Food Packaging Testing Lab in India

Every packaged food product launched in India sits inside a regulatory pincer — the FSS (Packaging) Regulations 2018 govern food contact material safety domestically, while EU Regulation (EU) 10/2011 and US FDA 21 CFR Parts 174-186 set the bar for export markets. Auriga Research provides NABL-accredited food packaging testing covering overall migration, specific migration, physical property compliance, and finished material certification across all three frameworks.

Our scope covers overall migration (OML) at 60 mg/kg FSSAI / 10 mg/dm² EU limits, specific migration (SML) of heavy metals (lead, cadmium, chromium, barium, mercury) by ICP-MS, plasticisers (DEHP, DBP, BBP, DEHA, DEHT) by GC-MS/MS, residual monomers (VCM, styrene, BPA, formaldehyde), primary aromatic amines (PAA) by LC-MS/MS, photoinitiators and printing ink components, MOSH/MOAH mineral oil hydrocarbons, and the full physical-property battery (WVTR, OTR, tensile strength, seal integrity).

Backed by the Arbro Group's analytical heritage — Arbro Lab since 1990, Auriga Research since 2007 — with NABL ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation, our reports are accepted by FSSAI licensing officers, BIS certification bodies, and international buyers. If your product is bound for export, please share the destination market with us when you request a quote so we can scope the testing accordingly.

Food Packaging Testing Parameters

Each parameter is mapped to its analytical method and the regulatory framework it supports — so QA, packaging development, and export teams can match scope to specification at a glance.

OML

Overall Migration Limit

Overall migration of non-volatile substances against the 60 mg/kg (FSSAI / BIS) or 10 mg/dm² (EU 10/2011) limit using validated food simulants and time-temperature conditions.

SML

Specific Migration

Specific migration testing for individual substances of concern — lead, cadmium, chromium, barium, mercury, and other regulated metals by ICP-MS.

Phthalates

Plasticiser Migration

Phthalates (DEHP, DBP, BBP, DINP, DIDP), DEHA, and DEHT migration by GC-MS/MS against EU 10/2011 SMLs and FSSAI specific limits.

Monomers

Residual Monomers

Vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), styrene, bisphenol-A (BPA), formaldehyde, and other residual monomer migration by GC-MS, LC-MS/MS, and HPLC.

PAA

Primary Aromatic Amines

Primary aromatic amine (PAA) migration from printing inks and nitrogen-containing adhesives by LC-MS/MS — EU 10/2011 zero-tolerance for listed PAAs.

Photoinit.

Photoinitiators & Ink Migration

Photoinitiator migration (ITX, benzophenone, EHA), UV-cured ink set-off migration, and mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOSH/MOAH) by GC-FID and GC-MS.

WVTR

Water Vapour Transmission

Water vapour transmission rate (WVTR) by gravimetric or sensor method for moisture-barrier evaluation.

OTR

Oxygen Transmission

Oxygen transmission rate (OTR) by coulometric method per ASTM D3985 for oxygen-barrier packaging.

Mechanical

Tensile & Seal Properties

Tensile strength, elongation at break, seal integrity, burst strength, and impact resistance for laminate, film, and rigid container qualification.

BIS IS 9845

BIS IS 9845 / IS 15495

Full BIS compliance testing per IS 9845 (plastic packaging) and IS 15495 (paper and board) referenced under the FSS (Packaging) Regulations 2018.

EU 10/2011

EU 10/2011 Compliance

EU Regulation (EU) 10/2011 plastic food contact material compliance — Annex I positive list, Annex III food simulants, Annex II SMLs, NIAS risk assessment.

US 21 CFR

US FDA 21 CFR

US FDA 21 CFR Parts 174-186 testing for food contact materials, FCN inventory conformance for shipments to the United States.

Exporting? We can also test against the standards applicable to your destination market — share your export market when you request a quote and our team will scope the testing for you.

How It Works

1

Get a Quote

Share your product type and the parameters you need tested. Your dedicated SPOC will confirm the testing scope, the applicable method, and the exact sample quantity required for your specific panel before you dispatch anything.

2

Send Your Sample

Dispatch your sample with a completed Test Request Form to the nearest Auriga lab. Each sample is individually bar coded and registered in YLIMS, Auriga's in-house Laboratory Information Management System, upon receipt. Testing begins within 24 hours of sample registration.

3

Testing and QA Review

Your sample is tested against the confirmed validated method by Auriga's scientific team. Every result passes through a formal internal QA review and sign-off before the report is generated.

4

Receive Your NABL Report

Your NABL-accredited test report is delivered digitally within the committed turnaround time. Reports carry Auriga's NABL accreditation under ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and are accepted by FSSAI, APEDA, EIC, and major international buyers. You can track your sample status in real time through YLIMS at any point in the process.

