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Custom Scientific Studies for Food & Beverage

Lab+, our dedicated Contract Research Team, provides customized scientific studies to help food and beverage processors, ingredient suppliers, equipment manufacturers, and regulatory bodies verify product safety and quality.  

From shelf-life testing to challenge studies, process validations to microbial strain typing and more, we deliver the critical data you need to make informed decisions and meet regulatory requirements. 

We manage the entire process, from designing a study tailored to your product and budget to laboratory testing and final reporting that is clear and actionable for your entire team. Let’s discuss your study needs today! 

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Why Choose Lab+?

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Expert Scientists, Clear Results

We help you from study design to final report – with no confusing jargon! 

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Scalable Studies

Studies done within your budget and timeframe. 

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Trustworthy Data

ISO 17025-accredited labs, validated methods, and expert scientists. 

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All Your Data From One Place

Broad range of studies tailored to all your needs. 

Shelf-Life Studies for Food & Beverage

Shelf-life studies provide critical data on how your product holds up under real-world storage conditions. Our shelf-life testing helps you confidently determine a “best-by” or expiration date that balances customer satisfaction, food safety, and waste reduction.

Our expert scientists design and conduct tailored shelf-life studies for a wide range of food and beverage products. We help you determine the optimal number of time points and replicates, ensuring you get meaningful results that fit your budget.

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Real-Time Shelf-Life Studies

  • Cooler and retail display case refrigerated storage studies. 
  • High-precision temperature and humidity chamber stability studies. 
  • Room-temperature ambient storage studies. 
  • Spoilage microorganism growth, organoleptic evaluation, package integrity evaluation, and chemical evaluation.
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Accelerated Shelf-Life (Q10 Model) Studies:

  • Elevated temperature storage for ambient temperature products with long shelf-life. 
  • Organoleptic evaluation, package integrity evaluation, and chemical evaluation. 

    Challenge Studies Help Dairy Products Manufacturer Expand Product Line and Boost Revenue

    Read the Case Study

    Challenge Studies for Food & Beverage

    Pathogenic contamination is a major risk for food and beverage processors, leading to costly recalls and safety concerns. How well does your product’s preservative system protect against contamination, especially if it’s a clean-label formulation without traditional preservatives?

    Our challenge studies assess microbial resilience by introducing a pathogen of concern into a sample and systematically monitoring its response. The data generated helps you verify food safety, regulatory compliance, and product stability, giving you the confidence to bring a safe, high-quality product to market.

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    Pathogen Challenge Studies

    • Listeria challenge studies to demonstrate compliance with USDA Alternative 1 or Alternative 2 status, Refrigerated Foods Association guidelines, or other regulatory or industry trade association guidelines. 
    • FDA Food Code required product assessments for determining Temperature Control for Safety (TCS) status. 
    • USP <51> antimicrobial-effectiveness studies for consumer products. 
    • Inoculation with any pathogenic organism to assess the impact of formulations, antimicrobial additives, pH, water activity, packaging systems, and storage temperatures on outgrowth to aid Research and Development efforts. 
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    Spoilage Organism Challenge Studies

    • Inoculation with any spoilage organism to assess impact of formulations, antimicrobial additives, pH, water activity, packaging systems, and storage temperatures on preventing product spoilage to aid Research and Development efforts. 
    • Antimicrobial ingredient minimum inhibitory concentration studies.

      Process Validations

      Our experts understand the regulations and best practices for food and beverage production. We help you gather the data and documentation to meet FDA, USDA, and other regulatory requirements, ensuring your processes produce safe, high-quality products.

      Our team includes FDA-oriented process authorities and USDA experts who assess process capabilities, evaluate deviations, and support industry-specific validations, such as California’s Technical Expert Review Panel (TERP) for almond process validation.

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      Thermal-process validation studies (both laboratory-based simulations and in-plant with surrogates).

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      Non-thermal process validation studies (both laboratory-based simulations and in-plant with surrogates).

