Don’t Be a Food Scandal Scapegoat. Fight Back with LC-MS/MS for Your Meat Authenticity Testing by SCIEX Community | 0 CommentsThe infamous horsemeat scandal of 2013 shined a spotlight on the questionable integrity of our meat supply. What followed was a lengthy investigation as the extent of the scandal unraveled before our eyes, reaching far beyond the European borders...
Now You Can Overcome Your Food and Environmental Testing Obstacles by SCIEX Community | 0 CommentsHow do you safeguard human health and protect your reputation through meeting stringent global food and environmental safety standards? When it comes to testing food and environmental samples, the quality of your testing data is vital to your business. You need fast...
It’s Time to Stop Fraudulent Food Reaching the Consumer with LC-MS/MS by SCIEX Community | 0 CommentsIf you are reading this blog, it is likely that you are fully acquainted with food fraud, but let’s just take a moment to set the scene. Food fraud is by no means a new phenomenon and goes as far back as the middle ages, with the concept of tampering or...
Why You Need Mass Spec for Veterinary Drug Residue and Antibiotic Analysis by SCIEX Community | 0 CommentsAs hospitals struggle with increasingly hard-to-treat antimicrobial resistance (ARM) bacterial infections, related deaths now exceed 700,000 per year globally and are predicted to reach 10 million per year by 2050. There’s no denying that these statistics are both...
Mycotoxin concerns amidst a pandemic: a discussion on how to optimize your food safety analysis by Matt Noestheden | Blogs, Food / BeverageRead time: 4 Minutes The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the need to store and transport raw and finished food products in order to sustain the richness of the food supply chain. Therefore, having a robust post-harvest support system that monitors moisture levels and...
The honey sting by Katherine Hyland | Blogs, Food / BeverageAs a consumer it’s hard for me not to feel inundated with claims that our food is “all-natural” or “chemical-free” or that we should buy certain “superfoods” for their health benefits. We read labels and trust that the product we are buying is what we are truly...
Accurate mass LC-MS/MS for PFAS analysis without needing a blockbuster budget by Craig Butt | Blogs, Environmental / Industrial, Food / BeverageIf you’ve been following our recent blogs, you’ve probably seen quite a bit on how per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are shaking up both the food and environmental industry. Even if you’ve not been following our blogs, you’ve probably seen a lot of media...
A rising star in food allergen research: proteomics of shellfish allergen by SCIEX Community | Blogs, Food / Beverage, Life Science Research, ProteomicsIt’s important to know what you’re eating, especially if you suffer from a food allergy. About 220 million people worldwide live with a food allergy.1 These numbers, along with the complexity and severity of conditions, continue to rise. In America, there are about 32 million food allergy sufferers—5.6 million of those are children under the age of 18.2.2 That’s 1 out of every 13 children, or about 2 in every classroom. From a financial perspective, the cost of food allergy childcare for US families is up to $25 billion
Routine cannabis screening is here. Will your lab reap the benefits? by Paul Winkler | Blogs, Food / BeverageFast, 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
Hemp, marijuana, CBD and THC: what’s the difference? by Paul Winkler | Blogs, Food / Beverage, ForensicCannabis refers to a genus of flowering plants originating from Asia.1 It's also an umbrella term that includes both marijuana plants and hemp plants, among others. With the flurry of legalization across the United States, CBD and THC derived products have been thrown...
Mysterious Vaping Detectives Part 2 by Paul Winkler | Blogs, Food / BeverageIn 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...
A year of cannabis in Canada. Where are we and what’s next? by Paul Winkler | Blogs, Food / BeverageIt’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...
Your 3 most googled queries about cannabis testing answered by Paul Winkler | Blogs, Food / BeverageI 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,...
Boar taint isn’t so simple by SCIEX Community | Blogs, Food / Beverage 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...
Testing Liquor for Authenticity Using LC-MS/MS Technology by SCIEX Community | Blogs, Food / BeverageThe Proof is in Your Holiday Drink If you think bootlegging was limited to the age of Prohibition then you have never tested liquor for authenticity using mass spectrometry. Maybe it is a scientist thing, but we simply cannot help but bring up the subject as people...
Thanksgiving Menu: A Detectable Feast! by SCIEX Community | Blogs, Food / BeverageOn Thursday 26th November 2015, millions of households across the United States will sit down to a hearty traditional Thanksgiving meal. The Thanksgiving holiday is when people celebrate the blessings of the year, in particular the harvest.
Are there Antibiotics in your Thanksgiving Turkey? by SCIEX Community | Blogs, Food / BeverageTruth – the first turkey I ever cooked was still frozen when it hit our plates. I couldn’t figure out why that thing was taking so long to roast. Then it hit me. I forgot to defrost the bird. If I recall correctly, even the giblets were still in it. It was ten p.m. when I broke the news to my guests that the turkey was not happening. A pizza was ordered, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief that they would not be suffering from a bout of food poisoning.
Celebrate with a Pesticide Free Thanksgiving! by SCIEX Community | Blogs, Food / BeverageBefore you start wondering if you should buy organic ingredients this Thanksgiving, it is good to know regulating bodies set and monitor allowable pesticide limits within our food supply. Pesticides that help control pests, disease, and deter unwanted animals from eating supplies found in fields, mills, and facilities. How and when this testing takes place in the United States is overseen by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) according to five primary regulating statutes.
Top Three Ways SCIEX has fun with Halloween Candy by SCIEX Community | Blogs, Food / BeverageHalloween is the time for lots of trick or treats ranging from chocolate bars to lollipops and oh so good candy corn. However, come October 31, it is time to mind sneaky ingredients that have the best disguise of all. From pork extracts, artificial sweeteners, to stuff that is hard to pronounce, SCIEX digs up some of our recent Food and Beverage studies for some ghoulishly good fun.
The Top Ten Things Scientists Think about on Halloween by SCIEX Community | Blogs, Food / BeverageThe Top Ten Things Scientists Think about on Halloween
Simultaneous Detection of Multiple Species in Meat Using LC-MS/MS Technology by SCIEX Community | Blogs, Food / BeverageSmart food shopping starts with labels. However, what if we told you the ingredient list may not be all that it seems? According to Food Safety News, producers are sneaking lower quality ingredients into our food to save money. This type of food fraud is estimated to cost the global food industry $10 to $15 billion per year. If you think back to the Middle Ages, even our ancestors were consumed with cost savings by inserting nutshells, seeds, berries, and more within their spices.
This LC-MS/MS Application Detects Almond and Peanut Allergens in Spices by SCIEX Community | Blogs, Food / BeverageIf you suffer from peanut allergies, you may want to think twice before diving into a bowl of something spicy. The reason being, some shipments of North American and European products containing ground cumin, cumin powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, and pilli-pilli...
Mass Spectrometry Detects Very Low Levels of Chemical Compounds in Asia Pacific Waters by SCIEX Community | Blogs, Food / BeverageDid you know that even though most of the world is covered in water, access to clean drinkingwater remains a problem? Take Asia for example where 62,000 people have lost their lives between 2001 and 2005 due to water-related disaster and illness. Clean water is...
Simultaneously Detect Different Types of Beer Microbes Using XP-PCR by SCIEX Community | Blogs, Food / BeverageSpoiler Alert – How to Save Time Testing for Bacteria in Beer? Nothing ruins a batch of beer worse than bacteria, specifically Pediococcus and Lactobacillus. Too much of these hop resistant genes can get carried away causing spoilage and sour beer. It is why breweries...