Nutrition Analysis Services

Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins

Amino acids are a vital part of diets for both humans and animals. Several of the amino acids (histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine) can not be produced by the human body and are therefore considered “essential”. A lack of any of the essential amino acids in the diet can lead to poor health and death. In addition, what constitutes essential amino acids can vary. For example, cats cannot synthesize taurine, and lack of taurine causes eye problems, hair loss, and tooth decay. For that reason, amino acid testing is important to determine the quality of protein in food, pet food, and animal feeds.

Eurofins laboratories are leaders in amino acid analysis offering a variety of methods that can quickly and accurately quantify the amino acids present in almost any sample. We have established methods in testing for free amino acids as well as the bound molecules in peptide form.

Our technical expertise and market knowledge allow our clients to verify compliance with the latest regulations in each country and market, both for raw materials and finished goods.

Amino Acid Profile

*Only the free amino acid can be quantified

Antinutrients in food or feeds prevent the complete absorption of certain nutrients. Many antinutrients are naturally occurring, but usually get destroyed or deactivated during cooking or fermentation.

Common antinutrients tested:

Tannins/Phytates – Tannins bind to proteins and other inorganic molecules and make them less accessible to digestion. Phytates chelate metal ions (iron, calcium, copper, magnesium, and zinc) making them unavailable for nutritive purposes. 

Trypsin Inhibitor – This family of chemicals lowers the ability of trypsin to convert protein to amino acids.

Lectins – Lectins bind to certain carbohydrates with high affinity and may cause allergic reactions.

Glucosinolates – Glucosinolates prevent iodine from being absorbed and may have a negative effect on thyroid activity.

Isoflavones – Isoflavones are phytoestrogens that may affect humans or other animals.

Saponins – Saponins may inhibit certain digestive enzymes and cause undesired reactions, such as inflammation.

Gossypol – Gossypol is a phenol derivative that inhibits a variety of enzymes, causes low potassium levels, and also has contraceptive properties. Gossypol also binds to proteins in feed, therefore reducing its nutritional availability.

The carbohydrate family includes a variety of chemicals. Structurally, carbohydrates can be categorized into monosaccharides, disaccharides, oligosaccharides, and polysaccharides. Dietary fiber, another critical dietary component, also consists of certain oligosaccharides and polysaccharides, which are not digested in the human small intestine by endogenous enzymes. Expert scientists at Eurofins laboratories are experienced in carbohydrate analysis and determining appropriate methods for testing your products.

Carbohydrate Testing Services:

Monosaccharides: The simplest sugars, such as glucose, galactose, and fructose. They provide a sweet taste in foods and are readily converted to energy via quick absorption into the bloodstream.

Disaccharides: Two molecules of monosaccharides undergo condensation to form various disaccharides. The most common ones are sucrose (Glucose-Fructose), maltose (Glucose-Glucose), and lactose (Galactose-Glucose). Similar to monosaccharides, most of them can be readily utilized to provide energy after specific endogenous enzymes convert them to their corresponding monosaccharides.

Oligosaccharides: Made up of three to approximately ten monomeric saccharide units. Examples include raffinose (Galactose-Glucose-Fructose) and stachyose (Galactose-Galactose-Glucose-Fructose). More complex oligosaccharides include fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and galactooligosaccharides (GOS). Codex Alimentarius Commission defines non-digestible oligosaccharides as a part of dietary fiber. 

Polysaccharides: Long chains of monosaccharides (usually >>10). This category includes starch (consisting of amylose and amylopectin), xylan, mannan, cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, and chitin.

Allulose (aka D-psicose): Is a rare monosaccharide sugar. It is naturally present from some plant sources at very low concentrations. More recently through enzymatic technologies, Allulose is being produced at large scale and utilized in many foods as a means to reduce calories and replace traditional sugars. Allulose is a Sugar by scientific definition. However, it is not metabolized like common sugars (sucrose, fructose, glucose, etc), it does not have the same glycemic response, it has far fewer calories and does not promote dental cavities like other sugars. Therefore FDA is exercising enforcement discretion to exclude Allulose from declarations of both Total Sugars and Added Sugars. The FDA rules are only for the US; inquire locally about other allowances.   

Eurofins network of laboratories is the world-leader in trace elemental analysis for nutritional and compositional testing with a comprehensive portfolio of methods dedicated to the detection of trace minerals. We can perform the elemental analysis required for nutritional labeling. 

