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Nutritional and composition analysis provides quantitative information about the nutrients and other measurable components present in natural health products, supplements and ingredients.
Testing can support product development, formulation verification, ingredient assessment, finished-product specifications and investigation of unexpected composition results.
PBR Laboratories provides nutritional and composition testing support from Edmonton for applicable natural health products, supplements and related ingredients across Alberta, Western Canada and Canada.
The appropriate analytical program depends on what the product contains, which components need to be measured, the product matrix and what decision the laboratory result must support.
Nutritional and composition analysis measures selected components of a product or ingredient to provide quantitative information about its composition.
Depending on the matrix and analytical objective, testing may include:
PBR’s current service catalogue documents these nutritional and compositional analytical capabilities for applicable matrices.
The purpose of testing should be defined before selecting the analytical panel.
Laboratory results may help answer questions such as:
PBR’s decision framework requires laboratory testing to connect the matrix, analytical parameter and result to a real product, supplier or quality decision.
Protein testing can support:
The laboratory result provides the measured protein value for the submitted sample under the applicable analytical method.
Whether that result meets requirements depends on the relevant product or ingredient specification.
Related Product Page: Protein & Sports Nutrition Product Testing →
Carbohydrate analysis can contribute to nutritional characterization of applicable supplements, powders and other product matrices.
Testing may support:
The required analytical approach should be selected according to the product and the information the client needs from the result.
PBR’s documented nutritional analysis capabilities include dietary fibre testing.
Dietary fibre analysis may be relevant to:
Testing may be useful where measured fibre content is needed to support formulation, specification or product-characterization decisions.
PBR’s service catalogue documents sugar analysis for applicable matrices.
Sugar analysis may support:
The appropriate test should reflect the specific analytical question rather than assuming that one sugar result answers every formulation question.
Total fat analysis provides quantitative information about the fat content of the submitted sample.
Results may contribute to:
PBR’s service catalogue documents fatty-acid analysis covering:
Fatty-acid analysis may be relevant for oils, nutritional formulations and other products where lipid composition forms part of the product or ingredient specification.
PBR’s current service catalogue documents cholesterol testing using gas chromatography with flame ionization detection for applicable matrices.
Cholesterol testing may support:
Matrix suitability should be confirmed before sample submission.
PBR’s documented capabilities include selected mineral analysis for:
Results may contribute to:
A measured mineral concentration should be interpreted in relation to the applicable specification and product formulation.
PBR’s service catalogue identifies individual analytical capabilities for:
Selected vitamin analysis may support product-development, formulation and specification-related decisions for applicable matrices.
The verified service catalogue supports vitamins A, C and D, but it does not support a blanket claim that PBR performs analysis of every vitamin or every medicinal ingredient.
Clients should discuss:
Ask PBR about your product before submitting samples for vitamin analysis.
Moisture can influence the performance and consistency of powders, botanical materials, ingredients and finished products.
Testing may support evaluation of:
PBR’s service catalogue documents moisture testing capabilities for applicable matrices.
A moisture result indicates the amount of water measured in the submitted sample under the applicable method.
It does not provide the same information as water activity.
Related Service: Stability & Quality Testing →
PBR’s documented capabilities include gravimetric ash analysis for applicable matrices.
Ash analysis measures the inorganic residue remaining after the applicable analytical procedure.
Depending on the product, it may contribute to:
Nutritional analysis focuses on nutrients and related components used to characterize a product’s nutritional profile.
Composition analysis is broader. It can involve measuring selected components of a raw material or finished product against a formulation, purchasing specification or internal quality target.
For example:
A protein supplement manufacturer may need:
protein + moisture + sugars
while an ingredient supplier may need:
protein + ash + selected minerals
The appropriate testing panel depends on the decision the result needs to support.
A nutritional analysis panel and a medicinal-ingredient potency test do not necessarily answer the same analytical question.
Medicinal-ingredient testing may require:
PBR’s verified service catalogue supports defined nutritional parameters and selected vitamins, but it does not provide support for a general claim that all medicinal-ingredient potency testing is available.
