Food products


Food products

Within such a high-risk industry, detailed analyses and comprehensive inspections are vital for the good functioning of partnerships. ROMCONTROL provides quality/ quantity inspection and laboratory analyses services at the specific parameters for food industry products, accurately answering the contractual specifications between the contracting parties.

Quantity inspections are carried out by specialized personnel, by various methods, using metrologically certified equipment and specific procedures, according to domain-specific international norms. The results of our inspections are presented in specific documents for the type of requested/ performed inspection, and observe internal and/ or international standards and norms.

The main products for which we provide specific inspection services are:

  • Meat, preserved meat, meat preparations, edible animal fats:
    • meat and meat products: beef, sheep meat and goat meat, pork, poultry meat and meat preparations (salami, ham, preserved meat)
    • edible fats
  • Fish (fresh and frozen), preserved fish and fish products
  • Grain mill, bakery, pasta and biscuits cereal products
    • cereal flours (wheat, corn)
    • baker’s wares (bread)
    • shelled or husked products and groats (meal, rice)
    • pasta and biscuits
  • Sugar and sweets
  • Milk and milk products (butter, cheeses, yoghurt, milk powder, cream, lactose, ice-cream ,etc.)
  • Vegetable and fruit products
    • preserves: marmalade, broth and tomato paste, canned vegetables in water or broth, natural fruit syrup, compotes, jams, comfiture, canned vegetables in oil, canned vegetables in vinegar – pickled cucumbers, etc.
    • fruits and vegetables: fresh, dried, dehydrated, salted, pickled, marinated, frozen, nuts, paprika, mushrooms (penny buns, dehydrated, brined mushrooms), olives, cooked or pre-cooked meals, cold-preserved vegetables and fruits
    • fruit pulps and marcs
    • edible vegetable oils and fats: edible oils (refined sunflower, soy, oilseed rape, maize germs oil, mixed refined oil, hydrogenated oil), margarines and similar products
  • Ethyl alcohol, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks
    • ethyl alcohol and alcoholic drinks
    • wines
    • beer and other low-alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks (soft drinks, sparkling and mineral waters)
  • Miscellaneous: table vinegar, tartaric acid
  • Other products:
    • foodstuffs concentrates
    • condiments, aromatics, stimulants: tea, cocoa, coffee and derivates, mustard
    • starch and starch-derived products (potato, corn, wheat starch)
    • miscellaneous: bakers’ yeast, artificial ice, powdered egg white and molasses.

Quantity inspection

The quantity of products being prepared for sale by providers or being sold is an essential factor in contracts between partners. The accuracy of determinations may have a very high impact on a commercial relationship, especially on an international one.

ROMCONTROL provides quality inspections throughout the duration of loading/unloading sold products as well as regarding those being prepared for sale by providers.

ROMCONTROL establishes the quantity and/or the weight throughout handling (tally operations, weighing assistance with metrologically calibrated and checked scales, draft survey for ships, barges, flat boats, ullage measurements for ships, etc.) or from warehouses (through volume-based calculations or weighing).

The results of the findings are stipulated in Certificates of Quantity, Weighing and Draft etc.

Quality inspection

The products’ quality has a direct impact on their pricing, and is an essential factor in initiating all contracts. The main product-identifying parameters, stated in all contractual specifications and strictly regulated, in international standards and norms, are to a good extent the motivation for the responsibility of ROMCONTROL’s involvement in the field of quality.

ROMCONTROL provides the quality inspection of food industry products, pre-packaged and packaged, found in warehouses or during handling (loading/unloading), in and from means of transportation (auto, wagons, river-borne – barges, flat boats, sea-borne – ships, air-borne), in domestic and worldwide locations.

ROMCONTROL performs the checking of the state of the merchandise, of the warehousing/ storage conditions and of the pre-loading hygiene of the means of transportation (auto, wagons, barges, ships).

It provides permanent assistance during operations – handling, according to contractual requirements and international norms.It also samples the available batches throughout the operations/handling or performs sampling from warehousing spaces according to internal and international standards, norms and procedures.

