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Food and beverage testing lab equipment is used to evaluate the quality and integrity of solid and liquid food samples. Food safety is a key topic of concern among consumers and the future of food safety starts with testing in the laboratory or on the field. Although food testing is critical for food safety, food testing is also applicable to standard quality control.

What Are Some Applications Of Food Testing?

Some of the key applications that food testing analyzers are used for are:

  • Food chemistry analysis, such as moisture, fat, protein, pH, salt, minerals, sugar, contaminants, and more.
  • Food microbiology analysis, such as Lactobacillus, Salmonella, Pseudomonas, Listeria, E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, yeast, mold, and more.
  • Food nutrition analysis
  • Food allergen analysis, such as peanut, egg, soy, and other allergens.
  • Natural food toxin analysis, such as histamine and fumosin.
  • Food shelf-life studies
  • Food quality control determination, such as GMO analysis, wheat adulteration, etc.

A Range of Instrumentation:

There is a range of possible instruments and systems used for food testing. Central to food testing analysis are spectrometers, alcohol analyzers, refractometers, titrators, moisture analyzers, and other standard lab equipment. Specialized analyzers and meters are also available per specific methods and applications, while others can be used for various food analysis requirements.

What Are Some Key Specifications For Purchasing Food and Beverage Testing Equipment?

The two biggest factors that will drive your decisions will be what the equipment will be used for and regulatory compliance. However other key considerations include portability in an effort to perform food testing in the field, sensitivity to detect trace levels down to parts per trillion (ppt), and analysis time.

Where Can You Find Resources For Food Testing Compliance?

  • FDA/BAM: U.S. Food and Drug Administration/Bacteriological Analytical Manual
  • USDA: U.S. Department of Agriculture
  • FSIS: Food Safety and Inspection Service
  • ISO: International Organization for Standardization
  • USP: United States Pharmacopeial Convention
  • AOAC: Association of Official Agricultural Chemists
  • CMMEF: American Public Health Association’s Compendium of Methods for the Microbiological Examination of Food

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