Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Centre For Analytical Science (Singapore)

I went all the way to Singapore to send samples for testing and just got back. They have the most comprehensive centre and equipment, and recognized widely by other health authorities.

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Tests;

Food Components/Properties:
  • Antioxidant (BHA, BHT, Gallates, TBHQ)
  • Ash (total/water-soluble/acid-insoluble)
  • Brix
  • Caffeine
  • Cholesterol
  • Cocoa butter fat/ Non-cocoa butter vegetable fat
  • Colour
  • Crude fibre
  • Ethanol
  • Fat content
  • Free glutamate acid/Monosodium glutamate
  • Free invert sugar
  • Melting point
  • Moisture
  • Nitrogen content/Protein
  • Non volatile ether extract
  • Original and specific gravity
  • pH
  • Reducing sugar
  • Salt
  • Starch
  • Sucrose
  • Theanine (in green tea)
  • Total solids
  • Trans fatty acids
  • Volatile acidity

Food Contaminants:

  • 3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD)
  • Acetaldehyde
  • Acrylamide
  • Benzene
  • Benzo[a]pyrene
  • Biphenyl
  • Cyanide
  • Ethyl carbamate
  • Formaldehyde
  • Malachite green & Leucomalachite green dyes in fish
  • Metals (Al, As, B, Ba, Be, Ca, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, K, Li, Mg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, Pb, Sb, Se, Si, Sn, Sr, V, Zn)
  • Microcystins (RR, LR, LA, YR)
  • Mineral hydrocarbon
  • Nitrosamine
  • Perchlorate
  • Pesticides (organo-chlorine and organo-phosphorus)
  • Polychlorinated biphenyls
  • Semicarbazide

Mycotoxins:

  • Aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2, M1 and M2
  • Citrinin
  • Deoxynivalenol (DON)
  • Fumonisin B1 and B2
  • Moniliformin
  • Ochratoxin A
  • Patulin
  • Trichothecenes
  • Zearalenone

Veterinary Drugs:

  • Chloramphenicol
  • Nitrofuran and metabolites
  • Oxytetracycline
  • Streptomycin
  • Thiamphenicol

Food Additives:

  • Artificial sweeteners (Acesulfame K, Alitame, Aspartame, Cyclamate, Neohesperidine, Saccharin, Stevioside and Rebaudioside, Sucralose)
  • Coumarin
  • Isosafrole and safrole
  • Non-permitted colours
  • Para Red and Sudan I, II, III, IV
  • Potassium bromate
  • Preservatives (Methyl, Ethyl, Propyl, Butyl parabens, Benzoic acid, Sorbic acid, Sulphur dioxide, Salicyclic acid, Sodium nitrate and nitrite, Propionic acid, Dehydroacetic acid)
  • Synthetic organic colour

Oil Analysis:

  • Acid value
  • Anisidine value
  • Cloud point
  • Cold test
  • Colour
  • Epoxidised oil
  • Erucic acid
  • Free fatty acid
  • Halphen test
  • Insoluble impurities
  • Iodine value
  • Kerosene and diesel
  • Kirschner value
  • Peroxide value
  • Polar compounds
  • Polenske value
  • Rancidity
  • Refractive index
  • Reichert value
  • Saponification value
  • Slip point
  • Titre
  • Trans fatty acid
  • Unsaponifiable matter

Plastics/Foodware/Packaging:

  • Base Material
  • Bisphenol A
  • Epoxidised Soya Bean Oil (ESBO)
  • Leachable metals
  • Migration of styrene
  • Nonyl phenol
  • Overall migration
  • Plasticisers (Adipates, Phthalates, Dibutyl sebacate and Acetyl tributyl citrate)
  • Styrene Monomer
  • Vinyl chloride monomer

Alcohol:

  • Alcoholic strength
  • Butanol
  • Chloroform
  • Diethyl phthalate
  • Ethyl acetate
  • Iso-butanol
  • Iso-propanol
  • Methanol
  • Propanol
  • Tert-butanol

Others:

  • Authenticity test for black moss
  • Authenticity test for royal jelly (trans-10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid)
  • Irradiated food screen
  • Star Anise (poisonous vs. non-poisonous)

Quality Checks:

  • Histamine in fish
  • Peroxide value
  • Polar compounds in oil
  • Total volatile nitrogen in fish
  • Trimethylamine in fish

Drugs/Poisons:

  • Common poisons screening
  • Hormones and steroids
  • Naphthalene

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