Accredited Microbiology Analysis

LABORATORY SERVICES

Accredited Lab Services
Shelf-life

BioFoodTech’s lab services provide accredited analysis to support companies’ food quality and safety systems, including routine testing, troubleshooting or updating food safety protocols. This includes providing lab results for exporting, developing HACCP plans for manufacturing, testing products to ensure that preventative controls are being met or dealing with any product quality issues such as mold.

We offer dozens of certified lab tests, primarily food pathogens of concern (e.g., Listeria, Salmonella, E. coli, etc.), along with spoilage organisms and other bacteria. BioFoodTech can also validate your critical control points, such as pH, water activity or brix, for example.

As a best practice, companies should perform confirmation tests on products from time to time to validate their process is under control.

We provide certified testing for Food Manufacturers, Retail and Food Service, Farmers and Growers, Importers & Exporters, Cannabis, and Pet Foods.

BioFoodTech is accredited by the Standards Council of Canada ISO/IEC 17025:2017. See the SCC Scope of accreditation here.

At BioFoodTech we offer shelf-life studies to provide a picture of the quality of the product over a period of time. A thorough, complete study gives an accurate estimation of durable life or the best before date for your product. Results from the study provide data to support evidence that the food will remain wholesome, palatable and nutritious until the end of the durable life in an unopened package with recommended storage conditions.

Shelf-life testing can include microbiological, chemical or physical tests. Examples could include testing for oxidation or changes in texture during storage. Often microbial analysis is conducted, which validates your safe food processing steps.

Our team can assess the characteristics of your products and help you determine the factors to test.

Analyses can include:

Total bacteria (aerobic) plate count
Yeast & Mold
Coliform / E. coli
Staphylococcus aureus
Salmonella
E. coli O157:H7
Listeria
Spores
Color
Texture / Viscosity
Appearance
Moisture
Oxidation

Shelf-life testing is usually done on products that are representative of how they will be (or are) being commercially produced. Products are held at recommended storage temperatures and sampled on a planned schedule (e.g., once every month). At the end of the test, you will receive a report indicating the expected durable shelf life of your product that you can use on your label.

If there are changes to the formulation, processes and/or packaging, a new shelf-life study may be needed depending on the impact these may have on the product’s stability.

BioFoodTech is accredited by the Standards Council of Canada ISO/IEC 17025:2017. See the SCC Scope of accreditation here.

How to submit samples

Sample Delivery Notification

Please notify the lab at least 24 hours in advance before delivering samples.
Regular deliveries can be scheduled weekly, but any changes must be communicated.
Lack of notice may result in processing delays.

Sample Submission Forms

To submit samples to the lab, you need to complete a Sample Submission Form and bring this when you drop off your samples.

Forms must be fully completed with: