Food Analysis
With over 30 years’ experience Premier Analytical Services is one of the leading food analysis laboratories in Europe.
Food Analysis
At PAS our primary business focus is to help develop and protect the integrity of the brands and products of our customers. We do this by providing comprehensive scientific support, high quality analytical testing, unrivalled technical expertise and consultancy. Our expertise in many specialist areas has been recognised by all sectors of the Food Industry. Demand for our food analysis services has grown rapidly from organisations outside our parent company and for our services in other specialist areas.
Food Analysis Services
Food Composition
Knowing what’s in our food is a legal obligation that not only must all manufacturers and producers must comply with, but is of paramount importance to consumers. Our world-class teams can help you to navigate the waters of mandatory testing and testing to enable support of claims or investigative services in the field of food composition. In a similar way, investigative testing can be used to explore product texture, effects caused by changes to the manufacturing process and the impact of flavours. Most importantly we can advise how this might affect your finished product.
Consumers are interested in what they eat and they require information that is accurate and easy to understand. It is advisable in all circumstances, and a legal requirement in some instances for food manufacturers to exploit the “on pack” opportunity to inform the consumer. Premier Analytical’s Comprehensive Nutrition Service ensures that the “on pack” information for your consumer is accurate. Premier Analytical Services is one of the leading food testing centres in Europe and can supply you with a service that is designed to provide support in this area, delivering the highest value offering and advice within the scope of UKAS accredited analyses. Fast, reliable results and interpretation.
Risk Assessment & Consultation
Food safety and authenticity management requires an understanding of the risks associated with the product from raw materials, processing and packaging throughout the entire supply chain.
At PAS we have a broad spectrum of expertise, specific knowledge and the necessary tools to assist our clients with the assessment of risks. We will support you in designing and validating suitable action plans as part of your risk management strategies (HACCP and VACCP).
Our scientific expertise has enabled us to develop a framework to enable risk assessment covering food safety of raw materials, authenticity, legality and quality issues. This forms an important reference point, in conjunction with our knowledge of processing, when conducting risk assessments.
Effective risk assessment should be utilised proactively at the design and implementation stages of all new products and processes; or when considering the risk impact and appropriate actions that need to be taken when dealing with the supply chain. PAS has the ability to support in both instances.
Food Saftey
The Food Safety service offered by Premier Analytical Services is one of the most extensive in the UK. We offer exemplary quality at competitive prices. Premier Analytical Services is able to offer customised packages for our clients, providing the appropriate degree of assurance. Our service includes more than just testing; we offer advice on sampling, due diligence requirements, legislation updates and interpretation.
Food Authenticity
PAS has over 30 years’ experience in validating the authenticity of foods and raw materials and is at the forefront of specialist analysis. PAS is continuously developing its own unique and highly sophisticated techniques to prove the authenticity of foods and ingredients. With food fraud at its most heightened the pressure is on producers and manufactures to be able to confidently prove authenticity. PAS can offer a range of testing and support of this including the latest innovation in analysis – Next Generation Sequencing.
Our on-going research programme Premier Analytical Services offers a range of diagnostic PCR tests that can detect the adulteration of meat based ingredients and meat products with undeclared or cheaper meats. DNA is extracted from the sample and subjected to intensive purification prior to ‘real-time’ PCR to detect the major meat species (beef, lamb, pork, chicken, turkey and horse) that may be present. The financial aspect of fraudulent activity is clear, as is the need to maintain reputation and quality by both manufacturer and retailer. Surveillance to detect contamination in meat products serves to reassure all parties including consumers. This is particularly true of ethnic groups whose religious beliefs forbid the consumption of particular species and who require assurance that they are purchasing food that conforms to their beliefs.
Latest News
Detection of Meat in Vegetarian Foods
Scientists at RHM Technology have carried out research on behalf of the Food Standards Agency to help ensure that the meat-free food eaten by vegetarians and people from certain ethnic groups is not contaminated by meat. Our DNA based technique, verified by the...
Aflatoxin Mycotoxins in Nuts and Nut Products
Aflatoxins (B1, B2, G1 and G2) are highly toxic mycotoxins that can occur naturally in certain food crops including nuts (e.g. Brazil, peanut, pistachios, almonds). Due to concerns about their toxicity regulatory limits are in place, a recent Food Standards Agency...
An amendment to the Labeling Directive
An amendment to the Labeling Directive (2003/89/EC) requires the mandatory inclusion on food labels of the following allergenic ingredients and their derivatives: cereals containing gluten, fish, crustaceans, egg, peanut, milk and dairy products (including lactose),...