The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) has informed that the Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has recognised its laboratory, the Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food (CALF), as a national reference laboratory (NRL) for dairy and dairy products.
Following the FSSAI order, CALF becomes the only NRL in India for milk and milk products, while it is already a referral lab (RL) of FSSAI for various other analyses.
“The nomination of CALF as NRL for dairy and dairy products provides an opportunity to improve the method of testing of dairy products as multiple types of tests are performed on daily basis in dairy products. The results of these tests influence the outcome as to whether it complies or not with legislation for the industry,” said an NDDG statement .
CALF would work on harmonisation and develop methods for routine testing processes to help in achieving higher level of confidence in comparability of results for taking suitable decisions by the stakeholders. As an NRL, CALF will be a knowledge and resource centre for information on analytical science in milk and milk products.
The FSSAI has accorded the status of NRL to 13 accredited laboratories across India in specific areas. Eight of them are from the government sector and the rest five are from the private sector.
The objective of NRL is to create a laboratory network at par with global food-testing and research laboratories, which provide method development, method validation training and proficiency testing.
It should evaluate the performance of FSSAI-notified laboratories and co-ordinate exchange of information among FSSAI-notified laboratories.