Nutritional analysis is an important part of the food product development process, and can have a significant impact on the calories (which, along with taste and presentation are important elements to consider when creating a product). However, often there is confusion or misunderstanding between the terms food label nutrition facts and nutritional analysis. These two approaches to nutritional data collection involve different aspects and different metrics of a product in order to reach an accurate picture of the healthfulness of that product.
What is Nutritional Analysis?
Nutritional analysis is a process that evaluates the nutritional value of food products. This can be done by measuring the amount of calories, fat, protein and carbohydrates contained in a certain food product. Food testing labs in UAE use nutritional analysis to determine how much of each nutrient a product contains, as well as how they are absorbed by the body.
This process is often used by manufacturers to ensure that their products meet the standards set by regulatory agencies like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA has set strict dietary requirements for Americans, which include minimum levels of nutrients such as protein, carbohydrates and fats. It also regulates what ingredients can be added to foods such as salt or sugar.
What does a nutritional analysis tell you?
The results are used to calculate an analysis of the nutritional content of a product. It can be used to determine whether a food or beverage meets regulatory requirements, as well as for research purposes. In addition to determining the amount of nutrients present in foods, nutritional analysis also involves determining the presence of contaminants, such as heavy metals, pesticide residues and other potentially unsafe substances that may be present in food products.
Why is nutritional analysis important?
Nutritional analysis is an important part of food product development. It allows you to understand your ingredients and how they interact with each other, as well as how they affect the nutritional composition of your finished product. Without this information, it’s hard to create a product that meets customer expectations for taste and nutrition.
The good news is that laboratory testing services in Dubai like nutritional analysis have never been easier or more accessible than it is today. With the right laboratory, you can get the data you need quickly and easily.
Nutrition facts labels
The Nutrition Facts label is the most important piece of information on the package. It’s required on all food products sold in the UAE and must include a statement about the serving size and servings per container. The Nutrition Facts label is an important tool for you as a food product developer because it helps you identify any issues with your product before you launch it into the market. The label also lets customers know what they are eating and can help them make better choices about their diet.
There are two types of nutrition facts labels – basic and full. The basic nutrition facts label provides information on calories, fat, cholesterol, sodium and carbohydrates. The full nutritional information includes all of this along with vitamin A, D, E and K; calcium; iron; protein; dietary fibre; potassium; copper; manganese; niacin (B3) and thiamin (B1).
It helps you to confirm the accuracy of your nutrition label and avoid recalls. In fact, one of the top reasons that products get recalled is because they do not meet FDA requirements for labelling. Also it helps you to identify potential health benefits and risks associated with your product.
The difference between nutrition facts labels and nutrient content claims
Nutrition facts labels are required on all foods that provide information on the amount of calories, fat and other nutrients per serving size. Nutrient content claims are statements about the amount of a nutrient in one serving of food. Such as “low sodium” or “high fibre.”
There are many other types of nutritional claims that can be made on food packages, including whether the product is organic, low-fat, high-fibre or contains whole grains. However, these claims don’t tell you how much of each nutrient is present in the product.
Nutritional Analysis Provides a Valuable Selling Point for Your Product
Nutritional analysis is the process of determining the nutritional content of a food product. This can be done through food microbiology testing in Dubai or by calculating it from known ingredients.
Nutritional analysis is an important part of food product development because it provides a valuable selling point for your product. If you are manufacturing a new food item, you will want to know if it contains enough nutrients to be considered healthy and nutritious.
The results of a nutritional analysis can also be used to compare your product with others in the marketplace. This is an effective way to promote yourself as an industry leader and gain an edge over competitors who do not provide this service.
Common mistakes made by food companies during nutritional analysis:
1) Not understanding the purpose of a nutritional analysis. A nutritional analysis is not simply a listing of the components of a food product. It is the evaluation of these components in relation to the target consumer and their needs.
For example, if you are developing a new product that will be marketed to children aged 4-12, then you would want to know how much protein, fat and sugar they need as well as other nutrients like vitamins and minerals. You would also want to know what types of foods are typically consumed by this age group and how many servings are eaten at each mealtime (e.g., breakfast, lunch or dinner).
2) Not having an understanding of how much should be consumed per serving size. For example, if your new product has 20 grams of sugar per serving and you are preparing it at home for dinner, then it may not be appropriate because you wouldn’t normally consume 20 grams at one sitting unless it was dessert!
3) Not having an understanding of the differences between healthy eating recommendations from different organisations (e.g., WHO vs. USDA vs. ADA). There are many different organisations that provide dietary guidelines for consumers and each one has different recommendations for different age groups
Where can you get a nutritional analysis done in the UAE?
The nutritional analysis should be conducted in a certified laboratory. Contact URS Laboratory for all your food analysis needs. We are one of the leading laboratories in the region, with experience in providing quality testing services. We are an ISO accredited laboratory in Dubai with a ISO 17025 accreditation from EIAC.
Our clients include multinational food companies, government bodies, hospitals and universities. We have also worked with local distributors and small start-ups to provide them with high-quality products that meet international standards.
To wrap up:
We hope that you now understand the importance of nutritional analysis in product development. Finding the right mix of ingredients is of key importance to the success of your food product. Now that you are aware of how important this is, you may want to find someone to handle it for you. URS certified laboratory will conduct a timely and accurate nutritional analysis to help you determine your product’s nutrient content that will improve your product development process.