Quality Assurance
QUALITY ASSURANCE
Organic Partners ensures that our quality systems and those of our suppliers meet all the criteria required by today's market.
Sources
Quality starts with the living plant. We have been working with farmers and collectors for many years and are constantly extending our relationships with new producers and into new product areas. In addition to farm visits, we use a comprehensive assessment system through which we establish the capabilities of all new suppliers. This acts not only as a vetting procedure but also provides the basis for the critical path that a producer must follow to achieve the required standards.
Traceability
Organic Partners maintains full product traceability throughout import, processing and export. Working closely with producers, incorporating certifying bodies procedures and utilising unique batch codes, we are able to guarantee batch integrity through every step of the supply chain.
HACCP
Our warehouse and processing facilities operate a comprehensive HACCP Policy.
Organoleptic Assessment
All samples undergo physical analysis by our quality team. Organoleptic assessment meetings are held to check samples of every batch - type, pre-shipment and as delivered - for both liquid and dry products; testing for the latter includes colour, taste, texture, aroma, foreign matter and cut. All samples received are stored for three years, providing an extensive reference.
Analysis and Specifications
We apply rigorous quality checks and documentation controls to each batch delivered and have the flexibility to provide most analyses or specifications that a customer may require.
All culinary or infusion products are sold with microbiological analysis which we arrange before shipment as are Aflatoxin and Ochratoxin analyses which are provided to UKAS/ISO 17025 standards.
Other analyses are carried out as required:
Dry Products
• Plant Identification To European Pharmacopoeia
• Microbiological analysis (UKAS accredited) for scheduled products - TVC, E.coli, Yeasts, Moulds & Salmonella.
• Aflatoxin and Ochratoxin A testing for scheduled products.
• Sudan Red 1, 2, 3, 4 and Parared analysis provided for milled (crushed and powdered) Capsicum spp. inc crushed chilli, chilli powder, cayenne powder, paprika powder and Curcuma longa.
• Acid Insoluble Ash content
• Pesticide analysis - performed on historically problematic products.
o General - LOQ of 0.02 mg/kg
o Extended - LOQ of 0.01 ppm
o Full details of pesticides available upon request.
• Positive release of a product occurring only upon compliance with approved specifications quality inspection and metal detection of every batch delivered.
• Heavy Metals
• Essential Oil Content
• Nutritional Analysis
• Density
• Moisture Analysis
• Water Soluble Extract
• Alcohol Soluble Extract
• Loss on Drying
Liquid Products
Essential Oils
• GC Analysis
• Mass Spectrometry
• Relative Density
• Refractive Index
• Optical Rotation
• Flashpoint Determination
Vegetable and Fixed Oils
• Fatty acid profiles by gas chromatography
• Quantification of GLA, EPA, DHA, etc as mg/g oil
• Acid value (free acid content)
• Peroxide value
• Saponification value
• Unsaponifiable matter content (total)
Hydrosol
• Microbiology
• Essential Oil Content
Other Products - as required