Regulatory & Certification
Consulting
From gap to certified — structured, expert-led, and fully managed across FDA, NSF, FSSAI, BIS, ESMA, and SFDA.
Why certification is harder than it looks
Getting your food contact material or water treatment equipment certified for international markets is one of the most high-stakes processes a manufacturer can undertake. The documentation is technical. The testing is rigorous. The timelines are long. And the cost of errors — rejected submissions, non-conforming test results, or import refusals — can be catastrophic.
DemandLabs Consulting works exclusively in food contact materials and water treatment equipment, across three of the world's most important regulatory jurisdictions — India, the USA, and the Middle East. This means we bring specialist depth, not generalist breadth, to every certification engagement.
What's included in every engagement
- ✓Written Gap Assessment Report
- ✓Detailed Certification Roadmap
- ✓Full technical dossier preparation
- ✓Laboratory testing coordination & management
- ✓Regulatory submission preparation
- ✓Active liaison with certifying bodies
- ✓Query response management
- ✓Certification receipt & documentation
- ✓Renewal planning & calendar
How we take you from gap to certified
Every certification engagement follows this structured process — designed to remove uncertainty and deliver results efficiently.
Free 30-Minute Consultation
We listen to your situation — your product, your target market, your timeline — and give you an honest initial view of what is required. No obligation. No jargon. This call sets the scope for the Gap Assessment.
Gap Assessment
A comprehensive audit of your product, formulation, bill of materials, and manufacturing process against the specific requirements of your target certification. Delivered as a written Gap Assessment Report within 10–15 working days. This report is yours to keep — regardless of whether you proceed with us.
Certification Roadmap
Based on the Gap Assessment, we develop a detailed Certification Roadmap — documentation requirements, laboratory testing schedule, regulatory submission timeline, and cost estimate. You have a clear picture of what happens next before any commitment is made.
Documentation Phase
Our team prepares all technical documentation required for your target certification — product composition details, material safety data, formulation information, manufacturing process descriptions — structured in the exact format required by each certifying body. Typically 4–8 weeks depending on complexity.
Laboratory Testing Coordination
We manage the entire testing process — laboratory selection, sample submission plan, test protocol agreement, result review, and integration of test reports into your dossier. We work with a curated network including SGS, Intertek, Eurofins, Bureau Veritas, and CSIR-CFTRI.
Submission & Liaison
We prepare and submit your complete regulatory dossier to the appropriate certifying body, manage all correspondence, respond to technical queries, and track your application through to decision. Our familiarity with certifying body processes means we anticipate bottlenecks — not react to them.
Certification & Maintenance Planning
Certificate received and delivered. Renewal dates logged. Ongoing support options discussed. Certification is the beginning — we ensure you stay certified and stay compliant as regulations evolve.
What we certify, and where
🇮🇳 India
FSSAI — Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
FSSAI's Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations govern all food contact materials in India — plastics, metals, glass, rubber, paper, and board. Whether you need a central FSSAI licence or state-level registration, we manage the full process from documentation to approval.
BIS CRS — Bureau of Indian Standards Compulsory Registration Scheme
A growing list of food contact material products — including plastics and food processing equipment — require mandatory BIS certification before they can be sold in India. We guide manufacturers through factory inspection preparation, IS standard compliance verification, and registration application management.
🇺🇸 United States
FDA 21 CFR — Indirect Food Additive Regulations (Parts 170–199)
FDA's indirect food additive regulations establish which substances may be used in food contact applications and at what permitted levels. Compliance is a technical self-declaration supported by a robust dossier. We prepare this dossier, assess your substances against FDA's positive lists, and advise on any formulation modifications required.
NSF/ANSI 51 — Food Equipment Materials
NSF/ANSI 51 certification is required for materials used in the construction of food equipment and utensils. It is widely required by US food service operators, equipment purchasers, and state health departments. We manage the full process — application, laboratory testing, and final certification.
NSF/ANSI 61 — Drinking Water System Components
NSF/ANSI 61 is the benchmark standard for materials in contact with drinking water — required by most US states for pipes, fittings, valves, tanks, membranes, and coatings. We manage the complete process for our water treatment equipment clients, from application through laboratory testing to certification.
🇦🇪 Middle East
ESMA — Emirates Authority for Standardisation and Metrology (UAE)
ESMA administers mandatory product certification for food contact materials sold in the UAE. Without ESMA approval, products cannot legally be placed on the UAE market. We manage the full process including technical documentation, product testing, and liaison with ESMA's appointed certification bodies.
SFDA — Saudi Food and Drug Authority
Saudi Arabia's SFDA administers the regulatory framework for food contact materials in the Kingdom. We assist with SFDA registration, product notification, and compliance documentation preparation for the Saudi market.
GSO Standards & Halal Certification for FCM
GSO standards apply GCC-wide and form the technical baseline for food contact material compliance across all member states. Halal certification for food contact materials — verifying no porcine derivatives or prohibited substances — is an increasingly important requirement we coordinate with accredited Halal certification bodies.
Understanding migration testing — and why it matters
Migration testing is the scientific process by which the safety of a food contact material is demonstrated. It measures the transfer of chemical substances from the material into food or a food simulant under defined conditions of time, temperature, and contact. Every major regulatory jurisdiction — FDA, EU 10/2011, FSSAI, and ESMA — sets limits for overall migration and, for specific regulated substances, specific migration limits.
Many manufacturers come to us having never conducted migration testing, or having conducted it under the wrong conditions for their target market. The testing conditions — choice of food simulant, time and temperature, and analytical methods — differ by jurisdiction and by product type. Getting these wrong means invalid results, additional testing costs, and delayed certification.
We advise on the correct testing programme for your specific product and target market before any testing begins — saving you time, money, and frustration.
Ready to start your certification journey?
The first step is always a Gap Assessment — because no certification process should begin without a clear understanding of where you stand. Book a free 30-minute consultation today.
Book a Free Gap Assessment