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Title: What types of testing occur within a food and beverage laboratory?

Author for citation: Shawn E. Douglas

License for content: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International

Publication date: August 2022

Introduction

The food and beverage laboratory plays a vital role in helping improve and secure our food supply and the consumable products that get made from it. It does this by playing a number of roles within the overall food and beverage industry, including within the research and development (R&D), pre-manufacturing and manufacturing, and post-production regulation and security phases of food and beverage production.[1] It's within these roles a multi-discipline approach to testing occurs, depending on the role played by the lab. However, regardless of role, all testing boils down to a means of better ensuring safer, more nutritious and delicious foods and beverages.

This brief topical article will borrow from previous discussion about food and beverage laboratories[1] and dive deeper into the types of testing taking place within the three primary roles such labs have within the industry.

Broad testing within the industry

Food and beverage laboratories tap into numerous scientific disciplines for the work they do. Among the various roles these labs serve, disciplines such as biochemistry, chemical engineering, chemistry, fermentation science, materials science, microbiology, molecular gastronomy, and nutrition and food science are applied.[2][3][4] As such, a diverse skillset may at times be required by the food and beverage scientist, with not only hard skills in microbiology, biochemistry, and fermentation, but also the flexibility and nimbleness to apply those skills to a rapidly changing consumer dynamic.[5]

Testing within the primary roles of a food and beverage lab

The type of testing occurring within a food and beverage lab will vary depending on the role it plays within the larger framework of industry needs. The following subsections examine the three primary roles of these labs and the testing required to meet their goals.

R&D roles

  • Improving packaging

https://www.wiley.com/en-us/Food+Materials+Science+and+Engineering-p-9781405199223 https://blogs.3ds.com/biovia/how-food-materials-science-is-poised-to-start-a-revolution/ https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/role-of-materials-science-in-food-bioengineering

  • Genetic modification for improved yields and nutrition

https://books.google.com/books?id=qePEDwAAQBAJ

  • Nutritional reformulation

https://books.google.com/books?id=vE_VDwAAQBAJ

  • Flavor/aroma analysis and formulation
  • Overall food innovation and development

https://books.google.com/books?id=DnB7AwAAQBAJ https://books.google.com/books?id=jqZJEAAAQBAJ

  • Predicting and controlling spoilage
  • Extractable and leachable testing
  • Performing stability tests

https://books.google.com/books?id=YVwNCgAAQBAJ https://books.google.com/books?id=UK9tAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA508 https://www.innovolo.co.uk/article/the-ultimate-guide-to-shelf-life-stability-testing-services-dont-risk-your-new-products-safety https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/food-science/accelerated-shelf-life https://www.formulaction.com/en/about-us/news/blog/challenges-in-food-and-beverage-stability

Pre-manufacturing and manufacturing roles

  • Quality control testing

https://books.google.com/books?id=2YmpDwAAQBAJ

  • Food sensitivities and allergens
  • Nutritional analyses
  • Caloric analyses

https://books.google.com/books?id=s3R-EAAAQBAJ

Post-production regulation and security roles

  • Authenticity and adulteration testing

https://books.google.com/books?id=Q-8QCgAAQBAJ

  • Quality control testing

https://books.google.com/books?id=2YmpDwAAQBAJ

Tangential laboratory work

  • Processing equipment design and sanitation

https://books.google.com/books?id=iQDoDwAAQBAJ https://engineering-update.co.uk/2020/04/03/selecting-materials-for-standard-parts-in-the-food-and-beverage-industry-a-buyers-guide/ https://salasobrien.com/insights/engineering-for-quality-and-compliance-in-the-food-and-beverage-industry/

  • Clinical diagnostic for foodborne illness

FoodNet Lab Testing: https://wwwn.cdc.gov/FoodNetFast/LabSurvey

Conclusion

This brief topical article sought to answer "what types of testing occur within a food and beverage laboratory?" It notes that in particular,

References