Vitamins, Minerals & Additives

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Fortified food products are becoming increasingly popular with consumers as they become more conscious about the relationship between their diet and health. With newer, tighter legislation and restrictions being introduced by the EU, food manufacturers must be confident that their claims are based on accurate and reliable results.

Premier Analytical’s Comprehensive Vitamins and Minerals Service offers rapid, reliable and accurate results on which to base your claims.

At Premier Analytical Services, one of the leading food testing laboratories in Europe, we understand how important claims are when it comes to the promotion of your fortified food products. This is why we endeavour to provide you with a quality service which offers:

  • Consultancy advice
  • Comprehensive scope of UKAS accredited analyses
  • Rapid, reliable results and interpretation
  • In house shelf-life tests to study the degradation of vitamins under a controlled environment.

Our Comprehensive Vitamins and Minerals Service, a quality service tailored to meet your needs

All part of the comprehensive vitamins and minerals service

Vitamins and Minerals Service
Vitamins and Minerals Service

The Commission of the European Communities has recently released a proposal on regulating the addition of minerals and vitamins to foods and the nutritional labelling required for such products. This is becoming an increasingly complex area wherein the potential for error is very high. Premier Analytical Services can help you get it right first time by offering you expert advice that will answer questions such as:

What substances can be added to foods?

What are the maximum and minimum amounts for each vitamin and mineral that can be added to foods?

Do the claims you make on pack or in advertising trigger compulsory nutrition labelling?

What should be included in the declaration and what format and layout should be used?

Vitamins are unstable substances that are easily destroyed, either during manufacture or whilst the product is on-shelf. Premier Analytical Services can help you plan and carry out extensive shelf-life tests on your products to study the “survival” of the vitamins under a controlled environment.

Minerals

Minerals

Minerals

 

 

 

 

UKAS Accredited

Limit of

Limit of Quantification

 

 

Detection

 

NUTRITION – MINERALS

 

 

 

Minerals – Metals

 

 

 

Calcium

Yes

2.2mg/kg

5.5mg/kg

Copper

Yes

0.1mg/kg

0.3mg/kg

Iron

Yes

0.3mg/kg

0.8mg/kg

Magnesium

Yes

0.5mg/kg

1.4mg/kg

Manganese

Yes

0.1mg/kg

0.2mg/kg

Potassium

Yes

1.0mg/kg

3.2mg/kg

Sodium

Yes

2.8mg/kg

2.8mg/kg

Zinc

Yes

0.2mg/kg

0.2mg/kg

Minerals – Non-Metals

 

 

 

Phosphorous

Yes

30.0mg/kg

40.0mg/kg

Iodine

Yes

0.04 mg/kg

0.2 mg/kg

Vitamins

Fat Soluble
 

UKAS Accredited

Lower Reporting Limits

  

Minimum Sample Size

Vitamin A

We determine vitamin A as the sum of the contributions of retinol (animal origin) and Beta carotene (plant origin – 1 molecule can be cleaved by a specific intestinal enzyme into 2 molecules of Vit A-retinol). We test for both of these where applicable but if there is no carotene expected e.g in a fortified milk powder then we will just run the retinol determination.

Yes

10 µg/100g

  

50g
Vitamin E

Yes

0.5 mg/100g

  

50g

Vitamin D

Measurement of cholecalciferol (D3 from animal sources) and ergocalciferol (D2 from plant sources).

Vitamin D present naturally or added in fortified foods as vitamin D3 is determined using vitamin D2 as internal standard. Alternatively, vitamin D2 may be determined in the absence of vitamin D3 using vitamin D3 as internal standard. Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) are saponified with alcoholic potassium hydroxide and extracted into hexane/diethyl ether. The vitamin D2 and D3 are measured using HPLC with UV detection.

Yes

0.3 µg/100g

  

50g

 

Please refer to the UKAS Schedule of Accreditation for the specific matrices.

 

Water Soluble

 

Lower Reporting Limits

 

Minimum Sample Size

 

UKAS Accredited

 

Water soluble

 

 

 

 

Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)

Yes

0.05 mg/100g

 

50g

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

Yes

0.03 mg/100g

 

50g

Method: Riboflavin is extracted by digestion with hydrochloric acid under autoclave conditions, followed by incubation with an enzyme mixture containing both phosphatase and amylase activity. Riboflavin is separated by ion-pair HPLC and determined using fluorescence detection.

Total Vitamin B3 (Niacin/ Nicotinamide/ Nicotinic acid. N.B. same vitamin activity)

Yes

0.1 mg/100g

 

50g

Method: by LC/MS-MS

 

 

 

 

Nicotinamide and nicotinic acid are individually determined using isotopic internal standards and total Vitamin B3 expressed as the sum of these two.

