Testing of foodstuffs and consumer goods
Foodstuffs and consumer goods are tested at the Customs Laboratory to ensure product safety, correct export refunds and tax treatment. The Customs Laboratory’s expertise in its field of activity is utilised in the regulatory supervision by Customs, but it can also be utilised by other authorities and businesses as needed.
The Customs Laboratory is accredited by FINAS (T006), and its quality system meets the requirements of the ISO/IEC 17025 standard. The Customs Laboratory's accreditation range covers all the most important laboratory research methods. In addition to the accredited methods, the Customs Laboratory also uses other research methods needed in food and consumer goods analyses. More than 300 different research methods are in use. The Customs Laboratory is also an official research institute approved by virtue of the Food Act.
The Customs Laboratory test results help ensure the free movement of goods within the EU and the EEA. The Customs Laboratory also participates in the activities of many international organisations, EU work groups and the World Customs Organization (WCO). In addition to contacts with authorities, the Customs Laboratory also has contacts with export organisations in several countries.
We offer the most extensive testing services in Finland for determining the quality of food and consumer goods. Finnish Customs needs analyses for customs control and taxation purposes, but other authorities, associations and businesses also use our research services. Our strengths are reliability, versatile competence, flexibility and quickness. Our services are typically used in regulatory supervision by authorities, various research projects and reports, company in-house control and purchase planning, and export.
The Customs Laboratory uses the research equipment most suitable for testing purposes, including for example
- mass spectrometers with different configurations
- a plasma atom emission spectrometer
- an atom absorption spectrophotometer with graphite oven and flame
- an X-ray fluorescence spectrometer
- gas chromathographs
- high pressure liquid chromathographs and spectrophotometers
- an infrared spectrometer
- a device for testing the mechanical qualities of toys
- equipment for detecting radioactivity and irradiation of food
- PCR equipment for detection of genetically modified food.
>> Tests connected with the quality of goods
>> Export refunds and tariff heading