Nutraceutical Microbiology Testing India | FSSAI 2016 | NABL Accredited
A Salmonella or E. coli failure on a health supplement triggers immediate FSSAI surveillance hold, automatic marketplace delisting, and FBO licence consequences under Section 32 of the FSS Act. Backed by the Arbro Group's unbroken NABL accreditation since 2003, Auriga Research delivers microbiological testing for nutraceuticals and dietary supplements covering the full FSSAI safety panel and pharmacopoeial pathogen control.
Microbial safety in nutraceuticals is governed by the FSS (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Food for Special Dietary Use, FSMP, Functional Food and Novel Food) Regulations 2016, with pharmacopoeial pathogen control referencing USP <61> / <62> and IP 2018 for AYUSH-licensed and pharma-boundary supplements. Our scope covers Total Plate Count, yeast and mould, coliforms, E. coli, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens, and PCR pathogen confirmation. Probiotic strain enumeration (Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium, Saccharomyces) and bacterial endotoxin by LAL assay are also in scope.
Sample handling follows ISO 7218 — sterile collection, validated transport conditions, and accelerated incubation cycles where ISO methods permit, with full audit trail in YLIMS.
Testing Parameters
Each parameter is mapped to its ISO / USP / IP method so QA and regulatory teams can match scope to FSSAI / pharmacopoeial requirements at a glance.
Total Plate Count (TPC)
Aerobic mesophilic colony count at 30 °C / 72 h on PCA. FSSAI limit: < 10⁵ cfu/g for finished health supplements.
Yeast & Mould
Yeast and mould enumeration on DRBC / PDA at 25 °C / 5 days. FSSAI limit: < 10³ cfu/g. Critical for botanical and herbal supplements.
Total Coliforms / E. coli
MPN method or VRBA selective media. FSSAI limit: coliforms < 10 cfu/g; E. coli absent in 1 g.
Salmonella
BPW pre-enrichment → RVS / MKTTn selective enrichment → XLD / HE agar isolation → biochemical and serological confirmation. FSSAI limit: absent in 25 g.
Staphylococcus aureus
Baird-Parker agar with coagulase confirmation. FSSAI limit: absent in 1 g. Indicator of post-process contamination.
Clostridium perfringens
Tryptose Sulphite Cycloserine (TSC) agar, anaerobic conditions. Indicator of soil / water contamination in botanical raw materials.
Microbial Enumeration
Total Aerobic Microbial Count (TAMC) and Total Yeast and Mould Count (TYMC) per USP <61> for nutraceutical products at the pharma boundary.
Specified Microorganisms
USP <62> tests for Salmonella, E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and bile-tolerant Gram-negatives. Required for AYUSH-licensed supplements.
Lactobacillus / Probiotic Strains
Selective media enumeration for declared probiotic strains (Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium). Supports CFU claim verification on probiotic labels.
Pathogen Confirmation
Molecular confirmation of Salmonella, Listeria, Cronobacter sakazakii by PCR and 16S rRNA sequencing. Available for follow-up after presumptive plate isolation.
Bacterial Endotoxin
LAL assay per USP <85> / IP 2018 for nutraceutical products at the pharma boundary or where parenteral pathway is part of the dossier.
Mycotoxin Screen
Aflatoxin B1, B2, G1, G2 and ochratoxin A by HPLC-FLD for botanical and grain-based nutraceutical raw materials (linked test for mould contamination).
How It Works
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.
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.
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.
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 under the Health Supplements Regulations 2016, BIS, and 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 |
|---|---|---|
| TPC + yeast & mould | 5–7 working days | 4 days |
| FSSAI safety panel (TPC, Y&M, coliforms, E. coli, Salmonella, S. aureus) | 7–10 working days | 5 days |
| USP <61> / <62> pharmacopoeial pathogen panel | 10–14 working days | On request |
| PCR pathogen confirmation (Salmonella / Listeria / Cronobacter) | + 3 days | 24 h on request |
| Bacterial endotoxin (LAL) | 5–7 working days | Available |
| Probiotic enumeration (single strain) | 7–10 working days | Available |
Who Needs This Testing
- Nutraceutical manufacturers running routine batch release microbial testing for FSSAI compliance under the Health Supplements Regulations 2016.
- D2C supplement brands launching on Amazon, Flipkart, Blinkit, Zepto, and BigBasket — marketplaces require microbial safety data before listing.
- Botanical and herbal supplement brands needing FSSAI safety panel plus aflatoxin / ochratoxin screening on raw material batches.
- AYUSH-licensed nutraceutical and traditional medicine brands needing IP 2018 / USP <61>/<62> pathogen control alongside FSSAI safety panel.
- Probiotic supplement brands needing both pathogen exclusion and strain-specific viable cell enumeration for claim substantiation.
- Brand owners responding to a marketplace delisting, FSSAI surveillance failure, or consumer complaint with an NABL-accredited counter-report.
- Contract manufacturers and CDMOs running raw material qualification, in-process control, and finished-product release microbiology.
Why Auriga for Microbiology Testing
Unbroken NABL accreditation since 2003
Arbro Group has held NABL ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation continuously since 2003 — covering the full ISO 4833, ISO 21527, ISO 6579, and ISO 6888 microbiological scope.
Dual NABL + FSSAI notification
Reports carry evidentiary weight under the FSS Act 2006 for licence applications, surveillance responses, and marketplace listing reviews.
In-house pathogen confirmation
PCR and 16S / 18S rRNA sequencing for Salmonella, Listeria, Cronobacter, and probiotic strain ID — no partner-lab dependency on positive enrichments.
Full FSSAI + USP / IP scope
Both food-side (FSSAI) and pharma-side (USP <61>/<62>, IP 2018) microbial control on the same sample — supports AYUSH-licensed nutraceuticals at the pharma boundary.
Five regional labs
Delhi, Gurugram, Bangalore, Baddi, and Bahadurgarh — sterile sample receipt, validated transport conditions, and dedicated microbiology suites at multiple sites.
Express service for surveillance & launch
Express turnaround of 5 days on the FSSAI safety panel; rapid PCR confirmation on request for FSSAI surveillance hold recovery.