Food Testing Laboratories Pricing and Costs

Set a reasonable budget for food testing services

Food testing services are used to test products for everything from contaminants to making sure there is enough of a nutrient in it in order to put it on the label. Food testing services are not something your consumer product company can go without so it is important to set the proper budget to cover all the necessary tests. It is always a good idea, too, to allocate extra money in your budget for unexpected food testing laboratories pricing and costs that are bound to arise.

Food testing companies often charge per test so you can determine prior to testing, at least, how many tests you will need to have run. Be sure to also include in your budget re-tests in the event that a contaminant is found or a nutrient is low. Consider the following food testing laboratories pricing and costs when setting your food testing labs budget:

1. Food testing labs can test for microorganisms and other contaminants.

2. Food testing companies can be hired to determine the nutritional content of your products.

3. Consumer food testing labs can evaluate your products for taste and quality.

 

Hire food testing services to test for microbiology

There are many things that could contaminate food grade products. Food testing services charge per microbiological sample for each organism being tested. The price depends on how labor intensive the test is for each organism as it differs from contaminant to contaminant. An average microbiological test at a food testing company, for one sample, is between $20 and $50. Most tests have a flat fee; however, there are some microbiological tests that may be priced based on the request such as identifying a bacteria or foreign substance.
Try: Strasburger & Siegel provides a comprehensive list of all of the microbiological tests that they run in their food testing lab. The National Food Lab discusses their program for testing for food contaminants as well as pesticides.

Enlist food testing laboratories to evaluate the nutritional content of your products

Making claims on a nutritional label is a serious business. Consumers purchase products, often times, based on the special nutritional claims made by the company. In order to make nutritional claims, though, the food item has to fall within a very specific range in order to make the claim. For example, an "excellent" source of calcium needs to have more calcium content than that of a product that claims to be a "good" source of calcium. Food analysis laboratories can test your products and determine exactly how much of a nutrient is included. These tests cost either in the $20 to $30 range to more than $100. This is due to the complexity of testing for nutrients. Some are rather simple, such as protein or sodium measuring, while others, such as sugars or total fat, are much more difficult to test for which is reflected in the price.
Try: Silliker discusses the many nutrients that they can test for in their food testing laboratory. Certified Laboratories defines some of their methods which may help you to understand the difference in price from test to test.

Have food testing labs evaluate the taste of your food products

During the product and development stage of a new product, the taste is crucial to evaluate. There are food testing companies that specialize in sensory evaluation of consumer products. The cost for these services, though, can vary quite a bit based on the request. This type of testing is much more involved than typical laboratory testing, though, because it involves a panel of trained tasters in order to complete the testing. These services can range from $200 per hour up to several thousands of dollars for a comprehensive project.
Try: Sensory Spectrum outlines the services that they provide as a food testing business. Specialized Technology Resources describes their consumer food testing process.

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