Silliker Mérieux NutriSciences improved accuracy, throughput and safety in elemental analysis

Silliker Portugal, S.A., part of the global Mérieux NutriSciences network, is a leading accredited laboratory serving the food, feed, cosmetics, and environmental sectors. Its origins date back to 1993, when the company operated as EGI (Engenharia, Gestão e Qualidade Industrial, S.A.) providing consulting and quality management services. After its acquisition by Silliker Inc. in 2008, the laboratory expanded its capabilities and consolidated its expertise in microbiological and chemical analysis. Today, from its headquarters in Vila Nova de Gaia, Silliker Mérieux Portugal supports the national agrifood supply chain with reliable, high-throughput analytical services delivered by a skilled and multidisciplinary team. Demand for elemental and heavy-metal determination has increased driven by regulatory requirements, food safety concerns, and large sample volumes. The laboratory faced several operational challenges. These included tight turnaround times, pressure to reduce analysis costs, the need for robust workfl ows, operator safety, and the pursuit of more sustainable analytical methods.

To properly serve its clients, Silliker Portugal receives a wide variety of food and feed samples. Each sample is registered, classified, and assigned the analytical panel requested by the customer. For elemental analysis, the laboratory handles approximately 1000 samples per month, totaling over 2500 individual tests. The laboratory performs both heavy metal and nutrient determinations, with a typical ratio of 2:3, according to each client’s needs. Ensuring accuracy, meeting short TATs, and keeping analysis costs under control are essential for delivering high-value services. However, previous workfl ows for mercury analysis and sample preparation presented inefficiencies that limited productivity and introduced unnecessary risks.

Before integrating the DMA-80, Silliker Portugal relied on Cold Vapor Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (CV-AAS). Although widely used, this method created several critical limitations, like time-consuming sample extraction, resulting in longer TATs, use of sulfuric acid, increasing operator risk and requiring full PPE, and reproducibility issues for certain matrices. The adoption of the Milestone DMA-80 evo allowed Silliker Portugal to directly address these challenges and implement a safer, faster, and more reliable workflow.

Elemental analysis at Silliker Portugal requires digestion of a broad range of food and feed matrices. Prior to adopting Milestone technology, the laboratory relied on incineration followed by acid dissolution of ash, a workflow with significant drawbacks, such as slow and labor-intensive, high risk of ash loss and potential contamination.
The ultraWAVE 2 and 3 provided immediate improvements, delivering a significant reduction in turnaround time across all digested matrices and ensuring more consistent results, which in turn reduced the number of re-runs. Operator safety increased substantially, particularly in relation to heat and acid handling. The system also allowed for better resource allocation, enabling staff to focus on analytical tasks rather than manual preparation steps.

To further reduce manual acid handling and enhance safety, Silliker Portugal integrated the easyFILL automated reagent dosing system. Key benefits are high safety for operators during acid and peroxide addition and automation reduces manual errors and contamination risks.
Silliker Portugal uses easyFILL to dispense acids, hydrogen peroxide, and water, ensuring consistency and reducing variability in digestion workfl ows.