Contaminants

Contamination analysisContamination of food can happen at any point in the chain from producer to consumer, with a detrimental effect on the safety or quality of the product. The contamination can be microbiological or chemical. It can even be the more obvious problem of a foreign body. Here at Leatherhead we offer a comprehensive range of analytical services, grounded in years of experience to help you in detecting and identifying these problems.

In addition to our routine analytical services we also have the facility to carry out one-off analyses or problem-solving investigations of organic compounds, using mass spectrometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Mass spectrometry is one of the most powerful tools available to the analyst. The mass spectrum of a compound can be almost as unique as a fingerprint. Because of the nature of the data in a spectrum it can very easily be compared with reference spectra of other compounds in order to give a tentative identification based on the probability of a match. The spectrum can also be examined from first principles and conclusions drawn on the nature of the molecule that produced it.

Single compounds and very simple mixtures can be analysed by inserting them directly into the mass spectrometer using a direct insertion probe. More complex mixtures can be analysed by using a gas chromatograph connected to the mass spectrometer. The chromatograph not only allows the separation of the components of the mixture but also provides an additional parameter for the identification of a compound. The time taken to pass from one end of the column to the other is also characteristic of a particular molecule.

This combination of techniques allows us to carry out analyses on samples that are not covered by any of the routine analyses offered by Leatherhead.

Routine analyses include:


To learn more about our Contaminant services please contact Kathy Groves.

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