Tell PBR exactly which component needs to be measured and what decision the result must support.
PBR’s existing service catalogue distinguishes between wet-chemistry nutritional facts testing and computational nutritional facts testing.
Wet-chemistry testing involves laboratory measurement of selected parameters in the submitted sample.
This approach may be appropriate where:
Calculation-based analysis uses formulation or ingredient information rather than directly measuring every component in the finished sample.
This approach depends heavily on:
The answer depends on how the result will be used.
Where actual product composition must be independently verified, direct analytical testing may answer questions that calculation alone cannot.
Composition testing can be performed on applicable incoming ingredients where the analytical result supports:
Potential parameters may include:
Protein | Moisture | Ash | Fat | Selected Minerals | Other Applicable Components
The correct testing panel should reflect the material and the supplier or manufacturing decision being made.
Finished-product composition analysis can help determine whether selected analytical parameters align with the expected formulation or established product specification.
Testing may support:
The laboratory result should be interpreted against the applicable product specification rather than as a standalone number.
An unexpected analytical result does not automatically identify the reason for the difference.
An investigation may need to consider:
Repeated testing alone may not explain why the original result differed from expectations.
The appropriate follow-up should be based on the product, analytical parameter and quality decision.
A laboratory result describes the submitted sample.
For powders, blended formulations and heterogeneous ingredients, the sample must adequately represent the material if the result will be used to make a lot-level or batch-level decision.
Common sampling risks include:
PBR’s decision framework specifically identifies representativeness and sampling design as factors that affect how confidently a laboratory result can be applied to a larger lot.
Ask PBR about sample requirements before submitting your product.
Potential analysis may include: protein; carbohydrates; sugars; total fat; fatty acids; selected minerals; moisture; ash.
Powdered formulations may require compositional analysis to evaluate formulation, ingredient consistency and manufacturing variability.
Potential parameters include: protein; carbohydrates; moisture; ash; fat; selected minerals.
PBR’s documented capabilities include selected mineral analysis and vitamins A, C and D.
Testing should be selected according to the specific analyte, matrix and analytical objective.
Composition testing may support characterization of applicable botanical ingredients and finished formulations.
The relevant analytical parameters depend on the plant material, formulation and product specification.
Composition testing can support selected formulation and specification questions in applicable capsule and tablet products.
Liquid formulations may require selected compositional analysis based on their ingredients and product specifications.
PBR Laboratories provides nutritional and composition testing support from Edmonton for natural health product manufacturers, supplement companies, ingredient suppliers and product developers.
This follows PBR’s positioning as the laboratory that helps clients understand results and take action rather than simply receive analytical data.
PBR’s documented capabilities include protein, carbohydrates, dietary fibre, sugars, total fat, fatty acids, cholesterol, calcium, iron, sodium, potassium, magnesium, moisture and ash. Selected capabilities also include vitamins A, C and D.
PBR has documented protein-analysis capabilities for applicable matrices. Depending on the product and analytical objective, other useful parameters may include moisture, carbohydrates, sugars, fats, ash and selected minerals.
PBR’s current service catalogue documents individual capabilities for vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin D. The product matrix and required analytical objective should be confirmed before sample submission.
No. Nutritional analysis and medicinal-ingredient potency testing are different analytical objectives. Potency testing may require product-specific methods, reference standards and matrix-specific analytical suitability.
Wet-chemistry analysis measures selected components directly in the submitted sample. Calculation-based analysis uses formulation or ingredient information. The appropriate approach depends on how the analytical information will be used.
Yes, for applicable matrices and parameters within PBR’s documented capabilities. Ingredient testing may support supplier qualification, purchasing specifications, formulation and incoming-lot decisions.
Differences can arise from ingredient variability, product homogeneity, formulation, weighing, processing, moisture changes, sampling or analytical factors. An unexpected result should be investigated in context rather than interpreted in isolation.
Yes. PBR provides laboratory testing support from Edmonton for clients throughout Alberta, Western Canada and Canada.