Turnaround Time

Panel Standard TAT Express
Overall migration testing (single time-temperature condition) 10–15 business days On request
Specific migration (individual substance) 7–12 business days Available
Phthalate & plasticiser migration (GC-MS/MS) 10–12 business days Available
Heavy metals migration (ICP-MS) 7–10 business days Available
Physical properties (WVTR, OTR, tensile, seal) 5–7 business days Available
BIS IS 9845 / IS 15495 full compliance panel 15–20 business days On request
EU 10/2011 or US FDA 21 CFR compliance package 18–22 business days On request

Who Needs This Testing

  • Food and beverage manufacturers needing FSSAI batch release and FSS (Packaging) Regulations 2018 compliance for new packaging formats.
  • D2C packaged food brands launching on Amazon, Flipkart, Blinkit, Zepto, and BigBasket where packaging migration data is now part of supplier QA dossiers.
  • FSSAI licence applicants needing food contact material compliance evidence as part of the new product approval submission.
  • Packaged food exporters shipping to the EU and requiring full EU Regulation (EU) 10/2011 compliance — positive list, SMLs, Annex III food simulants, NIAS risk assessment.
  • Exporters shipping to the United States needing US FDA 21 CFR Parts 174-186 compliance for food contact materials and FCN inventory conformance.
  • Importers sourcing packaging from overseas (China, Vietnam, Thailand, Bangladesh) requiring verification against Indian BIS and FSSAI standards before customs clearance.
  • Packaging converters, film manufacturers, and laminate producers qualifying new substrates, inks, adhesives, and coatings against multi-jurisdiction food contact requirements.
  • QA, R&D, and packaging development teams supporting formulation, supplier qualification, and customer technical files (TDS, declaration of compliance).

Why Auriga for Food Packaging Testing

NABL-accredited and FSSAI-approved

Reports carry evidentiary weight under the FSS Act 2006 with FSSAI Designated Officers and are accepted by BIS for IS 9845 / IS 15495 certification submissions.

BIS IS 9845 / IS 15495 full scope

Complete BIS compliance testing for plastic packaging (IS 9845) and paper and board (IS 15495) referenced under the FSS (Packaging) Regulations 2018 — single-CoA finished material certification.

GC-MS/MS and ICP-MS for specific migration

Phthalates, DEHA, DEHT, and primary aromatic amines by GC-MS/MS; heavy metal migration (Pb, Cd, Cr, Ba, Hg) by ICP-MS — sensitive enough for all EU 10/2011 specific migration limits.

EU Regulation (EU) 10/2011 testing available

Annex I positive list conformance, Annex III food simulants A-E, Annex II SMLs, and NIAS risk assessment — for exporters shipping food packaging or pre-packaged food into European destinations.

US FDA 21 CFR testing for US exports

FCN inventory conformance, 21 CFR Parts 174-186 indirect food additive testing, and extractables / leachables work for food contact materials bound for the United States.

Arbro Group analytical heritage

Established analytical heritage through the Arbro Group (Arbro Lab since 1990, Auriga Research since 2007), with NABL ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation — the audit trail FSSAI, BIS, and international buyers look for in a packaging compliance partner.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is migration testing for food packaging?
Migration testing measures the transfer of chemical substances from food contact materials into food or food simulants. Overall migration determines the total mass of non-volatile substances that migrate, while specific migration measures individual substances of concern such as heavy metals, plasticisers, monomers, and printing ink components. FSSAI references BIS standards IS 9845 for plastic packaging and IS 15495 for paper and board. EU Regulation 10/2011 applies for export markets, and US FDA 21 CFR Parts 174-186 govern food contact materials for shipments to the United States.
Which food simulants are used in migration testing?
Food simulants represent different food types: distilled water (aqueous foods), 3% acetic acid (acidic foods), 10-50% ethanol (alcoholic foods), and rectified olive oil or iso-octane (fatty foods). The choice depends on the food type the packaging will contact. Testing is conducted at time-temperature conditions that simulate actual use, such as 40 degrees C for 10 days for long-term ambient storage or 70 degrees C for 2 hours for hot-fill applications. EU Regulation 10/2011 specifies food simulants A through E with assigned simulant for each food category in Annex III.
How long does food packaging testing take?
Overall migration testing takes 10-15 business days depending on the time-temperature conditions. Specific migration testing for individual substances takes 7-12 business days. Complete packaging compliance panels take 15-20 business days. Physical property testing (tensile strength, seal integrity, WVTR, OTR) takes 5-7 business days. EU Regulation 10/2011 and US FDA 21 CFR compliance packages take 18-22 business days.
Do you test recycled plastics for food contact applications?
Yes. Recycled plastic packaging for direct food contact in India is regulated under the FSS (Packaging) Regulations 2018 and FSSAI direction restricting the use of post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastic in direct food contact unless explicitly approved. BIS IS 16171 historically covered recycled plastics — confirm the current BIS standard reference applicable to your specific product with your QA team before testing. For PCR PET food contact applications, we run the full migration battery (overall migration, specific migration of regulated metals and monomers, and consumer-relevant non-targeted screening) plus extraneous-matter and microbial screening as required.
How do FSSAI and EU food contact packaging frameworks differ for exporters?
The two frameworks differ in regulatory architecture and analytical scope. FSSAI references BIS standards IS 9845 (plastic packaging), IS 15495 (paper and board), and the FSS (Packaging) Regulations 2018 for finished material acceptance and overall migration limits. EU Regulation (EU) 10/2011 on plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food is materially stricter: it operates from a "positive list" of authorised substances, sets a 10 mg/dm² overall migration limit (or 60 mg/kg for adult food infant infants exemptions), specifies Annex III food simulants A-E, mandates conditions of contact, and imposes specific migration limits (SMLs) for individual substances including NIAS (non-intentionally added substances) risk assessment. For shipments to the US, FDA 21 CFR Parts 174-186 apply, requiring conformance to the Food Contact Notification (FCN) inventory. Exporters should test against the destination market's framework and request dual reporting where both apply.

Get Your Food Packaging Testing Quote

NABL-accredited migration testing for FSSAI, BIS IS 9845 / IS 15495, EU Regulation 10/2011, and US FDA 21 CFR. Dual-jurisdiction reporting on a single CoA.

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