Nuts and dried fruit are produced and processed in many countries, and new products keep reaching the market, such as goji berries and other exotic fruit. As agricultural products they can be contaminated during growing, processing, transport and storage with pesticide residues, metals, mycotoxins or pests. For some products and countries of origin, import controls are mandatory. ICA R&D tests walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, peanuts, pistachios, cashews, Brazil nuts, pecans, coconut and their processed products (flours, pastes), as well as dried and candied fruit (apricots, prunes, figs, raisins, dates, apples, pears, berries).
What we test
Mycotoxins, especially aflatoxins and ochratoxin A, are the main hazard for this category and are routinely tested together with pesticide residues and metals. For sulphured dried fruit we check sulphur dioxide and other preservatives.
Commercial quality is assessed through sensory examination, grade, impurities, foreign matter and infestation, moisture and water activity. For high-fat products, peroxide and anisidine values show the degree of oxidation. We also offer nutrition analysis for labelling, microbiological testing, GMO screening, irradiation detection and radioactivity measurement.
Regulatory framework
- Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 – general principles of food law
- Regulation (EU) 2023/915 – maximum levels for contaminants (aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, metals)
- Regulation (EC) No 396/2005 – maximum residue levels of pesticides
- Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 – food additives (including sulphur dioxide)
- Regulation (EU) 2017/625 – official controls
- Directives 1999/2/EC and 1999/3/EC – foods treated with ionising radiation
- Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 – food information to consumers
How we work
Mycotoxin contamination is distributed very unevenly within a lot, so the sample must be large enough and taken from several points of the lot. We can advise you on the quantity needed before shipment. Results are issued in a test report; accredited tests are marked as such in the report and are listed in the annex to RENAR accreditation certificate LI 871.
Parameters and determinations
Sensory examination and quality
- Appearance authorised, not accredited
- Colour authorised, not accredited
- Shape and size / grade authorised, not accredited
- Taste and odour authorised, not accredited
- Foreign matter authorised, not accredited
- Impurities authorised, not accredited
- Insect infestation authorised, not accredited
Physico-chemical parameters
- Moisture RENAR accredited
- Water activity subcontracted
- Acidity authorised, not accredited
- Ash RENAR accredited
- Fibre RENAR accredited
- Nitrites and nitrates authorised, not accredited
Fat indices
- Peroxide value RENAR accredited
- Anisidine value subcontracted
- Kreis test authorised, not accredited
- Fatty acid profile (C4–C24) RENAR accredited
Nutrition information
- Protein RENAR accredited
- Total sugars RENAR accredited
- Total amino acids subcontracted
- Vitamins authorised, not accreditedsubcontracted
- Energy value RENAR accredited
Preservatives and fumigants
- Sulphur dioxide authorised, not accredited
- Other preservatives authorised, not accredited
Contaminants
- Mycotoxins (aflatoxin B1 and total aflatoxins, ochratoxin A) RENAR accreditedauthorised, not accredited
- Pesticide residues RENAR accredited
- Metals (Pb, Cd, Hg, As, Ni, Al and others) RENAR accreditedauthorised, not accredited
- Irradiation detection subcontracted
- Radioactivity subcontracted
Microbiology
- Total aerobic count RENAR accredited
- Enterobacteriaceae RENAR accredited
- Escherichia coli RENAR accredited
- Coliforms RENAR accredited
- Salmonella RENAR accredited
- Listeria monocytogenes RENAR accredited
- Coagulase-positive staphylococci RENAR accredited
- Bacillus cereus RENAR accredited
- Yeasts and moulds RENAR accredited
Molecular biology
- GMO screening (35S promoter, NOS terminator, CaMV, bar gene, pat gene) RENAR accredited
"RENAR accredited" links to the matching row of the accredited-tests table below (RENAR annex no. 1/24.04.2026); "authorised, not accredited" means authorised by ANSVSA (authorisation no. 95/24.09.2025) but outside the accreditation; "subcontracted" means performed by a partner laboratory. An analysis with two labels is accredited only for the matrices and methods in the table. "Not accredited" (non-food products, which need no authorisation) means performed in the ICA laboratory or by a partner laboratory, outside the accreditation.
This list is not exhaustive and not all determinations are accredited. For anything not listed here, please contact our sales team.