Iron dosage

Iron measurement is an essential analysis in many industrial sectors, including food, nutraceuticals, animal nutrition, and the study of plant matrices. This trace element plays a fundamental role in many biological functions, including oxygen transport, cellular respiration, and DNA synthesis. Its accurate measurement helps ensure the quality, regulatory compliance, and safety of products intended for human or animal consumption.

Why measure iron?

Iron is an essential element for life. It is involved in the formation of hemoglobin and myoglobin, in redox enzyme systems, and in multiple metabolic pathways. Iron deficiency can lead to anemia, reduced performance, or impaired growth, while excess iron can generate adverse oxidative effects.

In food and nutraceutical products, iron dosage is therefore essential for:

• guarantee a composition that complies with nutritional and regulatory claims,
• monitor the bioavailability and stability of added iron salts,
• control the residual content in plant or animal raw materials,
• prevent oxidation or rancidity phenomena in lipid-rich formulations.

In animal nutrition, iron determination is used to check the mineral balance of feed for livestock, poultry, pets, or farmed fish. In agronomy, iron analysis in leaves, roots, or substrates is an indicator of the nutritional status of plants and the risk of iron deficiency.

Methods of iron analysis

Iron can be measured using different techniques depending on the type of sample and the required precision:

• Colorimetry : This method is based on the formation of a colored complex measured by spectrophotometry. It is simple and suitable for routine checks for moderate concentrations.
• Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) : used for precise dosages, it allows iron to be measured in atomic form after atomization.
• ICP-AES/ICP-OES (Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry) : reference technique for multi-element analyses, offering excellent sensitivity and a wide linearity range.
• ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry) : used for very low concentrations, particularly in complex matrices (water, plant extracts, low-content supplements).

For additional needs, these techniques can be combined with other mineral analyses available in the YesWeLab catalog, such as zinc assay , copper assay or magnesium assay . These elements, often correlated with iron in biological and food matrices, allow a more complete evaluation of the mineral profile of a product.

Matrices and sectors concerned

Iron dosage applies to a wide range of products:

• foodstuffs (flour, cereal products, infant milk, fortified drinks),
• food supplements (iron salts, iron-protein complexes, plant extracts),
• animal feed (flours, pellets, mineral premixes),
• plant matrices (leaves, roots, stems, plant juices),
• drinking water and industrial process water.

In the food industry, this analysis is required for nutritional labeling under Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011, which requires verification of declared mineral contents. Food supplement manufacturers must also ensure that iron content complies with the values ​​permitted by Regulation (EU) No. 1170/2009.

In the nutraceutical field, analytical precision is essential for formulating fortifying or anti-fatigue products. Animal nutrition professionals rely on iron dosage to balance the intake of essential microelements in feed formulas.

For the analysis of iron in plant extracts, this service can be combined with the determination of manganese or the quantification of calcium , also available on the YesWeLab platform, in order to obtain a complete vision of the mineral nutrition of plants.

Carrying out analyses at YesWeLab

YesWeLab offers iron testing through a network of carefully selected partner laboratories specializing in mineral and physicochemical analyses. These laboratories have state-of-the-art equipment (ICP-MS, ICP-OES, AAS) and are, for the most part, certified and/or accredited according to ISO 17025 and the COFRAC standard.

Our scientific team will guide you toward the method best suited to your needs: global assay or speciation, solid or liquid samples, plant, animal, or food matrices. Thanks to our digital platform, you can submit your requests, track the progress of analyses, and view your reports online with ease.

Since 2020, numerous manufacturers, distributors, and design offices have trusted YesWeLab for the centralized management of their analyses. Our tailored approach guarantees reliable results, regulatory compliance, and responsiveness in handling your analytical projects.

For multi-element needs, YesWeLab also offers complementary analyses such as phosphorus dosage , potassium measurement or sodium dosage . These services can be carried out jointly to optimize your costs and analysis times.

Technical data

• CAS No.: 7439-89-6
• Possible methods: Colorimetry, ICP-MS, ICP-AES/ICP-OES, Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS)
• Types of expertise: Physicochemical, nutritional
• Sectors of activity: Human food, nutraceuticals, animal nutrition, plants

For any specific requests, contact our team now to obtain a personalized quote and advice on the method best suited to your samples.