EU and Indian experts share best practices in testing in food microbiology

This week, two experts from the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) are in Chennai to work with their colleagues of the Export Inspection Agency (EIA) to help develop India’s capability to organise a national scheme of proficiency testing in food microbiology. 

In the framework of the EU-India strategic partnership, scientific and technical cooperation between European and Indian experts is one of the highest priorities. The capacity being developed at EIA Chennai will serve as a scientific benchmark for all Indian food laboratories needing to seek assurance that they have the technical proficiency to undertake microbiology tests, on a wide scope of food products, for the analysis of pathogens for consumers such as Salmonella, the bacteria responsible of typhoid fever, or staphylococci. This will make India independent from foreign private sector proficiency test providers, thus allowing crores of saving for the country, by having at its disposal equivalent services at a much lesser cost, also directly serving the specific interests of Indian laboratories.

The mobilisation of the French experts is organised under the TAIEX initiative which brings together public administrations to share EU best practices and is financed by the Partnership Instrument of the European Union. Over 10 capacity building workshops have already been organised and more are to come. The next one is scheduled for the 16-20 January 2017 at the National Institute of Plant Health Management in Hyderabad and will focus on detections of pesticides residues in plants.

This cooperation between EU and India in the field of food microbiology is part of a long-term partnership plan towards enhancing scientific ties between the two trading blocks, in view of reaching common positions on key matters being discussed at the Codex Alimentarius Commission; the international food standards setting body. This will contribute to defend common interests of Indian and EU consumers in the international arena.

For further information please contact: delegation-India-fpi@eeas.europa.eu