2X, 3X testing for micro attributes in spices (powder black pepper/oregano etc.)

Hi, 

Is anyone familiar with ground spices being tested 2X, 3X (ETO/PPO) to get the microbial load in spec? Any legal implications? risks?

And if this is allowed, is there any risk to product quality (taste/aroma/flavor difference? 

Thanks in advance for any input

Bnue

Oxidizing treatment will degrade quality by some amount, across a variety of characteristics.  You're performing some kind of organoleptic spec adherence testing anyway, right?

Testing the same lot repeatedly to finally get a lab result that shows in-spec sounds all sorts of risky and would push the boundaries of legality.  The new in-spec tests don't invalidate the previous out-of-spec test samples, unless they're pulling the newer samples after a retreatment.

You are absolutely walking the line of legal (an 100% over the ethical one)  unless, as PP mentioned, your retreating and then retesting--in the case, you need to keep all of that documentation together for the products release (if ever) into the marketplace

There is a big risk to testing and then retesting without re-treating. Unless there is just cause (known reason for the test to fail such as inadequate sample prep), action to correct the out of spec result needs to be taken *Prior to* retesting.