Vitamin | EUROLAB

What Is Vitamins?

Vitamin analysis is the determination of the amount of individual vitamins in food. Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) are measured by extraction after saponification, and water-soluble ones (group B, C) are measured after direct extraction or enzymatic release. For some vitamins such as B12 and folate, the microbiological method is still considered reference.

Purpose of Vitamins

The purpose is to verify the label claim on fortified foods and food supplements, monitor vitamin loss over shelf life, and provide the basis for nutrition claims.

Which Products Is Vitamins Applied To?

Food supplements
Fortified milk, flour and beverages
Baby foods and follow-on formulas
breakfast cereals
Feed additives and premixes

In Which Sectors Is Vitamins Used?

FoodDrinkAgricultureRetailYem

Standards Related to Vitamins

EN 12823-1 / -2 (vitamin A — retinol and beta-carotene)
EN 12821 (D vitamini)
EN 12822 (E vitamini)
EN 14130 (C vitamini)
EN 14663 / EN 14164 (B6 and B12)

Vitamins Conditions

Distinction: Fat-soluble and water-soluble require separate preparation
Pre-treatment: Saponification, enzymatic release or acidic extraction
Measurement: HPLC-UV/FLD or LC-MS/MS; Microbiological determination of some vitamins
Light and oxygen: Vitamins are susceptible to degradation; preparation is carried out in protected conditions

Equipment for Vitamins

Analytical balance and homogenizer
Sample preparation apparatus (extraction, filtration, concentration)
Kromatografi veya spektrometri sistemi
Temperature controlled storage and conditioning cabinets

Sample Requirements for Vitamins

The sample should be taken to be homogeneous and representative of the lot.
For analytes that are sensitive to light or oxygen, a dark colored and tightly closed container should be used.
The sample amount varies with the number of analytes; If more than one analysis is requested, the total amount increases.
The product name, list of ingredients and declared value, if any, must be provided with the sample.

Duration of Vitamins

Analysis of a single vitamin is completed within a few days. When a large number of vitamins are requested in panel form, the time will be longer as each requires different preparation; Microbiological methods also require incubation time.

Vitamins Procedure

1The sample is homogenized and weighed protected from light.
2Depending on the vitamin, saponification, enzymatic release or acidic extraction is applied.
3The extract is cleaned and concentrated if necessary.
4It is injected into the HPLC or LC-MS/MS system.
5Quantity is calculated via the calibration curve.
6The result is reported per unit of product.

Vitamins Acceptance Criteria

The legislation, not the method, determines whether the result will be considered appropriate or not. The relevant communiqué of the Turkish Food Codex, EU 2073/2005 and 1881/2006 and the specification of the buyer company define different limits depending on the product group; The report gives the measured value and takes the limit from the applicable legislation.

Evaluation of Results

The result is compared with the label declaration and reference nutritional value, if available. Declaration tolerances for food supplements and fortified products are defined in the EU guideline; Natural loss is expected in measurements made towards the end of shelf life.

Vitamins Report

Sample description, batch/lot information and arrival conditions
Sampling method (if taken by the laboratory)
Applied analysis method and reference standard
Analysis date and incubation conditions, if any
Result and its unit
Measurement uncertainty (if requested)
A statement that the result applies only to the specimen submitted for testing

Accreditation

EUROLAB holds internationally recognised accreditation obtained from accreditation bodies party to the IAF and ILAC multilateral recognition arrangements, under ISO/IEC 17025 for laboratory testing, ISO/IEC 17020 for inspection and surveillance, and ISO/IEC 17021-1 and ISO/IEC 17065 for system and product certification. This chain ensures the reports and certificates issued are accepted worldwide.

Whether this test can be offered within accredited scope depends on your product and the standard applied; since accreditation is method-based, the scope is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

Scope and authorisations

Related Regulations

Turkish Food Codex Regulation and related product communiqués
EU 1881/2006 — maximum limits of contaminants in food
Turkish Food Codex Labeling and Consumer Information Regulation

Food Testing — What Does This Testing Field Cover?

The section below describes the field that the Vitamins test belongs to; the conditions and acceptance criteria of this particular test are given in the sections above. The scope specific to your product is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.

Food testing shows that a product is safe for consumption and contains what its label states. The family works along three axes: microbiological safety, chemical safety and nutritional composition. All three require different laboratory infrastructure, a different body of methods and a different turnaround time.

