NABL Launches India’s First Mobile Food Testing Accreditation

The National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL), a constituent of the Quality Council of India (QCI), launched India’s first accreditation scheme for mobile food testing laboratories on 10 August 2026. The scheme was unveiled at the “Gunvatta Samanvaya – A Multilateral MoU Exchange Ceremony” held at Hotel Ashoka in New Delhi.

NABL and Quality Accreditation

NABL is India’s national accreditation body for testing and calibration laboratories, medical laboratories, and proficiency testing providers. It operates under the Quality Council of India, which was set up in 1997 as an autonomous body to promote quality standards in India.

The new scheme recognises the competence of mobile laboratories in testing methods, equipment, and personnel. Accreditation in this framework does not provide funding for the physical establishment of mobile laboratories.

Mobile Food Testing Laboratories

Mobile food testing laboratories are laboratories mounted on vehicles or transportable units that can carry out testing at or near the point of collection. Such laboratories are used for rapid screening of food samples in local areas, markets, and remote locations.

The Ministry of Commerce and Industry stated that the framework allows mobile laboratories to provide internationally benchmarked food testing services directly to local communities. The scheme is designed to support food safety surveillance and faster regulatory action when contaminants are detected.

Integrated Assessment Programme and MoU Framework

The scheme will operate under NABL’s Integrated Assessment Programme (IAP), which combines multiple assessment requirements into a single process. The IAP is intended to reduce duplication in accreditation procedures and support ease of doing business.

A multilateral Memorandum of Understanding was signed by participating organisations to integrate quality infrastructure and to promote regulatory convergence. Such MoUs are formal agreements between two or more parties and are commonly used in institutional cooperation.

Important Facts for Exams

• NABL stands for the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories.
• QCI stands for the Quality Council of India, an autonomous body established in 1997.
• Accreditation assesses competence, but it does not finance laboratory infrastructure.
• Mobile food testing laboratories can conduct testing close to the point of sample collection.

Food Safety and Regulatory Context

Food safety surveillance in India is linked to the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and the work of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. Laboratory accreditation is a standard tool for ensuring reliability, traceability, and technical competence in testing systems.

The initiative was presented during a multilateral MoU exchange ceremony in New Delhi on 10 August 2026. Shri Amardeep Singh Bhatia, Secretary of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, attended the event.