Food analysis at WESSLING
The efficient and reliable analysis of WESSLING supports food manufacturers and suppliers of raw materials in complying with legal requirements and ensures the highest standards in the field of food safety.
The long-term market success of food and the associated product brands depends to a large extent on their quality and safety, because consumers perceive and remember the quality or quality flaws of food in a very sensitive way.
We protect your brand for you as a food manufacturer or retailer and support you in meeting legal requirements by testing the quality and safety of your products in our accredited* laboratories. Therefore we provide all methods of modern food analysis: from chemical-physical analysis to sensory tests to microbiological and molecular biological analyses and the identification of foreign bodies. Our competent experts will advise you comprehensively in the planning of sampling and analysis.
*Testing laboratory accredited by DAkkS according to DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018. The accreditation only applies to the scope of accreditation listed in the certificate attachment [D-PL-14162-01-00].
Food analysis: the services of WESSLING in detail
Food analysis: the services of WESSLING in detail
Chemical-physical analysis
Chemical-physical analysis
Through reliable, independent food analysis, our experts at WESSLING create the basis for a safe evaluation of your food.
Our state-of-the-art laboratory equipment and efficient processes ensure the our customers receive reliable, on-schedule results of chemical-physical tests of their food.
Our range of services:
- Nutritional analysis
- Value-determining components and secondary plant substances
- Additives
- Authenticity verfication, food fraud detection
- Undesirable ingredients
- Key figures
- Histological tests
- Identification of foreign bodies
Food analysis: the services of WESSLING in detail
Residues and contaminants
Residues and contaminants
The reliable detection of residues and contaminants in food places the highest demands on laboratory analysis. Thanks to our state-of-the-art equipment, WESSLING experts examine raw materials and products using multi or individual methods.
We provide a comprehensive service from sampling and analysis to expert evaluation of the results.
Should residues or contaminants be detected in your food sample, we will be happy to support you through our many years of experience in detecting the cause.
Our range of services:
- Pesticides
- Dioxins and polycyclic biphenyls (dl-PCB, ndl-PCB)
- Mycotoxins
- Chlorate, perchlorate
- Heavy metals
- Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
- Pharmacologically active substances (human and veterinary medicines)
- Quaternary ammonium compounds (QAV (DDAC, BAC))
- Phthalates
- Mineral oil components (MOSH/MOAH)
- Process contaminants
- Acrylamide
- 2-MCPD, 3-MCPD and Glycidyl ester
Food analysis: the services of WESSLING in detail
Crop protection
Crop protection analysis - analysing pesticides in food
In order to find residues of pesticides, as from crop protection, in our food, WESSLING carries out regular tests and inspections for Germany's largest food manufacturers, suppliers of raw materials and traders.
The analysis and evaluation of pesticides in food places high demands on expertise and technology. With our extremely efficient laboratory equipment and highly qualified employees, we achieve the highest quality in analysis. Our experienced experts advise food producers, raw material suppliers and retailers on all questions of the analysis spectrum and professional sampling. They evaluate the results and check the conformity of raw materials and products with legal requirements and trade standards in accordance with the EU Pesticide Maximum Quantity Regulation 396/2005 and the Maximum Residue Quantity Ordinance.
Crop protection analysis for food manufacturers and suppliers of raw materials
The basis of our food testing is a continuously updated list of relevant pesticides: our pesticide screening comprises about 600 important active ingredients and metabolites. Multi-methods are supplemented by numerous individual methods for active ingredients, so that our experts also cover challenging matrices and adapt to the individual needs of food production and trade.
We would be pleased to send you the current list of active substances analysed by us. Please contact us.
Our service range includes
- GC and LC screening for more than 550 active ingredients according to the established ASU procedures (L 00.00-34 (S19), L 00.00-113, L00.00-115 (QuEChERS))
- Chlorate/perchlorate
- Chlormequat/Mepiquat
- Inorganic total bromide
- Ethephon
- Dithiocarbamates, thiuram sulfides
- Dodin
- Dithianone
- Glyphosate/AMPA/Glufosinate
- Fosetyl aluminum
- Phenoxyalkanoic acidsn
- PCB (polychlorinated biphenyls)
- Quaternary ammonium compounds BAC/DDAC
- Toxaphene
- Pesticides according to Ph. Eur. (analysis for pesticides according to European Pharmacopoeia)
Our accreditations* and authorisations
- Authorised laboratory for residue monitoring in fruit and vegetables and for feed monitoring at the QS Qualität und Sicherheit GmbH
- Authorised laboratory fruit monitoring (HDE)
- Authorised laboratory 4fresh (soon: Fresh.Point) (Deutscher Fruchthandelsverband – DFHV)
- Approved for the analysis of official counter samples according to §43 LFGB
Our accreditation* ensures that our results are recognized worldwide.
