Edible Oils Fat & Allied Products Testing

In the past we have seen incidents of oil adulteration where groundnut oils contained undeclared less quantities of cheaper oils like soybean oil. Detection of these adulterations is vital in these times, due to which accurate analytical techniques were developed and a lot more research work is being done to increase the efficiency of detection.

Long term storage of fat and oil containing foods are more susceptible to auto-oxidation reaction and results in by-products which exert undesirable colour and flavour. One of the important factors affecting quality and value of oils are Free Fatty Acids (FFA). These are susceptible to oxidation and lead to rancidity. When foods containing oils and fats are cooked at very high temperatures, hydrolytic rancidity can occur. Congeal points, viscosity, cloud point, melting point and related parameters of fats and oils determine the texture or consistency of food products. Whereas, stability of oils during storage and cooking is determined by chemical characteristics like iodine value, saponification value, peroxide value etc.,

Regarding safety of refined oils, Scientific Panel on Oils and Fats at FSSAI (Foods Safety and Standards Authority of India) reported that refined oils are totally safe to use as cooking oil and refining reduces the chance of aflatoxin poisoning. High concentrations of TPC (Total Polar Compounds) when consumed for a longer time may cause hypertension, Alzheimer’s disease, liver abnormalities etc. According to FSSAI regulations, TPC has to be within a limit of 25%.

Hence, ensuring the safety and quality of a food products containing oils & fats through food quality testing is very important. Evaluating the degree of deterioration in cooking oil during storage and cooking helps to maintain the quality of finished products.

Recent circumstances highlighted the importance of Food safety and FSSAI has made its laws and norms stricter for the testing of oils & fats. FSSAI acts made food testing, shelf-life analysis, nutritional labelling, sensory evaluation mandatory to enhance the quality of the product.

In the field of Oils and Fats, FARE Labs is certified as a National Reference Laboratory (NRL) by FSSAI. Its testing reports are considered equivalent to FSSAI results. We have worked on several R&D projects with big brands such as Cargill, Adani, ADM Agro, Bunge, Conagra, Louis Drefus, Ruchi Soya, Mother Dairy, etc. for adding new technologies and helping their products become better and more competitive. We offer many tests in the sector of Oils & Fats, with our heads being known in the industry as qualified experts on the same. Thus, we are one of the best laboratories for working in this sector for all your requirements, wherever your company lies in the supply chain.

• Physical & Chemical Analysis (appearance, separated water, added coloring & flavoring substances, refractive index, iodine value, saponification value, specific gravity, etc.)
• Nutritional Analysis & Labelling (energy, protein, carbohydrates, total sugar, etc.)
• Adulterants (presence of rice bran oil, presence of kusum oil, test for the presence of oil soluble colours in oil, test for cottonseed oil (halphen test), test for sesame seed oil (baudouins test), hexabromide test, polybromide test, etc.)
• Fatty acid profile (SFA, MUFA and PUFA) & Trans fatty acids
• Naturally Occurring Toxic Substances (Agaric acid, Hydrocyanic acid, Hypercine and Safrole)
• Vitamins (A, D, E, K, B-Complex)
• Minerals (calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, etc.)
• Mycotoxins (total aflatoxin, aflatoxin B1, aflatoxin B2, etc.)
• Heavy metal residues (lead, tin, arsenic, copper, cadmium, etc.)
• Natural & Synthetic Colors (canthaxanthin, annatto extract(bixin), beta apo-8 carotenal, beta carotene, brilliant blue FCF, caramel colors (ammonium sulphite process), etc.)
• Melamine
• Additives (guaiac resin, iso propyl citrate mixture, citric and fatty acid esters of glycerol, phosphoric acid, polydimethylsiloxane (DMPS), lactic and fatty acid esters of glycerol (LACTEM), mono and diglycerides of fatty acids, polyglycerol esters of fatty acid, etc.)
• Pesticide Residues
• Stability Testing (using Rancimat)
• Microbiological parameters (total plate count, total coliform count, yeast and mould count, salmonella and shigella, E. coli, etc.)
• Molecular Testing
• Allergens (celery, mollusc, milk, egg, fish, etc.)
• GMO Testing
• Test for active Components (Qualitative)
• Particle size analysis
• ETO and ECH Testing
• MCPDs and GE Testing
• Food Application and recipe engineering
• Radioactive residues
• Steroids and Hormone Testing
• Dioxins, PCBs, PAHs & Furans
• Solid Fat Content by Pulse NMR

FARE Labs provides ISO/IEC 17025 training to students pursuing graduation/post-graduation from various universities and institutes. Hands-on training to the staff provides them an opportunity to understand the working of sophisticated instruments.  Our comprehensive training programs are designed to provide in depth knowledge of Indian and International standards focusing on quality management systems and technical competence for laboratories. Join us at FARE Labs Pvt. Ltd to become a qualified professional in a rapidly evolving field of testing and calibration.