Testing of Food and Drink

Testing of food and drink products is vital for the food industry. It is used at every stage of the process of preparing consumables for the market, from sourcing raw materials to packaging processes and point of sale storage. Reasons why this is done include ensuring food is fit for human and/ or animal consumption and not contaminated with health-threatening bacteria; and compliance with regulatory demands. Food analysis is carried out through a wide variety of recognised testing methods. These might include determining the physical properties of foods; identifying contaminants of a chemical, microbiological or physical nature; assuring food authenticity of products or raw materials; and establishing nutritional value for food labelling. Food and drink testing might cover areas as diverse as establishing shelf life and detecting genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Testing of drink and food products allows all parties, from producers to processors, manufacturers, distributors and consumers, to know that the products they consume are safe and comply with quality standards nationally and internationally.