Can FDA recommend an analytical laboratory and must a laboratory be approved to perform nutrient analysis?
FDA does not approve, and is not in a position to endorse or recommend, specific laboratories. Assistance may be available through the following sources: trade and professional associations, trade publications, colleges and universities, and by looking in local phone books under testing or analytical laboratories. For compliance purposes FDA uses appropriate methods published by the Association of Analytical Chemists (AOAC) in Official Methods of Analysis of the AOAC International, 18th edition (2005) or other methods as needed. You may wish to ascertain if the laboratory is familiar with these methodologies when selecting a laboratory. • N37. How many samples must be analyzed to determine the nutrient levels for a product? Answer: The number of samples to analyze for each nutrient is determined by the variability of each nutrient in a food. Fewer analytical samples are generally required for nutrients that are less variable. The variables that affect nutrient levels should be determin
