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Sophisticated measures to ensure safety and integrity

In recent years, Chinese officials have come under intense public and international pressure to intensify efforts to ensure safer food, after -tainted milk products from the 2008 scandal in which six babies died and 300,000 babies fell ill, re-emerged in several stores around the country.

and food service industries, including restaurants, grocery stores and institutional providers such as nursing homes. GC-MS

However, in the wake of the dioxin poisoning scare in Europe in 2011 which sparked import bans on some German farm products, we in soft This tragedy brought the issue of particularly those in developed are reminded that threat to food drinks is of under the world countries, have established safety very much exists even concern due to spotlight. The World Health dedicated official bodies to within mature economies, and that its carcinogenic nature and Organization (WHO) has stated develop, monitor and enforce food analysis of food and beverage contamination that foodborne diseases and safety directives and regulations. produce is critical. A chemistry has periodically threats to food safety constitute a EFSA technique called gas caused outcry growing problem. chromatography-mass among The EU parliament is informed on Unsafe food is the cause of many spectrometry, or ‘GC-MS’, is environmental food safety matters by the and health acute and lifelong diseases, emerging as the perfect analytical European Food Safety Authority advocates. ranging from diarrhoeal diseases tool for forensic food analysis. In (EFSA). In the , the to various forms of cancer. WHO fact, its simplicity, sensitivity and Food and Drug Administration estimates that foodborne and effectiveness in separating and (FDA) publishes the Food Code, a waterborne diarrhoeal diseases identifying food components, has model set of guidelines and taken together kill about 2.2 made GC-MS one of the most procedures that assists food million people annually, 1.9 million important tools in analytical control jurisdictions by providing a of them children. chemistry today. scientifically sound technical and Many world governments, legal basis for regulating the retail The key attribute of GC-MS is that

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is can qualitatively identify the and Specialty Equipment at Linde German states, federal officials actual nature of the chemicals in a Gases. “It is one of few stated. food sample – therefore answering techniques to determine exactly DLCs the question ‘What molecules are what is in a food sample. present?’ rather than just the Characterised by its quick Dioxin and chemically-related quantitative aspects that some screening abilities, GC-MS has compounds (referred to other techniques identify from been widely heralded as the ‘gold collectively as dioxin-like analysis. standard’ for forensic substance compounds or DLCs) are a group identification. of environmental contaminants Of these two questions, in many found throughout the world. While analytical scenarios the ‘what?’ is German officials have said that actually more important than the A chemistry technique eaten occasionally, the excess is ‘how much?’. Conducting unlikely to make anyone sick, the quantitative work on a sample with called gas European Food Safety Authority unknown content is fruitless. The chromatography-mass suggests that exposure to DLCs qualitative method is especially spectrometry, or ‘GC- may lead to a variety of adverse relevant to food research MS’, is emerging as health effects including applications and lays the correct the perfect analytical reproductive and developmental foundation for the analysis. Only tool for forensic food problems, cardiovascular disease, when it is known which chemicals increased diabetes and increased are present, is quantitative analysis risk of cancer. Because DLCs tend analysis really useful. to accumulate in the fat of food- The principle behind gas GC-MS is commonly used to producing animals, consumption of chromatography (the ‘GC’ part) is screen for contaminants in food animal-derived such as that molecules in a sample are and drugs. This sophisticated meat, poultry, eggs, fish and dairy carried through a chromatography scientific technique, which is products is considered to be the ‘column’ (a 30 metre thin tube with routinely used by the Food and major route of human exposure to a special polymer coating) by an Drug Administration in the US to low levels of DLCs. inert gas (often helium) and will detect dioxin, may well have been Says Harrison: “Who found out separate due to differences in successfully employed to trace the about this dioxin problem and their chemical properties. The source to a single fats how? Someone was looking – mass spectrometry (or ‘MS’ part) manufacturer in last year’s thank goodness people are always breaks the components into German egg scare. European looking at these processes, ionised species and separates While there is Union rules allow no more than a 1 because things do go wrong. How no justification based on mass, enabling detection part per trillion of dioxin in food for did these analysts know they had for soft drinks and analysis by computer. human consumption. Over a found a problem? Using qualitative to contain high period of two weeks, batches of levels of “Amid heightened concerns about techniques like GC-MS they would benzene, casual food safety in many parts of the eggs and a shipment of pork with be able to identify the presence of consumption of world, GC-MS comes to the fore 1.5 trillionths were found. The a specific chemical such as dioxin. such a drink is as a very important analytical German feed-mixing company They can then combine that with a unlikely to pose supplied 110 egg farms, 651 significant technique,” says Stephen quantitative technique to health hazard to Harrison, Head of Specialty Gases piggeries and other farms in four determine the extent of dioxin an individual.

