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Food Contamination: Quality & Safety Webinar Series

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Find out all you need to know about the latest innovations, tools and techniques advancing the fields of food safety and food quality

30 Jun 2021
Edward Carter
Publishing / Media

Editorial article

From farm to factory to fork, food contamination is a worldwide public health problem that results in foodborne diseases causing acute poisoning or long-term disease and kills approximately 420,000 people per year. Food contamination can occur when foreign particles, including microorganisms or chemicals, are present within food, or it can be the result of inaccurate food labeling, insufficient storage, or even the practice of unsuitable cooking temperatures. To sustain life and promote optimum health, it is essential that people have access to high-quality foods, free from contamination – putting the spotlight firmly on how food is prepared, handled, and stored through the manufacturing process.

Research efforts and technological developments have significantly improved the means by which food safety and quality can be maintained. In this series of free expert webinars, find out all you need to know about the latest innovations, tools and techniques advancing the fields of food safety and food quality, including the analysis of non-casein nitrogen (NCN) and non-protein nitrogen (NPN) fractions in milk and the current trends associated with the study of PFASs via LC-MS/MS instrumentation. You will also have the opportunity to join a brewing masterclass and find out how Raman microscopy can be used for the advanced characterization of polymers and food packaging materials. Register now to hear from the food safety, quality and contamination experts in live presentations and Q&As, plus, check out a selection of our on-demand webinars below.

How to determine nitrogen and protein with the Dumas and Kjeldahl methods: The case of nitrogen fractions in milk

Thursday, July 8, at 16:00 BST / 17:00 CEST / 11:00 EDT / 08:00 PDT

In this masterclass, join specialists from VELP Scientifica to learn about the methods, analytical procedures, and results for nitrogen and protein determination. Key evidence will be revealed by presenting the analysis of non-casein nitrogen (NCN) and non-protein nitrogen (NPN) fractions in milk with the Dumas and Kjeldahl methods.

Register here

LC-MS/MS: The key to analyzing PFASs in milk, infant formula, and related food ingredients

Monday, July 12, at 16:00 BST / 17:00 CEST / 11:00 EDT / 8:00 PDT

Join Lukas Vaclavik, Technical Manager of Eurofins Food Integrity & Innovation, to learn more about the current trends associated with the analysis of PFASs, relevant to food, using cutting-edge LC-MS/MS instrumentation. This webinar will reveal how LC-MS/MS instrumentation can be applied for the determination of challenging matrices, such as milk and infant formula. Vaclavik will also present top tips for successfully eliminating PFAS background contamination, along with sample preparation strategies to achieve robust analysis.

Register here

Brewing masterclass: Experts share top tips for high-quality beer

Wednesday, July 14, at 16:00 BST / 17:00 CET / 11:00 EST / 08:00 PST

Join a selection of brewing experts with over 20 years of experience as they share their top tips to help brewers and quality control (QC) personnel effectively navigate the brewing process and laboratory testing procedures. This webinar will show how to make the brewing process run more efficiently, and ensure testing procedures are executed with ease.

Register here

Raman microscopy: The solution for advanced characterization of packaging and polymers

Thursday, July 15, at 15:00 BST / 16:00 CEST / 10:00 EDT / 07:00 PDT

Massimiliano Rocchia and Ludivine Fromentoux, HORIBA Scientific, will demonstrate Raman microscopy solutions that enable scientists to obtain full and complete characterization data for all polymer films, from defect analysis to multilayer materials characterization. Focusing on food packaging materials, all analysis processes will be considered, from sample to cross-section and confocal analysis using HORIBA’s LS6 software platform.

Register here

Benchtop NMR solutions throughout the food chain

Wednesday, July 21, at 16:00 BST / 17:00 CEST / 11:00 EDT / 08:00 PDT

Join Alice Scarpellini and Rogier Miltenburg, from Thermo Fisher Scientific, as they reveal more about the analysis of unique automotive, ceramics, steel and plastic samples, including the root cause analysis of failures. This webinar will also introduce the latest Thermo Fisher Scientific technologies that bring speed and simplicity to failure analysis.

