Calcium dosage

Calcium (Ca) is one of the most abundant minerals in the body. Essential for the formation and maintenance of bone and teeth, it also plays a role in muscle contraction, nerve transmission, blood clotting, and enzyme function.
In the food and nutraceutical industries, calcium measurement is crucial for controlling the nutritional quality of products and ensuring compliance with health claims and labeling requirements.

A deficiency or excess of calcium can have significant physiological impacts: bone fragility, metabolic disorders or interference with other trace elements such as magnesium, phosphorus or zinc.

Why perform a calcium test?

Calcium measurement addresses several industrial and regulatory needs:

• Ensure compliant nutritional labeling, particularly for products enriched with calcium (infant milks, plant-based drinks, food supplements, etc.).
• Check regulatory compliance with the minimum and maximum levels set by European regulations (EC No. 1924/2006 and EC No. 1169/2011).
• Optimize the formulations of food, nutraceutical and dietary products.
• Monitor mineral content in animal feed and veterinary formulations.
• Controlling the quality of mineral and spring waters, where calcium content is an indicator of mineralization.
• Evaluate the bioavailability of calcium in plant extracts, mineral powders or nutritional complexes.

Calcium testing is therefore a key step in the qualification of nutritional and health products, whether intended for human, animal or plant consumption.

Analytical methods used

At YesWeLab, calcium measurement is based on atomic spectrometry and spectrophotometry techniques that meet international standards (ISO, AOAC, EN).

ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry)
allows for ultra-sensitive detection of calcium and other minerals at very low concentrations. It is used in complex matrices such as processed foods, powders, and nutritional supplements.

ICP-OES (or ICP-AES – inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry)
is the reference method for determining total calcium in food products, water, plant extracts, and mineral formulations. It ensures excellent reproducibility and multi-element quantification.

AAS (atomic absorption spectroscopy)
is suitable for analyzing calcium in liquids (water, juice, milk, nutrient solutions). This method is known for its robustness and accuracy.

Spectrophotometry
is used for rapid and targeted analyses, particularly in water or beverages. It relies on the formation of a colored complex between calcium and a specific reagent.

All these techniques are implemented according to validated protocols and ISO 11885, NF EN 15586, AOAC 985.35 and NF EN ISO 17294 standards, guaranteeing the reliability and traceability of the results.

Industrial and sectoral applications

Food and nutraceutical industry:
Control of calcium-fortified products, verification of nutritional labeling and compliance of claims such as “source of calcium” or “rich in calcium”. The analysis applies to milk, yogurt, plant-based drinks, cheese, flour, fortified juices and food supplements .

Animal nutrition:
Evaluation of calcium in mineral formulations, premixes, additives and compound feeds to ensure an optimal balance between calcium, phosphorus and magnesium.

Plant and agricultural products:
Measurement of calcium in fruits, vegetables, medicinal plants and dry extracts to assess their nutritional quality and remineralization capacity.

Mineral waters and beverages
: Control of the calcium content of bottled waters, functional drinks or dietary solutions , in relation to labeling requirements.

Affected matrices

• Milk, drinks, dairy products and plants
• Dietary supplements and mineral powders
• Mineral waters and spring waters
• Animal feed and premixes
• Fruits, vegetables, plants and dried extracts

Recommended Related Analyses

For a comprehensive mineral profile assessment, YesWeLab recommends combining this analysis with:
Magnesium (Mg) testing to study ionic balance and the Ca/Mg ratio;
Phosphorus (P) testing for monitoring bone metabolism and formulating supplements;
Potassium (K) testing for complete nutritional characterization;
and Sodium (Na) testing for electrolyte monitoring in food and dietary products.

Why entrust your analysis to YesWeLab?

YesWeLab relies on a network of ISO 17025 and COFRAC accredited laboratories specializing in mineral and nutritional analysis. Our experts support manufacturers, formulators, and supplement producers in the quantification, validation, and regulatory compliance of their products.
Thanks to its intuitive digital platform, YesWeLab simplifies analysis management: sample submission, real-time tracking, and secure results delivery.