SGS offers a comprehensive range of specialist safety, quality and sustainability solutions to support primary producers, processors, manufacturers, food service operators and retailers.
The company’s interdisciplinary team of food chemists, microbiologists, regulatory specialists, auditors and inspectors will align development timelines, helping clients cost-effectively bring consumer-friendly products to the marketplace.
Testing services
SGS provides a wide range of analytical services for the testing of raw materials and semi-manufactured or finished products. It utilises a network of ISO 17025 accredited testing laboratories that are equipped with cutting-edge technologies and meet the stringent testing standards of the food industry.
Physical and sensory analytical services
SGS’ sensory analysis services consist of food quality and taste assessments, and consumer sensory testing for product development. The firm’s professional sensory panels test for characteristics such as colour, taste, odour and texture.
SGS’ physical testing services examine appearance, count and size, granulation/particle size, temperature, pH, weight and volume, as well as detect defects and foreign materials.
Microbiological testing of food products
SGS’ food microbiological analysis services test for pathogens and spoilage organisms to increase the safety of food products in the supply chain. The company also monitors functional microbe levels during production and in the final product.
Residues and contaminants
SGS’ experts ensure food processing clients’ ingredients and products are free from harmful substances such as allergens, antibiotic residues, dioxins, furans and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), as well as pesticide residues, tropane alkaloids, mineral oil residues (MOSH/MOAH), mycotoxins and heavy metals.
Nutrition and composition
SGS’ food nutrition analysis determines the nutritional content of food products, supporting product claims and ensuring compliance with food industry regulations.
The company’s nutritional and composition tests analyse content such as fats, carbohydrates, food additives, lipo-soluble and hydro-soluble vitamins, vitamin-like substances, minerals and trace elements.
All species ID testing
SGS’ All Species ID uses DNA next-generation sequencing (NGS) to analyse food products for the presence of species such as meat, fish, seafood, plants and microbes. This powerful tool identifies pathogens, allergens and potential adulteration in raw materials, ingredients and highly processed food products.
Shelf-life testing
SGS’ food shelf-life testing helps food manufacturers comply with statutory and commercial requirements by verifying that products display the required ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ dates.
The company’s food testing laboratories support each product throughout its shelf-life, with procedures such as microbial indicator analysis and sensory, physical and chemical testing. All shelf-life studies are customised to meet client requirements.
Inspection, audits and certification services
SGS’ provides a wide variety of inspection and auditing services, including pre-production and hygiene inspections, production checks, final random inspection (pre-shipment), container inspection/temperature monitoring and loading supervision.
The company’s certification offerings include
- Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) Standards such as Best Aquaculture Practices (BAP), BRC Global Standard for Food Safety, GLOBALG.A.P, International Food Standard (IFS), Safe Quality Food (SQF) and FSSC 22000
- Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC)
- Good manufacturing practice (GMP)
- Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP)
- Gluten-free certification schemes
- Halal and Kosher Certification
- ISO 22000, ISO 9001, ISO 14001
- Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series (OHSAS)
- Marine Stewardship Council Chain of Custody (MSC CoC)
- SGS No GE Ingredients Supply Chain Process Verification
- SGS Non-GMO
- Social responsibility schemes, including UN International Labour Organization (ILO), Business Social Compliance Initiative (BSCI), Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI)/ Sedex Members Ethical Trade Audit (SMETA) and SA 8000
The company has expertise in combining the parallel requirements of many of the standards and can cover them effectively through a customised single audit. SGS reduces audit time and operational disruption, as well as delivers savings in both management time and cost.
Technical solutions
With a global network of industry specialists, SGS provides on and off-site consultancy services, including training, advice on food regulations, composition assessments and additive evaluations, as well as assistance with declarations and marketability testing.
Digital solutions for data and supply chain management
SGS provides digital solutions for data and supply chain management to help businesses build customer trust.
The SGS Digicomply is a content management solution helping food manufacturers to comply with the constantly evolving legislation and standards relating to food and agriculture. With a modular architecture, users can choose different features to transform compliance information into user-friendly actionable knowledge.
SGS has partnered with Transparency-One to increase the safety of food supply chains. This digital solution allows clients to discover, analyse and monitor all suppliers, ingredients and facilities in their supply chains with blockchain technology.
Food label reviews
SGS’ food label reviews ensure that food and food products comply with national and international regulations for labelling and content. The company’s nutrition and labelling specialists review labels against all relevant criteria, including:
- Allergen compliance
- Descriptive claims
- Health and nutrient content claims
- Genetically modified organism (GMO)/genetically engineered (GE) foods and ‘free-from’ labelling requirements
- Identity statements
- Ingredient labelling
- Label layouts
- Net quantity of content statements
- Nutrition analysis
- Nutrition facts panel
- Place and name of business
For more information on how SGS can help you, please use the form on this page to send your business enquiry.