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contamination. Immediately they all distilled spirits, yeast ferments as causes of . realised that they had to track this a source to produce ethanol, is today chemical to its source as quickly then the alcohol is extracted regarded as the biggest cause of as possible to safeguard public through distillation using a still. food-borne infection in the health. Because of its illegal nature, these western world. For example, beverages are rarely aged in “Applying a qualitative technique in scientists believe that barrels like conventional spirits a detective-like fashion in this contaminated bottled water could and sometimes contain impurities crisis situation was critical. account for 12% of infections by and off-flavours. On occasion, Samples could be checked right this bacterium. these beverages may contain toxic back through the food chain until monocytogenes (Lm) is regarded alcohols such as methanol, which analysts reached a point where the as emerging because the role of can cause blindness and death. chemical did not show up in the food in its transmission has only sample – indicating that this is In 2010, 89 people from south- recently been recognised. In where it entered.” west Uganda died after drinking a pregnant women, infections with Benzene home-brewed beverage laced with Lm can cause abortion and stillbirth, and in infants and people Similar scares have occurred in the with a weakened immune system, beverage industry, one of the most While there is no it may lead to septicaemia and notable being the benzene in soft justification for a soft meningitis. Escherichia coli drinks episode of the 1990s. drink to contain such serotype O157:H7 (E. coli) has Benzene levels are regulated in high levels of benzene, rapidly emerged as a major cause drinking water nationally and the casual of bloody diarrhoea and acute internationally, and in bottled consumption of such a renal failure. water in the United States, but drink is unlikely to are toxic chemical only informally in soft drinks. products formed by mould species Benzene in soft drinks is of some pose a significant including Penicillium, Aspergillus concern due to its carcinogenic health hazard to a and Fusarium. These moulds can nature. This contamination is a particular individual readily colonise food crops such as public health concern and has cereal grains, nuts and fruits, periodically caused outcry among either in the field or post harvest. environmental and health methanol – and a further 100 were Consumption of foods produced advocates. The benzene results hospitalised, including a two-year- from these commodities poses a from decarboxylation of the old child. A large number of potential risk to human health in the Ugandans, with little disposable because the are resistant to presence of ascorbic acid (vitamin income, resort to drinking cheap, various food processes, including C), especially under heat and light. home-made alcoholic brews which heat treatment. Mycotoxins rarely often contain dangerous The worst example found to date cause acute illness in developed chemicals. In this instance local was a containing 87.9 countries, but long term brewers had made waragi – a gin parts per billion of benzene. consumption of low levels has made from bananas – and added Someone drinking a 350 ml (12 oz) been linked to disease. would ingest 31 micrograms of large amounts of methanol to benzene. While there is no increase the potency of the drink. Microbiology laboratories doing justification for a soft drink to “In an ideal world, GC-MS in the classical testing use specialty gas contain such high levels of hands of food safety officials and mixtures containing carbon benzene, the casual consumption forensic policing teams would be dioxide, hydrogen, nitrogen or of such a drink is unlikely to pose a able prove the presence of the oxygen to create aerobic and significant health hazard to a toxic molecules, identify anaerobic controlled atmospheres particular individual. However, intentional or unintentional in controlled temperature spread out over millions of people malpractice and protect the incubators to stimulate and control consuming soft drinks each day, consumers from the potentially microbial sample growth that there is likely to be a broad- lethal effects,” says Harrison. assists with the microbial analysis. ranging impact on the number of Pathogens and fungus Contemporary threats small cancers caused by this As little as 20 years ago, three of In addition to these pathogens and exposure. the four most significant fungi, there are a vast range of On the flip side of legitimate foodborne pathogens – more contemporary health threats beverage production is the Campylobacter, Listeria and associated with the presence of worldwide issue of distilled spirits enterohaemorrhagic E. , heavy metals, made in unlicensed stills. As with coli (EHEC) – were unrecognised antibiotics and other food

