Companies in the food industry requiring testing, inspection and certification assistance can approach the Food Development Center (FDC) for help in meeting their requirements, according to an agency official.
Carmelita Alkuino, chief science research specialist at the FDC, presented in a recent forum the various services offered by the agency, a government body attached to the Department of Agriculture.
Alkuino emphasized that their services are not mandatory, saying they are not a regulatory agency for processed or raw food products. “Our objective is to help the food industry. In case they have a problem with their products, they have someone to go to assist them technically.”
She added that not all companies have technical experts to conduct product testing “so the FDC is there to help them.”
The officer further assured that all test results are confidential.
Food testing services include chemical analyses for nutritional components, food additives, minerals and heavy metals, lipid-related groups, mycotoxins, water, and contaminants.
Alkuino said the FDC conducts a total of 69 chemical analyses.
Food testing also covers microbiological analyses including those on food, beverages, environmental samples, and packaging materials, as well as microbiological tests on water samples and canned food samples. There are 49 microbiological analytical services offered to food companies.
Also part of the food safety testing services is physical and sensory evaluation such as those on color measurement, percent fineness, net weight and drained weight, and triangle tests. Nine different physical and sensory evaluations can be carried out by the agency upon request.
At the same time, microanalytical or filth testing for food is provided. Tests can be done on baked goods; beverages and beverage materials; dairy products; fruit and fruit products; grains and their products; nut and nut products; poultry, meat, fish and other marine products; snack foods; and spices and other condiments, among others. A total of 122 product types can be tested for contamination, said the executive.
Likewise included in the FDC’s arsenal of food testing services are package testing and label evaluation. Package tests encompass glass bottles, flexible plastic and metal cans and closures, while labeling evaluation looks mainly at compliance with regulations such as font size and proper placement of information. Some 44 different tests are available.
Meanwhile, for firms that want assistance in inspection and certification, the services provided include the following: plant assessment, HACCP or Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points verification, development of a HACCP plan, review of HACCP plan documents, lot/product certification, and in-line quality control and quality assurance services.
Aside from testing, inspection and certification, Alkuino said the center also offers research and product development, technology transfer, training and capacity building, pilot plant and technical services, and other facilities and services.