Quality Assurance

To ensure high-quality seed is delivered to our customers, Nunhems' quality development specialists work with our Production department to ensure that our seed is produced using the best available practices; while ensuring quality standards are considered throughout the process. Once the seed arrives at one of our processing centers, every single seed lot is examined with care to ensure our high global quality standards are met. Our highly qualified accredited experts rigorously test our seed for disease, moisture content, physical purity, genetic purity, vitality and germination.

Nunhems Quality Assurance labs are internationally accredited (Naktuinbouw Accredited Laboratories or Servicio Agricola Y Ganadero) and audited internally and externally by trained professional auditors. The different tests include:

• Seed Transmitted Disease Testing – Samples of each lot are tested for the presence of seed transmitted disease causing pathogens. These tests range from greenhouse grow-outs to highly technical and innovative detective methods.
• Physical purity – Representative samples are evaluated under high magnification to determine if weed seed, other crop or inert materials are present in the seed lot.
• Genetic Purity – The traditional grow-out technique is used along with highly sophisticated equipment and techniques (DNA analyses) to determine trueness-to-type, percent hybridism and the presence of other genetic off-types in a seed lot.
• Vitality and Germination – The first and basic determination of seed quality. Each lot is tested according to strict rules by certified analysts. Seed is germinated and grown in growth chambers and greenhouses that provide the right conditions for the proper test results.

As the global specialist, Nunhems' Operations department maintains state-of-the-art equipment, knowledge and technology in modern facilities, to serve our global customers with the best quality products.