Food allergies and intolerances are a major public health concern for affected consumers, manufacturers and public health authorities. Although they affect only a small portion of our population, the health implications can be serious and immediate. This is the reason why EFSA and FDA require food products with allergenic ingredients to be labeled.

The presence of undeclared allergens in food is a leading cause of product recalls and withdrawals of food from the market.

Food Allergen Testing Services

To help manufacturers verify control programs and meet customer and regulatory requirements, our company provides qualitative and/or quantitative testing services for all food matrices, process samples, product samples, raw materials and finished products utilizing a range of technologies including PCR ELISA and LC-MS/MS technology.

Some of the most common allergens are milk, eggs, soybeans, fish, peanuts, nuts, shellfish/crustaceans and gluten. Our experts offer experience and insight into the global and regional regulations concerning all allergens in food products.

Allergens (from Annex II of EC 1169/2011)

1、Cereals containing gluten

Oat, Barley, Rye, Spelt, Kamut, Wheat
Gluten-gliadin

2、Crustaceans
3、Eggs

Lyzozyme (Sausage, cheese & wine)

4、Fish
5、Peanuts
6、Soybeans
7、Milk

Milk sugar / Lactose
Casein and/or Betalactoglobulin

8、Nuts

Walnut, Cashew Nut, Pistachio, Pinenut
Almond, Hazelnut

9、Celery
10、Mustard
11、Sesame
12、Sulphur dioxide (SO₂) and sulphites
13、Lupin
14、Molluscs

Analytical testing is essential in monitoring, verifying, and validating your food safety and quality programs. Validation of processes like cleaning and product changeover procedures should include environmental samples (e.g. rinsing water, swab), as well as product testing. Swabs can be used to monitor the presence of allergens on product contact surfaces within the production plant.

Advanced allergen control programs

In recent years, food manufacturers have taken action to manage allergen risk, most notably through hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP), a system of detection, assessment, and management of hazards involving food safety.

This system requires the setup of accurate and systematic management of raw materials, flows, and other factors. It requires the involvement of company personnel as well as the implementation of auditing, process validation, and monitoring plans.

Testing is just one vital component of minimizing allergen risks. Through audits and training programs for employees, we can help you to develop a control plan for allergen risk management.