Pastas and baked goods

Quality control and laboratory analysis for pasta, bakery, and cereal products

The pasta and bakery products sector requires specific analytical controls to ensure safety, quality, and regulatory compliance.

Fresh pasta, egg pasta, filled pasta, bread, and bakery items present critical challenges related to allergenic ingredients, manufacturing processes, thermal treatments, and storage conditions.

At Lifeanalytics, we support pasta manufacturers, milling industries, and bakery companies through accredited laboratory analyses dedicated to:

• Technical parametric testing: verification of technological parameters for dough, processing, and gluten quality.
• Microbiological control: testing of fresh pasta, filled pasta, and bakery products.
• Process validation: validation of baking, drying, leavening, and pasteurization processes.
• Shelf life and stability monitoring: tracking the durability and stability of packaged products.
• Regulatory and retail support: assisting with regulatory compliance, retailer (GDO) requirements, and export markets.

Thanks to an integrated approach, we help companies prevent non-compliance, ensure production continuity, and safeguard brand value.

Regulatory requirements for pasta and bakery products

The production of pasta and bakery items is governed by specific regulatory standards, including:

• DPR 187/2001 – Italian Presidential Decree regulating pasta and flour production (Regulation of pasta products)
• Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 – Food information to consumers
• Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 – On the hygiene of foodstuffs
• Regulation (EU) 2023/915 – On maximum levels for certain contaminants in food

Analytical verifications are essential to confirm mandatory parameters (e.g., minimum egg content in egg pasta, semolina characteristics) and to demonstrate compliance with safety limits for cereal contaminants.

Laboratory testing for fresh pasta and bakery products

Our ISO/IEC 17025:2018 accredited laboratories provide reliable and defensible data to safeguard brands during audits, official inspections, and retailer (GDO) compliance checks, supporting them in the following areas:

• Microbiological safety: screening for pathogens (Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes), hygiene indicators (Enterobacteriaceae), and spoilage organisms (yeasts and molds) via rapid MALDI-TOF identification, to validate HACCP plans and monitor production surfaces for fresh, filled, or dried pasta.
• Mycotoxins and cereal contaminants: analysis of DON (Deoxynivalenol), Aflatoxins, Ochratoxin A, Zearalenone, heavy metals, and pesticide residues in grains and flours to ensure raw material compliance and prevent the holding of non-compliant lots.
• Physicochemical analysis and technological parameters: determination of moisture, water activity ($a_w$), ash, proteins, gluten quality, egg content (sterols), and full nutritional profiling to ensure technological product consistency and accurate label generation.
• Shelf life and process validation: real-time or accelerated stability studies on packaged bakery items and pasta products to monitor physicochemical and microbiological variations over time, scientifically validating the "best before" date as well as pasteurization, baking, and drying thermal treatments.
• Authenticity and supply chain protection: testing aimed at preventing food fraud, verifying formulation consistency, countering fraudulent practices, and supporting commercial claims related to ancient grains, certified supply chains, or premium positioning ingredients.

Your trusted experts for Pasta and Bakery Products

Choosing Lifeanalytics means relying on a leading technical partner for the pasta and bakery products sector, capable of turning laboratory analyses into concrete tools for quality control and production risk management.

Every day, we work alongside pasta manufacturers and bakery companies to:

• Reduce microbiological risk in fresh and filled pasta
• Monitor contaminants and mycotoxins in cereal raw materials
• Pass audits by clients, retailers (GDO), and official inspectors
• Ensure compliance with compositional requirements and regulatory limits

We provide a network of ISO/IEC 17025:2018 accredited laboratories and specialized expertise in the cereal sector to support timely decisions, safeguard production continuity, and protect the commercial value of your products.

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