BioLab

We carry out approximately 50,000 analyses each year for Norwegian and overseas enterprises. BioLab has cutting-edge expertise in marine raw materials and products, and can for this reason offer extra support and product-specific knowledge, not normally available from commercial analysis labs.

Our personnel have extensive knowledge in raw materials, process development and products in marine and vegetable ingredients for feed and aquaculture, and for human use. We guarantee that all contracts are handled confidentially.

Our quality management system is based on the ISO 17025 standard, and the laboratory has been accredited by Norwegian Accreditation.

Accredited methods and references for methods

We also carry out various projects, such as the development of new methods of analysis, quality documentation in chemistry and microbiology, and help in the interpretation of regulations.

Microbiological analyses

The laboratory masters more than 20 analytical methods in microbiology that cover different physiological groups, indicator organisms and the most important pathogens carried in feed or food.

Many of the methods are accredited, including the methods used to document product safety, and those used as a basis for approval of products as specified by regulations in the feed and food industries.

Proteins and peptides

We have long experience of protein analyses. We currently use accredited analyses of protein both by the Kjeldahl method and by the nitrogen consumption method, in addition to accredited analyses of amino acid composition. Other important analyses are the size distribution of peptides, degree of hydrolysis, and several methods to characterise the breakdown products of proteins.

Omega 3 oils and phospholipids

BioLab is an expert laboratory in the analysis of marine sources of fat, and we can support our customers in all matters related to this field.

Marine organisms are the source of an extremely wide spectrum of different fatty acids. Analysis of marine fat is, therefore, more demanding than the analysis of fat from other sources. At Nofima, we are developing methods to determine the structure of different fatty acids. We have focussed on developing methods for the reliable identification of trans fatty acids in marine fat, include the trans fatty acids formed from the important omega 3 fatty acids EPA and DHA.

BioLab offers accredited analysis of fatty acid composition in which the customer obtains the actual levels of the various fatty acids in the sample, and not simply a percentage distribution.

Since most oils and lipid extracts consist of what is initially an unknown mixture of saturated and unsaturated molecules, we have also developed an analysis method to analyse the absolute amounts of lipid classes present. We often use these analyses for customers who projects are focussed on marine phospholipids.

Oxidation

The quality of oil is integrally linked to oxidation, and this has led us to study it in depth. We offer accredited analysis methods also in this field. We support the industry in their striving to produce products with high quality sensory properties and high storage stability by carrying out shelf-life tests.

The analyses we carry include the determination of peroxide value and anisine value, free fatty acids, and the analysis of early oxidation by head-space chromatography.

Further, we have developed special methods to analyse potential oxidation stability, and we have available methods that determine the contents of various antioxidants.

Questions

Postal adress:

Nofima AS
Postboks 1425 Oasen
NO-5844 Bergen

Visiting/delivery address:

Kjerreidviken 16
NO-5141 Fyllingsdalen