Analytics

Compositional Analytics

At FermAxiom LLC, compositional analytics form the quantitative foundation of informed product development, process control, and regulatory compliance. Our Saint Louis laboratory delivers precise, reproducible characterization of raw materials, in-process streams, and finished products across the food, feed, beverage, nutraceutical, and fermentation industries — giving clients the data they need to formulate with confidence, verify specifications, and substantiate label claims. Our program covers the full proximate profile (moisture, protein, fat, ash, carbohydrates, dietary fiber) using validated AOAC, AOCS, AACC, and USP reference methods, and extends to individual and total amino acids, detailed fatty acid profiles (saturated, mono- and polyunsaturated, trans, and omega-3/omega-6 fractions), sugars and sugar alcohols, starch, β-glucan, fructans, organic acids, and a comprehensive suite of vitamins and minerals by HPLC, GC, ICP-OES, and ICP-MS. For fermentation clients specifically, we offer targeted characterization of substrates, broths, and distillates — tracking carbohydrate utilization, nitrogen sources, residual sugars, ethanol, volatile organic acids, and byproduct profiles throughout process development and scale-up. Every sample is logged into our LIMS on receipt, routed through a documented sample-preparation workflow, reviewed by a qualified analyst, verified against reference materials and control charts, and released by an independent Quality Unit. Whether you need a single nutrient value, a complete nutrition-facts panel under 21 CFR 101.9, ingredient qualification, or full characterization of a new fermentation substrate, FermAxiom's analytical team works alongside yours to select the right tests, interpret results in context, and deliver them on the timeline your project demands.

Biochemical Metabolomics

At FermAxiom LLC, biochemical metabolomics turns raw compositional data into actionable process understanding by profiling the small molecules that define cellular activity at a given moment in time. Where compositional analytics tell you what is in a sample, metabolomics tells you what the cells are doing — revealing the substrates, intermediates, and end products of central carbon metabolism, nitrogen assimilation, and stress-response pathways as they unfold across a fermentation timecourse. We offer both targeted metabolite quantification (glycolytic and TCA-cycle intermediates, organic acids, amino acid pools, cofactors, nucleotides) and untargeted profiling by LC-MS, GC-MS, and NMR to generate comprehensive metabolic fingerprints of cells, broths, and extracts. Our program also quantifies enzyme activities relevant to bioprocessing (α- and glucoamylase, invertase, protease, cellulase, β-glucanase, xylanase, phytase), substrate-utilization kinetics and product-formation profiles (ethanol, glycerol, lactic, acetic, and succinic acids, higher alcohols and esters), biocatalyst viability markers (trehalose and glycogen reserves, intracellular pH, membrane integrity), and nitrogen metabolism through free amino nitrogen (FAN), ammonia, urea, and assimilable amino acids. For process optimization, we deliver yield and productivity calculations, carbon and nitrogen mass balances, and specific rate determinations (μ, q_S, q_P) essential to rigorous bioprocess characterization. Whether you are diagnosing a stuck fermentation, mapping the metabolic signature of a new strain, or building the data package to support scale-up to pilot and commercial production, our team delivers the mechanistic insight your decisions require.

Molecular Biologics

At FermAxiom LLC, molecular biologics complete the analytical picture by characterizing the living organisms themselves at the DNA, RNA, and protein level — the yeasts, bacteria, and contaminating microflora whose performance, purity, and identity determine whether a fermentation succeeds or fails. Where compositional analytics define the chemical environment and biochemical metabolomics capture active metabolism, molecular biologics answer the questions that matter most for biocatalyst stewardship: Who is in the tank? Are they the strain you intended? Are they genetically stable across generations and scale-up? For yeast and bacterial inoculum quality control, we perform total and viable cell counts by hemocytometer, flow cytometry, and plate enumeration; viability assessments by methylene blue and fluorescent dye exclusion; budding index and morphology by phase-contrast microscopy; and purity checks against wild contaminants using selective media (lysine agar, LWYM, WLN, LCSM). Strain identity and genetic stability are confirmed by interdelta PCR fingerprinting, ITS and 26S rDNA sequencing, qPCR copy-number analysis, whole-genome and amplicon sequencing, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, and chromosomal karyotyping. Contaminant detection covers lactic and acetic acid bacteria, wild Saccharomyces, Brettanomyces, molds, and the pathogen and indicator panels specified in FDA BAM and USDA protocols (Salmonella, Listeria, E. coli, coliforms, Staphylococcus, Bacillus cereus, Clostridium). For process water, CIP validation, and environmental monitoring, we offer swab and rinse testing, ATP bioluminescence, and total viable counts against client action limits. Whether you are qualifying a new supplier, investigating a stuck fermentation, or confirming strain identity for a regulatory submission, our team gives you the genetic and microbiological ground truth your decisions depend on.