 

 

 

 

Vitamin B5 Pantothenic Acid

Yes

 0.1 mg/100g

 

50g

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)

Yes

0.02 mg/100g

 

50g

Added Vitamin B9 (Added Folic Acid ) (N.B. We cannot measure Total Folate = Natural Folate + Added Folic acid)

Yes

20 µg/100g

 

50g

Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin )  by LC/MS.MS

Yes

0.3µg/100g

 

50g

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) The vitamin C content is determined as the sum of ascorbic acid (AA) and dehydroascorbic acid (DHAA) .  These compounds are extracted into an EDTA/sulphuric acid solution, the AA oxidised to DHAA, the total DHAA derivatised and measured by high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection.

Yes

0.1 mg/100g

 

 

Additives

Preservatives
     

UKAS Accredited

Limit

of

Detection

Minimum Sample Size
Benzoate Using GC  

Yes

50ppm

50g
Sorbate Using GC  

Yes

50ppm

50g
Sulphur dioxide Sulphur dioxide is determined by a procedure based on the modified Monier-Williams method -distillation of SO2 into a hydrogen peroxide trapping solution. This is followed by highly specific determination of the sulphate produced using ion chromatography (i.e. NOT TITRATION which is less specific).

Yes

2mg/Kg

50g
Acetic acid By size-exclusion ion-chromatography/conductivity detection. 

Yes

50ppm

50g
Propionic acid

Yes

50ppm

50g
Lactic acid

No

50ppm

50g
Succinic acid

No

50ppm

50g

 

Please refer to the UKAS Schedule of Accreditation for the specific matrices.

 

Sweeteners

Sweeteners

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UKAS Accredited

Limit

Minimum Sample Size

 

 

 

 

 

of

 

 

 

 

 

 

Detection

 

 

Aspartame

Analysed together as a suite or separately

 

Yes

10ppm

50g

 

Acesulfame-k

 

 

Yes

10ppm

50g

 

Saccharin

 

 

Yes

10ppm

50g

 

Stevia

These are the natural sweeteners derived from the stevia leaf. We currently measure the two main glycosides, rebaudioside A and stevioside.

Yes 

1mg/100g

 

 
Emulsifiers

UKAS Accredited

Limit

of

Detection

Minimum Sample Size

Polyphosphates as P2O5

(by ion-exchange chromatography)

 Solid phase extraction to remove organic phosphates is carried out. Thereafter inorganic phosphate (P04) is measured by Ion-exchange chromatography before and after hydrolysis.  The difference is then expressed as Polyphosphate P205 in line with additive regulations.

No

0.4g/kg

50g

 

Please refer to the UKAS Schedule of Accreditation for the specific matrices.

 

Vitamins, Minerals & Additives

Print All Page Content
Fortified food products are becoming increasingly popular with consumers as they become more conscious about the relationship between their diet and health. With newer, tighter legislation and restrictions being introduced by the EU, food manufacturers must be confident that their claims are based on accurate and reliable results.

Premier Analytical’s Comprehensive Vitamins and Minerals Service offers rapid, reliable and accurate results on which to base your claims.

At Premier Analytical Services, one of the leading food testing laboratories in Europe, we understand how important claims are when it comes to the promotion of your fortified food products. This is why we endeavour to provide you with a quality service which offers:

  • Consultancy advice
  • Comprehensive scope of UKAS accredited analyses
  • Rapid, reliable results and interpretation
  • In house shelf-life tests to study the degradation of vitamins under a controlled environment.

Our Comprehensive Vitamins and Minerals Service, a quality service tailored to meet your needs

All part of the comprehensive vitamins and minerals service

Vitamins and Minerals Service

The Commission of the European Communities has recently released a proposal on regulating the addition of minerals and vitamins to foods and the nutritional labelling required for such products. This is becoming an increasingly complex area wherein the potential for error is very high. Premier Analytical Services can help you get it right first time by offering you expert advice that will answer questions such as:

What substances can be added to foods?

What are the maximum and minimum amounts for each vitamin and mineral that can be added to foods?

Do the claims you make on pack or in advertising trigger compulsory nutrition labelling?

What should be included in the declaration and what format and layout should be used?

Vitamins are unstable substances that are easily destroyed, either during manufacture or whilst the product is on-shelf. Premier Analytical Services can help you plan and carry out extensive shelf-life tests on your products to study the “survival” of the vitamins under a controlled environment.

Vitamins and Minerals Service

Minerals

Minerals

Minerals

 

 

 

 

UKAS Accredited

Limit of

Limit of Quantification

 

 

Detection

 

NUTRITION – MINERALS

 

 

 

Minerals – Metals

 

 

 

Calcium

Yes

2.2mg/kg

5.5mg/kg

Copper

Yes

0.1mg/kg

0.3mg/kg

Iron

Yes

0.3mg/kg

0.8mg/kg

Magnesium

Yes

0.5mg/kg

1.4mg/kg

Manganese

Yes

0.1mg/kg

0.2mg/kg

Potassium

Yes

1.0mg/kg

3.2mg/kg

Sodium

Yes

2.8mg/kg

2.8mg/kg

Zinc

Yes

0.2mg/kg

0.2mg/kg

Minerals – Non-Metals

 

 

 

Phosphorous

Yes

30.0mg/kg

40.0mg/kg

Iodine

Yes

0.04 mg/kg

0.2 mg/kg

Vitamins

Fat Soluble

UKAS Accredited

Lower Reporting Limits

Minimum Sample Size

Vitamin A

We determine vitamin A as the sum of the contributions of retinol (animal origin) and Beta carotene (plant origin – 1 molecule can be cleaved by a specific intestinal enzyme into 2 molecules of Vit A-retinol). We test for both of these where applicable but if there is no carotene expected e.g in a fortified milk powder then we will just run the retinol determination.

