Technical Specifications for High End Equipment · QA-11013/1/2025-QA-FSSAI
FSSAI advisory QA-11013/1/2025-QA-FSSAI · 17 Jul 2026
Official title
Corrigendum dated 17.07.2026 to Notice dated 10.12.2025
Official record
Open source pageSummary
Check the official recordWhat changed
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India amends the technical specifications for High End Equipment, specifically LC-MS/MS and ICP-MS. The corrigendum updates the desolvation temperature requirement for LC-MS/MS ionization sources to 400°C or better. It also corrects the high mass side specification for the ICP-MS mass analyzer to ≤ 5 x 10-7. These specifications serve as indicative guidelines for procurement and are not mandatory tender conditions. Procuring agencies must assess their operational needs independently and may consult technical committees or experts to finalize tender requirements. All other provisions from the original notice dated 10.12.2025 remain unchanged.
What you must do
- Procuring agencies must independently assess operational requirements and modify specifications as necessary.
Key dates
- Date of Original Notice
- 10 Dec 2025
Document text
फ़ाइल संख्या: QA-11013/1/2025-QA-FSSAI
भारतीय खाद्य सुरक्षा एवं मानक प्राधिकरण
(खाद्य सुरक्षा एवं मानक अधिनियम, 2006 के अंतर्गत स्थापित एक वैज्ञानिक प्राधिकरण)
(गुणवत्ता आश्वासन प्रभाग)
एफ.डी.ए, भवन, कोटला रोड, नई दिल्ली – 110002
दिनांक: 17th July, 2026
Corrigendum
Subject: Approved technical specifications of High End Equipment (HEEs) – GCMS/MS, LC-MS/MS, ICP-MS & ICP-OES– reg.
Reference is invited to Approved technical specifications of High End Equipment (HEEs) – GC- MS/MS, LC-MS/MS, ICP-MS & ICP-OES vide Notice dated 10.12.2025.
- In this regard, the technical specifications of LC-MS/MS & ICP-MS have been amended as follows:
| Sl. No. | For | Read as |
|---|---|---|
| **LC-MS/MS** | ||
| 1 | **6. Ionization Source –** (vi) Desolvation temperature for ESI and APCI sources should be 500°C or better | **6. Ionization Source –** (vi) Desolvation temperature for ESI and APCI sources should be **400°C or better** |
| **ICP-MS** | ||
| 2 | **6. Mass Analyzer and Detector –** (ii) Mass Range: 5- 260 amu or better to analyze all elements. a. Low Mass Side: ≤ 5 x 10-7 b. High Mass side: ≤ 1 x 10-7 | **6. Mass Analyzer and Detector –** (ii) Mass Range: 5- 260 amu or better to analyze all elements. a. Low Mass Side: ≤ 5 x 10-7 b. High Mass side: **≤ 5 x 10-7** |
-
All other provisions of the original notice shall remain unchanged
-
The specifications are purely indicative and shall not be construed as standard tender specifications or mandatory procurement conditions. The procuring agencies shall independently assess their operational requirements and suitably modify any specification thereof, as deemed necessary. Further, nothing contained in the enclosed specifications shall be interpreted as favouring or restricting any particular manufacturer, technology, supplier or country of origin. Wherever required, procuring agencies may constitute their own Technical Committee (TEC) or consult subject matter experts for finalization of tender specifications. FSSAI shall not be liable for any procurement/ contractual issues arising out of procurement undertaken by other agencies.
Digitally signed by
Abhinay Shashank
Date: 17-07-2026
11:48:51
(अभिनय शशांक)
सहायक निदेशक (तकनीकी)
ईमेल: abhinay.shashank@fssai.gov.in
Copy To –
- Advisor (QA) – for information
- Director (QA) – for information
- Joint Director (QA) – for information
- IT Division – to upload on FSSAI Website, under ‘Advisories/ Orders’ & ‘Tenders/ EOI’.
फ़ाइल संख्या: QA-11013/1/2025-QA-FSSAI
भारतीय खाद्य सुरक्षा एवं मानक प्राधिकरण
(खाद्य सुरक्षा एवं मानक अधिनियम, 2006 के अंतर्गत स्थापित एक वैधानिक प्राधिकरण)
(गुणवत्ता आश्वासन प्रभाग)
FDA भवन, कोटला रोड, नई दिल्ली – 110002
दिनांक: 10 दिसंबर, 2025
सूचना/ Notice
Subject: Approved technical specifications of High End Equipment (HEEs) – GC-MS/MS, LC-MS/MS, ICP-MS & ICP-OES– reg.
