FreshTest® is an Australian Chamber of Fruit and Vegetable Industries or Fresh Markets Australia (FMA) initiative to provide low-cost chemical residue (MRL) and microbial testing to primary Wholesalers and their growers in Australia’s Central Markets.

The tests are confidential and are used for verification for food safety and Quality Assurance systems. All laboratories used in the FreshTest® program are National Association of Testing Agencies (NATA) accredited.

Since its introduction in December 2001, FreshTest® has grown to become the largest and most comprehensive horticultural residue-testing program undertaken in Australia. It continues to grow as more industry participants make use of the facility.

The Benefits of FreshTest®

The FreshTest® program is more streamlined than trying to organise tests as an individual. Fresh Markets Australia negotiates with a number of NATA accredited labs around Australia, achieving competitive pricing and turnaround time.

Dedicated and experienced team

  • Personalised service
  • We know the industry

Competitive pricing

  • Substantial savings due to volume testing
  • Savings are passed onto you

Convenient, simple, and quick

  • Located at the Melbourne Market
  • One phone number for all your testing
  • We do all the hard work
  • An easy process to follow
  • Easy to read results
  • Quick turn-around
  • Easy access to results online (including historical data)

Collection and sampling requirements

Fresh State makes it easy to do your testing. We send tests everyday—you just need them ready before 8am.

Fresh State has been appointed to coordinate samples for testing with FreshTest®, an initiative of Fresh Markets Australia for primary wholesalers within the Melbourne Markets and growers in Victoria.

To organise a test, complete the FreshTest® Request Form and send it to the Melbourne FreshTest® at [email protected] the day before testing is required.

All samples must be received before 8:00 am on the nominated test day to allow time for processing prior to being dispatched to the testing laboratory.  Any product received after this time cannot be included and will be placed in refrigerated storage until the next collection day.

You can either drop off your produce at the Melbourne Market Credit Service (Fresh State office, Store 36 Melbourne Market) or call the office on 03 9408 6627 and we can collect samples from your business if you are located at the Melbourne Market.

Alternatively, you can courier or post the samples to Fresh State FreshTest® at:

Store 36, Melbourne Market
35 Produce Drive, Epping
VIC, 3076

Sample size/weight

A minimum of 500 grams of product is required for each test requested.  For example, if you require a C6M and a M1 test on a sample we will require a minimum of 1kg of product.

Larger produce such as watermelons only require 1 whole piece of fruit for each test requested.

Test results

FreshTest® Online enables FreshTest® users to obtain test results as soon as they become available.

The laboratory results are exported to the FreshTest APP approximately 2 – 4 working days after the test has been received by the laboratory. FreshTest® users can access results from the FreshTest® APP, whereby they also have access to the laboratory NATA certificate and the corrective action notification (CAR), should there be an adverse detection.

All FreshTest ® Users can apply for permissions to log into Fresh Test Online to access current & historical results.  You can also access separate reports for your individual growers.  If there is an Adverse Detection, this report will be forwarded to you immediately, however they are also readily available from FreshTest® Online.

For more information about FreshTest® contact:

Email: [email protected]

Phone: 03 9408 6627