Nutrition Laboratory

What we do
Accreditation
Analytical services
Pet food testing
Nutrition panels
Quarantine facility
Product formulation advice
Shelf life

Our laboratory specialists provide consultancy for your business, including nutritional testing of food products.

With clients world-wide, our laboratory offers nutritional testing for:

food safety
labelling
product formulation
shelf life.

We offer rapid turnaround time, quality data, and confidentiality of your company information.

What we do

We offer a full nutrition research and analysis service, including:

product formulation/reformulation
shelf life and food safety
analytical procedures
nutrition labelling and development of analytical tests to meet client requirements, such as reactive lysine, glucosamine, resistant starch, beta-glucan.

We are experts in both problem solving and product development to maximise the value of results for clients throughout the food and feed industry.

Our research laboratory personnel are available to offer assistance with planning the specific tests your sample will require.

About the laboratory

Set up in 1985, the Nutrition Laboratory is part of Massey's School of Food Technology and Natural Sciences.

Our laboratory is recognised both in New Zealand and internationally for expertise in a wide range of analyses including amino acids profiles. Our client base is from throughout New Zealand as well as the USA, Scandinavia, Australia, South America, Middle East, Asia and the South Pacific.

Request a service

To engage us for research services, please fill out this form and attach to the samples you send or deliver to us.

Nutrition Laboratory Submission Form (DOC, 283.0 KB)

Accreditation

The Nutrition Laboratory has been IANZ accredited to ISO 17025 through the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) since 2004 for these programmes:

And this programme since 2020:

Recognised laboratory programme - RLP accreditation certificate.

International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ)

The laboratory is a Ministry of Health-recommended agency offering Nutrition Information Panel (NIP) testing services for food labelling to comply with Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ)

Learn more

Analytical services

The Nutrition Laboratory offers a wide range of analytical tests on various sample types. Time permitting, if standard methods are unavailable we can develop new methodology on request.

Assays

Specialising in analysis of food, pet food, plant and animal products we provide a range of assays including:

ADF
Amino acid profiles
β glucan
Calorific content
Crude fibre
ELISA assays
Enzymes
Fat
Fatty acid profiles
Hormones
Lignin
Metabolites
NDF
Protein
Rancidity
Reactive lysine / lysine
Resistant starch
Shelf life testing
Starch
Total dietary fibre (soluble & insoluble)

Biochemical/physiological assays

ACE
Albumin
Alkaline & acid phosphatase
Ammonia
β-hydroxybutyrate
Calcium
Cholesterol
Cortisol
Creatine
Creatinine
Estradiol
Ferric reducing ability of plasma
Fructose
Glutamyl-transferase
Glucose
IGF-1
Inorganic phosphate
Insulin
Lactic acid
Lactose
Magnesium
Maltose
Melatonin
Non-esterified fatty acids
PTH (parathyroid hormone)
Phospholipids
Progesterone
Sucrose
T3
T4
Testosterone
Total protein
Triglycerides
Urea
Uric acid

Where necessary, some tests are subcontracted to approved testing laboratories.

Immunoassays

The following immunoassays are available, using Bioplex-coated bead technology.

Species - some or all of the following: human, mouse, canine, feline, rat, bovine.

This table describes the types of immunoassays the Nutrition Laboratory offers, including details.
Immunoassays	Details
Bone metabolism	IL-6, ACTH, Insulin, Leptin, TNFα, Adiponectin, Osteocalcin etc
Cardiovascular disease	Troponin, TNFα, Fibrinogen, Adiponectin, Apo AI etc, IL-6, IL-8, VEGF, MCP-1
Cancer biomarker	MIF, Leptin, Prolactin, IGF-II, Osteopontin, CA-125
Cytokines	IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-3, TNFα, Eotaxin, MCP-1, TGFβ1 etc
Endocrine	T3, T4, TSH, Prolactin, Melatonin, TSH, FSH, corticosterone, Amylin, GH etc
Gut hormone	Amylin, Ghrelin, GIP, GLP-1, Insulin, Leptin, PYY, Pancreatic Polypeptide
Metabolic	Amylin, Ghrelin, GIP, GLP-I, IL-6, Glucagon, Leptin, Insulin, PYY, PAI-1, NGF, C-Peptide etc

Method development available by request.

Minerals

Aluminium
Arsenic
Boron
Calcium
Cadmium
Cobalt
Chromium
Chloride
Copper
Iron
Iodine
Lead
Magnesium
Manganese
Mercury
Molybdenum
Nickel
Phosphorus
Potassium
Selenium
Sodium
Sulphur
Zinc

Quality control

Quality data is of great importance to us. We participate in international proficiency programmes, including:

AAFCO (USA)
Global MilkChek + Global Veritest (cream) (NZ)
IAG (Belgium)
NZ Feed Testing Round Robin
RCPA (Australia)

Following a rigid quality control program we use intra-laboratory checks and calibration standards. Standard procedures are followed using recognised methodologies from AOAC, FDA, ISO and other regulatory agencies.

