronger quality ecosystem. He said Gunvatta Samanvaya and the Mobile Food Testing Laboratory accreditation scheme can strengthen the country's quality infrastructure while making assured testing services accessible to more communities.

The scheme marks a significant shift in how accredited food testing services can be delivered, extending quality assurance beyond fixed laboratories while retaining recognised testing standards. Combined with closer coordination among regulators and assessment bodies, the initiative could help India build a food testing network that is more accessible, responsive and consistent.

Gunvatta Samanvaya also reflects QCI and NABL's broader focus on regulatory excellence, stakeholder confidence and a connected national quality infrastructure, where reliable testing and streamlined assessments can support consumers, regulators and businesses alike.