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Food contaminant analysis
Fera provides a full suite of analytical tests that addresses food contaminants restricted under EU food safety legislation. We specialise in testing for, identifying and measuring the levels of mycotoxins, contaminants migrating from food packaging materials and contaminants resulting from food processing.
If your analytical requirements do not appear to be covered, please contact us using .
| Description | Target LOQ | Units | Determination Step | Matrices |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mycotoxins | ||||
| Aflatoxins B + G | 0.2 | µg/kg | HPLC | Foodstuffs and animal feedstuffs including: cereals, nuts, milk, dried fruit, rice |
| Aflatoxins M1(+M2) | 0.01 | µg/kg | HPLC | |
| Deoxynivalenol (DON) | 50 | µg/kg | HPLC | |
| Fumonisins | 40 | µg/kg | HPLC | |
| Ochratoxin A | 0.2 | µg/kg | HPLC | |
| Patulin | 5 | µg/kg | HPLC | |
| Tricothecenes | 50 | µg/kg | GC-MS | |
| Zearalenone (ZER) | 10 | µg/kg | HPLC | |
| Food contaminants | ||||
| Acrylamide | 30 | µg/kg | GC-MS | Fried, baked and roast foods |
| 3-monochloropropanediol (3-MCPD) | 10 | µg/kg | GC-MS | Soy sauces, HVP flavouring products and raw materials |
| 1,3-dichloropropanol (DCP) | 5 | µg/kg | GC-MS | |
| Furan | 2-5 | µg/kg | GC-MS | Canned and bottled food |
| Ethyl carbamate | 10 | µg/kg | GC-MS | Fermented foods |
| Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) | 1 | mg/kg | HPLC-UV | Honey and sweeteners |
| Total phenols | 1 | mg/kg | UV-VIS | Fish |
| Nitrate/nitrite | 10/5 | mg/kg | Ion chromatography UV | Vegetables, meat, baby food |
| Methyl imadazole & THI | 1 | mg/kg | LC-MS | Sweeteners |
| Food packaging | ||||
| Plasticizers (phthalate esters) |
0.02-0.05 | mg/kg | LC-MS/MS or GC-MS | Foodstuffs, food simulants, and food contact materials and articles |
| Plasticizers (ESBO) | 5 | mg/kg | LC-MS/MS | |
| Residual solvents from printing inks | 0.01 | mg/kg | GC-MS | |
| Primary aromatic amines | 0.01 | mg/kg | LC-MS/MS | |
| BADGE and its hydroxy and chlorinated derivatives, BFDGE | 0.1 | mg/kg | LC-FI | |
| Bisphenol A | 0.05 | mg/kg | LC-FI | |
| Photoinitiators | 0.01-0.05 | mg/kg | LC-MS/MS or GC-MS | |
| Diisopropylnaphthalenes | 0.02 | mg/kg | LC-FI | |
| Styrene | 0.01 | mg/kg | GC-MS | |
| Vinyl chloride | 0.005 | mg/kg | GC-MS | |
| Illegal use of dyes | ||||
| Sudan I -IV, Orange G, Black B | 10 | µg/kg | LC-MS/MS | Spices, seasonings, flavourings, sauces, pastes, batters, and derivatives of these products, including: curry powders, pastes, oils and oleoresins |
| Sudan Red 7B, G, B | 10 | µg/kg | LC-MS/MS | |
| Para Red | 50 | µg/kg | LC-MS/MS | |
| Rhodamine B | 10 | µg/kg | LC-MS/MS | |
| Butter yellow | 10 | µg/kg | LC-MS/MS | |
| Orange II | 10 | µg/kg | LC-MS/MS | |
| Toluidine Red | 10 | µg/kg | LC-MS/MS | |
| Fast Garnet | 10 | µg/kg | LC-MS/MS | |
| Metanil Yellow | 50 | µg/kg | LC-MS/MS | |
| Auramine | 10 | µg/kg | LC-MS/MS | |
| Orange Oil SS | 100 | µg/kg | LC-MS/MS | |
| Bixin | 100 | µg/kg | LC-MS/MS |