Pharmaceutical and health-product companies often work with plant- or food-derived raw materials and develop products on the borderline with food, such as food supplements. A laboratory specialised in food testing can provide useful data for supplier selection or product development.
What we test
We can determine moisture, heavy metals and pesticide residues in botanical raw materials, as well as general microbiological indicators (total aerobic count, yeasts and moulds). Food supplements fall under food law, so our routine food tests apply to them directly.
Please note that the laboratory is not authorised for batch release of medicinal products and does not carry out quality control under good manufacturing practice (GMP) for medicines. Our testing is for information or support purposes, and the purpose of each request is agreed clearly before samples are received.
Regulatory framework
Food supplements are governed by Directive 2002/46/EC, and maximum levels for contaminants in food, including supplements, by Regulation (EU) 2023/915. Maximum residue levels for pesticides are set by Regulation (EC) No 396/2005.
How we work
We first discuss the nature of the product and the purpose of testing, to check that our methods are suitable. Results are issued in a test report; accredited tests are marked as such on the report and are those listed in the annex to our RENAR accreditation certificate.
Parameters and determinations
Physico-chemical
- Moisture not accredited
- Heavy metals not accredited
- Pesticide residues in botanical raw materials not accredited
Microbiology
- Total aerobic count not accredited
- Yeasts and moulds not 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.