FSSAI has finalised the technical specifications of High End Equipment (HEEs) – GC-MS/MS, LC-MS/MS, ICP-MS & ICP-OES.
- In this regard, approved technical specifications of GC-MS/MS, LC-MS/MS, ICP-MS & ICP-OES, are placed at Annexure-I, Annexure-II, Annexure-III & Annexure-IV respectively.
Digitally signed by
Abhinay Shashank
Date: 10-12-2025
15:44:54
(अभिनय शशांक)
सहायक निदेशक (तकनीकी)
Copy To -
- Advisor (QA) – for information
- Joint Director (QA) – for information
- IT Division – to upload on FSSAI Website, under ‘Advisories/ Orders’ & ‘Tenders/ EOI’.
File No. QA-11013/1/2025-QA-FSSAI (Computer No. 14952)
Generated from eOffice by ABHINAY SHASHANK, Assistant Director (AS), ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, Food Safety and Standard Authority of India on 10/12/2025 03:51 pm
Annexure-I
| **Technical Specifications of GC-MS/MS** | ||
|---|---|---|
| Sl. No. | SPECIFICATION | REQUIREMENT |
| **1** | **GC-MS/MS system** | (i) A bench top compact high sensitive GC-MSMS system to detected contaminants upto 10 ng/ml or below in Water, Food and Agricultural products such as Organo-chlorine pesticides, Organo-phosphorous pesticides, Synthetic Pyrethriods, PCBs, and VOCs with user friendly software to meet the requirements of FSSAI. |
| **2** | **Gas Chromatograph** | (i) Temp range: Ambient + 5°C to 450°C |
| (ii) Column Oven can accommodate two columns with a maximum temperature range of up to 450 °C with a set point resolution of 0.1 ° C. | ||
| (iii) Fast oven cooling 450°C to 50°C in less than 5 minutes | ||
| (iv) It should support 20 Oven ramps & maximum temperature ramp rates of 120° C/min. | ||
| (v) Intelligent features like EMF, etc. should be built into the system | ||
| (vi) The vendors should provide a readymade method if available. | ||
| (vii) Column replacement without venting the MS | ||
| **3** | **Inlet: 2 Nos** | (i) Independently temperature-controlled injection ports. |
| (ii) Split / Splitless injector for capillary Columns with Septum Purge functions | ||
| (iii) Must be able to install at least 2 independently temperature controlled injector units simultaneously | ||
| **(iv) Inlet 1: PTV or Equivalent Inlet** | ||
| (a) An Inlet providing the flexibility of a standard Split/ Splitless inlet, along with a programmable temperature vaporizer (PTV) capability/ Equivalent, enabling large- volume injections should be provided. It should be equipped with EPC with a pressure range of 0.1 to 100 psi. | ||
| (b) The same inlet should also support cool injections for an improved signal response. | ||
| (c) Temperature programming of up to 5 ramps or more at up to 200°C/min or higher with fully EPC /equivalent | ||
| (d) Split ratio of 7500:1 or more. | ||
| (e) Fast cooling facility for PTV preferably with Air | ||
| (f) Following injection modes should be made available: a. Hot or cold split/ Splitless b. Pulsed split/ Splitless | ||
| **(v) Inlet 2: Split Splitless Inlet** | ||
| (a) An Inlet providing ability of a standard split/Split less inlet. It should be equipped with EPC with a pressure range of 0.1 to 100 psi. | ||
| (b) Maximum temperature of 400 °C. | ||
| (c) It should have a He Gas saver module or equivalent to reduce gas consumption without compromising performance. | ||
| (d) Split ratio of 7500:1 or more. | ||
| (e) Must have electronic septum purge flow control or equivalent technology to eliminate carry-over | ||
| **4** | **Gas flow control** | (i) Should be able to run in constant flow, ramped flow, constant pressure and ramped pressure modes. |
| (ii) Pressure set points minimum increments: 0.005 psi in all ranges. | ||
| (iii) Electronic pneumatic control for auto pressure regulation for split / Splitless operation, septum purge. | ||
| **5** | **Back flush Technology** | (i) Automated back flush is required and should be configurable with inlet and column, for removal of high boiling interferences to ensure column life. |
