Expanded UK food dye testing now includes solid foods

We are pleased to announce a significant enhancement to our services. Eurofins' accredited testing for water-soluble artificial colours now includes both liquid and solid food matrices. Previously limited to liquid samples such as soft drinks, this advanced testing method has been extended to cover a much broader range of food types including starchy and complex foods.

This enhancement enables faster turnaround times, improved service delivery, and full control of quality from our UK-based laboratory in Wolverhampton.

Using High Performance Liquid Chromatography with Diode Array Detection (HPLC-DAD), this method provides precise, reliable analysis for artificial colours. The testing is fully UKAS accredited under No. 0342, ensuring the highest standards of accuracy and traceability.

Newly supported food categories include insoluble & starchy foods

• Sugar, gelatine & chocolate confectionery
• Vegan confectionery (including starch-based products)
• Cakes and biscuits
• Breakfast cereals
• Tinned fruit & vegetables
• Dairy products
• Meat products
• Rice and pasta
• Composite dishes such as pizzas and pies
• Ready (prepared) meals

This builds on our existing testing service for liquid matrices including soft drinks.

Summary of test codes and their applications

UDAG1 - Insoluble foods

• For meat, tinned fruit and veg, dairy drinks, chocolate confectionery, curries, ready meals, and sauces (e.g. mayonnaise)
• Fat range: 0–80%
• Excludes starchy foods
• LOQ (mg/kg) 1-8 dependent on dye (total 12 colours)

UDAG2 - Sugar confectionery

• For syrups, jams, and preserves
• Excludes baker’s confectionery, chocolate, and modified starch sweets
• LOQ (mg/kg) 1-5 dependent on dye (total 12 colours)

UDAG3 – Soft drinks

• For bottled and canned soft drinks
• LOQ: 0.1 mg/L for 14 colours
• Excludes dairy-based drinks

UDAG4 – Starchy foods

• For breakfast cereals, rice, pasta, baker’s confectionery, cakes, biscuits, spices, and some vegan confectionery
• LOQ: 4 mg/Kg for 12 colours
• This method uses enzymatic breakdown (e.g. α-amylase) to aid colour recovery in products containing gelatinised starch. It is ideal for challenging matrices such as modified starch vegan sweets, pizzas, and pies.

E-numbers tested

* Accredited testing available for soft drinks only.

To learn more about our artificial colour testing or to access the full service page, please visit our dedicated page on food dye and colouring testing for food and drink, or contact our team for tailored advice on +44 (0)845 604 6740