Introduction:
The food industry has seen tremendous growth in the past few years. Along with that came the risk of contamination, adulteration, and inferior quality products, services, and processes. These affect the health of the consumers and can lead to severe health hazards for society at large. Thus, the question arises of how to ensure the safety of the products that are being manufactured, transported, sold, and consumed.
The answer is simple, yet the process is complex: food and water testing. There are special labs that perform tests and analyze the quality of food products and water. The scope of lab testing services narrows further as the labs that are accredited are deemed to be more trustworthy than others. These labs are accredited by the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) to be competent for carrying out the testing procedures.
These accredited laboratories had to undergo several rigorous procedures to get approved as the same. This makes them suitable and dependable in ensuring food safety and quality. In this blog, our main focus will be on the role of accredited laboratories in quality assurance of food.
Accredited Food Testing Labs:
Accreditation of food testing labs means that the lab is officially certified by a recognized body like the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) (a division of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry in India) to carry out specific tests, analysis, or calibrations under predefined criteria. These criteria are based on internationally recognized laboratory accreditation standards, which are established by organizations like the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). This ensures that the lab possesses all the technical knowledge required to test food and water, and has set mechanisms for quality control and operational procedures, which are necessary to perform, analyze, and provide precise food testing results that conform to ISO standards
In order to receive accreditation, it must adhere to international standards like ISO 17025. This guarantees that the lab satisfies the criteria of implementing an effective quality management system and standards set by regulatory agencies such as the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), Agricultural & Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Indian Oilseeds and Produce Export Promotion Council (IOPEPC), Tea Board of India, Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), and Export Inspection Council of India (EIC). This accreditation makes the lab recognizable at the global level as competent to perform and present high-quality results.
Process of Accreditation:
The accreditation process for laboratories is rigorous and involves several steps, such as:
- Compliance with Standards:
Laboratories need to showcase that they are capable of meeting the standards for laboratory accreditation, like ISO 17025 accreditation, and must have documented procedures for all laboratory operations.
- Competence of staff:
Laboratories should employ personnel who are competent and possess the necessary certifications to carry out the testing procedures. Their experience and expertise should also be taken into account.
- Facilities and Equipment:
The facilities where testing is done and the equipment that is used for the same must meet the respective criteria specified by the accreditation bodies for proper operation and calibration.
- Quality Management System:
A major part of the process of accreditation involves quality management in labs, ensuring the processes are up-to-date and checked regularly to maintain the reliability of results.
- Audit and Improvements:
Regulatory bodies conduct audits of laboratories at specified intervals to ensure that they maintain the same level of competence as the initial checks and expect continuous improvement of their facilities, equipment, efforts, and processes.
This process ensures that laboratories are properly operating/will properly operate and that they have the capability of providing reliable results. Dr. Amin Controllers Pvt. Ltd. – an Alfred H. Knight Co., has been through all of these steps to become an accredited lab, and we ensure that we always provide the best services and precise results to our clients.
Role of Accredited Labs in Quality Assurance of Products Tested:
- Quality Assurance to Consumers:
In recent times, food testing has become an important part of the food supply chain as consumer health has come into the limelight. To protect consumers and curtail the spread of foodborne illnesses, regular testing of food products is highly necessary. Testing of food products helps ensure that contaminants such as pesticides, heavy metals, and chemical additives are within specified limits, and that the food is free from microbial contamination. This ensures that products are of optimal quality and assures the consumers that their health will not be compromised upon consumption of that particular food product.
- Compliance:
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) sets strict regulations that manufacturers, distributors, sellers, and others in the food supply chain need to follow. By certifying that food products meet the regulations, accredited labs ensure that businesses do not face loss of any kind, financial or non-financial, like fines, product recalls, reputational harm, and others. May it be businesses selling in the national or international markets, adherence to the law is essential. Accredited labs, like Dr. Amin Controllers Pvt. Ltd. – an Alfred H. Knight Co., provide certificates and reports that prove that the products are safe to consume and high in quality.
- Preventing Adulteration:
India’s food industry is evolving with a growing focus on purity, safety, and quality amidst modern challenges. Packaged food contributes significantly to India’s food industry. In processed foods, various ingredients beyond the primary raw materials are added to improve taste, appearance, and shelf life. However, this also raises concerns about the potential use of unauthorized chemicals or the overuse of food additives beyond permissible limits.. The quality of food products is affected by mislabeling the origin of materials, adding less expensive alternatives to products, and other factors. This may become a source of serious health hazards. This is where accredited labs come into play. They help find adulteration and fake foods by conducting advanced tests like DNA testing, isotope analysis, and chemical fingerprinting. This ensures that consumers and honest businesses can be safe from these kinds of fraud and can be stress-free about the quality of the products.
- Enhancing Food Exports:
Export businesses demand the best quality products and the accompaniment of various certificates of the tests conducted on the products. To make sure that Indian food products are exported without any complications and satisfy the regulations of importing countries, accredited testing labs play a pivotal role in examining the quality of the product. An accredited lab in India, like Dr. Amin Controllers Pvt. Ltd. – an Alfred H. Knight Co., that has been certified by NABL, can offer certifications that are accepted all around the globe, making exports easier.
Role of Accreditation in Quality Assurance of Lab Functions:
- Standardization and Consistency:
Accreditation ensures that labs adhere to certain internationally recognized standards like ISO 17025. These standards require laboratories to follow certain specified procedures, calibrate the instruments, and maintain equipment. This standardization ensures consistent, dependable results across different labs and over time.
- Improved Reliability and Trustworthiness:
One of the benefits of accredited labs is that they are trustworthy, and this is because they have been assessed by an independent body, i.e., NABL. This creates a sense of reliability among companies and others in the food supply chain as they believe not just the words of the lab but also the certificate provided by the regulatory body.
- Identification and Mitigation of Risks:
As accredited laboratories follow quality management systems and frequent testing, they can spot risks in the processes earlier and avoid losses. This reduces the risk of false or inaccurate results that could have negative consequences for businesses, consumers, and public safety.
- Continuous Improvement:
An essential aspect of quality assurance in laboratories is the continuous improvement of processes and systems. Accredited laboratories are required to maintain a cycle of regular internal audits, assessments, and feedback loops that identify the need for improvements in the various processes of testing and calibration, improving the quality of their output.
Conclusion:
As discussed above, the relationship between accreditation and quality assurance, it is clear that we should rely only on labs that are accredited by the regulatory authority, i.e., NABL, where you can trust the accuracy and consistency of the results.
At Dr. Amin Controllers Pvt. Ltd. – an Alfred H. Knight Co., we are proud to be an accredited laboratory committed to delivering reliable and precise testing services. With expertise in a wide range of testing, including chemical and wet analysis, microbiology testing, residual and pesticide testing, water testing, food safety auditing, and much more, we ensure that your products meet the highest standards of quality. To know more about the importance of laboratory accreditation and for all your testing needs, contact us today!