The most distinctive feature of the field is TIME PRESSURE. A steel specimen can wait on a shelf; a raw milk or fresh meat sample cannot. The time the sample was taken, the transport temperature and how long it takes to reach the laboratory directly determine the validity of the result. In food microbiology the cold chain record is therefore an inseparable part of the test report.

On the microbiological side there are two different questions and they must not be confused. DETECTION of a pathogen is a qualitative question: is Salmonella present in the sample or not? ENUMERATION of indicator organisms is a quantitative question and an indicator of production hygiene. The absence of a pathogen in a product does not show that hygiene is good; if the total mesophilic aerobic count is high, there is a problem in the process.

On the chemical side, pesticide residues, mycotoxins, heavy metals, additives, veterinary drug residues and process contaminants (acrylamide, furan, PAH) are measured. Multi-residue methods in this area (QuEChERS-based LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS) can screen hundreds of active substances in a single analysis; limits are defined separately for each product–substance pair.

On the composition side, protein, fat, moisture, ash, fibre, sugar profile, fatty acid composition, vitamin and mineral content are determined. These values are the basis of the nutrition declaration on the label and the tolerance ranges are defined in legislation — the difference between the declared value and the measured value must stay within that tolerance.

There is NO CE marking on food, and this shapes how the field works. Conformity is demonstrated through operating a HACCP-based food safety system, complying with labelling rules and not exceeding contaminant, residue and microbiological limits. A test result produces evidence not for a certificate but for a functioning system.

Allergen management carries particular weight. The presence of an undeclared allergen in a product is one of the most frequent causes of food recalls. Analysis here runs together with cleaning validation: it is shown that the line has been cleaned adequately after a production run containing an allergen and that the risk of cross-contamination is under control.

Voluntary schemes have become effectively mandatory in this field. Retail chains require their suppliers to hold a certificate under a GFSI-recognised scheme (BRCGS, IFS, FSSC 22000); without it, getting onto the shelf is practically impossible.

Method groups in this field

Pathogen detection
Detection of Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, Campylobacter, Cronobacter and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli; culture-based and molecular methods.
Indicator counts
Total mesophilic aerobic count, Enterobacteriaceae, coliforms and E. coli, coagulase-positive staphylococci, yeasts and moulds, lactic acid bacteria, sulphite-reducing Clostridia.
Pesticide and veterinary residues
Multi-residue screening by LC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS with QuEChERS extraction.
Mycotoxins and contaminants
Aflatoxins, ochratoxin A, deoxynivalenol, patulin; heavy metals (ICP-MS), acrylamide and PAH compounds.
Nutritional composition
Kjeldahl protein, fat and fatty acid profile, moisture, ash, dietary fibre, sugar profile, vitamin and mineral analyses.
Allergens and authenticity
Gluten, milk, egg, nut and soy allergen analyses; molecular methods for species identification and adulteration detection.

Commonly confused in this field

Sampling is half the result. A sample transported at the wrong temperature or delayed gives an invalid result even if it is analysed correctly in the laboratory.
The absence of a pathogen does not show that hygiene is good; indicator counts give separate information and the two are read together.
A result from a sample taken from a lot can be generalised to the whole lot only if the sampling plan was set up statistically.
Limits are defined in separate regulations by product group and are updated regularly; a conformity decision based on an outdated limit table may be wrong.
For exports, the limits of the destination country may differ from EU limits; the same product may be compliant in one market and non-compliant in another.

Which decisions these results support

Verification of the HACCP plan and process monitoring
The basis for the nutrition declaration and allergen information on the label
Health certificates before export and compliance with destination market limits
Supplier and lot-based acceptance control
Shelf-life studies and determining storage conditions
Producing evidence for audits under GFSI-recognised schemes

Related Tests

Frequently Asked Questions About Vitamins

Does the vitamin value decrease during shelf life?

Yes. Most vitamins are affected by light, heat and oxygen. The manufacturer takes this loss into account and adds a margin to the formulation; The audit measurement is interpreted according to which stage of the product it is made at.

Can all vitamins be measured with a single analysis?

No. The chemical properties of vitamins are very different from each other; Each group requires separate preparation and separate methods. Panel request means multiple analyses.