ROMCONTROL experts carry out product-specific sensory-organoleptic tests, and analyze average, composite/ representative samples or those taken by random sampling, according to known procedures in this field. The analyses of samples are performed in our own RENAR-accredited laboratories, or in sub-contracted accredited laboratories, under the strict supervision of ROMCONTROL.

The inspection results are stipulated in Merchandise Status Certificates, Batch/ Shipment (ship, barge, etc.) Quality Certificates, Certificates of Analysis acknowledged by the parties and observing internal and/or international norms.

Laboratory analyses

ROMCONTROL performs laboratory analyses on random samples or on average, representative samples, taken by our specialized department of inspectors and endowed with their own sampling equipment.

The specific analyses of food products are performed in our own RENAR-accredited laboratories, as well as in sub-contracted, accredited laboratories, under our direct supervision.

Main analyses:

1. Organoleptic and physico-chemical analyses

Covering, function of product, sensory tests, determinations of moisture, impurities, oil content, alkalinity, crude protein, fats, sugar, lactose, starch, ashes, fiber – cellulose, dry substance, etc.

Main parameters for a few products:

  • Veal, pork, poultry meat, goat meat, sheep meat: aspect, color, consistency, odor (organoleptic parameters), easily hydrolysable nitrogen, pH, Kreis reaction, hydrogen sulphide reaction, ammonia reaction (physico-chemical parameters)
  • Meat preparations: water, fats, NaCl, nitrites, total protein substances
  • Ocean fish: aspect, color, consistency, taste, odor, easily hydrolysable nitrogen, ammonia, hydrogen sulphide, pH
  • Fresh fish: plus ammonia, hydrogen sulphide, pH
  • Fats from oilseeds: acidity, ash, fatty acids, impurities, moisture and volatile substances, saponification number, unsaponifiables, iodine, protein, melting point
  • Refined sunflower, soy, oilseed rape, maize germs oil: aspect, color, taste, odor (organoleptics), free acidity, color in iodine, water and volatile substances, soap, iodine index, unsaponifiable organic substances, ethyl ether-insoluble impurities, peroxide index (physico-chemicals), contaminants – metals: Cu, Pb, Zn, As
  • Technical fatty acids: iodine color, , ethyl ether-insoluble impurities, moisture and volatile matter, flash-point, relative density, refractive index, acidity index, iodine index, unsaponifiable organic substances, ash
  • Nuts: sorting, calibrations as per specifications, by shape and moisture
  • Vinegar: total acidity, extract, methyl alcohol, mineral acids, sediment, Cu, Fe, As,Zn,Pb
  • Refined ethyl alcohol: alcoholic strength, total acidity, methyl alcohol, dry extract, relative density, residues
  • Spirits: alcoholic strength, total sugar, total acidity
  • Wine: alcoholic strength, total sugar, total acidity, volatile acidity, Pb, Cu, Tin, Sodium, As, sulphates, methyl-alcohol
  • Soft drinks: soluble matter, refractometric degrees, acidity, ash, total sulphur dioxide, metals
  • Tomato juice: dry soluble matter in refractometric degrees, total acidity against dry matter, volatile acidity, NaCl, mineral impurities, vitamin C, metals
  • Apple juice: soluble matter, total acidity, volatile acidity, ethyl alcohol, metals
  • Black, green tea: aqueous extract, total ash, cellulose, water, theine, coloring agents, Pb
  • Condiments: moisture, ash, NaCl, metallic impurities, infestation
  • Coriander: mineral matter, moisture, ash, volatile oil
  • Pepper: water, total ash, non-volatile essential extract, essential oils

2. Microbiological analyses

These analyses refer to the following determinations: Coliform bacteria, Escherichia coli, Salmonella, coagulase positive Staphylococcus, Bacillus Cereus, total number of aerobes mesophilic germs, sulphite-reducing bacteria, yeasts and molds, etc.

3. Mycotoxins:

Mycotoxin analyses include: Aflatoxin B1, Aflatoxin total (B1+B2+G1+G2).

4. Analyses to determine contaminants

This type of analyses contains the determination of contamination with: heavy metals (cadmium, mercury, lead, arsenic, selenium, zinc, copper).