Food Testing

Safety and Quality of Food

Food and Beverage Testing Services

Food analysis looks at the sensory, chemical, microbiological and physical properties of food and drink, and is an important part of quality assurance, regulatory compliance and product development. Food analysis is required for a wide variety of reasons – from testing suitability for purpose, through checking shelf-life or authenticity, to assuring legal compliance. Spectralab plays a major role in providing assistance in areas of food nutrition, food quality & food safety testing to various food industry segments through routine chemical and microbiological tests.

Food samples tested

Herbs and spices
Tea and tea-related products
Cereals, cereal products, and bakery products
Canned food products
Food supplements
Drinking water and mineral water
Fruit juices and refreshment beverages
Milk, butter, yogurt, cheese and ghee
Meat, meat products, fish and fish products
Honey
Fresh vegetables, fruits, dry fruits, raw foods, grains, pulses and cereals
Cooked foods, processed foods, canned foods, ready-to-eat foods, cereal products, spices, jams, jellies, juices, sauces and concentrates

Key Food Testing Parameters

Food Chemistry and Nutritional Analysis

Core Nutrition Facts Panel analyses include:

Fats – including analysis for saturated, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, trans fats, omega 3 & 6.
Proximates (Moisture, Protein, Fat, Ash, Calories and Carbohydrates)
Carbohydrates – including sugars, starch
Mineral matter and ash.
Dietary fibre – by the AOAC method.
Salt.
Rancidity (peroxide value and free fatty acids)
Alcohol.
Minerals, trace metals and other trace elements (Na, Ca, K, Se, Zn, Fe, Mg, Hg, Cd, Cu, As, calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, potassium, selenium, zinc, iron, etc)
Vitamin Analysis (A, C, B, D, E etc)
Additives – including preservatives, antioxidants, sweeteners, colours, emulsifiers and stabilisers and gelling agents.
Contaminants and Residue analysis: Heavy metals and trace elements – including iron, lead, copper, zinc, tin, cadmium, arsenic and mercury.
Mycotoxins – Mould Toxins in Foodstuffs – including aflatoxin.
Nitrate and nitrites.
Packaging contaminants.
Pesticide analysis
Heavy Metals: (Ag, Al, As, Ba, Be, Cd, Co, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Sn), package

Food microbiology

Total viable count TVC 30°C / 55°C
Yeasts and moulds
E.coli/Total Coliform Counts
Bacillus cereus
Alicyclobacillus
Clostridium perfringens
Enterobacteriaceae
Anaerobic Spore Former Count
Thermophilic Aerobic Spore Former Count
Thermophilic Anaerobic Spore Former Count
Swab Sampling and Analysis
Enterococci
Faecal Streptococci
Listeria spp
Salmonella
Staphylococcus aureus
Sulphite reducing clostridia
Listeria monocytogenes
Vibrio cholerae
Shigella
Lactic Acid Bacteria Count
Lactobacillus species Count

Food Quality

Shelf-Life Studies

Shelf life is an important property of food products that provides a scientific basis for the setting of their minimum durability indication.

Specific Tests for Shelf Life Studies:

Sterility and Sanitation Audits

Sterility audit is an integral part of GMP and HACCP and is routinely carried out to maintain a required level of sanitary conditions and sterile environment in a manufacturing facility or plant. Evaluation of microbial contamination of equipment, indoor air, critical areas, counter tops and working surfaces in the plant is essential to ensure standard quality and safety of both raw ingredients and finished food products.

Specific Tests for Sterility and Sanitation Audits

Environmental and Hygiene Monitoring

Environmental and Hygiene monitoring includes swabbing of staff hands, equipment, drains, air etc. can measure the efficacy of cleaning and disinfection programs currently implemented by your company.

Our Hygiene Service includes:

Enumeration of E. coli: Swabs
Enumeration of Total Viable bacteria : Swabs
Enumeration of faecal coliforms: Swabs
Detection of Staphylococcus aureus : Swabs
Detection of Listeria monocytogenes : Swabs
Enumeration of Enterobacteriaceae : Swabs
Detection of Salmonella : Swabs
Air settlement plates: Total aerobic count
Air settlement plates: Yeast and Mould count

Issues with Food Safety, Nutrition and Quality?

About Us

We are a full service analytical testing laboratory located in Nairobi that serves Water, Food and Beverages, Feed, Environmental, Agriculture and Geotechnical sectors