The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, through the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), has implemented comprehensive measures to strengthen the national food testing infrastructure. FSSAI, mandated to establish science-based food standards and regulate manufacturing, storage, distribution, sale, and import of food products, has notified 259 National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) for routine food sample analysis and 24 Referral Food Laboratories specifically for handling appeal samples.
Under the Strengthening of Food Testing System (SoFTeL) scheme, significant infrastructure upgrades have been achieved: 47 State Food Testing Laboratories have been structurally upgraded with advanced analytical equipment, and 34 specialized microbiology laboratories have been established to detect chemical, heavy metal, and biological contaminants. The program also includes deployment of Mobile Food Testing Laboratories branded as "Food Safety on Wheels" (FSW), which provide extensive outreach for food testing, training, and awareness programs, particularly in villages, towns, and remote areas. Currently, 305 FSW units are operational across 35 States and Union Territories.
Multiple rapid testing solutions have been introduced to enhance surveillance capabilities. The "Magic Box" is a compact, user-friendly kit containing simple rapid test methods to detect common adulterants in seven different food commodities, focusing on everyday items like milk, spices, oils, and grains. The Detect Adulteration with Rapid Test (DART) book covers 44 tests that can be performed at household level using water and simple solutions like tincture of iodine for various food products including Milk & Milk Products, Oils & Fats, Sugar & Confectionery, Food Grains & its products, and Spices & Condiments. These tests include sensory evaluation methods for food authentication and provide pictorial representations to distinguish between pure and adulterated products.
Additionally, Rapid Analytical Food Testing (RAFT) Kits are advanced, easy-to-use, portable handheld devices that require no sophisticated equipment or conventional reagents for field testing. So far, 88 RAFT kits have been approved, significantly reducing screening time at field level and accelerating surveillance and monitoring activities. The implementation and enforcement of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 remains a shared responsibility between Central and State Governments. Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Prataprao Jadhav, provided these updates in a written reply to the Lok Sabha on July 31, 2026.