Gazette Notification of NABL Accredited Laboratories under Section 43(1) of FSS Act

Gazette Notification of NABL Accredited Laboratories under Section 43(1) of FSS Act

Date of notification/upload: 17 July 2026
Authority: Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
Relevant provision: Section 43(1), Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006

FSSAI has issued a Gazette Notification of NABL Accredited Laboratories under Section 43(1) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. The notification was uploaded on the official FSSAI website on 17 July 2026 and is listed under FSSAI's Gazette Notifications. 

What is Section 43(1) of the FSS Act?

Section 43 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 deals with recognition and accreditation of food laboratories.

Under the regulatory framework, food samples collected for food-safety purposes need to be analysed by laboratories recognised/notified for this purpose. Laboratory analysis forms an important part of the enforcement process because analytical results can be used to determine whether a food sample complies with the applicable standards.

Therefore, notifications concerning laboratories under Section 43(1) are important for the food testing and regulatory enforcement infrastructure.

What does this FSSAI notification relate to?

The July 2026 notification concerns NABL-accredited laboratories brought within the framework of FSSAI's notified food laboratories under Section 43(1).

The notification is part of FSSAI's continuing process of maintaining and updating the network of laboratories available for food analysis.

Importantly, FSSAI's website also published a separate “Validity Order of FSSAI notified Food Testing laboratories as on 17th July 2026” on the same date. This indicates that the laboratory-recognition framework is being maintained alongside the validity status of notified food-testing laboratories. 

Why is NABL accreditation important?

NABL stands for the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories.

Accreditation provides a formal framework for assessing the competence of laboratories against applicable accreditation requirements.

For food safety enforcement, competent laboratory infrastructure is essential because regulatory decisions may depend on analytical examination of food samples.

A strong laboratory network therefore supports:

• Food sample analysis
• Regulatory surveillance
• Enforcement actions
• Verification of food standards
• Detection of contaminants and other non-conformities
• Scientific support for Food Safety Authorities

Why is this important for Food Safety Officers?

For an FSO, food sampling and laboratory analysis are important components of regulatory enforcement.

The process broadly involves:

Sampling → Submission to notified laboratory → Laboratory analysis → Analytical report → Regulatory action, where applicable

Therefore, knowledge of Section 43 and food laboratories is relevant for FSO examinations as well as practical food-safety enforcement.