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General Questions

Medallion Labs, a division of General Mills, offers multiple areas of expertise for analytical testing and product evaluation for the food and ingredient industry. Our areas of expertise include Chemical Analysis, Nutritional Analysis, Food Safety, Shelf Life Studies, Microbiology, Specialty Fibers, Physical Testing, Allergen Testing, as well as Product Evaluation (which includes Product Performance and Sensory Evaluation) and Technical Consulting/Method Development. Our methods are developed for the testing of food products and ingredients.

Medallion Labs is anISO/IEC 17025accredited testing laboratory. Our accredited status means that our Quality Management System and in-scope analytical methods meet the stringent requirements of an internationally recognized standard of quality for testing laboratories in the Food and Pharmaceutical industry. Our full scope and certificate of accreditation can be accessed in the About Us section of our website. You can also obtain the information from our accrediting agency’s website:a2la.org– certificate numbers 2769.01 and 2769.02.

Our standard turnaround time is 10 business days for most assays. There are some assays that require a longer turnaround time. We also offer a RUSH service that is half the time of the standard turnaround time of the assay at double the cost of the assay. A few assays that we provide cannot be rushed due to the nature of the test. Please check the specific assay you are interested in regarding the ability to RUSH the turnaround time.

At Medallion, we try to offer the most sophisticated and current testing capabilities, and strive to keep our website up to date with our recent test offerings. If you do not see the analysis you require, please contact our Customer Service team at 1-800-245-5615. If we cannot run the assay you need, we will do our best to recommend you to another lab that can fulfill your request.

We make every effort to keep our methods and detection limits up to date according to the latest standards and qualifications. If you have any questions regarding the limit of detection/quantification or method references, please contact our Customer Service team at 1-800-245-5615.

While our sales and customer service team are happy to answer general testing questions, consultations typically start at a rate of $250 per 30 minutes regarding the interpretation of reported test results or questions about our test methods. We cannot consult on regulations, tolerance limits, or claims.

Sample Submission

Not all products are applicable to the methods we run, so pleasecontact our Customer Service teamfor more information after reading the sample submission guidelines below.

Review ourNutritional Labeltesting services and:

  • Send us your samples of food products and acceptable matrices listed on thetech data sheets in our test library.
  • Contact usfirst before sending samples of supplements, alcohol, or CBD.
  • Do not send us samples of biohazards, pet food, pharmaceuticals or drugs, non-food items (washer fluid, chemicals, solvents, etc.), soil samples, or skincare and makeup products.

Review ourSpecialized Assaystesting services and:

Review ourPhysical Propertytesting services and:

Review ourMicrobiologytesting services and:

  • Send us your samples of food products and acceptable matrices listed on thetech data sheets in our test library.
  • Samples that require verification for Salmonella, Listeria, or L. monocytogenes may require a larger sample amount.
  • Contact usbefore sending water samples.
  • Do not send us samples of biohazards, potential or confirmed food poisoning, confirmed microbe activity or spoiled items, botulism, or other highly hazardous microbes.

Not all products are applicable to the methods we run, so pleasecontact our Customer Service teamfor more information after reading the sample submission guidelines below.

Most of ourSpecialized Assaystesting services require varying levels of consultation prior to testing.

Most of ourPhysical Propertiestesting services require some level of consultation prior to sending in samples. It’s important for our scientists to know your testing goals to ensure that the test is run correctly and reported in a useful format for you.

OurFlavor Characterizationtest requires a consultation prior to sending in samples to ensure we can test for the compound you require prior to accepting the sample. Most projects require testing of a minimum of two samples (a control sample and an off-flavor sample). Contact usfor a consultation to identify the nature, scope, and timeline of your project and include a completedFlavor Characterization Questionnairealong with your submission.

OurShelf Lifetesting services require that ourShelf Life Questionnairebe filled out so that a protocol can be designed prior to receiving your samples. Challenge studies or micro-based shelf-life studies require additional consultation with our microbiologist in order to design and appropriately time the study as needed—however, please note that we require a filled-out questionnaire before your consultation can be scheduled.

