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Fast, accurate, and robust solution for routine commercial cannabis testing

As the world debates cannabis legalization for therapeutic applications and recreational use, the trends are shifting.  Medicinal use of cannabis is legal in an increasing number of countries worldwide, including 33 states and the District of Columbia in the United States. Uruguay was the first country in the world to legalize the sale, cultivation, and distribution of cannabis in 2013. In the United States, Washington and Colorado were the first to fully legalize cannabis in 2012. By the end of 2019, 10 states have legalized recreational use for adults over the age of 21, with 64% of Americans favoring the move

In our last blog, I gave you some current highlights about the mysterious vaping illness that was making headlines (and still is). The condition now known as, e-cigarette or vaping, product use-associated lung injury (EVALI) has sickened thousands and killed 57...

It’s been a momentous year for the cannabis industry in Canada. Not only did the country legalize cannabis with the Canadian cannabis law in October 2018, but it has also taken a giant leap in setting up a multi-billion dollar market from scratch. The progress made...

I did some digging on Google and decided to help answer the top 3 most searched queries about cannabis testing methods and technology, for both marijuana and hemp.     1. What equipment should I use to test my cannabis and hemp samples for mycotoxins,...

  The title says it all. Boar taint is a complex subject. For some, it’s not an issue. Others argue that it’s one of the biggest challenges to pork quality. It’s a very subjective response. In her blog, Dr. Laura Hancox illustrates the striking difference between the...

Browse the shelves of any grocery store, and you may get a false sense of security when it comes to ingredient lists. As much as consumers want to trust labels, the truth is, food products could contain mislabelled ingredients, such that they trigger an allergic reaction with serious detrimental effects including discomfort, pain sickness and in some instances, death. Manufacturers, however, do not want to risk their reputation and consumer safety over a false label. As such, there must be some sort of verification to support such an action

Did you know that the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO), celebrates its founding each year on October 16 with World Food Day? You can explore their theme and commitment to ending hunger by 2030 here. As part of their, “Ten Facts You Need to Know about Hunger,” perhaps you may find it interesting that, “The world will need to grow 60 percent more food by 2050 to feed the growing population.”

Since my last blog, there has been an ongoing investigation into the widespread impact of contaminated egg products. According to The Grocer, 26 more egg foods were pulled from shelves in the fipronil scandal, bringing the total number to 69 products....

Is your lab looking to acquire methods for food testing? What about getting better acquainted on the SCIEX Triple Quad™ or QTRAP® mass spectrometers to learn quantitation better? The following SCIEXUniversity Success Program training courses not only cover food and beverage quantitation but offer application training on topics such as meat speciation testing and pesticide analysis. Especially important considering the latest Fipronil contamination in eggs.I want to sign up for courses >

Whether you like it or not, the plastics industry is a growing market. According to an Allied Market Research report, it was valued at $15,179 million in 2015 and is projected to reach $18,538 million by 2022, growing at a CAGR of 2.9% from 2016 to 20221. Additionally, according to the report, in 2015, phthalates type held two-thirds of the global market in 2015. An important statistic since the use of various phthalates is restricted in many countries because of health concerns2.

News agencies all over the world are reporting a new food contamination issue regarding eggs which have been found to contain residues of Fipronil. According to Nieuwsuur, a Dutch news, and current affairs program, “The Fipronil scandal is a huge blow to the poultry sector. Millions of eggs are destroyed and 138 companies remain tentatively closed. But supermarkets also face great damage. In recent days all contaminated eggs have been taken out of the shelves.” CBS news has reported that contaminated eggs have been discovered in Belgium and in the Netherlands with other European countries now on alert.

Don’t judge a nutritional supplement by its label, as often, government monitoring of ingredients begins after the product enters the consumer market1. Meanwhile, there may be additional additives not mentioned on the label as they are used to address supplement side effects. Such is the case in the United States where even though federal law requires supplements to carry a dietary supplement label or a substitutional term, monitoring begins once a supplement is on the market. In China meanwhile, the China Food and Drug Administration’s (CFDA) health product potential illegal additives list, clearly stipulates monitoring processes for additives in six different types of nutritional supplements including weight loss, blood sugar reduction, blood pressure reduction, anti-fatigue, sleep improvement and immune strengthening functions.Read Tech Note >

Up until recently, SWATH® Independent Data Acquisition (IDA), was not widely used for the detection of pesticides in food samples. Introduced in 2012, SWATH Acquisition is an advanced acquisition technology capable of running on high-resolution mass spectrometers such as the X500R QTOF system or Triple TOF technology. Originally used in the Omics market to ID and quantify complex samples, SWATH Acquisition is gradually making a transition across markets including the investigation of pesticides in food. Like designer drugs, pesticides continuously undergo synthesizing, and food labs are beginning to require a more reliable analysis method to be confident in their resulting reports.

