Food and Nutritional Supplements
Food Testing Services
With nationwide recalls in the news, consumers are more aware than ever of the risks associated with food contamination. The U.S. FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requires that all components of our food chain be carefully managed, tested and audited.
In addition to performing microbiological testing for listeria, E. coli and salmonella, our experienced team adheres to a strict quality of standards and uses a number of methodologies for food safety and water testing.
As either a business or an individual, testing can help determine if harmful bacteria are present in your food sample.
Types of Tests
FDA BAM
- Food and Drug Administration Bacteriological Analytical Manual
FDA BAM includes test procedures for the detection of foodborne pathogens such as bacterial, viral, parasitic, yeast & mold, and microbial toxins. The FDA sets scientific standards for testing foods for various contaminants. Laboratories and food companies worldwide use these standards to make sure that food products are safe to eat and drink.
QPCR Testing for Food Pathogens
- One of the best developed and successful applications of Quantitave PCR (qPCR) is the detection and quantification of pathogens, including viruses, bacteria and eukaryotic microorganisms, as well as a number of parasites. It has been used to monitor the presence of antibiotic resistance genes that might be transferred to pathogenic or commensal bacteria in cheese and other food-related scenarios. Other applications include the detection of food ingredients, ingredient fraud, monitoring of unintended contamination of special foods (e.g., gluten-free foods), toxin-encoding genes to detect genetically modified organisms, allergens and certain non-pathogenic spoilage microorganisms. This testing is extremely detailed and specific. It has truly aided many in the science and food industry to improve and understand the products we purchase on a daily basis.
- Quantitative PCR (qPCR) is a proven method for pathogen detection and has been applied successfully to a wide range of foodborne pathogens, including Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, and E. coli O157:H7. qPCR tests for food pathogens amplify and detect a DNA target sequence that is specific to the organism under investigation. In this way, qPCR can detect pathogens quickly, simply, and with outstanding sensitivity and specificity.
USP 2021/2022
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USP Microbial Enumeration Tests-Nutritional and Dietary Supplements:
Enumeration of the total number of aerobic bacteria, enumeration of the total number of combined yeast and molds, and the presence of bile-tolerant gram-negative bacteria present in all nutritional supplements, from raw materials to the finished product. Product specifications are outlined in USP but typically are developed by the manufacturer.
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USP Microbiological Procedures for Absence of Specified Microorganisms-Nutritional and Dietary Supplements:
Procedure for determining the absence of specified objectionable organisms. Good manufacturing practices require that objectionable organisms be absent from non-sterile nutritional and dietary products. Objectionable organisms are defined as microorganisms that may cause potential health hazards to the user of the product and would adversely affect the product safety. Product specifications are outlined in USP but typically are developed by the manufacturer with guidance from USP.
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USP Microbiological Attributes of Non-sterile Nutritional and Dietary Supplements:
Guidance for formulation and process design, facilities, equipment, water and sanitation, supplement components, the frequency of microbiological sampling and testing, recommended microbial limits for botanical ingredients and products, and finally, recommended microbial limits for dietary supplement ingredients and products.