Challenge Test: The future of shelf-life determination and food safety

Challenge testing is one of several tools used to test what can happen to food during handling and storage, if contaminated with a microorganism.

A microbial challenge study is a laboratory study in which a food product is artificially-inoculated with pertinent pathogenic or spoilage microorganisms in order to determine their behavior in the product; and thus whether those organisms present a risk to the microbial safety or quality of the product.

Microbial challenge studies are an important tool in the development of a new product formulation or process, or in the validation of a control measure as part of establishing a food safety plan.

Carry out Challenge Testing

Based on ISO and Pharmacopoeia standards and regulations, Eurofins Food and Feed Testing in Vietnam provides a comprehensive service package including: consulting, experimental design, and recommended methods to perform a successful microbiological challenge test. The results of this study are used to:

• Determine the safety and stability of food during storage
• Set product expiration date
• Establish product formulations related to internal product factors such as pH and water activity
• Provides accurate information regarding microbial survival rates and microbial inactivation kinetics

Our service meets the following list of products:

• Processed food / Thermally processed foods
• Animal feed
• Meat, fish and poultry products
• Herbs, spices and condiments
• Fruit and fruit products
• Food ingredients / additives
• Cosmetics