Our commitment is to produce quality results fast. We possess the technical expertise and market knowledge in various industries to allow our clients to verify compliance with the latest regulations in each country and market, both for raw materials and finished goods. We employ the latest analytical technologies that provide the robustness and sensitivity needed for low-level detection of trace minerals and elements. The techniques include Atomic Absorption, ICP-OES/ICP-AES, ICP-MS, as well as traditional titrimetric and gravimetric methods.

Below is a summary of some of the elemental analytes we determine for nutritional and compositional testing. Other analytes, including contaminants and heavy metals, are available as well.

Enzymes can be a beneficial additive to animal feeds and human dietary supplements. Their use as digestive aids and metabolic catalysts is becoming increasingly more common in a variety of applications. 

Enzymes are relatively sensitive to environmental and manufacturing processes, including temperature, moisture, and interactions with other ingredients. It is important to verify the actual enzyme activity in the final product, rather than relying on the formulated concentration. As functional bioactive molecules, enzymes may experience degradation or loss of activity during their storage. Therefore, the appropriate analytical method should be used. It is also a special characteristic of enzymes that their optimal working conditions (e.g. pH, temperature, metals, cofactors, and specific substrates) vary depending on the source and type of enzyme. In order to enable our laboratory to perform the appropriate assay, please provide us with information about the type and source (or manufacturer) of the enzyme when possible.

Eurofins network of laboratories offers testing services for a variety of enzymes, including phytase, xylanase, amylase, protease, and mammalian protein.

In the feed industry, several enzymes are commonly used.

• Phytase is used to improve phosphorus availability in plant-based feed materials and other ingredients. First introduced in the late 1980s, the benefits of phytase use include reduction of added inorganic phosphorus and minimizing the anti-nutrient effect of phytate that is present in feeds.
• Xylanase is added to feeds to assist in the breakdown of arabinoxylans in dietary fiber, a pervasive anti-nutrient in plant-based feedstuffs.
• Amylase is the enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of starch into sugar.
• Proteases are utilized to break down proteins, both simple and complex, making the energy from these proteins easier to digest.

We offer the following enzyme assays:

• Pancreatin amylase and protease activity measurements using USP methods
• Commercial phytase using methods publicized by ISO or AOAC. These assays can be conducted on enzyme concentrates, premixes, or finished feeds.
• Xylanase using published methods by Megazyme.
• Mammalian protein qualification via a FeedCheck Kit.

Our team of scientists has the proficiency in setting up proprietary assays from client-supplied methods or published peer-reviewed methods.

Testing for fats, oils, and lipids comes in two major categories: rancidity, and physical characteristics.

Rancidity Testing

Rancidity testing determines the level of oxidation in a sample. When a lipid goes rancid, its value as a foodstuff is compromised, as the lipid will develop a foul or stale flavor. Proper rancidity testing is essential in determining not only the quality of the current product but the shelf life of the product as well.

• Peroxide Value (PV) testing determines the amount of oxidation in a lipid sample. Peroxides are the first indicator that a lipid is oxidizing.
• Anisidine Value (p-AV) testing determines the number of aldehydes in a lipid sample. This test is often paired with the PV, as aldehydes are the secondary indicator of lipid oxidization.
• TOTOX is a calculation including both PV and p-AV values.
• TBA Rancidity (TBAR) testing also measures aldehydes created during the oxidation of lipids.
• Free Fatty Acids (FFA) testing determines the number of fatty acids that are liberated from their triglyceride structure. This reaction causes a lipid to become slightly acidic.
• Oil Stability Index (OSI) and Active Oxygen Method (AOM) testing subject the lipid to adverse conditions to determine how resistant a lipid is to oxidation.

Tests for Physical Characteristics

In addition, Eurofins network of laboratories offers a battery of tests to determine the physical characteristics of a fat, oil, or lipid sample. 

• Moisture
• Insoluble Impurities
• Unsaponifiable Matter
• Titer
• Neutral Oil Loss
• Smoke Point
• Flash Point
• Color (by Wesson, FAC or Lovibond scale)
• Capillary Melting Point

Our ISO 17025:2005 accredited laboratories offer a comprehensive suite of testing for both lipid characteristics and quality. Our laboratory staff includes American Oil Chemist Society (AOCS) Approved Chemists.

Fatty acid testing is an essential component of nutritional testing.

