A new molecular biology laboratory under the Export Inspection Agency (EIA), Kochi, was opened in the city on Wednesday. The lab will facilitate export, import and domestic trade in food and feed. Inaugurating the lab, Export Inspection Council (EIC) of India Chairman Santosh Kumar Sarnagi promised reliable and accurate results on food testing services.
Delivering the keynote address, S.K. Saxena, Director, EIC, said the EIA laboratory was an National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL) accredited food testing laboratory. The modern laboratory is equipped with sophisticated instruments for testing genetically modified organisms, virus testing, residues, contaminants, and toxins for food products. The lab also has facilities for food authenticity testing.