In a significant achievement for the Central University of Punjab, the Food Testing Laboratory (FTL) has received accreditation from the National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) in the discipline of Chemical Testing for Food and Agricultural Products and Water Testing. The accreditation will remain valid for four years, from May 14, 2026, to May 13, 2030.
The NABL accreditation has been granted for testing various food and agricultural products, including cereals and cereal flour, milk fats, vegetable oils, honey, and associated products such as beeswax and royal jelly. In addition, the laboratory has received accreditation for water testing under the discipline of Chemical Testing for construction water, drinking water, groundwater, irrigation water, packaged drinking water, surface water, swimming pool water, and purifier water.
The laboratory has also been accredited for mineral and trace metal analysis in both food and water samples. The testing services at the Food Testing Laboratory are carried out in accordance with national and international standards, including FSSAI, BIS, AOAC, and APHA methods, thereby providing globally benchmarked testing support to industries in the region.
Established under the PM Kisan Sampada Yojana of the Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) with a grant of Rs. 5.05 crore, the laboratory houses advanced instruments such as Gas Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometer, Automated TKN Analyzer, Gluten Analyzer, Microwave Digestion System, and Atomic Absorption Spectrometer.
Vice-Chancellor Prof. Raghavendra P. Tiwari congratulated the team of the Food Testing Laboratory and described the achievement as a matter of pride for the university. He said the accreditation will help farmers, entrepreneurs, and industries associated with food and agricultural products to get reliable quality testing of their products.
He added that the laboratory will provide accurate testing facilities for food products and water quality, supporting quality standards and consumer safety. He appreciated the dedicated efforts of the faculty members, scientists, and technical staff involved in achieving this recognition and expressed confidence that the laboratory will play an important role in the field of food safety and water quality testing in the future.
Prof. Ramakrishna Wusirika, Director, FTL CU Punjab, credited the achievement to the continuous support of the Vice-Chancellor Prof. Tiwari and the dedicated efforts of the Dr. Anil Kumar (Quality Manager), Dr. Nagendra Babu (Technical Manager), Prof. Raj Kumar (Incharge CIL, CU Punjab), Dr. Rabindra, Dr. Sumeer Razdan and faculty members and staff of FTL and CIL.
“The Food Testing Facility at CU Punjab is equipped with advanced instruments capable of delivering accurate and reliable results. Those interested in testing food and agricultural products can visit the Central University of Punjab website for further details,” he added.