Case Study

Accreditation empowers rapid food testing innovation

 

Summary

A Shanghai-based enterprise developed a rapid testing method for cheese nutritional components by implementing China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS) laboratory accreditation requirements and guidelines in chemistry. This reduced per-sample analysis time drastically, achieving a 24-fold efficiency improvement over traditional methods.

Background

To promote the specialised, refined, distinctive, and innovative development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs), which are also known as “Specialized and New” enterprises, since early 2024, the Chinese government has been encouraging SMEs to obtain quality management system certification accredited by CNAS as an important measure to strengthen quality management and enhance production management capabilities.

Strategy

A company in Shanghai, focused on cheese production, not only rigorously implements an accreditation system in its daily laboratory management but also actively applies accreditation technical standards to drive innovation in testing technologies—thereby providing strong support for achieving its goals of quality improvement, efficiency enhancement, and emissions reduction.

Accreditation helps the company enhance quality management

From the very beginning of its laboratory’s establishment, the company has strictly adhered to the requirements set by CNAS. It meticulously planned the laboratory’s layout and functional design and assembled a highly qualified professional team. After commencing operations, the laboratory continuously strengthened its technical capabilities and management level in accordance with CNAS system requirements, and in May 2022 it successfully passed the CNAS on‑site assessment. It now possesses the capacity to conduct component analyses for over 10 categories of raw materials, over 10 types of product matrices, and more than 176 specific test items. The laboratory has also been designated as a district-level quality education base.

Accreditation helps the company improve testing efficiency

Addressing the challenges of lengthy analysis times, complex procedures, and chemical waste generation associated with nutritional component testing in cheese, the company’s laboratory—guided by the relevant CNAS accreditation criteria and application guidelines for the chemical field—successfully developed a rapid testing method using near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy. This innovative testing technology has reduced the analysis time per sample to just 2-3 minutes, boosting efficiency by 24 times compared to traditional methods, achieving zero chemical waste emissions, and saving 25% of testing personnel. To date, this work has resulted in the generation of two patents, one published paper, and one group standard. It fills the gap in mature applications of near infrared spectroscopy technology within the cheese industry and fully demonstrates the leading and supporting role that accreditation systems and standards play in fostering enterprises’ testing technology innovation.

Results and impact

This reduced per-sample analysis time drastically, achieving a 24-fold efficiency improvement over traditional methods.

Contact

Organisation: Compiled by China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment (CNAS)