* Testing laboratory accredited by DAkkS according to DIN EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018. The accreditation only applies to the scope of accreditation listed in the certificate attachment [D-PL-14162-01-00].
Food analysis: the services of WESSLING in detail
Sensory tests
Sensory tests
The quality of a food and its consistent sensory profile play a decisive role in the consumer's purchasing habits and acceptance of a product.
This is supported by the sensory tests of the WESSLING experts in our in-house laboratory. They can provide decisive factors in the development of new products, in the optimisation of products, ingredients, processes and costs, as well as in quality assurance, and are therefore part of the comprehensive analytical spectrum of food. WESSLING has a regularly trained test panel, a sensory kitchen as well as a test room with single cabins according to DIN 85,89, ASU L 00.00-90/2.
Our range of services:
- Descriptive tests
- Suitability tests for human consumption
- Difference test
- Triangle test
- Popularity test
- Training courses at WESSLING Academy, also in-house
Food analysis: the services of WESSLING in detail
Molecular biological analysis
Molecular biological analysis
In order to achieve the shortest possible testing times for our customers, WESSLING Laboratories use modern protein and nucleic acid analysis methods such as PCR, DNA sequencing and immunoenzymatic investigations (ELISA).
Our range of services:
- Animal species determination
- Genetically modified organisms (GMO)
- Allergens
- Bacteriotoxins
- Molecular Sexing and Species Identification in Meat
Food analysis: the services of WESSLING in detail
Microbiological analysis
Microbiological analysis
One of the most important criteria for the marketability of a food product is that it is microbiologically safe. The WESSLING Group has very efficient microbiological laboratories for food testing.
The new laboratory for microbiological food analysis at the Altenberge location, with its state-of-the-art equipment, is divided into 1,800 square metres of laboratory space. This is in accordance with Bioactive Substance Ordinance 2 and 3, and our one-way street principle, whereby all samples pass through our microbiological laboratory, ensures clean analysis by reducing the risk of contamination.
Our range of services also includes testing probiotic products for their content of specific microorganisms and the identification of microorganisms.
Our range of services:
- Cultural procedures
- Rapid methods
- Spoilage organisms
- Hygiene indicators
- Identification of microorganisms
- Pathogenic microorganisms
- Studies for minimum shelf life
Food analysis: the services of WESSLING in detail
Identification of foreign bodies
Identification of foreign bodies
Physical solids which are not part of the recipe and can be sensory detected are named as foreign bodies in food.
Foreign bodies include metal parts, wood or glass splinters, pieces of textile, hair, plastic particles, cigarette butts, tablets, paint particles, insect and other animal fragments. They can be contained in raw materials due to harvesting, but can also be introduced into food during the further production process, storage or transport. In addition, entry into food can occur during its preparation or while in the supermarket.
Depending on their nature, foreign objects can pose a physical hazard and are generally undesirable in food. The type and origin of a foreign body is not always immediately apparent.
In order to obtain further information, identify or exclude sources, an assessment using laboratory analysis is helpful.
Our range of services:
- Documentation of dimensions
- Photographic documentation of buildup or striking deformations
- Visual inspection for a rough classification of the material
- Light microscopic examination of biological materials and powdery foreign bodies to identify amorphous or crystalline structures
- FT-IR spectroscopy for a non-destructive examination of plastics, e.g. foils, or hard plastic particles
- ATR technology to identify the type of polymer and additives, e.g. plasticisers for homogeneous materials
- EDX to identify glass particles, metallic or mineral foreign bodies or other predominantly inorganic particles, identification of elements from atomic number 5 (boron), quantification from atomic number 11 (sodium)
- SEM images for further information on the microstructure of a foreign body
- X-ray fluorescence analysis (XRF) or mass spectrometry with inductively coupled plasma (ICP-MS) to examine element composition
- Molecular biological analysis of animal or plant fragments, either via species-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) or via PCR-RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism)
Your contact
- André Schmitz
- +49 2505 89-673
- andre.schmitz@wessling.de
Identification of foreign bodies - learn more!
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Your contact for food analysis
- Christina Witt
- +49 2505 89-633
- food@wessling.de
„Our highly specialised laboratory experts provide you with reliable, independent food analyses. Together with our customers we create the conditions ensuring that your food is safe, healthy and genuine - and thus successful in the market.“
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