Register here

Discover more free on-demand food contamination webinars here:

  • Impact of Salmonella on the global meat and poultry supply chain: Join Erin Crowley, Chief Scientific Officer at Q Laboratories, Inc., and Martin Wiedmann, Gellert Family Professor in Food Safety at Cornell College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, as they present an overview of the global impact of Salmonella on the meat and poultry supply chain and look at the validation of qualitative and quantitative methods for microbiology in food. Watch here>>
  • ‘Sniffing out quality’: Analyzing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to assess food and beverage quality throughout the supply chain: Learn how the sensitivity of VOC analysis can be improved using SPME–trap, and how it can be applied to analyze food and beverage samples. Dr. Natasha Spadafora explains how common problems associated with sampling foods and beverages, such as wide dynamic ranges of components and removing unwanted components, can be overcome. Watch here>>
  • Lab validation and performance requirements for the analysis of PFAS compounds in drinking water: Richard Jack, Senior Director of Vertical Marketing at Thermo Fisher Scientific, and Matthew MacLennan, Senior Scientist and Director of Pacific Rim Laboratories, provide an overview of PFAS analysis using MS/MS for compliance monitoring methods and look at the requirements for the analysis of PFASs in water and soil. Watch here>>
  • How to optimize workflows for sample prep and rapid analysis of contaminants in foods by LC-MS/MS: This expert webinar presents insights into recent advances in chromatography technology and how to apply them to food commodity testing workflows to overcome common challenges, simplify sample preparation, speed up analysis and minimize reporting of false negatives and positives in your final results. Watch here>>