      • Antimicrobial processing aids 
      • High-pressure processing 
      • Irradiation 
      • Pulsed electrical fields 
      • Pulsed light 
      • Radio frequency electric fields 
      • Ultraviolet light 
      • Microfiltration 
      • Cold plasma 
      • Supercritical carbon dioxide 
      • Other alternative technologies
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      FDA Low-Acid Canned Foods (21 CFR 113) and acidified-product compliance (21 CFR 114) and validation.

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      Representation of processors and importers with FDA.

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      Temperature distribution and heat-penetration studies.

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      Consumer and commercial cook instruction validation.

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      Thermal process determination, evaluation, and filing.

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      Process deviation evaluations.

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      Ethylene oxide, gamma irradiation, and hydrogen peroxide sterilization/validation.

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      Process filings.

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      Aseptic processing.

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      Investigation and resolution of spoilage problems and FDA-detained product.

      Method Validation

      Rapid test kits play a crucial role in detecting foodborne contaminants, but they must be validated for accuracy and reliability. Lab+ specializes in validating test kits for Listeria, Salmonella, STEC, allergens, and other contaminants across various food and beverage matrices. Whether you’re a test kit manufacturer seeking validation or a processor evaluating a kit for in-house testing, our experts provide the data and support you need. 

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      AOAC International method validations.

      • We are an AOAC Research Institute Certified Independent Laboratory. 
      • Independent laboratory validation studies.
      • Method developer studies.
      • Official Methods of Analysis collaborative study participation.
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      Health Canada method validations.

      • MFLP validation studies. 
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      Internal method validations according to AOAC and Health Canada guidelines.

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      USP suitability and preparatory testing.

      Strain Typing Helps Beef Slaughter Plant Quickly Identify E. coli O157:H7 Source

      Read the Case Study

      Microbial Strain Typing and Additional Services 

      We provide microbial strain typing to enhance your Environmental Monitoring Program (EMP) by enabling precise source tracking of contaminants. This advanced approach helps identify the origins of repeat positives, allowing you to strengthen your program, improve contamination control, and maximize product safety. 

      In addition to strain typing, we offer a comprehensive range of specialized testing to meet your unique needs. Contact us if you require a specific test not listed. 

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      Microbial strain typing

      • Hygiena RiboPrinter® – Genetic Fingerprinting 
      • Bruker IR Biotyper® – Phenotypic Fingerprinting
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      Molecular testing services

      • We are a Non-GMO Project Certified Laboratory
      • GMO detection and quantification
      • Meat speciation
      • Virus and parasite detection: Hepatitis A, Norovirus
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      Facility assessment services

      • Facility contamination troubleshooting services 
      • Facility process assessment services 
      • On-site laboratory audits 
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      Pre-harvest food safety detection services

      • Livestock fecal and tissue sample testing for foodborne pathogens
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      Microbial identification

      • Bacterial identification – biochemical identification; 16S rRNA gene sequencing
      • Fungal identification – biochemical identification; 18S rRNA gene sequencing
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      Bacterial toxin testing

      • Staphylococcal enterotoxins
      • Bacillus cereus diarrheal enterotoxin
      • Gram-Negative endotoxin testing
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      Data collection and modeling studies

      • Thermal modeling studies – collection of thermal data from ovens, fryers, roasters, etc., and modeling to determine foodborne pathogen lethality. 
      • Outgrowth modeling studies – collection of holding temperature data from storage conditions and modeling to determine foodborne pathogen outgrowth.
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      Foreign material identification

      • Visual evaluation – stereoscope; microscope
      • Physical evaluation – solubility; magnetic attraction
      • Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometry – purity indices; database matches
      • Metals speciation – ICP-MS, ICP-OES, X-ray diffraction
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      Proficiency testing programs

      • Microbiological proficiency testing programs
      • Chemical proficiency testing programs

      Study Proposals Issues Per Year

      Customers Serviced in 2024

      Laboratory locations across North America

      including 3 with deidcated Lab+ contract research facilities

      Let’s Talk. At Your Level.

      When it comes to food safety and quality, trustworthy data is essential – but it must be free of confusing, technical jargon. Our expert team delivers clear, actionable results so you can confidently make informed decisions.

      From study design to execution to final reporting, we handle the entire process, ensuring you get precise scientific data to support your safety and quality programs and protect your brand.

      Let’s work together – contact us today to discuss your testing needs!