Samples should be sent to our address at:

Medallion Labs
Wing 5
9000 Plymouth Ave. N.
Minneapolis, MN 55427
USA

Samples can be submitted in person or through a mail or shipping carrier. Make sure to fill out the appropriate order form with clear and descriptive information for the sample description, sample ID, and estimates if available. Please include any special handling instructions for preparing, draining, or compositing samples, and any specific information you would like us to know about your samples. We recommend that you submit samples that are representative of your lot. If your samples are perishable, we recommend sending them overnight, during the week, with dry ice or ice packs. We do not accept weekend deliveries. Medallion Labs is not responsible for any samples submitted that are compromised during the shipment.

We accept in-person sample drop-offs on business days between the hours of 9:00 AM-3:00 PM CST. If you are planning to drop off samples outside of these hours, please contact our Customer Service team at 1-800-245-5615 for availability.

The amount of sample that you should submit depends on the type of testing you request and the sample matrix. Medallion Labs requires at least200 gramsif submitting samples for full nutritional analysis. We recommend that you send a sample that is representative of the product, lot, or ingredient being tested. If you cannot send the amount of sample specified, please contact our Customer Service team at 1-800-245-5615 for assistance.

Yes, please provide expected levels when the information is available. Medallion provides space on both the analytical and nutritional request forms for input of expected levels. Expected levels are used in the lab as a guide for appropriate sample weights and dilution levels. If expected levels are not known or provided, a delay in turnaround time for certain assays and/or additional costs may apply.

Once we have received and logged your samples into our Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) database, you will be emailed a Sample Receipt Notification to inform you that we have your submission. Please review this form to ensure all of your sample data (requested assays, descriptions and IDs, as well as testing priority) have been entered correctly. You may also want to track your sample destination through your shipping courier tracking number. If you do not receive a Sample Receipt Notification, and know that your samples are at our facility, please call our Customer Service team at 1-800-245-5615 for assistance.

Medallion Labs will return samples to the submitter at their expense. If you would like the samples or shipping coolers sent back to you, please provide us a UPS or Fed Ex shipping number.

Analysis/Results Questions

Medallion Labs tests and reports all samples on an “as-is” basis. Results can be emailed, faxed and/or mailed to you. Email is the primary format for sending results. If you would like them faxed or mailed please specify on the submission form.

Our Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) will report your results in units for the assays you request. All of your results will be reported on one Final Report unless you indicate otherwise on your submission paperwork.

After results have been sent, all remaining sample, will be retained based on the amount of storage space available. Generally, samples are kept up to two months, but if our storage space does not allow, the samples may be discarded sooner. Paper copies of your testing results will be kept in an offsite storage facility up to 7 years after they have been completed.

Medallion Labs’ Rerun Policy:

If you notice a discrepancy in your testing results, you are encouraged to request a rerun. Our policy is to perform reruns in duplicate for testing run in our labs. If the rerun results are within our analytical method variability, you will be billed for rerun in addition to the initial run. If the rerun results are outside of our analytical method variability, you will only be billed for the initial run. If you believe that you need a rerun of your sample, please call our Customer Service team at 1-800-245-5615 for assistance. Reruns are dependent on the type of testing requested, and the amount of sample that is remaining after the initial analysis. In certain situations, a rerun may not be possible. Any reruns being performed by a partner lab will follow the partner lab’s rerun policies.

Accounting Questions

Medallion Labs accepts Visa, Mastercard, or check for payments. Please note, for all new customers wishing to pay by check, the completion of a Medallion Labs credit application is required and kept on file. If your company has a preferred PO number that you need to use, we have a credit application that you will be required to fill out and we will keep on file. All PO numbers need to be provided on the submittal form you fill out and ship with your samples. This will ensure that the PO number will be printed on both your Final Report and Invoice.

Medallion Labs does offer discounts. The discounts we provide are reviewed on a yearly basis for sustaining work, or are given to projects that have a minimum of 40 samples submitted. Please contact us if you have questions regarding discounts and we can assist you further.

An invoice for the testing we provide will be generated and mailed the week following receipt of the Final Report.

For accounting questions related to invoicing or payment, please contact:

Please note: remittance advice for wire transfers/ACH should be sent to General Mills, Inc. D.B.A. Medallion Laboratories.