Vitamin & Mineral Assay | HPLC, ICP-OES, ICP-MS | NABL Accredited
Under-strength vitamin and mineral assays are the single largest cause of FSSAI Section 53 misleading-advertisement enforcement and marketplace delisting on supplement SKUs. Backed by the Arbro Group's unbroken NABL accreditation since 2003, Auriga Research delivers analytical vitamin and mineral assay across the full pharmacopoeial scope for health supplements, dietary supplements, and functional foods.
Vitamin and mineral content in supplements is regulated under the FSS (Health Supplements, Nutraceuticals, Food for Special Dietary Use, FSMP, Functional Food and Novel Food) Regulations 2016 with reference to ICMR-NIN RDA values and FSSAI Schedule VII Upper Tolerable Intake Levels. Our scope covers HPLC-UV / DAD / FLD for water- and fat-soluble vitamins, microbiological assay for B12 and folate at trace levels, ICP-OES for major minerals (Ca, P, K, Na, Mg), and ICP-MS for ultra-trace elements (Se, Cr, I, Mo) and complex matrices.
Every assay report includes the analytical value, label declared value, percentage of label claim, and method reference — the exact data points FSSAI assessors, marketplace listing teams, and procurement auditors look for.
Assay Methods & Parameters
Each parameter is mapped to its AOAC or pharmacopoeial method so QA and regulatory teams can match scope to FSSAI / IP / USP requirements at a glance.
Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid)
HPLC-UV at 245 nm per AOAC 967.21 — stabilised extraction with metaphosphoric acid to prevent oxidation during analysis.
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
HPLC-UV per AOAC 942.23 / IP 2018 — thiochrome derivatisation for fluorescence detection at trace levels.
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
HPLC-DAD at 270 / 444 nm per AOAC 970.65 — native fluorescence available for trace-level applications.
Vitamin B3 / B5 / B6
HPLC-UV per AOAC 944.13 (niacin) / AOAC 945.74 (pantothenic acid) / AOAC 985.32 (pyridoxine) — single-run separation available.
Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin)
Microbiological assay using Lactobacillus delbrueckii per AOAC 952.20 / IP 2018 — required where label claims are below HPLC sensitivity (µg-level).
Folate (B9 / Folic Acid)
Microbiological assay using Lactobacillus rhamnosus per AOAC 992.05 — separates free folate from polyglutamyl folate using tri-enzyme treatment.
Vitamin A (Retinol + Beta-Carotene)
HPLC-UV per AOAC 992.04 / 992.06 with saponification — separates retinol, retinyl esters, and total beta-carotene quantification.
Vitamin D2 / D3
HPLC-UV at 265 nm per AOAC 995.05 — separates ergocalciferol (D2) from cholecalciferol (D3) with saponification step.
Vitamin E (Tocopherols)
HPLC-FLD per AOAC 988.18 — separates alpha, beta, gamma, delta tocopherol and tocotrienol isomers.
Vitamin K1 / K2
HPLC-UV per AOAC 999.15 with reductive electrochemical detection where required — separates phylloquinone (K1) from menaquinone (K2 forms MK-4, MK-7).
Major Minerals (Ca, P, K, Na, Mg)
ICP-OES per AOAC 984.27 with microwave digestion — single-run multi-element quantification of major macro-minerals at mg-level sensitivity.
Trace Minerals (Fe, Zn, Cu, Mn, Cr, Se, Mo, I)
ICP-MS per AOAC 2015.01 — single-run multi-element quantification at trace µg-level required for chromium picolinate, selenomethionine, and iodine supplements.
How It Works
Get a Quote
Share your product type and the parameters you need tested. Your dedicated SPOC will confirm the testing scope, the applicable method, and the exact sample quantity required for your specific panel before you dispatch anything.
Send Your Sample
Dispatch your sample with a completed Test Request Form to the nearest Auriga lab. Each sample is individually bar coded and registered in YLIMS, Auriga's in-house Laboratory Information Management System, upon receipt. Testing begins within 24 hours of sample registration.
Testing and QA Review
Your sample is tested against the confirmed validated method by Auriga's scientific team. Every result passes through a formal internal QA review and sign-off before the report is generated.
Receive Your NABL Report
Your NABL-accredited test report is delivered digitally within the committed turnaround time. Reports carry Auriga's NABL accreditation under ISO/IEC 17025:2017 and are accepted by FSSAI under the Health Supplements Regulations 2016, BIS, and international buyers. You can track your sample status in real time through YLIMS at any point in the process.
Turnaround Time
| Panel | Standard TAT | Express |
|---|---|---|
| Single vitamin or mineral assay | 5–7 working days | 3 days |
| Standard multi-vitamin panel (5–10 vitamins) | 7–10 working days | 5 days |
| Major + trace mineral panel by ICP-OES / ICP-MS | 7–10 working days | 5 days |
| Full vitamin + mineral panel (10–18 nutrients) | 10–14 working days | 7 days |
| Vitamin B12 / Folate microbiological assay | 10–12 working days | — |
| Specialised nutrient (CoQ10, lutein, carnitine, taurine) | 7–10 working days | Available |
Who Needs This Testing
- Nutraceutical manufacturers preparing FSSAI Form B nutraceutical licence applications and renewals under the Health Supplements Regulations 2016.
- D2C supplement brands launching multi-vitamin / multi-mineral SKUs on Amazon, Flipkart, Blinkit, Zepto, and BigBasket.
- Sports nutrition and wellness brands needing assay-verified data for label claim defence against marketplace and FSSAI surveillance.
- Brands using fortified premixes — assay-verifying the premix supplier's certificate of analysis on each batch released to production.
- Functional food and beverage brands (energy drinks, malt-based health drinks, fortified yogurt) substantiating vitamin and mineral claims.
- Mineral supplement brands (calcium, iron, zinc, magnesium) needing ICP-OES verification of declared elemental content vs label.
- Brands building stability dossiers — assay at each ICH stability time point to confirm 80%-of-claim floor through shelf life.
Why Auriga for Vitamin & Mineral Assay
Unbroken NABL accreditation since 2003
Arbro Group has held NABL ISO/IEC 17025 accreditation continuously since 2003 covering AOAC, IP, and USP vitamin and mineral assay methods.
Full HPLC + microbiological + ICP toolkit
HPLC for vitamins, microbiological assay for B12 and folate at trace level, ICP-OES for major minerals, and ICP-MS for ultra-trace elements — no method gap, no partner-lab dependency.
Multiple ICP units across the network
Five ICP-MS / ICP-OES instruments across Delhi, Manesar, Bangalore, and Baddi — capacity for full multi-element panels with express turnaround.
Label-ready output
Reports include analytical value, label value, %-of-claim, and method reference — formatted for direct paste into label dossiers and FSSAI submissions.
Dual NABL + FSSAI notification
Reports carry evidentiary weight under FSS Act 2006 for nutraceutical licence applications, surveillance responses, and marketplace listing reviews.
Five regional labs
Delhi, Gurugram, Bangalore, Baddi, and Bahadurgarh — closer to your factory or warehouse means lower sample-courier risk and faster despatch.