| **6** | **Auto Sampler/Auto Injector** | (i) The auto sampler control (method, sequences, etc.) must be possible with in the Chromatographic Data system in use, without any external software needs. |
| (ii) Liquid sample injection range: 0.5 to 50 µL or better | ||
| (iii) Number of samples capacity: 100 or better holding capacity 1.5/2 ml | ||
| (iv) Cross-Contamination Free Pre- and Post-injection syringe rinsing with single or combined solvents | ||
| (v) Sample vials: Glass construction, 1.5ml vials, set of 1000 vials to be provided. | ||
| (vi) Rinse solvent vial: Glass construction, screw top, PTFE-coated septum | ||
| (vii) Injection volume linearity: ±0.5 % or better | ||
| (viii) Peak Area Repeatability ≤ 1% RSD | ||
| **7** | **Tandem Mass Spectrometer** | (i) High performance tandem mass spectrometer with heated inert ion source and an appropriate noise reduction system followed by electron multiplier detector/Photomultiplier detector capable of analyzing all the parameters given in other requirements |
| **8** | **Vacuum System** | (i) High efficiency low noise vacuum system suitable for mass spectrometer |
| **9** | **Mass Range** | (i) 10 to 1000 m/z or better |
| **10** | **Interface** | (i) Direct interface to capillary column and transfer line temp up to 3500C or better |
| **11** | **Ionization** | (i) Should provide high efficiency EI ionization source or equivalent. |
| **12** | **EI MRM IDL (Instrument Detection Limit)** | (i) m/z 272 - 222 IDL for 1 fg OFN ≤ 0.3 fg or better (Proof of Statement must be provided) |
| **13** | **Maximum MRM speed** | (i) 800 MRM transitions per second or higher |
| **14** | **Mass Stability** | (i) ±0.1 amu / 24 hours |
| **15** | **Scan Speed** | (i) 20,000 u/sec or higher |
| **16** | **Mass resolution** | (i) 0.7 amu, Minimum (width at half height) or better |
| **17** | **Dwell Time** | (i) ≤1 m sec |
| **18** | **Ionization Voltage** | (i) 70 eV or better |
| **19** | **Ionization Current** | (i) At least up to 250µA or better |
| **20** | **Mode of operation of MS/MS** | (i) Should be able to do Scan, SIM, MRM/SRM, Parent ion scan, Product ion Scan, Neutral loss scan-time segment based. |
| **21** | **Dynamic range** | (i) 6th order of magnitude or better |
| **22** | **Columns** | (i) Low bleed suitable Capillary column for Pesticide residue analysis (30 m x 0.25 mm x 0.25 µm) - 5 Nos. |
| (ii) Suitable column for ethylene oxide analysis, must be supported by application note | ||
| **23** | **Quantitation Software** | (i) The complete system should be supplied with a computer and a printer, with original software and with a license to control GC-MS/MS and other accessories, data handling software and integrated with it. |
| (ii) Should have the capability to run the mass spectrometer in all the modes specified. | ||
| (iii) Data acquisition, integration, calibration, quantification and QC calculations must be automated. | ||
| (iv) Manual and Auto tune options should be provided. | ||
| (v) Automatic MRM/SRM method Development | ||
| (vi) Library searching facility with latest series of NIST Library. | ||
| (vii) Pesticides / environmental pollutants MRM Database for atleast **1000 compounds**, covering applicable FSSAI Parameters. | ||
| (viii) 21 CFR part 11 & food safety compliance. | ||
| (ix) Software update should be provided free of cost, upto minimum 10 Years. | ||
| **24** | **Workstation & Accessories:** | **(i) A Workstation should be provided for controlling the mass spectrometer, GC and auto- sampler with data acquisition & for data processing and analysis with minimum following specification:** |
| (a) Suitable High-End factory-fitted Compatible Computer workstation should come along with the System. | ||
Source details
- Source
- Food Safety and Standards Authority of India
- Type
- advisory
- Published by source
- 17 Jul 2026
- Document number
- QA-11013/1/2025-QA-FSSAI
- Issuing division
- Quality Assurance Division
- Coverage area
- food-safety