Since 2015, Phytocontrol's Food Physicochemistry department has been fully committed to an ambitious project to standardize analytical methods for nutritional labeling of food products.
This long-term commitment has now come to fruition with the publication of seven AFNOR standards, which have been integrated into our analysis methods.
Standards published for greater harmonization
The standardization process reached major milestones in 2024 and 2025 with the publication of two sets of fundamental standards:
Set 1 – Published in May 2024:
- NF V03-032: Food products – Determination of nitrogen content using the Kjeldahl method – Calculation of protein content.
- NF V03-426: Food products – Determination of fat content.
- NF V03-802: Food products – Determination of ash content.
Lot 2 – Published in March 2025:
- NF V03-801: Food products – Determination of loss of mass on drying.
- NF V03-033-1: Food products – Determination of sugar content. Part 1: Method by liquid chromatography (high pressure) with refractometric detection.
- NF V03-033-2: Foodstuffs – Determination of sugar content. Part 2: Method using high-performance anion exchange chromatography coupled with pulse amperometric detection (HPAEC-PAD).
- NF V03-034: Food products – Qualitative extraction of fat for the determination of fatty acid composition.
These standards define a common methodological framework that allows for better comparability of results, strengthening the reliability of data provided to the food industry and consumers.
Scientific recognition in progress
In order to promote this collective approach, an international scientific publication is currently being drafted. Entitled: “Nutritional labelling: a collaborative study to develop standardized methods for protein, fat, sugars, mass loss after drying and ashes in food”
This work aims to present the scientific and technical foundations of standardization: protocols, collaborative tests, statistical processing by BIPEA, and the results obtained. This is a crucial step in strengthening the credibility and international acceptability of these methods.
See you on June 12: AFNOR webinar
To conclude this standardization phase, a webinar organized by AFNOR will be held on June 12, 2025, bringing together:
- members of the commission who participated in drafting the standards,
- contributing laboratories,
- representatives of government agencies,
- and potentially stakeholders from the food industry.
This webinar will be an opportunity to look back on the 10 years of work that have made it possible to build a reliable, standardized, and harmonized analytical foundation.
By getting involved in this process, Phytocontrol is affirming its leading role in innovation and analytical excellence in the service of food safety and nutritional transparency.
