Cacao
Are you eager to assure the quality of your cacao and chocolate products and seeking continued optimisation? TLR is ready to assist you with a wide range of specific analyses. Cacao and chocolate are subject to all sorts of requirements that are laid down in European regulations; the requirements under Dutch law are defined in the Commodities Act Degree on Cacao and Chocolate. There are regulations for microbiological, chemical and labelling requirements.
Relevant analyses including cacao bean grading, which we base on microscopic techniques. We perform authenticity assessment for beans and chocolate based on DNA methods. We can also check whether the fat profile of the chocolate conforms to statutory requirements and determine the nutritional content. TLR also has various testing options at its disposal to detect residues and contaminants, such as analysis of dioxins, PCBs, heavy metals or pesticides. We can also map out all sorts of microbiological parameters. Examples include detecting and characterising pathogenic bacteria like salmonella, listeria monocytogenes, bacillus cereus and staphylococcus aureus. Our international network allows us to arrange professional sampling worldwide through affiliated companies like Peterson and Control Union.
TLR is ISO 17025-accredited (L059), QS-certified and approved by the FOSFA, FEDIOL and GLOBAL GAP. In this way we help your organisation to comply with (international) guidelines, such as the VLOG certification.
Organic analyses
- Pesticides
- Dioxins
- PCBs
- Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
- Fatty acid composition
- Free fatty acids
- Sugar (mono- and oligosaccharides)
- Sugar alcohols
- Sweeteners
- Organic acids
- Alkaloids, such as caffeine and theobromine
Microbiology
- Aerobic bacterial count
- Water activity
- Lactic acid bacteria
- Yeasts
- Fungi
- Coliforms
- Enterococci
- Enterobacteriaceae
Nutritional value and composition
Protein
Fat
Carbohydrates
Vitamins
Minerals
Trace elements
Non-saponifiable ingredients
Moisture
In-organic analyses
- Heavy metals such as:
- Lead
- Cadmium
- Arsenic
- Mercury
Pathogens
- Salmonella
- Listeria monocytogenes
- STEC / EHEC
- Norovirus
- Hepatitis A