Omega fatty acids have been linked to some of the most exciting new nutritional research in the industry.  Proper quantification of fatty acids provides an unbeatable edge in marketing your products by identifying and emphasizing specific beneficial fatty acids. Eurofins network of laboratories is a world leader in the analysis of fatty acids. In addition, we are proud our teams of scientists include American Oil Chemist Society (AOCS) Approved Chemists.

Our ISO accredited laboratories offer a full suite of testing options for your products including:

• Nutritional Label testing for Saturated Fat, Mono and Polyunsaturated Fats, Trans Fats, and Total Fat for food product labels.
• Linoleic and Arachidonic Acid (ARA) testing in pet food diets.
• Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) in meat and dairy products.
• Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acid testing, with an emphasis on EicosaPentaenoic Acid (EPA), DocosaHexaenoic Acid (DHA), Alpha Linolenic Acid (ALA), Gamma Linolenic Acid (GLA), and Stearidonic Acid (SDA) both in food products and nutraceutical products.

Preservatives are added to foods to increase shelf life, but some preservatives can be harmful in excessive amounts. Various countries and markets have regulations limiting the amounts that can be added to food.  Eurofins has the technical expertise necessary to solve all of your preservatives testing problems. Eurofins network of laboratories can provide fast, accurate testing of preservatives/antioxidants using the most up-to-date methods.

Antioxidants – Antioxidants inhibit the oxidative degradation of food by reacting with free oxygen and reactive oxygen species. Tocopherols and Polyphenols are commonly found in food as natural antioxidants.  Added antioxidants include BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole), BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene), PG (Propyl gallate), and TBHQ (tert-butylhydroquinone).

Ethoxyquin – A quinoline antioxidant that can slow the rancidification of fat. Ethoxyquin is a suspected carcinogen in humans and pets. Ethoxyquin use is not approved in Australia or the European Union.

Sorbate – Sorbic acid and its salts are antimicrobial agents added to food and drink to prevent spoilage.

Benzoate  – Benzoic acid and its salts are antifungal preservatives added to food. There is concern that benzoate in food can lead to the formation of benzene, so benzoate content in foods is usually limited.

EDTA – EDTA reduces the reactivity of metal ions in solution. It can prevent the catalytic degradation of food caused by those ions.

Salt – High concentrations of NaCl or other salts inhibit microbial growth. Salting foods to prevent spoiling has been done for thousands of years.

Sulfite – Sulfites act to prevent oxidative degradation as well as microbial spoilage. Some foods, such as seafood and wine contain sulfites. The US FDA has banned the use of sulfites on foods that are eaten fresh.

Let us use our technical expertise and market knowledge to verify your compliance with the latest regulations in each country and market, both for raw materials and finished goods.

Moisture, Protein, Fat, Fiber, and Ash are commonly referred to as Proximates since their sum totals approximately 100% of many feedstuffs. Missing from this approximation are several carbohydrates and other minor components.

Timeliness remains a factor for providing proximate analysis to our customers. We offer quick turnaround time for proximate testing and same day analysis can be arranged for a surcharge. Eurofins network of laboratories can highlight the benefit of your products by running proximate assays by accredited methods following AOAC, AOCS, AACC, USDA, and USP.

Eurofins Nutrition Analysis Center of Eurofins Scientific, Inc. is a referee laboratory for soybean analysis under NOPA's referee program.

Proximate Testing offered:

• Moisture
• Protein
• Fat
• Ash
• Fiber

The shelf life of a product must be backed by reputable data in order to meet the requirements of government regulatory agencies and retail partners. Eurofins' network of laboratories delivers the highest levels of analytical quality and service, coupled with years of experience in shelf life determinations across a variety of product types, to deliver results you can trust.

Learn more about stability testing with Eurofins.

Vitamins are essential nutrients for the normal growth, development, and maintenance of cells, tissues, and organs. Vitamins are classified as either water-soluble or fat-soluble. For humans, there are 13 vitamins: 4 fat-soluble (A, D, E, and K) and 9 water-soluble (8 B vitamins and vitamin C). These nutrients are typically obtained through the consumption of food or dietary supplements, which are subject to vitamin testing in order to meet specific labeling requirements.

Eurofins network of laboratories provides vitamin testing on a variety of matrices. The lab will run the appropriate method depending on the expected level provided, which includes quantification by SFE-SFC, UPLC, HPLC, GC, microbial, or fluorometric based methodologies.

Relevant products:

• Variety of foods
• Pet food and Feed
• Dietary Supplements
• Premixes
• Oils