Mérieux NutriSciences Online Training Academy

An analytical method is a set of written instructions describing a procedure. These methods are used in activities we do daily, such as brushing teeth. Laboratories must have confidence that the methods they are using, when in the hands of an analyst, can produce reliable and accurate results which are appropriate to the analytical problem. This short course is intended to give you a basic understanding of validation and verification of analytical methods. At the conclusion of this course you will earn a certificate of completion that you can download and keep for your records. There will also be an option to download a PDF copy of the lesson content to keep and use as a reference.  This course will be available to you for 1 year from the date of purchase. Read more

Moisture, along with fat, protein, ash, and fiber make up what are referred to as the proximate analyses in food chemistry.  Proximate, meaning close or approximate, references the fact that these are tests that don’t assay for a specific molecule, but rather identify a general class of compounds by a particular characteristic.  In the case of moisture, you are quantifying the loss (in weight) upon drying.  While you won’t find moisture analysis listed directly on a Nutritional Label, it is a critical assay for determining both carbohydrates and calories.  This second course in our Proximate Analysis Testing series is intended to give you a basic understanding of moisture analysis and the primary testing methods used to test food for moisture content. At the conclusion of this course you will earn a certificate of completion that you can download and keep for your records. There will also be an option to download a PDF copy of the lesson content to keep and use as a reference.  This course will be available to you for 1 year from the date of purchase. Read more

If you’ve ever been curious about the nutritional composition of the food you’re eating, you are no doubt familiar with the Nutritional Facts Panel. The Nutrition Facts Panel, specified under the Nutrition Labeling Education Act (NLEA) of 1990, has been a standard feature of nearly every food item since 1993. However, you may not have given a lot of thought as to why it has such a specific format, how to interpret all of the information it presents, or what food manufacturers must do to comply with the regulations. This short course is intended to give you a basic understanding of the Nutrition Labeling Education Act (NLEA). At the conclusion of this course you will earn a certificate of completion that you can download and keep for your records. There will also be an option to download a PDF copy of the lesson content to keep and use as a reference.  This course will be available to you for 1 year from the date of purchase. Read more

How much protein is in the food? That seems to be the question of the decade as many people look to high-protein based diets to help with weight loss.  How do food companies determine how much protein is in their product? Through chemical analytical testing of course! This short course is intended to give you a basic understanding of protein analysis and the primary testing methods used to test food for protein content. At the conclusion of this course you will earn a certificate of completion that you can download and keep for your records. There will also be an option to download a PDF copy of the lesson content to keep and use as a reference.  This course will be available to you for 1 year from the date of purchase. Read more

Sodium chloride (NaCl), also known as common table salt, is the most commonly added ingredient in processed food production.  Salt is important to food processors because it: ●      Increases the palatability of food ●      Functions as a preservative by controlling water activity ●      Adds functional properties to foods by extracting soluble proteins which then bind fats and carbohydrates for stable emulsions  This short course is intended to give you a basic understanding of salt and sodium analysis and the primary testing methods used to test food for salt content. At the conclusion of this course you will earn a certificate of completion that you can download and keep for your records. There will also be an option to download a PDF copy of the lesson content to keep and use as a reference.  This course will be available to you for 1 year from the date of purchase. Read more

It’s of critical importance to make sure that the sample is representative of the population, because sampling error is estimated to be the single largest source of analytical uncertainty.  As the sample is portioned for various tests, each testing portion must be representative of the sample received.  To accomplish this, the sample must be made homogeneous.  This typically involves reduction of particle size to a small and uniform distribution.  This short course is intended to address the most common challenges, types of samples and preparation equipment encountered in food testing.  At the conclusion of this course you will earn a certificate of completion that you can download and keep for your records. There will also be an option to download a PDF copy of the lesson content to keep and use as a reference.  This course will be available to you for 1 year from the date of purchase. Read more