Horse meat in lasagna, falsely declared fish or contaminated baby food – food fraud makes headlines again and again. Companies hope to gain a financial advantage, but often endanger the health of consumers.
Standardization of methods, a more efficient lab routine, and saving time and resources. Automation has many advantages. We answer the most important questions about automation.
Vitamins protect us every day. Without vitamins, muscles, metabolism and brain cannot perform. This is reason enough to get to know vitamins. In the 2nd part of our series, we introduce vitamin B12 (cobalamin).
Microorganisms transform sugar contained in must into alcohol and carbon dioxide in a process known as fermentation, which results in the production of wine. Winemakers (and brewers) have two options for starting the fermentation process with yeast: they can use a commercial pure yeast strain that has particularly desirable and consistent characteristics, or they can […]
Buckwheat is popular in many countries, including Russia, and is usually enjoyed either sweet or hearty, similar to that of semolina. It’s time to take a deeper look at the plant, especially because buckwheat does not contain gluten. Allergy patients, however, must use caution.
International Coconut Day is celebrated on September 2nd. The coconut palm grows in the tropical belt, yet it is no longer considered exotic here; it has long been a staple of our cuisine. Here are 8 startling facts.
Residues of antibiotics, hormones and toxins are a threat to consumer health. This makes reliable test systems and their validation all the more important. Validation demonstrates that an analytical method meets requirements for accuracy, precision, robustness, specificity, selectivity and repeatability, among others. In summary: It is the proof that a test method works correctly. So […]
Vitamins ensure that our bodies function every day. Time to get to know them. In our series, we introduce you to 9 vitamins: Where do they occur? What function(s) do they have? How much does a person need? In episode 1, we start with vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine). Check out our infographic for more facts.
High humidity provides ideal conditions for mycotoxin-forming fungi that contaminate wheat. Because this summer has had high rain fall mycotoxin analysis is especially important. We sat down with Carrie Maune, vice-president of Trilogy Analytical Laboratory: What do you need to know about grain contamination with DON (deoxynivalenol) and ZON (zearalenone)?
The antibiotic Florfenicol is brought on the market under various brand names and is used to control infections in cattle, pigs, poultry, and aquaculture. The compound is an effective broad-spectrum antibiotic and is considered as a less toxic alternative for chloramphenicol, which is banned world-wide because of its toxic effects.
The European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) has approved the first insect for human consumption: the yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor larva). It is categorized as a novel food (NF) pursuant to Regulation (EU) 2015/2283 (‘food consisting of, isolated from or produced from animals or their parts’, as described in Article 3(2)(v)).
Sesame seeds are a common ingredient in the food industry. Yet, sesame seeds are a tremendously strong allergen and the prevalence of sesame seed allergy has been increasing in recent years.
Christmas is just around the corner and with it the cookie season. For celiac patients, caution is advised to not take any risks while snacking. That’s why we have a gluten-free cookie recipe for you to try out, so you don’t have to give up this holiday season.
During the control of allergens in food, the so-called hook effect can occur. But what does the hook effect mean in terms of allergen detection and what are the possible consequences of the test result?
This year’s grain harvest has begun. After the very changeable weather conditions, the question arises whether the harvest could possibly be contaminated with mould. What does this mean for the harvest and the resulting products?
Extraction of nucleic acids is a vital part of real-time PCR and is often challenging due to several factors such as the high variability of sample matrices and inhibitory substances like plant ingredients, alcohols or salts.
Pork does not belong in a kebab or a beef sausage. However, adulteration of meat products with cheaper pork is a common form of meat fraud. This is a problem – especially for consumers who refrain from eating pork for religious reasons.
Goat’s milk and sheep’s milk are increasingly popular alternatives to cow’s milk. However, consumers do not always get what they pay for. Adulteration with cow’s milk – intentional or unintentional – is not uncommon.
Tap water contaminated with Legionella can cause severe infections. Water pipes that are not used regularly are particularly susceptible to the colonization of bacteria – a problem especially now during the coronavirus pandemic, as many businesses, hotels and public facilities are closed.
When testing for allergens in food, most laboratories use immunological methods such as ELISA. However, real-time PCR can provide distinct advantages.
At Easter, eggs are served particularly often. But they are also a popular ingredient in many other dishes and processed foods — a challenge for allergic people.
The spread of the coronavirus is causing concern worldwide. Because knowledge of this novel virus is still limited, there is much speculation. For example, there are fears that the virus may also be transmitted through food. Is there any truth to this?
