Food

What is Food?

Food is the stuff that living things need to stay alive, grow, develop, and get energy. Food is one of the basic needs of humans and can come from plants, animals, or synthetic sources. Foods contain nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals. These nutrients meet the body's daily energy needs and ensure the proper functioning of the metabolism.

Analyses Conducted in the Food Sector

The food industry conducts various analyses to protect consumer health and ensure product quality. These analyses provide detailed information about food safety, nutritional values, and quality. Food analyses can be performed during the production process or at the final product stage. Here are the main analyses commonly performed in the food industry:

Microbiological Analysis: Detects the presence of harmful microorganisms (bacteria, fungi, viruses) in food. It is particularly important to determine whether pathogens such as salmonella and listeria are present in perishable foods.
Chemical Analysis: Examines the chemical components of food. Parameters such as fat, protein, carbohydrate, and mineral content, pH value, acidity, and moisture content are evaluated within the scope of this analysis.
Physical Analysis: These analyses measure the physical properties of food. Factors such as weight, volume, density, color, texture, and viscosity are analyzed to determine the physical properties of food.
Sensory Analysis: This analysis evaluates the sensory properties of foods, such as taste, smell, color, and texture. It is used to measure consumer preference, especially in the product development process.
Nutritional Value Analysis: This analysis determines the amounts of nutrients, such as energy, protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, and vitamins, contained in food. This information on product labels helps consumers make informed choices.
Allergen Tests: These tests are performed to detect allergenic substances (gluten, lactose, nuts, etc.) that may be present in food. Allergen tests are of great importance for food safety.

Importance of Food Analysis

Food analysis is extremely important in terms of food safety and quality. Food producers must prove that their products are produced under hygienic conditions and do not pose a risk to consumer health. Here are the main factors that highlight the importance of food analysis:

Consumer Health: If not analyzed correctly, foods can cause various health problems. Microbiological contamination, chemical residues, or allergens can cause serious health risks. Food analysis allows these risks to be identified in advance.
Legal Compliance: Compliance with legal regulations is a mandatory requirement in the food industry. Countries have set various standards for food safety, and compliance with these standards is monitored through analysis.
Product Quality: Food analysis measures the compliance of products with quality standards. Consumers prefer foods that meet certain quality standards. Quality products are important for customer loyalty and brand reliability.
Consumer Confidence: Food analysis ensures that producers are transparent and reliable. Nutritional values and content information indicated on labels give consumers confidence and ensure that accurate information is provided.
Export and Competitive Strength: Food analysis is of great importance in international trade. Exporting companies are required to submit analysis results to prove that their products comply with the food safety standards of the importing countries.

Food analysis not only protects consumer health but also helps food producers fulfill their legal obligations and offer high-quality products. These analyses are of vital importance in terms of food safety, product quality, and consumer satisfaction. Companies aiming to establish a strong position in global competition can achieve success both in the domestic market and internationally by investing in food analysis.

Our laboratories, which operate in many locations across Turkey, conduct food analyses in compliance with legal regulations and standards, accredited by TÜRKAK.