Processed Food

Processed Food

Hill Labs provides accredited methods for pesticides, heavy metals, nutritional information, allergen and microbiological testing in processed foods, including condiments such as herbs and spices.

Heavy Metal Testing

Food may become contaminated with heavy metals for many reasons. Many soil contaminants, such as heavy metals remain in biologically accessible states for extended periods of time, and are water-soluble, which means that they can bio-accumulate in fish, fruits, vegetables, shellfish and potentially humans. As such testing soil, water, fruits and vegetables for heavy metals is commonplace. Hill Labs has an extensive suite of heavy metal tests for use on everything from soil through to honey. Our technical notes will help guide you through what test may be right for your needs.

Pathogen Testing

Hill Labs has an extensive array of pathogen-related tests that using either traditional culture, or molecular based detection. Our turnaround times are industry-leading and can be used with product or environmental swabs alike. Some of our routinely analysed pathogens are listed below:

  • Listeria species (by PCR)
  • Listeria monocytogenes (by PCR)
  • Salmonella (by PCR)
  • Aerobic plate count (APCs)
  • Enterobacteriaceae
  • Total coliforms
  • Faecal coliforms
  • E. Coli
  • STEC E. coli ((including O157) by PCR)
  • Clostridium perfringens
  • Staphylococcus aureus
  • Camplyobacter

Pesticide Residue Testing

Hill Labs has extensive experience in the analysis of pesticide residues. We have developed award winning purification systems that ensure the best possible extraction of contaminants across the most diverse array of sample types available in New Zealand. Our test offering is IANZ accredited and suitable for use in both domestic and export-based situations. A complete listing of available pesticide test options can be found in our easy-to-read technical note documents.

Allergen Testing

Testing products for allergens such as gluten, egg white and milk products Is important when wanting to ensure that a product conforms to its stated food labelling claims. Hill Labs offers a number of allergen tests for a variety of different products and drinks. 

Nutritional Panel Testing

Understanding the nutritional information of food, especially processed food is a food labelling requirement. Nutritional panel testing includes getting an understanding of a product’s, energy, protein, fat (total and saturated), carbohydrate (total and sugars) and sodium. Assessing so many components within multi-component food groups can provide a number of analytical challenges, however Hill Labs team of expert analysts have made the process simple and convenient. Simply complete one of our test submission forms and sample and we will take care of the rest.

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Helpful links

Our team of testing experts has meticulously crafted these documents to offer recommendations tailored to your testing requirements.

Latest Stories

Innovation is in Hill Labs DNA

Hill Labs founder, Dr Roger Hill, recognised that innovation thrives when rooted in a solid foundation of technical expertise. Hill Labs has developed a wide range of pioneering PCR testing services, spanning food safety, public health, and agriculture sectors. This innovation has been propelled by Hill Labs' technical capability and unwavering customer-centric approach. In the context of food safety, rapid and accurate detection of bacterial pathogens is paramount. Traditionally, identifying pathogens like Listeria, Salmonella, and Cronobacter relied on labour-intensive methods that take several days to yield results.
  15 May 2024

Milestones in Food and Bioanalytical Testing

The evolution of our analytical testing services to the food and bioanalytical sector stands as a testament to our unwavering commitment to excellence and continuous innovation. Each milestone along our journey represents a strategic step forward, reflecting our dedication to responding to market demands and surpassing client expectations. For our fortieth birthday edition, let's embark on a journey through time, exploring some pivotal moments that have defined our trajectory.
  15 May 2024

40 Years of Soil Testing

Soil testing holds a special place at Hill Labs. Forty years ago, Roger and Anne Hill started their business by providing soil and leaf testing to customers in agriculture and horticulture. The methods have evolved over the years as improvements have been made, but the fundamentals remain the same. As sample numbers grew, so too did the desire to innovate the process. The operation of processing a soil sample from reception through to analysis is quite manual. This was the driver for the birth of RoSEE (Robotic Soil Extraction Equipment) in 2002.
  15 May 2024

What our customers have to say

"We've always found them to be responsive in getting results back and giving advice on problems we might be facing."

Andrew Hutchinson, Technical Manager, Turners & Growers

"We strongly recommend Hill Labs as a sound testing service provider to the honey industry."

Nick Walker, Technical Manager, Egmont Honey

"Their sample registration system has made things simple and seamless - collect, scan and send!"

Mathew Bannister, Compliance Manager, First Fresh New Zealand

Accreditations

As a New Zealand accredited laboratory by International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ), Hill Labs' commitment to quality is tantamount to our overall operating philosophy. We pride ourselves on the quality of our work.