The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has issued a directive regarding the protocol for fortificants testing in all notified labs. This directive is in response to the rice fortification initiatives undertaken by the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution. The FSSAI has communicated specific instructions to the labs involved in testing fortified rice.
One of the instructions pertains to the homogenization of samples. It states that the entire sample received by the laboratory must be ground to ensure homogeneity before weighing it for analysis. This step is necessary to prevent variations in results. Some fortificants, such as Vitamin B12, need to be analyzed at parts per billion (ppb) levels, for example, 0.75 mcg per kg of rice. It is the responsibility of the laboratory to ensure adequate homogeneity before analyzing micronutrients in the fortified rice.
The directive also requires the laboratories to conduct intermediate checks for certified reference materials (CRMs). The labs must periodically test prepared CRMs to verify their potency and stability. Records of these verifications should be maintained. Furthermore, the labs need to store CRMs according to supplier recommendations or Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS).
Regarding remnant samples, the FSSAI instructs labs to preserve the remaining quantity of tested samples (fully powdered) for at least three months from the date of reporting. These samples should be stored at a temperature between 5 to 10 degrees Celsius in a refrigerated environment.
In the event of complaints raised against a laboratory, the FSSAI requires the retrieval of control samples from the initially tested lab. These control samples should then be re-tested in another FSSAI-notified NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories) accredited laboratory.
These instructions aim to ensure standardization and quality control in fortificants testing for fortified rice, promoting accurate and reliable analysis of micronutrients.