Ensuring the Safety, Consistency, and Quality of Tea and Coffee in a Growing Global Market
Teas and coffees are among the most consumed beverages worldwide, whether prepared at home or served in cafés, millions of people rely on their quality every day. Ensuring the safety, consistency, and authenticity of these products is essential to protecting consumers and maintaining brand reputation in a global coffee and tea market projected to exceed $400 billion within the next five years.
With tea and coffee production representing a vital part of many national economies, maintaining rigorous quality standards is not only a business priority but also a global responsibility.
Comprehensive Testing and Verification for Tea and Coffee Products
Intertek’s expert testing solutions help producers, retailers, and brands verify quality, ensure compliance, and meet regulatory expectations across global markets. Our laboratories support clients with end-to-end testing, certification, and analytical services that:
- Protect consumer health by verifying that products are free from harmful contaminants such as pesticides, heavy metals, and mycotoxins.
- Demonstrate compliance with international food safety standards, including FDA, EU, and Codex Alimentarius regulations.
- Validate sensory quality through expert evaluation of aroma, flavour, colour, and texture to maintain consistency and consumer satisfaction.
- Detect food adulteration and identify substitutions (e.g., chicory in coffee or non-tea botanicals in blends).
- Confirm product claims, such as “decaffeinated,” “organic,” or “pesticide-free,” through precise laboratory analysis.
- Measure beneficial compounds including catechins, polyphenols, and antioxidants to substantiate health and marketing claims.
- Support market access by ensuring compliance with country-specific import and labelling requirements.
- Strengthen brand trust by reducing the risk of recalls, complaints, or reputational damage through transparent and verified quality practices.
Why Partner with Intertek
As a global leader in food and beverage testing, Intertek provides the expertise, advanced analytical methods, and international network needed to assure quality from crop to cup. Partner with us to safeguard your products, meet regulatory expectations, and deliver the quality your consumers expect.
Frequently Asked Questions about Tea and Coffee Testing
Typical analyses include screening for pesticides, heavy metals (such as lead, cadmium, and mercury), mycotoxins, and microbiological contaminants. These tests help protect consumer health and meet regulatory limits.
Our laboratories use chemical fingerprinting, isotope ratio analysis, and sensory evaluation to identify adulteration or substitution, such as the presence of chicory in coffee or non-tea leaves in blends.
Yes. Intertek verifies “decaf” status by measuring caffeine content and validates “organic” or “pesticide-free” claims through targeted residue testing in accordance with recognized certification standards.
Sensory analysis ensures consistent aroma, flavour, colour, and texture across batches, supporting brand integrity and consumer satisfaction.
Intertek helps brands meet the import, labelling, and compositional requirements of major markets including the EU, United States, and Asia-Pacific regions, enabling smooth and compliant market entry.
Tea Break Webinars: Labelling Requirements for Tea
A 15 minute webinar providing insight into labelling requirements for the EU, hosted by Katrin Tetens, Head of Testing and Label Validation.
Tea Break Webinars: Pesticide Analysis for Tea
A 15 minute webinar providing an overview of pesticide residues and their relevance for tea products, common test methods and more, hosted by Alina Nippes – State Certified Food Chemist.
Tea Break Webinars: Risk-Based Quality Control of Tea
A 15 minute webinar providing insight into quality control aspects of tea including quality testing, contamination, and European legislation, hosted by Alina Nippes – State Certified Food Chemist.
