New Delhi, July 20, 2023: In a significant move to strengthen India’s food safety standards, the Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has partnered with AOAC INTERNATIONAL (AOAC), signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for collaborative efforts in enhancing the food safety analytical ecosystem in the country. The MoU was formally signed at the FSSAI headquarters in New Delhi, in the presence of esteemed dignitaries, including G. Kamala Vardhana Rao, CEO of FSSAI, Satyen Kumar Panda, Advisor (Quality Assurance) FSSAI, Shrinvas Joshi, President, AOAC-India Section, Dr Ganesh Ramamurthi – President-Elect, AOAC-India Section, and Dr Saurabh Arora – Director, AOAC-India Section.
The primary objectives of this strategic collaboration are as follows:
Promotion of Uniform Testing Methods: FSSAI and AOAC aim to establish a standardized system for testing methods across the country, ensuring the implementation of robust analytical practices in food testing laboratories.
Method Adoption and Sharing: As part of the partnership, FSSAI will have complimentary access to AOAC Official Methods, providing India’s food safety ecosystem access to globally recognized and accepted testing methods.
Method Development and Validation: Both organizations will actively work together in developing and validating analytical methodologies, ensuring precision and reliability in food testing practices.
Areas of Cooperation:
The MoU encompasses various critical areas, including food testing analysis, method sharing, method development, and validation. The collaborative efforts of FSSAI and AOAC will facilitate the adoption of AOAC Official Methods in FSSAI notified laboratories, fostering better food safety practices and ensuring the availability of safe and wholesome food for consumption.
Importance of the MoU:
The partnership between FSSAI and AOAC INTERNATIONAL holds paramount importance for India’s food safety landscape. By leveraging AOAC’s globally recognized expertise and standards, FSSAI aims to enhance its analytical capabilities and align with international best practices, ultimately fortifying the food safety ecosystem in the country.
G. Kamala Vardhana Rao, CEO of FSSAI, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration, stating, “This partnership with AOAC INTERNATIONAL marks a significant milestone in our efforts to elevate food safety standards in India. By adopting globally accepted testing methods, we aim to create a robust and reliable food testing ecosystem for the well-being of our citizens.”
Shrinvas Joshi, President of AOAC-India Section, also shared his thoughts, “We are pleased to join hands with FSSAI to promote scientific cooperation and enhance food safety practices in India. Together, we will work towards harmonizing analytical methodologies and fostering better food safety assurance in the region.”
About FSSAI and AOAC INTERNATIONAL:
The Food Safety & Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) is a statutory body under the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, dedicated to laying down science-based standards for food articles and regulating their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale, and import to ensure safe and wholesome food for the Indian population.
AOAC INTERNATIONAL, founded in 1884, is a renowned global organization committed to serving the analytical community by providing laboratory capacity building, conformity assessment, method validation, and the promotion of globally accepted testing standards. The organization plays a pivotal role in developing microbiological and chemical standards, contributing significantly to the Codex Committee on Methods of Analysis and Sampling (CCMAS) for the adoption of international methods.