Moldy bread is easy to recognize for the consumer. But mold can already develop in the field and contaminate the harvest. More dangerous than the mold fungus itself are the toxins it produces, the so-called mycotoxins. One of the most prevalent mycotoxins is deoxynivalenol (DON).
Real-time PCR has proved to be a reliable and efficient analysis method in many areas. For laboratories who have avoided up to now the investments for PCR analysis, a new compact PCR cycler now makes it easy to get started.
A natural improvement of the baby’s immune system is mediated by the protein Lactoferrin in mother’s milk.
According to a recent study, more than 10 percent of adults in the United States suffer from food allergies, while almost 20 percent think they do. What’s behind this?
Off-flavors, turbidity and even exploding bottles: During the last years, the yeast S. diastaticus has caused trouble to several craft brewers. Detecting a contamination before it spoils your beer isn’t easy.
When it comes to food safety, consumers in Germany worry most about antibiotic residues, as a current survey shows. Is it a legitimate concern? How great is the danger?
Egg allergy is among the most common food allergies worldwide and particularly affects children. An egg-free diet often is a challenge – especially in the holiday season.
Fish is among the most counterfeited foods. The differences between a cod fillet and a cheaper pangasius are barely visible to the naked eye. Suitable test systems such as real-time PCR are needed for fishery products to be identified without doubt.
Listeria is a hot topic these days – not only in Germany. The risk posed by these pathogenic bacteria is often underestimated.
Egg allergy particularly affects children. Allergy sufferers must not only avoid fried or scrambled eggs, but also many other foods. Here’s where allergic people must be careful.
Heavy precipitation during the flowering season favored the growth of mold in many regions this year, leading to mycotoxin contamination in the harvest – often even with several types of mycotoxins at the same time.
ELISA is a test method with many advantages: it allows fast and specific quantitative analyses while being efficient and easy to perform. However, before a laboratory can start with ELISA, certain equipment is needed.
Brettanomyces yeasts cause the so-called “Brett“ off-flavor: an unpleasant smell of horse stable, leather, sweat or even urine. Early detection of a possible contamination is of great interest for winemakers.
Eggs are very versatile foods and for many people an inherent part of the diet. However, they also are one of the most common allergy triggers worldwide.
Reference material is indispensable for quality control in food analysis. But what exactly is the difference between reference material and certified reference material? And what is an analytical standard? Here‘s an overview.
In general, beer is not a likely habitat for microorganisms: the alcohol content, the low pH value, the anaerobic atmosphere, the hop bitters and the limited nutrient supply make beer a rather hostile environment. However, some bacteria have adapted to this environment.
A while ago, the national wine institute in Argentina officially certified a wine as “gluten-free”. What’s behind this? May conventional wine actually contain gluten?
We recommend all RIDA®SMART APP customers to install the new software version V 3.25.
Deceptive labelling, prohibited additives or the substitution of expensive ingredients with cheaper components: During a global raid against food fraud, Interpol seized counterfeit goods worth approximately 103 million euros. In order to detect adulteration, analytical methods are essential.
Pre-packaged salads are often contaminated with harmful bacteria, viruses or molds, as a current study reveals. Especially during the warmer months, there is a high risk of microbiological contamination.
Consumption of oats in North America and Europe has been increasing for several years now. With their high content of vitamins, minerals and fiber, they are a valuable addition to the diet. But they may also contain dangerous mycotoxins.
The demand for gluten-free, lactose-free and other “free from“ foods is rising – and an end is not in sight. On the occasion of the “Free From Functional Food Expo“ in Barcelona, we take a look at the 4 major market trends.
In Japan, the consumption of the delicacy Fugu, or puffer fish, leads to 30 – 50 intoxications of humans per year, resulting in severe illness and sometimes death. The cause for this is tetrodotoxin (TTX), one of the most powerful neurotoxins known, many times more toxic than cyanide.
Measuring the vitamin content of foods can be complicated. Smaller laboratories often avoid the effort and hire external labs for the analysis. But with the right tools, vitamin analysis can be done very easily and economically.
Improper storage of fish may result in the formation of high histamine concentrations. Here’s why this can become a problem – and how to safely monitor the histamine level.
Salmonella is the most common cause of food poisoning in the EU with over 100,000 reported illnesses every year. During the warm months, the number of cases increases.