From staple crops to animal feed and irrigation water, food safety testing is essential for ensuring product quality and safety within the dynamic and consumer-driven food market. As businesses rapidly advance their products from farm to market, maintaining robust testing and compliance often poses significant challenges. One-stop lab testing solutions can streamline the microbiology testing industry and enhance market growth for enterprises.
Testing maintains product integrity
The acceleration of food products to market can be challenging, an area that thorough lab testing cannot be overlooked. With heightened awareness on food safety, there is a demand from the public for accountability from producers. Minor errors can result in product recalls, reputational damage, and legal consequences. Testing reaches beyond regulatory compliance as it enables producers to detect potential problems early in the production cycle and enhances consumer confidence and brand trust as products reach the market. By adopting a one-stop shop approach, businesses can achieve greater levels of efficiency, reliability, and expertise throughout their production processes.
One-stop shop approach
Testing service provider AssureCloud, which has the largest footprint of laboratories and inspection services in Southern Africa, is transforming all labs into one-stop testing facilities, to service clients’ growth strategies by helping them mitigate food safety risks. AssureCloud offers food safety testing, inspection, certification, and training solutions, and is one of SA’s few Biotoxin-accredited laboratory for seafood, the country’s first Asbestos Accredited Laboratory, and a specialist in Salmonella Serotype Testing.
Presently, all labs situated in Western Cape, Johannesburg, Oudtshoorn and Zambia are being refreshed and upgraded to meet international standards. Changes include optimising physical workflows to enhance turnaround times on reporting results. Changeover rooms, pathogen rooms, process and reading rooms have also been reorganised into separate functional spaces for ease of work.
Etienne van Zyl, Laboratory Manager at AssureCloud Oudtshoorn, said the upgrades came at an opportune time when food and water testing was high on the public agenda.
“Getting products to market faster can be a constant struggle, but lab testing cannot be compromised. We live in a world where the public is highly aware of the importance of food and water testing and is not shy to hold manufacturers accountable. This is where AssureCloud plays an important role in food safety testing to enable enterprises to offer a tested product,” said van Zyl.
Food industry landscape
Testing food products for harmful microorganisms such as Aflatoxin, Salmonella, E. Coli, and Listeria is crucial before they can be distributed to the market. As the sector evolves, so do its food safety regulations, enforced by authoritative bodies to ensure adherence. A one-stop shop partner, who also evolves with the industry, can effectively support clients’ needs.
Testing, therefore, builds consumer trust and brand reputation. This requires a joint effort by lab and client, to ensure the delivery of safe, high-quality food products to the market.
Assurecloud Team
Tel +27 87 330 3792
Email enquiries@assurecloud.co.za