Detection of viruses is one of the tests that can be conducted at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Central Institute of Fisheries Technology (ICAR-CIFT), which was recently notified as a national-level referral food laboratory vide Government of India Gazette notification S.O. 97(E) of Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) as per sub-section (2) of section 43 of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (34 of 2006). This mandate of the institute is notified for all India basis (Table 2 of the notification) and the scope of testing also included physio-chemical analysis, bacteriological tests, bacterial toxins, anti-bacterial substances, other microbiological tests and analysis of pesticide residue and heavy metals in fish and fishery products. One of the major mandates of a referral laboratory is dispute resolution, whenever there is a variance in test reports between two laboratories. As per the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, the designated officer (DO) can send the sample to the referral laboratory for opinion against any appeal on the report submitted by the food analyst. The decision of the referral laboratory is deemed to be final in cases where opinion is sought for settling the dispute or when samples are submitted through the legal route. * In addition to the functions entrusted to it under the Act, the referral laboratory of ICAR-CIFT shall carry out the following functions, namely: * Analysis of samples of food sent by any officer or authority authorised by the Food Authority for the purpose and submission of the certificate of analysis to the authorities concerned; * Investigation for the purpose of fixation of standards of any article of fish and fishery product; * Investigation in collaboration with the laboratories of food analysts in the various states and such other laboratories and institutions which the Food Authority may approve on its behalf, for the purpose of standardising methods of analysis; * Ensuring that the laboratory follows the scientific protocols laid down for handling/testing the articles of food; * Maintaining high standards of accuracy, reliability and credibility in the operation of the laboratory and achieving and maintaining the required levels of accreditation and reliability; * Laying down the mechanism for ensuring that personnel of the laboratory adhere to high professional standards and discipline, and * Capacity building by way of organising professional training, workshops and seminars for food analysts and laboratory personnel in the states specified by the food authority * Expressing his happiness over these notable accomplishments, C N Ravishankar, director, ICAR-CIFT, said, CIFT – the only technology Institute in India which caters to the broad spectrum of fisheries from harvest to post-harvest operations has been in the service of the nation since 1957 under the aegis of ICAR, New Delhi with its three research centres functioning at Veraval (Gujarat), Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) and Mumbai (Maharashtra). Technologies developed by the Institute have played a pivotal role in modernising the harvest and post-harvest sectors of fishery in India, making the country a major exporter of processed fish and fish products. Laboratories of CIFT are National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL)-accredited as per ISO/IEC 17025:2005 and recognised as nodal laboratories for fish and fishery products that are exported or imported. In addition, scientists of CIFT are actively involved in the scientific panel of FSSAI for the development of food safety standards related to fish and fishery products. Besides, CIFT conducts regular research programmes on surveillance monitoring of antibiotics, pesticide residues, additives, other chemical contaminants and microbial hazards in fish and fishery products. Underlining the importance of national level recognition to ICAR-CIFT as a referral food laboratory by FSSAI, the apex body on food safety in India, Ravishankar said, It is indeed a remarkable achievement for the institute and expressed that the established linkage of ICAR-CIFT with almost all Indian states and Union Territories would enable improvement in testing infrastructure, qualitative enhancement in testing methodologies and ultimately support the government’s initiatives to provide safe food to consumers.