A recent study published by the Annals of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (ACAAI), pointed out, in a study of 109 people tested, that skin prick tests are not 100 percent reliable. In the study, participants were subjected to oral food challenges prior to skin testing in which 50 percent of individuals had no reaction. It was also discovered that blood tests were not full-proof even though they measure the presence of IgE antibodies to specific foods. These results are not surprising given that 50 to 60 percent of tests result in false-positives.

The EU Reference Laboratory (EURL) for Fruits and Vegetables in Almería is responsible for a network of around 200 laboratories which provide essential surveillance and monitoring to ensure the safety of foodstuffs available across Europe. The EURL provides proficiency testing and method development for these official laboratories, ensuring rigorous screening to avoid harmful chemicals entering the food chain

Adding colorful dyes to food is nothing new. In the early 19th century, for example, it wasn’t uncommon for manufacturers to add chalk to white bread, thicken milk with a lead compound, and inject red dye into meat in the quest for a fresher appearance1. Fast forward to the 21st century, however, and along with mass spectrometry, food standards have come a long way. Foods now must pass muster according to standards set by government regulators or else risk fines and punishment which can be costly for the manufacturer.  To support these measures, are agencies such as the US-FDA, EFSA, and others which have banned some colors due to their toxic and carcinogenic nature which brings me to mass spectrometry analysis. Discover more when you read the following application note, “LC-MS/MS Analysis of Emerging Food Contaminants,” in which researchers used the ExionLC AD with a Phenomenex Column for sample separation followed by MS/MS detection with the SCIEX X500R QTOF system.

Farmers use pesticides to protect crops from insects and disease as pesticides are necessary to create the volume of food that our population requires. Without them, we would not be able to grow enough crops to feed the world—they are a necessary evil. Government agencies such the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States and pesticide manufacturers, however, work hard to educate farmers on how to minimize their use. However, sometimes farmers add too much which leaves a residue. Upon harvest, farmers wash the fruit and vegetables. Once complete the crop then makes its way to the wholesaler and eventually, the supermarket. Even so, there may still be pesticide residue on the produce, which is why government agencies randomly pull produce from store shelves for testing of maximum residual limits (MRLs) and we are encouraged to wash our food before consuming it

The demand on labs throughout the world to run their triple quadrupole mass spectrometers to maximum capacity is ever increasing. Instruments are often operated continuously to ensure regulatory screening requirements are satisfied for targeted pesticides, mycotoxins, and veterinary drugs. Whether you are a commercial lab or a food manufacturer, the quality of the data you acquire is vital to your business. You must be certain that the last batch of strawberries you tested conform to pesticides regulations—your targeted list of usual suspects.

As we settle into 2017, I can’t help but reflect on the previous year’s food safety. Take for example the legislative changes meant to contain contamination outbreaks like those happening in places like China, Singapore, and New Zealand. Over the past year, we have developed new methods that detect antibiotics in poultry feed, LC-MS/MS Analysis of Emerging Contaminants, and help set food standards in China. All the while developing more sophisticated technology to keep up with testing demands.

When we look at emerging food trends for this coming year, you may be surprised to find that the US cornmeal market is making headlines as it is set to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of two percent by 20201. This is the type of news that excites us, scientists, as it reminds us why we test for things like mycotoxins in cornmeal and the impact such analysis has on farmers and food manufacturers.

Visit our offices on any given day, and you are likely to discover researchers putting mass spectrometry to the test. The hum of the mass spectrometer is as common as conversations as scientists are tasked with developing methods that can be applied in real-world lab scenarios. In this case, André Schreiber SCIEX, Concord, Ontario, Canada, detailed, Comprehensive Quantitation and Identification of Pesticides in Food Samples Using the SCIEX UltraLC 100* and the SCIEX QTRAP® 4500 System. 

Ever wish you had access to the most up to date application methods but don’t know where to find them? The Food and Beverage Compendium is your one-stop resource for research notes ranging from pesticides, allergens, and antibiotics to mycotoxins, vitamins, and...