Yes

10 µg/100g

50g
Vitamin E

Yes

0.5 mg/100g

50g

Vitamin D

Measurement of cholecalciferol (D3 from animal sources) and ergocalciferol (D2 from plant sources).

Vitamin D present naturally or added in fortified foods as vitamin D3 is determined using vitamin D2 as internal standard. Alternatively, vitamin D2 may be determined in the absence of vitamin D3 using vitamin D3 as internal standard. Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) are saponified with alcoholic potassium hydroxide and extracted into hexane/diethyl ether. The vitamin D2 and D3 are measured using HPLC with UV detection.

Yes

0.3 µg/100g

50g

 

Please refer to the UKAS Schedule of Accreditation for the specific matrices.

Water Soluble

 

Lower Reporting Limits

 

Minimum Sample Size

 

UKAS Accredited

 

Water soluble

 

 

 

 

Vitamin B1 (Thiamin)

Yes

0.05 mg/100g

 

50g

Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)

Yes

0.03 mg/100g

 

50g

Method: Riboflavin is extracted by digestion with hydrochloric acid under autoclave conditions, followed by incubation with an enzyme mixture containing both phosphatase and amylase activity. Riboflavin is separated by ion-pair HPLC and determined using fluorescence detection.

Total Vitamin B3 (Niacin/ Nicotinamide/ Nicotinic acid. N.B. same vitamin activity)

Yes

0.1 mg/100g

 

50g

Method: by LC/MS-MS

 

 

 

 

Nicotinamide and nicotinic acid are individually determined using isotopic internal standards and total Vitamin B3 expressed as the sum of these two.

 

 

 

 

Vitamin B5 Pantothenic Acid

Yes

 0.1 mg/100g

 

50g

Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)

Yes

0.02 mg/100g

 

50g

Added Vitamin B9 (Added Folic Acid ) (N.B. We cannot measure Total Folate = Natural Folate + Added Folic acid)

Yes

20 µg/100g

 

50g

Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin )  by LC/MS.MS

Yes

0.3µg/100g

 

50g

Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid) The vitamin C content is determined as the sum of ascorbic acid (AA) and dehydroascorbic acid (DHAA) .  These compounds are extracted into an EDTA/sulphuric acid solution, the AA oxidised to DHAA, the total DHAA derivatised and measured by high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection.

Yes

0.1 mg/100g

 

 

Additives

Preservatives

UKAS Accredited

Limit

of

Detection

Minimum Sample Size
Benzoate Using GC

Yes

50ppm

50g
Sorbate Using GC

Yes

50ppm

50g
Sulphur dioxide Sulphur dioxide is determined by a procedure based on the modified Monier-Williams method -distillation of SO2 into a hydrogen peroxide trapping solution. This is followed by highly specific determination of the sulphate produced using ion chromatography (i.e. NOT TITRATION which is less specific).

Yes

2mg/Kg

50g
Acetic acid By size-exclusion ion-chromatography/conductivity detection. 

Yes

50ppm

50g
Propionic acid

Yes

50ppm

50g
Lactic acid

No

50ppm

50g
Succinic acid

No

50ppm

50g

 

Please refer to the UKAS Schedule of Accreditation for the specific matrices.

Sweeteners

Sweeteners

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UKAS Accredited

Limit

Minimum Sample Size

 

 

 

 

 

of

 

 

 

 

 

 

Detection

 

 

Aspartame

Analysed together as a suite or separately

 

Yes

10ppm

50g

 

Acesulfame-k

 

 

Yes

10ppm

50g

 

Saccharin

 

 

Yes

10ppm

50g

 

Stevia

These are the natural sweeteners derived from the stevia leaf. We currently measure the two main glycosides, rebaudioside A and stevioside.

Yes 

1mg/100g

 

 
Emulsifiers

UKAS Accredited

Limit

of

Detection

Minimum Sample Size

Polyphosphates as P2O5

(by ion-exchange chromatography)

 Solid phase extraction to remove organic phosphates is carried out. Thereafter inorganic phosphate (P04) is measured by Ion-exchange chromatography before and after hydrolysis.  The difference is then expressed as Polyphosphate P205 in line with additive regulations.

No

0.4g/kg

50g

 

Please refer to the UKAS Schedule of Accreditation for the specific matrices.