Food & Feed: Pre-Analytical Workflow Optimization for Metals and Fat Determination

The journey from sample to analysis involves multiple critical steps, each impacting laboratory workflow, costs, and operator safety to varying degrees. Key aspects such as the selection and handling of acids, the digestion process, and the cleaning cycle are pivotal in controlling the blank, ensuring reliable analyses, and freeing up operator time. In the first segment of our e-workshop, we will review these essential sample preparation steps, discuss optimization strategies, and explore the benefits of these enhancements on downstream analysis. Join us to discover how you can streamline your lab operations and achieve superior results.

Acid digestion is critical in food testing, ensuring all target elements are solubilized and preventing loss of volatile elements like Hg and As. Food testing involves handling diverse matrices and often demands improving the limits of quantification (LOQ). SRC technology offers a groundbreaking approach that transforms daily lab routines by optimizing digestion processes. This advanced technology not only improves lab workflows but also reduces the need for sample re-processing and minimizes operator involvement. Additionally, it facilitates the reliable and simultaneous digestion of various matrices in a single run. Join us to discover how the latest enhancements in the ultraWAVE 3, equipped with SRC technology, can elevate your food testing from good to great, making your daily tasks more efficient and effective.

Analyzing for the presence of heavy metals in nutritional supplements and baby food is critical to ensuring a safe product is delivered to the consumer. Mead Johnson is a manufacturer of various nutritional products, such as baby food (Enfamil) and are a multi-unit user of the ultraWAVE and traceCLEAN acid steam cleaning systems. Learn how Mead Johnson uses Milestone technology to process their various samples for metals analysis in baby food and other nutritional products.

The presence of heavy metals like arsenic, lead, cadmium, and mercury in baby food has garnered increasing scrutiny due to their significant health implications, especially for infants and toddlers. This presentation will explore how the Total Sample Prep Workflow approach can markedly enhance the detection of these contaminants. By improving limits of quantification (LOQs) and gaining full control over blanks, laboratories can effectively align with the FDA’s “Closer to Zero” initiative even in routine analyses. Join us to learn how this streamlined workflow not only meets stringent regulatory standards but also sets a new benchmark for safety and accuracy in baby food testing.

Food authenticity has increasingly become a critical concern, driving consumer demand for greater transparency regarding the quality, safety, and origin of food products. Elemental profiling stands out as a robust tool for addressing these issues, by analyzing the concentration and distribution of both nutritional and toxic elements, which are indicative of a food's nutrition, health status, environmental conditions, and processing methods. This presentation will explore the educational aspects and practical applications of elemental profiling. We will demonstrate how SRC technology can enhance the value of food products and contribute effectively to the fight against food fraud.

Routine fat determinations in food and feed matrices are crucial for numerous testing and food processing labs. Despite its importance, the current methodology often relies on outdated, matrix-dependent techniques that are inefficient and time-consuming. This workshop introduces a revolutionary gravimetric method that streamlines the lab workflow, enhances productivity, and significantly reduces turnaround times. We will explore how this innovative approach has been successfully implemented in a contract lab, effectively replacing older methods. Join us to discover how you can modernize your fat determination process and achieve superior results.