Sample types

We undertake the following sample types:

Animal feed
Beverages
Cosmetics
Dairy products
Food products
Grasses/forage
Herbal remedies and spices
Meat
Pet foods
Shelf life
Serum, plasma and urine

Vitamins

Beta carotene
Choline
Folic acid
Vitamin A
Vitamin B1
Vitamin B2
Vitamin B3
Vitamin B5
Vitamin B6
Vitamin B12
Vitamin C
Vitamin D (D3)
Vitamin E
Vitamin K

AAFCO Pet food testing

The laboratory offers full testing to comply with AAFCO nutrient profiles accredited to MPI's Recognised Laboratory Programme - RLP), AAFCO feeding trials, as well as palatability and preference testing.

The Nutrition Laboratory works in association with New Zealand Pet Food Manufacturers Association (NZPFMA).

Tests

We can test the following aspects of pet food.

Ash
AAFCO nutrient profile testing
AAFCO feeding protocols
Amino acid profile
Antigen quantitation (ELISA)
Calcium/phosphorous
Complete vitamin/mineral profiles
Crude fibre
Digestibility trials
Fat
Fatty acid profile - linoleic, linolenic, omega-3&6, arachidonic
Metabolisable energy
Microbiological
Moisture
pH
Preference testing (palatability trials)
Protein
Shelf life testing
Water activity

Nutrition information panels

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FANZ) require that most food products carry a nutrition information panel (NIP). Full laboratory testing is available.

Our full testing includes:

Energy (kilojoules)
Protein
Fat, with saturated fat listed separately
Carbohydrate
Total sugars
Sodium and other minerals

Full labelling services provided to allow food products to comply with FSANZ labelling regulations, by full laboratory testing or computer analysis.

Health star rating

This is a voluntary system complementing the Nutrition Information Panel by providing interpretive information on the front of packaged food products. The Nutrition Laboratory can assist with producing this for you.

Quarantine facility

Approved by the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI), our quarantine facility allows the importation and safe storage of plant and biological material into New Zealand. An import license is required for importation of biological and plant materials from overseas countries (permits arranged by laboratory personnel).

Our facility is classed as an MPI transitional facility - Standard 154.02.17.

Product formulation and reformulation advice

The Nutrition Laboratory can help with formulation and reformulation advice in relation to many different aspects of food and beverage products.

The use of recognised methodology from AOAC, FDA and other regulatory agencies, ensures that standard procedures are followed.

Animal feed

Amino acid profile
Ash/organic matter
Crude fibre
Dietary markers, e.g. titanium, chromium
Digestible energy (pigs)
Digestibility trials
Fat
Fatty acid profile - omega-3&6 etc
Fibre (NDF, ADF, lignin)
Gross energy
Moisture
Protein
Starch
Trans fatty acids

Beverages

Amino acid profiles
Calcium
Fatty acid profiles
Lactose
Microbiological
Moisture/ash
Osmolality
pH
Phosphorus
Protein
Total fat
Total solids

Cosmetics/herbal remedies

Microbiological
pH
Thermal shock treatment
Water activity

Food products

Amino acid profiles
Ash/organic matter
Carbohydrates
Calorific value
Fat
Fatty acid profiles
Omega-3,6 EPA, DPA, DHA etc polyunsaturated fatty acids
Osmolarity
Health star rating
Nutrition information panel (FSANZ)
Protein
Rancidity
Shelf life & accelerated shelf life testing
Starch
Total phenolic content
Total soluble and insoluble dietary fibre
Total sugars
Trans fatty acids
Vitamin/mineral profiles

Grasses and forage

Ash
Carbohydrates
Fibre (NDF, ADF, lignin)
Gross energy
Hot water soluble carbohydrates
In vitro digestibility
Lipid
Moisture
Pectin
Protein
Starch

Meat

Ash
Amino acid profiles
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)
Fat
Fatty acid profiles
Microbiological
Moisture
Protein
Rancidity levels
Vitamins

Milk powder/dairy products

Amino acid profiles
Calcium
Fatty acid profiles
Lactose
Microbiological
Moisture/ash
Osmolality
pH
Phosphorus
Protein
Total fat
Total solids

Pet foods

AAFCO feeding protocols
AAFCO nutrient profile testing
Amino acid profile
Antigen quantitation (ELISA)
Ash
Calcium/phosphorus
Complete vitamin/mineral profiles
Crude fibre
Digestibility trials
Fat
Fatty acid profile - linoleic, linolenic, omega-3&6, arachidonic
Metabolisable energy
Microbiological
Moisture
pH
Preference testing (palatability trials)
Protein
Shelf life testing
Water activity

Shelf life

Accelerated shelf life
Microbiological testing
pH
Water activity

Serum, plasma and urine (animal and human)

Analysed for a range of biochemical and physiological assays including:

Bioplex assays (including cytokines, cardiac markers, cancer biomarkers and gut hormones)
Calcium
Cholesterol
Creatinine
ELISA assays
Enzymes
Glucose
HDL cholesterol
Hormones (RIA)
LDL cholesterol
Magnesium
Metabolites
Osmolarity
Phosphorus
Specific proteins
Triglyceride
Urea
Vitamins

Shelf life

Our research laboratory personnel are available to offer assistance with planning the specific tests your product(s) will require. This includes accelerated shelf life, microbiological testing, rancidity, storage temperatures, pH and water activity.

Contact us

Please contact the laboratory for enquiries and further information.