KOCHI: A state-of-the-art microbiology laboratory was inaugurated at the Export Inspection Agency (EIA), Kochi, under the administrative and technical control of the Export Inspection Council (EIC), Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The facility is expected to play a key role in strengthening food safety standards and enhancing the quality of exports.
Inaugurating the laboratory, Nitin Kumar Yadav, director (EIC) and additional secretary, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, said that Export Inspection Agencies and the EIC act as India’s regulatory backbone for export certification.
“In a dynamic global regulatory environment, we must continuously upgrade our infrastructure, especially laboratory capabilities, to ensure that Indian products meet the highest international standards,” he said.
The new facility is equipped to conduct advanced microbiological analysis of food and feed, particularly for pathogens relevant to export, import, and domestic markets. It also houses a hands-on training centre designed to build technical expertise in the field and develop a pool of skilled professionals, especially from Kerala and Karnataka.
Yadav also highlighted that a new lab is also in advanced stage of operationalisation at Mangalore, apart from labs at Ahmedabad and the one in pipeline at Faridabad.
The European Union has recently listed 102 fishery establishments for export, including 18 from this region -- a move expected to significantly boost India’s seafood exports, he added.
Dr J S Reddy, aditional director, EIC, said that the laboratory has already earned national recognition. It has been designated as the National Referral Laboratory for Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) testing by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and is also authorised to provide Proficiency Testing in this specialised area.