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Campylobacter jejuni is today regarded as the biggest cause of food-borne infection in the western world.

contaminants such as melamine. such as methylmercury poisoning, In the Chinese melamine scandal vision problems and neurological previously referenced, several disturbances in foetuses and thousand babies became ill, having infants. suffered acute kidney failure, Antibiotics are routinely used to among them several fatalities. The prevent disease among animals in melamine was used because of its conventional industrial farming, high nitrogen levels – 66% nitrogen but some modern industrial by mass – that gives it the livestock operations also mix non- analytical characteristics of protein therapeutic antibiotics into molecules which would be livestock feed to stimulate animal example, French champagne naturally occurring in milk. growth and weight gain. In should be French and an extra addition to the danger of More than a billion pounds of virgin olive oil should not be consuming these and other pesticides are used in the United blended with cheaper components. States alone annually, to control veterinary drug residues, public The Agency has initiated a Food weeds, insects and other concern in this regard focuses on Authenticity Research Programme organisms that threaten or the possibility of creating drug- that applies novel technology undermine human activities. resistant organisms. where possible to develop Although this is a necessary All of these contemporary threats methods that can be used to check process, studies show that rely on accurate scientific analysis that foods are correctly described pesticides, which are toxic by of food at various points in the and labelled. This helps to ensure design, can cause health problems, supply chain to ensure safety and that consumers are not receiving such as birth defects, nerve integrity. misleading information about the damage and cancer over a long food they eat. period of time. Food authenticity Food analysis Together with essential nutrients, The British Food Standards Food safety requires scientific plants and animals also take up Agency defines food authenticity monitoring to ensure the safe small amounts of contaminant as a term that refers to whether handling, preparation and storage heavy metal compounds and can the food purchased by the of food. Quality and consistency concentrate them. This can be consumer matches its description. are also primary outcomes in food harmful as even minute quantities Misdescription can occur in many production which have driven the of certain heavy metals such as forms, from the undeclared development of scientific food lead, cadmium and mercury are addition of water or other cheaper analysis methods and recognised to be potentially toxic materials, or the wrong instrumentation to highly when consumed by humans. declaration of the amount of a sophisticated levels. Mercury exposure via food most particular ingredient in the often occurs when seafood product, to making false Scientific methods of food analysis containing mercury is consumed. statements about the source of first emerged in the mid-19th Prolonged mercury ingestion may ingredients i.e. their geographic, century, when chemical and lead to serious health problems plant or animal origin. For microscopal knowledge had

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advanced to a point where food identification techniques are used the EFSA, which conduct substances could be analysed and when the compound is unknown. investigations into food safety the subject of food adulteration In the 21st century, principally four incidents. The latter use began to be studied from the different types of laboratories complementary techniques and standpoint of the rights and conduct food analysis: ‘in-house’ they set food standards at welfare of the consumer. The laboratories undertaking research government level. Much of their father of modern day and development, checking for work is also outsourced to was Louis Pasteur, a French contaminants and monitoring food commercial or research chemist and microbiologist who quality at food manufacturers; laboratories. made remarkable breakthroughs in commercial contract laboratories, Verifying food ingredients the causes and preventions of which handle outsourced work Specialty gases are used for food disease. He is best known to the from the in-house laboratories and analysis in laboratories around the general public for inventing a are independent, often providing world. Gases are also used with method to prevent milk and wine specialised expertise for niche GC-MS systems to verify food from causing sickness, a process analysis; academic research ingredients such as sweeteners, that came to be called laboratories and, fourth, regulatory colourings, aromas, the addition of pasteurisation. and compliance laboratories glycerol and any undeclared aligned with food safety There are a variety of different additives, to identify isotopic authorities such as the FDA and analytical techniques available to profiles and to assess whether determine a particular property of flavours are natural. Gases also a food material. The analytical Gases also play an play an important role in the technique selected depends on the important role in the assessment of fat content, property to be measured, the type assessment of fat whether a fat is saturated or of food to be analysed, and the content, whether a fat unsaturated and determination of reason for carrying out the the protein content. Additionally, analysis. For example, targeted is saturated or gases assist with the very complex analysis is used when the unsaturated and chemistry testing of olfactometry particular compound is already determination of the – the testing of flavour and smell known and needs to be quantified protein content compounds. whereas screening and Sophisticated analytical techniques

