Amino acid testing at OpenChemWorks costs $150 per sample for liquids and $180 per sample for powders for the standard free amino acid panel, with a first-time rate of $150 per sample flat. Total amino acid analysis costs $230 per sample. Those are the whole headline numbers. This page explains what you are paying for, why other labs quote so differently for what sounds like the same test, and the extra costs that are worth paying for — and the ones to question.
The published prices, in one place
The standard free panel, called AA-1, measures 19 amino acids plus ammonia that are already free in your sample — dissolved and available, not bound inside protein. The method is AQC (AccQ-Tag) pre-column derivatization with HPLC-UV: amino acids are chemically tagged, separated, and measured against a calibrated standard.
AA-1 is $150 per sample for liquids. It is $180 per sample for powders, which breaks down as $150 plus $30 for powder preparation — powders need extra work to dissolve and prepare evenly before they can be measured. First-time customers pay $150 per sample flat, so a first powder sample is not penalised while you learn whether the test answers your question. If you test regularly at 25 or more samples per month, the rate is $125 per sample.
Total amino acid analysis, called AA-T, is a different test at $230 per sample. Instead of measuring only what is free, the sample is hydrolysed — broken apart — in 6 N hydrochloric acid at 110 °C for 24 hours, so the amino acids that were bound in protein are released and then measured. That extra day of chemistry and handling is why it costs more, and it answers a different question. Do not pay for total analysis if your question is about free glutamate in a seasoning, and do not expect a free panel to describe your protein's full makeup.
There is also a pilot: $250 for 5 samples. That is a deposit, not a discount — it is credited in full against a first contract if you sign within 90 days. For a private individual testing one sample, the single-sample prices above are the relevant ones; the pilot suits a small maker testing a small set before committing.
Matrix-effect qualification is priced per sample and matrix on inquiry. A matrix is everything else in your sample besides the amino acids — salt, fat, spices, and so on — and in a complex blend it can distort a reading. Qualification checks that distortion with a known spike in your actual sample. A recent single-sample seasoning project with full matrix-effect qualification was $350. Your matrix may cost more or less; ask for the total in writing before you send anything.
Why quotes from different labs vary so much
First, panels differ. One lab's "amino acid profile" may count a different set of amino acids, include or exclude ammonia, or handle cysteine differently. Here, cysteine is excluded from the AA-1 free panel and needs a separate workup called AA-3 — if a quote looks cheaper, check whether it silently omits the amino acid you actually need. Taurine and extended compounds such as GABA, ornithine, citrulline, and hydroxyproline are not routinely included in AA-1 here, and you should be equally careful with any lab that bundles them in without explaining the method.
Second, free and total are confused constantly. A cheap "amino acid test" that hydrolyses everything cannot tell you how much glutamate was free in the food as eaten, and a free panel cannot tell you the total protein composition. Half the price gap online is two different tests wearing the same name.
Third, sample form matters. Liquids, powders, oily sauces, and dry blends each need different preparation. A flat quote that never asks what your sample is should worry you more than a quote that asks and then prices the preparation openly, as the $30 powder preparation line does here.
Fourth, reporting differs. Ask what basis the result uses — milligrams per gram, per 100 grams, or per serving — and whether glutamate is also expressed as an MSG equivalent, and on which basis, anhydrous or monohydrate. Two labs can measure the same sample correctly and print numbers that look far apart purely because the basis differs.
Fifth, accreditation and overhead differ. An accredited laboratory maintaining GLP, GMP, or ISO/IEC 17025 systems carries costs a small non-accredited lab does not. OpenChemWorks is not GLP, GMP, or ISO 17025 accredited, and its results are for your own decisions, not regulatory submission. If you need an accredited report for a filing or a retailer who requires one, you will pay accredited-lab prices, and you should — do not buy a non-accredited report hoping it will be accepted as one.
What to ask before you accept any quote
Ask for the panel list in writing, the sample-form price, whether matrix-effect qualification is included or extra, the reporting basis, and the all-in total for your exact sample count. Ask what the lab is not: its accreditation status, in plain words. And ask about turnaround directly rather than assuming it — this page makes no turnaround promise, because none is approved for publication. The lab's current frame is validating now, reserving pilot slots, based in Davis, California.
Your next step
If your sample is a liquid, budget $150. If it is a powder, budget $180, or $150 as a first-time customer. If your question is about total protein composition, budget $230. Email info@openchemworks.com with what the sample is and your one-sentence question, and confirm the total — including whether matrix qualification is advised — before you post anything.
Frequently asked questions
Why is a powder more than a liquid?
Powders need additional preparation to dissolve and homogenise before measurement: $150 plus $30 powder preparation, totalling $180 per sample.
Is the $250 pilot cheaper than five single samples?
It is a $250 deposit for 5 samples, credited in full against a first contract signed within 90 days. Read it as a commitment device for ongoing work, not as a per-sample discount.
Does a higher price mean a better result?
Not by itself. Compare panel, free-versus-total, reporting basis, matrix handling, and accreditation — in that order.
Can I get a discount for one sample?
The first-time rate is already flat at $150 per sample. There is no additional single-sample discount published.
References
- OpenChemWorks — Pricing — Published service and pricing copy (2026).
- Waters — Derivatization of Amino Acids Using Waters AccQ-Tag Chemistry — Method background for AQC derivatization and HPLC-UV amino acid analysis.
OpenChemWorks Laboratory · Reviewed by the laboratory director, PhD chemist · Published October 16, 2026