Chemical
Analyses

The Tentamus Group labo­ra­tory network covers the following services and contract analysis:

• Labeling tests to ensure compli­ance with all applic­able regu­la­tions and guide­lines such as the FIC (Food Infor­ma­tion Regu­la­tion). The require­ments for the labeling of food, food supple­ments or cosmetics have increased consid­er­ably in recent years. Consumers are increas­ingly inter­ested in contained fragrances, trace­ability, food origin or animal welfare in the produc­tion of the prod­ucts. Compre­hen­sive labeling tests help to give consumers trans­parency about the product, thus protecting product recalls and preserving brand reputation.
• Weender feed analysis, which detects macronu­tri­ents in a food product. In this analysis, poly­mers such as mois­ture, ash, crude protein, crude fat and crude fiber are measured through chem­ical reac­tions and exper­i­ments. Carbo­hy­drates are then deter­mined using the same analysis, based on a calcu­la­tion using the five other nutri­ents mentioned above.
• Complete nutri­tional analyses in which ingre­di­ents rele­vant to food labeling are identified.
• Veri­fi­ca­tion of the general marketability of your prod­ucts from the consumer’s point of view. Pack­aging, possible damage and product quality are assessed from an objec­tive point of view, and feed­back is offered for improvement.
• Quan­ti­ta­tive Ingre­dient Decla­ra­tion (QUID) testing of the value-deter­mining portions in your product: these are ingre­di­ents that are named in the product name and there­fore must be declared quan­ti­ta­tively in the ingre­dient list.
• Product-specific testing is performed by the Tentamus Group on a variety of food, feed, cosmetic and phar­ma­ceu­tical prod­ucts. Common exam­ples are meat prod­ucts, oils, dairy prod­ucts, skin care prod­ucts, dental and oral care, medi­cines, etc.

Analysis of edible fats, oils, oilseeds, nuts and their mixtures

Edible fats, edible oils, oilseeds, nuts and mixtures made from them are prod­ucts with high fat content. The fat they contain is often nutri­tion­ally valu­able. This and the char­ac­ter­istic taste, espe­cially of virgin oils, explain the high popu­larity of these prod­ucts among consumers. As a carrier of flavor, fat is crucial to the quality of these prod­ucts and there­fore plays the main role in quality control. The fat content can be used to deter­mine the authen­ticity and fresh­ness of an oil.

Chem­ical analysis of meat products

Similar to oils, meat is commonly subjected to physio-chem­ical tests to ensure that the meat sold is of high quality and to ensure compli­ance with the strict regu­la­tions that govern the meat industry.

Veri­fi­ca­tion of nutri­tional values for all products

Special atten­tion is paid to prod­ucts with strict labeling require­ments, such as dietary supple­ments. Nutri­tional analysis is performed using the following methods:

1. Fat is measured by nuclear magnetic reso­nance. In this method, a food sample is shot with high-frequency pulses, causing its protons to flip. After the radiofre­quency stops, fat signals can be picked up because the magnetic waves of fat are slowed down compared to the other nutrients.
2. Protein is calcu­lated using the Kjel­dahl method. The Kjel­dahl method captures the nitrogen content of a food, and almost all nitrogen content in foods is protein.
3. The carbo­hy­drates in a food are deter­mined, for example, by the Bene­dict test. This uses a solu­tion that changes color depending on the amount and type of carbo­hy­drate found in the sample.
4. Other methods are used to detect, for example, vitamin D (liquid chro­matog­raphy-mass spec­trom­etry) or vitamin A (colorimetry with animon trichloride).

The product is labeled as a result of the analysis and made marketable. Atten­tion is paid to the country of marketing, as different regu­la­tions apply to different indus­tries. According to EU law, the product must be labeled as follows:

• Name infor­ma­tion that objec­tively defines the content of the food
• Exact list of ingre­di­ents, which contains the 14 allergens
• The product quan­tity must be indi­cated in units or the weight in grams or kg. For liquids, it must be indi­cated in ML or liters
• For pack­aged foods, a best before date must be provided
• Include the company name and address of the manu­fac­turer in case the consumer has questions
• Indi­cate the batch number from which the batch of goods orig­i­nated. This will help iden­tify where the product was manu­fac­tured, produced and packaged
• Nutri­tion labeling is mentioned in a table that indi­cates the caloric value of the food and the amount of at least carbo­hy­drates, protein and fat per 100 g or 100 ml

For more infor­ma­tion on labeling, see the following blog posts:

Imple­men­ta­tion of FIC

With the FIC, the previ­ously volun­tary deci­sion to declare nutri­tional values has become manda­tory as of December 13, 2014. We offer support in the imple­men­ta­tion of this regu­la­tion, whereby the following 6 units must be declared in addi­tion to the calorific value:

