Inauguration of Geo‑Chem India Food Safety Laboratory in Mumbai
On 2 September 2026, Geo‑Chem India – a subsidiary of the Cotecna Group – formally inaugurated a state‑of‑the‑art Food Safety Laboratory in Mumbai, Maharashtra, in the presence of Sébastien Dannaud, Group CEO of Cotecna; Amit Chopra, CEO of Cotecna South Asia & Middle East; and Avinash Maheshwari, CEO of Geo‑Chem India, along with senior leaders, technical experts and laboratory professionals.
The new facility is designed to meet the growing and increasingly stringent regulatory requirements of India’s expanding food industry. It incorporates advanced instrumentation and follows European‑standard and pharmaceutical‑quality practices, significantly enhancing sample‑handling capacity. The laboratory’s analytical portfolio now includes testing for pesticide residues, mycotoxins, veterinary drugs, heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants, contaminants, additives, allergens, microbiological parameters, food‑contact materials, genetically modified organisms, fumigation residues, as well as newly added capabilities for per‑ and poly‑fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), dioxins, radioactivity and other emerging contaminants. In addition to routine testing, the facility supports hygiene and environmental monitoring and conducts research and development for new analytical methods and customer‑specific requirements.
Geo‑Chem India serves more than 850 clients, employs over 200 professionals and processes in excess of 100,000 samples each year. Its Food Division laboratory network is recognised among the Top 5 Spice Testing Laboratories in India by the World Spice Organisation. The Mumbai laboratory holds multiple internationally recognised accreditations and regulatory approvals, including ISO/IEC 17025, EIC, APEDA, GAFTA, FOSFA, BIS and FSSAI, underscoring its compliance with global quality and safety standards.
Founded in 1964, Geo‑Chem Laboratories Private Limited became part of the Cotecna Group in 2022. Cotecna, established in Switzerland in 1974, operates in five key sectors—agriculture, food safety, metals and minerals, system certification & ESG solutions, and consumer products—and employs approximately 8,100 staff across more than 180 offices and laboratories in about 50 countries.
The inauguration underscores Cotecna’s commitment to investing in expertise, technology and infrastructure to support the food industry’s evolving challenges, helping customers strengthen quality assurance, meet evolving regulatory obligations and access both domestic and international markets with confidence.