The lab, which provides services to the agri-export community, will be able to provide mandatory certifications for a variety of agricultural products being exported from India.
These include fresh and processed fruit and vegetables, cereals (including rice wheat, maize and associated products), dairy products, nuts and oil seeds (including groundnuts and associated products) and other processed foods.
All exported products have to get certification from an APEDA approved laboratory to ensure they comply with food safety requirements, including analysis of residues of chemicals, pesticides, drugs and antibiotics and genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
Siyaram Tiwari, Intertek’s head of food services in India, said manufacturers and business operators now request certifications from APEDA approved labs.
“Intertek has worked closely with the Government of India for a very long time and we are pleased to continue and strengthen this relationship. Our global testing and certification experience will ensure that products meet the stringent quality, health, environmental and safety standards that have been set by APEDA.”
The lab received accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) and the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) last year.
NABL is under the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India.