• Total fat
• Satu­rated fatty acids
• Carbo­hy­drates
• Sugar
• Protein
• Salt

Nutri­tional analyses performed by Tentamus Group laboratories

• Big 4: The Big 4 consist of the main nutri­ents found in a food – calo­ries, fat, protein and carbohydrates.
• Big 7: The Big 7 extrap­o­lates to the Big 4, which includes carbo­hy­drates, fats, fiber, minerals, proteins, vita­mins and water.
• Big 8: The Big 8 also extrap­o­lates to the Big 4. It includes energy, protein, carbo­hy­drates, fats, sugars, satu­rated fats, fiber, and sodium and salt.
• Fats: There are a variety of fats. The most impor­tant are satu­rated fats, which are solid at room temper­a­ture, and unsat­u­rated fats, which are liquid at room temper­a­ture. These fats are measured by analyt­ical methods based on gas chro­matog­raphy and mass spectrometry.
• Fatty acid spec­trum: The fatty acid spec­trum indi­cates which types of fat make up the fat content of a product. The fat content of a product is divided into satu­rated fatty acids, monoun­sat­u­rated fatty acids and polyun­sat­u­rated fatty acids. For example, the fatty acid profile of avocado oil would contain 76% monoun­sat­u­rated, 12% polyun­sat­u­rated and 12% satu­rated fatty acids.
• Protein: The protein content of a food deter­mines the amount of amino acids in the food. They are tested by the Kjel­dahl method, which quan­ti­fies the amount of nitrogen contained in a substance. Since most of the nitrogen in proteins is food, this gives the tester an accu­rate indi­ca­tion of the protein content.
• Sugar: Benedict’s solu­tion is used to test for simple sugars (e.g., glucose-fruc­tose and galac­tose). This solu­tion is clear blue in its natural state and changes color rela­tive to the amount of sugar to which it is exposed.
• Dietary Fiber: To test for dietary fiber, the food sample is tested using an enzy­matic gravi­metric method that mimics and simu­lates the diges­tive process of the human small intes­tine. The sum of insol­uble and soluble dietary fiber
  mineral and vitamin contents are deter­mined, as are trace elements of foreign substances such as heavy metals and allergens.

The marketability of the prod­ucts is deter­mined within the frame­work of the above-mentioned proce­dures. Good product marketability allows manu­fac­turers to make the promise that their product is qual­i­ta­tively safe and accu­rate, and this trans­parency then reduces the number of product recalls, preserving the repu­ta­tion of the manufacturer’s brand.

Which regu­la­tions must be observed in phys­ical chemistry?

The following FIC regu­la­tions (Food Infor­ma­tion Regu­la­tion) are observed during testing:

• Regu­la­tion (EU) No. 1169/2011 on the provi­sion of food infor­ma­tion to consumers
• Regu­la­tion (EU) 2018/775 on the indi­ca­tion of primary ingre­di­ents or place of origin
• Regu­la­tion (EC) No. 834/2007 on organic produc­tion and labeling of products
• Regu­la­tion (EC) No. 1924/2006 on nutri­tion and health claims
• Regu­la­tion (EU) No. 2015/2283, which is the Novel Food Regu­la­tion for foods that have not been consumed in the EU for a long time

To ensure the health of humans and animals in the food chain, feed analyses are also carried out. Feed­stuffs are tested for their prop­er­ties, and the feed produc­tion process is moni­tored. The ulti­mate goal is to guar­antee animals a life in good health. The safety of feed can only be guar­an­teed through increased quality controls. Regu­la­tion 767/2009 regu­lates the placing on the market and use of feed. It also provides improved infor­ma­tion contain the method of analysis according to Weender and FEDIAF, which sets regu­la­tions for dog and cat food.

Weender Analysis

Also known as prox­i­mate analysis, the Weender Analysis is a method for quan­ti­ta­tive analysis of macronu­tri­ents in food. It is a very old test method that dates back to 1865. In this test method, a food is sepa­rated and then analyzed for the following 6 compounds:

• Mois­ture
• Ash (potas­sium, sodium, iron, calcium, etc.)
• Crude protein
• Crude Lipid
• Crude fiber
• Nitrogen-free extracts (digestible carbohydrates)

The Tentamus Group offers a wide range of chem­ical analyses for cosmetics and raw mate­rials. These analyses guar­antee the safety and harm­less­ness of your product and serve to fulfill the require­ments of the EU (VO) 1223/2009 (EU Cosmetics Regulation).

Also in the context of the prepa­ra­tion of the safety report of a product, exam­i­na­tions of the raw mate­rials as well as of the final product are necessary.

