Need amino acid analysis for your products?
What is amino acid analysis?
Amino acids are found in a wide range of manufactured products used across several industries because of their beneficial properties.
Amino acid analysis is an analytical technique used to identify and quantify the exact composition of a sample.
It makes it possible to measure free or total amino acids (after hydrolysis) to verify raw material compliance, ensure protein quality, or validate a formulation.
For manufacturers, it is an essential decision-making tool for quality control and batch release under regulatory frameworks (GMP, Pharmacopoeias).
FILAB: Amino Acid Expertise Laboratory supporting you in the analysis of your samples
Why choose FILAB for your amino acid analysis?
The FILAB laboratory has extensive experience in amino acid quantification in the context of pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and plastics processing industrialization. Our teams offer tailored support to address the specific challenges of your sector. The FILAB laboratory supports your amino acid analysis needs in the context of bringing medicines to market or product optimization, in accordance with GMP.
Amino Acids - Analytical Techniques
Our amino acid study services
- Verification of the identity of protein or peptide raw materials.
- Detection of impurities or foreign substances to ensure supply chain integrity.
- Accurate quantification of amino acid content in finished products (dietary supplements, cosmetics, culture media).
- Validation of compliance against the specifications in your requirements document for batch release.
- Monitoring the evolution of amino acids over time (thermal stress, oxidation).
- Identification of degradation products to ensure the shelf life / best-before date of your formulations.
- Compliance with international standards : analysis carried out according to the monographs of the Pharmacopoeias (USP, EP, JP).
- GMP environment (Good Manufacturing Practices)
- Complete profiling for nutritional applications (essential amino acids) or biomedical applications (biocompatible polymers).
Types of Amino Acids Analyzed
We quantify a full range of compounds to verify the compliance of your products:
Category | Examples of analyzed compounds |
Essential Amino Acids | Leucine, Isoleucine, Valine, Lysine, Methionine, Phenylalanine, Threonine, Tryptophan, Histidine. |
Non-Proteinogenic Amino Acids | Ornithine, Citrulline, GABA, Beta-alanine. |
Derivatives & Nutrients | Taurine, Hydroxyproline, Creatine. |
Amino Acid Analysis: Free vs Total
Depending on your characterization needs, FILAB adapts its sample preparation:
- Free amino acids : direct analysis of unbound molecules (e.g. sports drinks, serum).
- Total amino acids : requires a preliminary acid hydrolysis step to release the amino acids that make up the proteins in your matrix.
Assay Accuracy and Limits of Quantification (LOQ)
The reliability of our results is based on state-of-the-art technologies (HPLC-UV, LC-MS/MS, IC).
- Sensitivity : LOQs suited to trace levels (ppm/ppb) for your purity checks.
- Repeatability : validated protocols ensuring analytical precision that meets the strictest industry requirements
Regulatory Framework and Quality
Our services operate within a highly regulated environment:
- Compliance with GMP standards.
- Analyses compliant with Pharmacopoeias (EP, USP, JP).
- ISO 17025-accredited laboratory (scope available on cofrac.fr).
Applications of Amino Acid Assay in Industry
Hydroxyproline, an amino acid derived from proline, is a key marker of the presence and stability of collagen, particularly in formulations containing hyaluronic acid.
Hydroxyproline assay in hyaluronic acid is essential to assess the quality of products intended for tissue regeneration, wound healing, and skin hydration. By accurately quantifying hydroxyproline, it is possible to ensure that hyaluronic acid-based products meet quality and efficacy standards, particularly in anti-aging treatments and dermal fillers.
Cysteine is a sulfur-containing amino acid essential for the formation of keratin, a key protein for the health of hair and nails.
Cysteine assay in hair products is crucial to assess their ability to strengthen and revitalize hair, especially in treatments designed to repair damaged hair and prevent breakage. By measuring cysteine concentration, it is possible to optimize hair product formulations to achieve visible results in terms of shine, strength, and hair health.
Assaying free and total amino acids is a key step for a thorough and accurate analysis of peptide and protein composition.
Acid hydrolysis makes it possible to break down proteins and peptides into their constituent amino acids, thereby releasing bound amino acids. This makes it possible to measure not only the amino acids present in free form in a sample, but also those integrated into more complex structures.
This approach is essential to obtain a complete picture of amino acid composition, particularly in complex matrices such as foods, biological products, or pharmaceutical formulations, where an accurate understanding of total amino acid content is essential to assess product quality, functionality, and compliance.
FILAB supports you with the analysis of the following amino acids:
Glycine
Serine
Valine
Cysteine
Leucine
Asparagine
Glutamine
Glutamic acid
Histidine
Ornithine
Tyrosine
Cystine
Alanine
Proline
Threonine
Hydroxyproline
Isoleucine
Aspartic acid
Lysine
Methionine
Phenylalanine
Arginine
Tryptophan
Why analyze and assay amino acids?
Amino acid analysis is used to ensure the compliance, safety, and performance of your products.
- to verify the purity of your raw materials,
- to ensure the stability of your formulations
- to secure the release of your batches within a regulatory framework (GMP).
It is an essential control for the pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and polymer sectors, while also including biocompatibility analysis.
FAQ
An amino acid analysis is a chemical technique used to determine the amino acid composition of a protein or peptide. It quantifies the different amino acids present in a sample.
This analysis takes place in several key steps:
- Sample hydrolysis : the protein sample is broken down into its constituent amino acids. This is usually done using a strong acid, such as hydrochloric acid (HCl), at high temperature. This step is crucial because it releases the amino acids bound together.
- Separation of amino acids : the free amino acids are then separated from one another. The most common technique is high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Chromatography separates compounds based on their physicochemical properties, such as their affinity for a stationary phase.
- Detection and quantification : after separation, the amino acids are detected and measured. To make them visible, they are often reacted with a fluorescent reagent, such as orthophthaldialdehyde (OPA), which makes it possible to identify and quantify them precisely using a fluorescence detector or a spectrometer.
HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography) is a separation technique that sorts amino acids.
LC-MS (Liquid Chromatography coupled with Mass Spectrometry) is a more advanced method. It combines HPLC separation with precise identification by a mass spectrometer. LC-MS is more sensitive, more accurate, and can identify amino acids unambiguously. It is the reference method for complex analysis.
Yes, most of the 20 standard amino acids can be analyzed, as well as other non-proteinogenic amino acids. However, some amino acids such as tryptophan and cysteine can be destroyed during acid hydrolysis and require specific procedures.
Thanks to our state-of-the-art equipment and the optimization of derivatization steps, we achieve LOQs suited to industry needs (ranging from mg/g to µg/g depending on the matrix). Each analysis report specifies the limits achieved to validate your products’ compliance with the lowest regulatory thresholds.
Generally, a few grams (solid) or milliliters (liquid) are sufficient. The exact amount will be specified in your quote.
Yes, beyond the analysis report, our engineers support you in understanding the data and its compliance with your specifications.
Send us your request via our form or at contact@filab.fr. A technical expert will get back to you within 24 hours to define the most suitable protocol.
The price varies depending on the number of compounds to be measured, the complexity of the matrix (whether hydrolysis is required or not), and the regulatory framework (standard or GMP).