Register for the Food Contamination: Quality & Safety Webinar Series here>>

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Gas ChromatographyGas chromatography (GC) is an analytical technique used to separate and quantitate mixtures of small and volatile compounds. Gas chromatographs or GC systems include components such as GC columns, detectors, pumps and autosamplers. Choose from packed or capillary GC columns, flame ionization (FID), photoionization (PID) electron capture detectors and selective or non-selective detectors. Find the best gas chromatographs in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.UHPLC and HPLCHigh performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and ultra high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC), also known as UPLC, are analytical techniques used to separate, identify and quantitate components of complex mixtures including biological samples such as proteins and lipids as well as chemical mixtures of pesticides, drugs and oils. Both techniques are liquid chromatographic methods but differ by operating pressures (HPLC < 6000 psi < UHPLC ). Components of HPLC and UHPLC systems include columns, detectors, pumps, autosamplers and column heaters. Explore a range of UHPLC and HPLC columns for your specific sample needs including reverse phase, normal phase, ion exchange, HILIC, ion exclusion and size exclusion columns. For more specialized HPLC, explore FPLC, countercurrent LC and simulated moving bed systems. Find the best UHPLC and HPLC equipment in our peer reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Atomic Absorption / Emission SpectroscopyAtomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and atomic emission spectroscopy (AES) — also called optical emission spectroscopy (OES) — are used to detect the elemental constituents in samples. Both techniques involve the atomization of a sample. Atomic absorption spectrometers may use a flame or furnace to create an atomic vapor of the sample before irradiation with spectral light. Optical emission spectrometers may use a flame, inductively coupled plasma (ICP), microwave plasma (MP) or spark arcs to atomize and excite the sample. At higher excitation energies, electrons can be emitted instead of photons, which can be useful for samples that can’t be atomized and for surface analysis. Explore electron spectroscopy equipment such as Auger spectrometers and photoelectron spectrometers for surface elemental analysis of samples. Find the best atomic absorption, photoelectron and optical emission spectrometers in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Infrared / IR SpectroscopyInfrared (IR) spectroscopy measures the interaction of infrared light with a sample, including transmission, reflectance & absorbance, facilitating the identification of analytes. Equipment used for quantitative analysis includes Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometers, infrared cameras, FTIR gas analyzers, as well as attenuated total reflectance (ATR) accessories and pellet or film presses. Find the best IR spectroscopy products in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.LC-MSLC-MS (liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry) systems and equipment are used for separation and quantitative analysis of complex mixtures, combining liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. Quantify proteins, contaminants, pesticides or screen for drug metabolites with a high level of sensitivity. LC-MS systems and equipment include reverse phase, normal phase and specialized columns integrated with various MS detectors such as time-of-flight (TOF), quadrupole, orbitrap or ion trap mass analyzers. LC-MS/MS instruments equipped with a qTOF or triple quadrupole analyzer give greater sensitivity and resolving power to your analysis. Find the best LC-MS equipment in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Mass SpectrometryMass spectrometry (MS) is a powerful analytical technique used to identify and quantify molecules based on the mass-to-charge ratio of gas-phase ions. It provides detailed information about the structure, composition, and properties of compounds and is widely used across fields such as environmental monitoring, materials science, drug discovery and development, food and beverage testing, and wider chemical research. Key MS techniques include tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LS-MS) and inductively coupled plasma (ICP-MS). Choosing from these wide range of techniques and technologies can be a daunting task, so keep up to date with scientific applications, performance expectations, and customer reviews here all in one place. Visit our product directory to receive quotes direct from the manufacturer. UV-Visible SpectroscopyUltraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrophotometers are used to measure the interaction of UV and visible light with a sample, including transmission, reflectance & absorbance. The two major instrument classes are single-beam or double-beam spectrophotometers. More specialized equipment includes colorimeters, spectroradiometers and refractometers. Portable and microvolume spectrophotometers are also available. For the modular spectroscopy lab, explore a range of light sources for combination with a spectrograph/spectrometer and optics. Find the best UV-Vis spectroscopy products in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.PCR and Thermal CyclingPolymerase chain reaction (PCR) kits and thermal cyclers are used for the in vitro amplification of DNA permitting subsequent analysis and experimental procedures. Explore a range of high-quality polymerase, primers and nucleotides or simplify your workflow with a PCR mastermix. Find reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and cDNA synthesis kits for RNA products and libraries. Quantitatively measure the amplification of DNA with real-time PCR (qPCR) and droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) kits and systems, and discover automated PCR setup solutions to increase throughput. Alternative DNA amplification methods also include recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) kits. Find the best PCR kits and thermal cyclers and purification equipment in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.MicrobiologyMicrobiology is the study of microorganisms including protists, prokaryotes, fungi, and, often, viruses. Microorganisms are a useful research tool as genetic vectors and, in immunology, for antibiotic susceptibility testing, cellular biology and genetics. Microorganisms commonly grow readily in incubators with microbial culture media; this can contain chromogenic supplements to differentiate between cell lines. Estimate your culture’s density of microorganisms with colony counters, or screen and select colonies for desirable clones with automated colony pickers. Additionally, equipment is available to monitor environments for the presence of microbes and identify with microbial identification instruments. Find the best microbiology products in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.Solid-Phase ExtractionSolid-phase extraction (SPE) is used for clean-up, extraction and concentration of semi-volatile or non-volatile analytes from complex mixtures including blood, urine and food samples. Multiple formats are available for conducting SPE, including prepacked SPE cartridges, disks and microplates, as well as SPE sorbent powders for manual packing. SPE systems can be used to automate the process and extract multiple samples at once. Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and supported liquid extraction (SLE) products are also available in the same formats. Find the best SPE, SLE and SPME equipment in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.pH and Conductivity MetersIon and pH meters, used for electrochemical techniques and measurements, measure the concentration of specific ions using electrodes (probes) and a meter. Features of ph and ion meters to consider include temperature compensation, auto-calibration, adjustable resolution, measurable range and accuracy. Meters can be handheld, portable, benchtop and modular.Next Generation SequencingNext-generation sequencing (NGS), also known as whole-genome sequencing, high-throughput sequencing and massive parallel sequencing, produces and analyses thousands to millions of nucleotide sequences at once. Sequencing systems operate via varying technologies depending on the manufacturer, including sequencing by synthesis, ligation, pyrosequencing, ion semiconductor and single-molecule real-time sequencing. For NGS, library preparation is paramount to successful sequencing. In this section, explore a range of library preparation kits, from targeted, amplicon-based or hybridization-based kits including epigenomic, transcriptomic and genomic workflows to fragmentation kits. Find the best next-generation sequencing products in our peer-reviewed product directory: compare products, check customer reviews and receive pricing direct from manufacturers.CalorimetryCalorimetry is a technique used to determine the heat released or absorbed in a chemical reaction. Calorimeters can be categorized into bomb calorimeters, constant pressure calorimeters, differential scanning calorimeters, isothermal titration calorimeters, X-ray microcalorimeters, heat-loss calorimeters, and high-energy particle calorimeters. The choice of calorimeter depends on the application.KjeldahlKjeldahl is an analytical chemistry technique for the quantitation of nitrogen in chemical substances. Applications of Kjeldahl include analyzing the protein content of food, nitrogen analysis in environmental sciences and the pharmaceutical industry and total kjeldahl nitrogen, nitrate and ammonia analyses in agricultural sciences.TitrationTitration is an analytical technique for determining substance concentration in a solution. For titration consider a manual or automated system, volumetric or coulometric reagent addition and indication by a potentiometer, spectrometer, turbidometer or by the Karl Fischer method. Other features of titration to consider include burettes, reagents, concentration range, reaction time and autosamplers.

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