Further­more, we perform stability tests to predict the shelf life of a product. Stability and shelf life data are also manda­tory in the prepa­ra­tion of the safety report. Here, the prod­ucts are stored at different temper­a­tures for several months and the quality is assessed on the basis of selected para­me­ters before or after comple­tion of storage. Sensory quality (appear­ance, odor, consis­tency) and possible changes to the pack­aging mate­rial also play a major role here.

In the GMP-certi­fied labo­ra­to­ries of the Tentamus Group, phar­ma­ceu­ti­cals and medical devices are tested in accor­dance with legal require­ments. Here, our labo­ra­to­ries test according to national and inter­na­tional phar­ma­copoeias such as DAB, DAC, HAB, Ph. Eur., USP, BP and JP. The Tentamus Group network enables smooth project management.

Using state-of-the-art analyt­ical tech­niques such as ICP-MS, HPLC-MS, GC-MS and NMR, experts analyze starting mate­rials, active ingre­di­ents, sterile and non-sterile phar­ma­ceu­ti­cals, as well as partic­u­larly regu­lated prod­ucts such as narcotics and cytostatics.

In addi­tion to stan­dard­ized phar­ma­copoeial methods, new methods are also devel­oped and adapted to your require­ments and validated.

To ensure test accuracy, samples are selected from a population using random methods. If 1 kg of a food product is required, samples are selected from different product batches to ensure test accuracy and consistent results. When the customer sends in the samples, they are personally responsible for ensuring that the samples are randomly selected. However, the Tentamus Group also offers to pick up the samples at the customer’s location if the consumer wishes to use this service.

It is important that the sample remains fresh during the transport phase of sample collection. To solve this problem, Tentamus Group uses airtight plastic bags and a valid cold chain with dry ice and cold packs.

Custom spectra are prepared taking into account the indi­vidual require­ments of each customer. There­fore, the analysis time frame for physio-chem­ical contract analysis varies widely. However, the stan­dard spec­trum of tests is completed in 3 – 5 working days, although it may take longer depending on the scope of the customer’s requirements.

Tentamus Group offers chem­ical and physio-chem­ical analysis. Our range of methods includes:

• Chro­mato­graphic methods: the sepa­ra­tion of a mixture into the indi­vidual ingre­di­ents that make up the mixture. This allows the isola­tion and purifi­ca­tion of a single ingre­dient so that it can be tested by chem­ical methods.
• Mass spec­trom­etry: used to iden­tify trace mole­cules in food, phar­ma­ceu­ti­cals or cosmetics using a mass spec­trom­eter. These substances may include aller­gens, heavy metals, cont­a­m­i­nants or pesti­cide residues. During this process, ioniza­tion takes place, which allows the product to be broken down into all its indi­vidual compo­nents, which are then measured.
• Spec­tral analysis: iden­ti­fies the amounts of cont­a­m­i­nants or impurities.
• X‑ray fluo­res­cence analysis: detects trace elements in food and uncovers food fraud. Also deter­mines the nutrient content of a food.
• FTIR spec­troscopy: Fourier trans­form infrared (AKA) analysis exam­ines food for anom­alies and compares a sample to a bench­mark. For example, when testing a milk sample, the results are combined and compared to normal milk. Any discrep­an­cies between the two samples are detected, alerting the labo­ra­tory tester to perform further testing to deter­mine the cause of the abnormality.
• Thermal gravi­metric: food is placed in a thermal chamber where its weight is moni­tored as the temper­a­ture rises. This is done to assess the stability of the food mate­rial and to see how much mois­ture is lost at different temper­a­ture limits. The heat acts as a cata­lyst to accel­erate the chem­ical reac­tion of dehy­dra­tion of the product.
• Titri­metric analysis: Allows the amount of a reac­tant in a sample to be deter­mined. It can be used to detect vitamin or mineral concen­tra­tions that affect the color of a food product.
• Enzy­matic analysis: is a method for measuring compounds such as sugars, acids, alco­hols and other metabo­lites in a food.
• Prepar­a­tive gravi­metric: e.g. sieve analyses are methods that deter­mine the struc­tural clar­i­fi­ca­tion of a powder. For this purpose, a sample is sieved through wire mesh, which sepa­rates it into different size ranges.

For any ques­tions that arise – for example, about current product require­ments or test results – we will be happy to provide you with infor­ma­tion and advice. Due to our expe­ri­ence within the product group, on which many well-known customers already rely, we can also advise you on special and tech­no­log­ical ques­tions if required.

If you are depen­dent on timely analyses for contract analysis, we can offer you the possi­bility of deter­mining rele­vant para­me­ters at short notice thanks to the valid rapid analysis methods estab­lished in our company.

Prox­imity to you as a customer is our top priority, and we are always open to new ques­tions and challenges.

The following labo­ra­to­ries from the Tentamus Group offer chem­ical analyses: