The Spices Board of India runs quality evaluation labs that can sample and test spice lots before export and issue a certificate on the results. For most shipments this is voluntary, but the Board makes pre-shipment testing mandatory for particular spices and destinations when a safety problem arises.
The list of mandatory cases changes. Always confirm the current position with the Spices Board or your exporter before you contract.
Why mandatory testing exists
When an importing market reports repeated problems with Indian spices, the Board can require testing before export to protect the trade. Past problems that led to tighter checks have included illegal colouring dyes in chilli products and ethylene oxide in spice products. The effect is that a lot cannot be shipped to that market without a clear result from an approved lab.
This is separate from the CRES registration every spice exporter needs. That is covered in what Spices Board registration (CRES) is.
What the certificate does and does not cover
- It covers the parameters tested, such as residues, aflatoxin, dyes or microbes, not every possible risk.
- It applies to the sampled lot only, identified by lot number and quantity.
- It reflects the lab's method and limit of quantification, which should suit your market's limits.
- It does not replace your own specification or your own destination testing.
How it fits your test plan
Even where it is voluntary, a Spices Board certificate can be useful independent evidence, because the Board's lab is not paid by the factory on commercial terms. Many buyers still order a broader test at an NABL-accredited lab, using a sample drawn by their own agent. The tests most EU buyers order are listed in what tests to order for spices going to the EU.
Check that the certificate's lot number matches the bags, the packing list and the COA. A certificate for a different lot is no evidence at all.
- Is pre-shipment testing mandatory for this spice and my country at present?
- Which lab will test, and is it accredited for these parameters?
- Who draws the sample, and how is it sealed?
- How long will testing take, and is it in the lead time?
- Will I get the original report, not a summary?
Timing and cost
Mandatory testing adds days to the shipping plan, because the lot must be sampled, tested and cleared before the container is sealed. A lot that fails cannot go to that market and may need to be reprocessed or sold elsewhere. Agree in your contract who pays for testing and what happens to the shipment date if a lot fails. Build the testing time into the lead time from the start, rather than finding out in the last week before the vessel.
Where we come in
We check whether mandatory testing applies to your spice and destination at the time of shipment. We then match the certificate and lab report to the lot we sealed and inspected. Ask for a free sourcing review.