The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), signed into law in 2011, fundamentally shifted the U.S. food safety system toward preventing foodborne illness rather than simply responding after contamination occurs. For food manufacturers, robust monitoring and testing are critical components of identifying potential risks and maintaining effective food safety programs.
Torrent Laboratory provides comprehensive food safety testing to help manufacturers protect their products, meet quality and regulatory requirements, and make informed decisions quickly.
Torrent offers a one-stop, full-service food safety testing solution, combining advanced laboratory infrastructure with decades of analytical testing expertise to help food manufacturers monitor products, ingredients and manufacturing environments for pathogens, contaminants and potentially harmful chemicals.
Gold-Standard Quality
Torrent operates an ISO/IEC 17025:2017 quality system, accredited for environmental testing, and food work follows AOAC, FDA BAM, EPA and USDA approved methods. Every report carries the supporting quality control data, so it holds up in a customer audit.
Advanced Testing Infrastructure
Our state-of-the-art laboratory brings sophisticated pathogen and analytical chemistry capabilities together under one roof.
One-Stop Testing Partner
From environmental monitoring to product and chemical testing, Torrent can support multiple food safety testing needs as a single laboratory partner.
Fast Turnaround
In food manufacturing, waiting for results can mean delayed production and costly downtime. Torrent is built to deliver rapid turnaround while maintaining rigorous analytical standards.
Scientific Expertise
Our experienced laboratory team works closely with clients to understand their testing requirements and determine the appropriate analytical approach for each project.
Torrent tests food, beverage and environmental samples for pathogens including Salmonella, Listeria monocytogenes, E. coli O157:H7, Staphylococcus aureus and Legionella. Torrent also offers detection and enumeration of generic E. coli, total and fecal coliforms, total bacteria, yeast and mold, as well as allergen and bioburden testing. Microbiology testing follows AOAC, FDA BAM, EPA and USDA-approved methods.
Environmental monitoring tests the production environment rather than the food product. Food production facilities commonly divide sampling locations into four zones, from food-contact surfaces in Zone 1 through non-production areas in Zone 4. Swabs can be analyzed for organisms such as Listeria, Salmonella and indicator organisms to help identify potential contamination before it reaches finished products. Contact Torrent to confirm the environmental monitoring zones and sampling program applicable to your facility.
Turnaround time for food safety testing depends on the specific method, test and any rush requirements. Timing begins after the laboratory receives the sample, so same-day collection through Torrent Express can save a working day. Contact Torrent’s Project Management team for current laboratory turnaround estimates before shipping samples.
Torrent Laboratory is accredited to ISO/IEC 17025:2017, and the current accreditation certificate identifies the accredited scope as Environmental Testing. Food and microbiology testing capabilities are described separately by Torrent and include methods based on AOAC, FDA BAM, EPA and USDA-approved protocols. Customers should confirm the applicable accreditation scope for a specific food test before submitting samples.
Torrent’s microbiology laboratory uses AOAC, FDA Bacteriological Analytical Manual (BAM), EPA and USDA-approved methods. If a customer specification, audit scheme or certification body requires a particular method, contact Torrent before submitting samples to confirm whether that method is available.
Torrent can analyze raw material, in-process and finished product samples, and its microbiology capabilities include food processing and environmental testing. Sample requirements vary by project and test, so discuss the project parameters with Torrent’s Project Management team before submitting samples. Torrent also provides sample pickup across the Bay Area through Torrent Express.