From raw materials to finished products, Mérieux NutriSciences can assist you in the choice of the correct analytical solution to help ensure that your products comply with international regulatory standards. Our analyses demonstrate the compliance and suitability for food contact materials including plastic objects, ceramics, regenerated cellulose, metals and metal alloys, rubber, paper and cardboard, glass, wood, cork and any other materials not specifically regulated.

Our high quality testing services include comprehensive written reports in accordance with legal requirements to assess product compliance.

Food Contact Compliance Analyses

Migration tests (Overall and specific)

• Overall migration is the quantity of substances that migrate from the material to a liquid that simulates the food’s extractive capacity.
• Specific migration is the quantification of certain substances in a liquid food simulant.

Control of MQ

• Testing to verify the Maximum Quantity (MQ) of a restricted substance in a plastic material

Screening and Set-Off

• Analytical screening tests to verify the presence of compounds that can potentially be migrated from the material to food, (printing ink (set-off), other packaging materials, etc.)
• GC/MS determination to identify and quantify the volatile substances able to migrate from the food packaging to the head-space inside the packaging.

Paper and cardboard

• Control of the composition and purity requirements of paper and cardboard materials in accordance with international regulatory and industry recommendations
• Determination of contaminants in paper and board (MOSH, MOAH, DIPN, phthalates, etc.).

Ceramics

• Specific migration of cadmium and lead

Stainless Steel

• Overall and specific migration of nickel, chromium and manganese
• Verification of stainless steel composition

Aluminum

• Verification of composition of aluminum objects intended to come in contact with food

Food Contact Machines

• Food contact compliance of coffee machines, small appliances, systems for drinking water, cooking utensils.

Other analytical services

Mérieux NutriSciences offers a complete range of analyses dedicated to materials intended to come into contact with food, including physical-chemical characterization. This enables you to evaluate all possible aspects of your products, from design and manufacturing to consumer use and disposal.

• Analysis of polymeric materials and evaluation of their characteristics
• Evaluation of resistance
• Environmental impact assessment
• Biodegradability and compostability studies

Sensory analysis & Consumer Tests

• Olfactory and taste analysis
• Olfactory and Off-Flavor (taint) analysis in paper and board intended to come into contact with food.
• Practicality evaluation
• Evaluation of consumers’ appreciation for product packaging
• Evaluation of the harmony between packaging and concept
• Etc.

Link to Biofortis Sensory and Consumer

Regulatory support and risk assessment

We offer technical and regulatory support according to international regulations:

• Evaluation of technical documentation to identify the critical characteristics of materials and draft specific analytical protocols
• Evaluation of compliance with positive lists of substances used in the production of materials regulated by specific norms (e.g. plastics, paper, rubber, etc.).
• Evaluation of the conformity declaration for food contact products
• Evaluation of labeling compliance with the regulations in place

Documentation and training support services according to client needs