“Today, sophisticated technology protects food consumers from risk of illness from contaminated foods,” says Harrison, Global Head of Specialty Gases and Specialty Equipment. “Laws and regulations have tightened up considerably and scientific food analysis techniques are advancing rapidly to the point where profiling to determine the origin of ingredients is on the way.” “In the wake of the melamine- Microbiology laboratories use tainted milk incident, the FDA has specialty gas instituted analytical methods to mixtures detect melamine levels as low as containing 0.25 parts per million (ppm). The carbon dioxide, hydrogen, GC-MS method is used for nitrogen or screening the presence of oxygen to melamine and analogues. These create aerobic sophisticated analytical techniques and anaerobic controlled were developed by regulatory and atmospheres to compliance laboratories stimulate and specifically to identify the control presence of melamine and have microbial sample growth. now become a standard

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methodology,” commented Harrison. In verifying food ingredients for the absence of undeclared additives, laboratories also make use of atomic absorption spectrometry which is a very fast and accurate way to screen for contaminants at levels as low as parts per billion, for example for the analysis of . Laboratories also monitor the authenticity of origin and for adulterations of natural product Food safety requires scientific monitoring to ensure the safe handling, preparation and storage of food. using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), which compares the food stuff with a known sample. NMR requires liquefied helium for its extremely cold property to activate the super-conductive magnets essential for this analytical technique. Today it is standard procedure for any food product entering the USA and Europe to be tested by independent laboratories. Many responsible food manufacturers also voluntarily send regular samples to these laboratories to Food producers rely on accurate scientific analysis of food at various points in verify their own findings. the supply chain to ensure safety and integrity. Occasionally a national authority purity specialty gases have to will request a spot audit of a Today it is standard match up to increasing demands process if a potential issue or for high standards of performance, crisis is suspected. procedure for any food product entering the new analytical methods and Specialty gases USA and Europe to be production refinements,” “Food analysis represents a very comments Åkerlindh. “Impurities tested by independent occurring in just a few parts per important market and the demand laboratories for specialty gases that can million or parts per billion can have facilitate the detection of ever serious consequences. The lower levels of chemicals in food is to the wholesaler or retail outlet, demands made on regulators and on the increase,” says Linde’s while Modified Atmosphere valves in these environments are Katrin Åkerlindh, Global Product Packaging (MAP) gas mixtures extremely high. Components must Manager, Specialty Gases. “Linde protect food from deterioration, be capable of dealing with high has an extremely broad offer for loss of flavour, loss of colour, and low pressures, large and small the . Many of these microbial spoilage – and extend flows. They must be suitable for products support the integrity of shelf life dramatically. high-purity inert gases as well as reactive, flammable, corrosive or throughout the “It’s critical to monitor food quality toxic gases. Our REDLINE ® manufacturing and supply chain. at a variety of different control product range meets these points, from the supply of “For example, liquid nitrogen is important criteria, based on our individual ingredients, through the used to protect the integrity of customers’ experience and our manufacturing process and during food by freezing and chilling food own.” I products, while sulphur dioxide is distribution, and Linde’s combined hydrogen and air laboratory gas used for wine preservation. Susan Brownlow Another area is the supply of generator for gas chromatography Public Relations Manager refrigerant gases for freezing and is also ideally suited to food Linde Gases Division chilling of food while it is being analysis,” Åkerlindh says. Linde Group transported from the manufacturer “Distribution systems for high- www.linde.com

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