Functional Ingredient Testing
Unlock Ingredient Potential. Drive Smarter Product Development.
At SPG Innovation, we help food manufacturers and ingredient suppliers understand and optimise the performance of functional ingredients. Our testing services provide actionable insights that accelerate product development, reduce formulation risk, and enhance innovation.
🌟 Why Work With SPG?
- Accelerate Product Development
Use functional data to fast-track formulation decisions and reduce costly trial-and-error. - Reduce Risk
- Support Your Customers
Provide your clients with robust, application-specific data that builds trust and drives adoption.
🔬 What We Do
We conduct targeted testing to evaluate the techno-functional properties of ingredients under real-world conditions. This includes:
- Solubility
Assessing how well an ingredient disperses in various solutions, critical for beverages, soups, and sauces. - Gelation
Measuring gelling behaviour under different conditions, key for meat analogues, dairy alternatives, and bakery. - Foaming
Evaluating foam formation and stability, important for desserts, protein shakes, and confectionery. - Emulsification
Testing the ability to form and stabilise emulsions, relevant for sauces, dressings, and plant-based products. - Water & Oil Binding Capacity
Understanding moisture and fat retention, vital for improving texture, succulence, and cook yield.
🧠Why It Matters
Functional performance data turns ingredients into innovation tools. Whether you’re developing nutrient-rich, clean-label, or sustainable products, our insights help you make informed decisions that lead to better, more consistent outcomes.
👉 Let’s explore your ingredient’s full potential.
Contact us to create a bespoke testing plan tailored to your product goals.
For a free, no obligation call contact us via the online form or email contactus@spginnovation.co.uk
Ingredient Testing & Characterisation – FAQs
What types of ingredient testing do you offer?
SPG Innovation provides ingredient testing and characterisation focused on techno‑functional performance, including solubility, water‑ and oil‑binding, emulsification, foaming, hydration, viscosity, and thermal behaviour. Testing is designed to support product development, scale‑up decisions, and commercial validation rather than academic data generation.
What are techno‑functional tests and why are they important?
Techno‑functional testing assesses how an ingredient performs in real food systems – not just its composition. These tests are critical for ensuring ingredients deliver the required texture, stability, processing tolerance, and sensory outcomes in products such as bakery, snacks, bars, or extruded foods.
Can you test novel or emerging ingredients?
Yes. SPG Innovation specialises in novel ingredients, functional ingredients, and emerging raw materials, including fermentation‑derived inputs, plant proteins, fibres, and upcycled ingredients. We design pre‑regulatory and proof‑of‑concept testing to identify functionality, risks, and development pathways early.
How much sample is needed for ingredient testing?
Sample requirements depend on the test type, but small‑scale ingredient testing is often possible using tens to hundreds of grams, making it suitable for early‑stage start ups as well as funded SMEs. We advise on sample needs during scoping.
Can ingredient testing be tailored to my application?
Absolutely. All ingredient testing is application‑led, meaning tests are designed around your end‑use, for example nutrition bars, extrusion, bakery, dairy alternatives, or beverages. This ensures results are directly actionable for product development and scale‑up.
