The nabim mill intake laboratory scheme

Millers depend on testing to control their flour mills. They need to know the qualities of the wheat they take in and to measure flour quality as it is produced in the mills and before it is sent to bakeries. Therefore testing needs to be both accurate and consistent.

The nabim intake scheme helps to establish and maintain common standards of wheat testing at flour mills. It requires millers to follow established procedures in their laboratories, with referenced testing methods; it also requires laboratories to reach a standard of proficiency, independently assessed by the Campden and Chorleywood Food Research Association (CCFRA) on the basis of monthly tests.

Testing proficiency is assessed for all participants in the nabim scheme. Those who wish may also choose to apply for accreditation, which means that laboratories need to submit to independent verification, via third party audit (such as ISO), that the processes required under the scheme are observed. Laboratories that fail to meet the minimum standard can lose their accreditation to the scheme.

In this section, you can view a list of laboratories that participate in the scheme and see whether they are proficient in intake testing and whether they are accredited to the nabim intake scheme. You can also view a copy of the scheme protocol; this sets out the standards to which participating laboratories work.