Produce Testing & Agricultural Products Testing Services

Produce safety in the United States is governed by harmonized FDA and USDA Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs), including the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule. These regulations apply to both domestic and imported produce and grant regulatory agencies oversight and recall authority.

ANALYZETESTING LABS, in collaboration with Food Safety Net Services (FSNS), provides the laboratory testing required to support regulatory compliance, supplier verification, and product safety verification across the produce supply chain.

ANALYZETESTING LABS offers a full range of microbiology and chemistry testing services to support produce safety programs from pre-harvest through post-harvest operations. Our testing services cover:

• Fresh produce
  
  
• Soil amendments and compost
  
  
• Agricultural water
  
  
• Pre-harvest tissue samples
  
  
• Environmental monitoring of packing and processing facilities
  
  

Testing is performed in our North American network of ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratories, using validated methods and delivering accurate results with industry-leading turnaround times.

Our laboratories provide comprehensive testing to detect pathogens, indicator organisms, and chemical contaminants associated with produce.

Microbiology & chemistry testing includes:

• Salmonella spp.
  
  
• Escherichia coli O157:H7
  
  
• Non-O157 STEC
  
  
• Listeria spp.
  
  
• Listeria monocytogenes
  
  
• Cyclospora
  
  
• Indicator Organisms
  
  
• Aerobic Plate Count
  
  
• Generic E. coli
  
  
• Enterobacteriaceae
  
  
• Total Coliforms
  
  
• Fecal Coliforms
  
  
• Yeast & Mold
  
  
• Heavy Metals
  
  
• Minerals
  
  

Pesticides

Agricultural water plays a critical role in produce safety. Microbial water quality standards are established to reduce the risk of E. coli contamination, particularly in untreated water sources.

ANALYZETESTING LABS provides agricultural water testing that includes:

• Routine microbial testing
  
  
• Geometric Mean (GM) calculations
  
  
• Statistical Threshold Value (STV) assessments
  
  

These results help growers verify compliance with FSMA Produce Safety Rule requirements and manage water-related risks effectively.

Biological soil amendments, including compost, are regulated to control microbial risks. Regulations define acceptable microbial limits for detectable bacteria, including:

• Listeria monocytogenes
  
  
• Salmonella spp.
  
  
• Fecal Coliforms
  
  
• Escherichia coli O157:H7
  
  

Our laboratory testing helps verify that soil amendments meet regulatory standards before application.

Sprout production presents unique food safety challenges. ANALYZETESTING LABS supports sprout growers with irrigation water testing using FDA-approved, scientifically validated AOAC methods, including:

• AOAC Official Method 999.08
  
  
• AOAC Official Method 999.09
  
  
• AOAC Official Method 2011.03
  
  
• AOAC Official Method 2016.01
  
  

These methods help verify water safety and support compliance with FDA sprout regulations.

For imported produce, laboratory testing plays a key role in the Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP). ANALYZETESTING LABS supports FSVP compliance through laboratory testing and supply chain verification activities.

Through our regulatory partners, including EAS Consulting Group, we support records verification and documentation reviews to help importers demonstrate compliance and reduce contamination risk.

ANALYZETESTING LABS, together with FSNS and regulatory partners, supports on-farm inspections and compliance assistance to help mitigate foodborne illness risks at the source.

Regular laboratory testing combined with compliance support helps verify product safety, strengthen food safety systems, and reduce the likelihood of costly recalls.

In addition to laboratory testing, ANALYZETESTING LABS supports produce operations through certification and audit services aligned with industry-leading food safety standards.

Audit services include:

• SQF
  
  
• BRCGS Food Safety
  
  
• FSSC 22000
  
  
• GMP Audits
  
  

Our auditors bring extensive industry experience and focus on delivering high-quality, practical audits that support continuous improvement.

Our Environmental Monitoring Program (EMP) support includes advanced digital tools that simplify sampling and data management.

Key features include:

• Automated environmental monitoring workflows
  
  
• Real-time data visualization
  
  
• Customizable swabbing plans
  
  
• Corrective action tracking for failed sites
  
  
• Secure cloud-based data storage
  
  

These tools reduce administrative burden and improve visibility into food safety performance.

Beyond routine testing, ANALYZETESTING LABS provides contract research services through FSNS Lab+ to support advanced scientific needs.

Scientific services include:

• Stability Studies
  
  
• Shelf-Life Studies
  
  
• Process Validations
  
  
• Microbial Strain Typing
  
  
• Custom Research Studies
  
  

Our scientists collaborate closely with clients, providing clear communication and results presented in practical, decision-ready formats.

Our services help address common produce safety concerns, including:

• Managing microbial and pesticide risks
  
  
• Supporting GFSI-benchmarked audits
  
  
• Scaling testing capacity during seasonal peaks
  
  
• Identifying critical tests for fresh produce safety
  
  

Key microbial risks include Salmonella and Shiga toxin–producing E. coli (STEC), while pesticide residue testing supports regulatory compliance.