News: Ergot Alkaloids in Grains: From Medieval Madness to Modern Mycotoxins (06/10/2025)

The Haunting Legacy of St. Anthony’s Fire Long before “ergot alkaloids ” were known and identified, their devastating effects were etched into the cultural memory of Europe as St. Anthony’s Fire. This mysterious disease, now known as ergotism, was caused by consuming rye and other grains contaminated with the fungus Claviceps purpurea. Victims suffered burning sensations, hallucinations, convulsions, and […]

News: Mycotoxin analysis via smartphone (01/02/2016)

When detecting mycotoxins in food, speed is a decisive factor. It is essential that the analysis can be performed on-site within a minimum of time. Now there is a new solution for mycotoxin analysis: a smartphone app. We’ll show you what it’s all about and what the differences are to common lateral flow readers.

News: Celebrating World Food Day: “Water is Life, Water is Food. Leave No One Behind!” (16/10/2023)

On this World Food Day, we unite under the theme “Water is life, water is food. Leave no one behind” to emphasize the crucial relationship between water and food. The quality of water directly impacts the quality of our food, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure its safety throughout the supply chain, from […]

News: EFSA Assesses EU Limits for Deoxynivalenol in Cereals (21/03/2014)

EFSA has recently delivered an Opinion on the risks for public health related to a possible increase of the maximum level (ML) of deoxynivalenol (DON) for certain semi-processed cereal products from 750 µg/kg to 1000 µg/kg. Based on modelling different scenarios, it was concluded that an increase of the DON maximum levels would increase exposure […]

News: Lumitester PD-30 – new software features and temperature controlled measurements! (16/12/2014)

Much easier and user friendly: The new Lumitester PD-30 (Art. No. ZLT1402653) from Kikkoman is now available! Using the new device ATP/AMP measurement becomes much easier and user friendlier than before!

News: Legionella, a waterborne risk (07/05/2020)

Tap water contaminated with Legionella can cause severe infections. Water pipes that are not used regularly are particularly susceptible to the colonization of bacteria – a problem especially now during the coronavirus pandemic, as many businesses, hotels and public facilities are closed.

News: If you have legionella in your facility, this is what you need to know (26/04/2023)

Water is essential for life – but also a frequent source of bacterial infections. If Legionella bacteria grow in the water pipes, it can lead to serious diseases. This article answers the most important questions on the subject of Legionella. How dangerous are Legionella bacteria? Legionella is a genus of waterborne, gram-negative, rod-shaped bacteria that […]

News: A closer look at the mycotoxin rollercoaster ride of Europe’s 2023 harvest season (30/08/2023)

The 2023 European wheat and barley harvest has captured attention due to its intricate interplay with weather conditions. This year’s season was more than exciting, presenting a blend of opportunities and obstacles for farmers and agricultural stakeholders. From the promising start with minimal Fusarium contamination risk during flowering to the unexpected challenge of mold contamination […]

News: New r-biotube video: The history of food coups (12/10/2021)

Horse meat in lasagna, falsely declared fish or contaminated baby food – food fraud makes headlines again and again. Companies hope to gain a financial advantage, but often endanger the health of consumers. 

News: Lateral flow tests in allergen management (17/11/2016)

In allergen analysis, lateral flow tests are mainly used for cleaning control. Yet, these handy dipsticks can do more than just test surfaces for allergen residues. Newer models are also suitable for food analysis – and in the future, lateral flow tests could be even more powerful.

News: Hepatitis A and Norovirus: emerging foodborne disease (19/09/2014)

Norovirus-Hepatitis A test: Detection by combined reverse transcriptase multiplex real-time PCR The new multiplex real-time PCR Norovirus Hepatitis A test kit SureFast® Norovirus/Hepatitis A 3plex (F7124) with an LOD ≤ 50 RNA copies serves as a suitable tool for detection and differentiation of both RNA viruses.

News: Hidden allergen detection in spices (20/02/2015)

News: Citrinin: Effective mycotoxin analysis using HPLC and immunoaffinity columns (19/04/2016)

The fungal toxin citrinin is a major problem in many cereals and particularly in red yeast rice. Since red yeast rice is becoming more and more popular, the demand for methods for the analysis of citrinin increases. The new EASI-EXTRACT® immunoaffinity columns for citrinin are making HPLC and LC-MS/MS analyses even more efficient.

News: Pseudomonas aeruginosa: A new way to track down the pathogenic bacteria (21/06/2016)

The bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common pathogen. Together with E. coli, legionella and enterococci, it is one of the most dangerous bacteria in drinking water and also one of the most common hospital germs. The new Compact Dry PA identifies the bacterium easily and reliably.

News: Keeping an eye on Listeria – Identifying risks, ensuring safety (14/08/2025)

Listeria – a serious challenge in food production. Listeria, especially Listeria monocytogenes, are rod-shaped, pathogenic bacteria that are widespread in the environment – found in soil, water, plants, and animals. Whether cheese, meat and fish products, or ready-to-eat foods – Listeria can infiltrate food production through raw materials, personnel, or equipment. They survive in cold […]

News: Ensure Gluten-Free integrity from raw material to finished product (01/09/2025)

Gluten in means gluten out – sounds logical. If you produce gluten-free products, ensuring that your raw materials are also gluten-free is crucial. How can you ensure your raw materials are gluten-free? How to rapidly know the amount of gluten in the incoming goods, without sending samples to a laboratory? We may have the solution […]

News: 8 useful tips for the perfect Easter egg (24/03/2016)

Easter is just around the corner and thus, one particular type of food is in focus again: the Easter egg. We have put together 8 tips concerning eggs to ensure successful Easter holidays.

News: The easiest way to perform on-site enzymatic tests (22/04/2016)

Whether you want to analyze wine, beer, fruit juices, sweets, dairy or meat products: Enzymatic methods for the determination of sugar, acid, alcohol and other food components have become an indispensable part of food analysis. If you want to use enzymatic methods in on-site testing, here’s how it works.

News: Infographic: Analysis of water soluble vitamins in food (27/11/2018)

Water soluble vitamins are a great challenge to detect in foodstuff. Different concentration levels and the extraction from various food matrices need different analytical methods and tools for proper results. Our infographic might help you to identify the appropriate tool for your analysis.

News: Water-soluble vitamin analysis in infant formula (27/02/2019)

Infant formula should contribute to an excellent and healthy development of newborns, which could not benefit from breastfeeding. In infant formulas vitamins play a pivotal role to ensure the baby’s supply with essential growth substances. At the same time, manufacturers face the challenge to measure the vitamin concentration to release safe products to these young […]

News: How eco-friendly is your mycotoxin analysis? (20/10/2015)

Organic solvents always played an important role in mycotoxin analysis.  However they have a negative impact on the environment and impose a hazard for the lab technician.

News: Introducing a better way to check the vitamin content (28/10/2016)

Foods like infant formula, baby food and dairy drinks are often fortified with vitamins. Since manufacturers must ensure that the labelled level of vitamin is actually present in the product, determining the vitamin content is crucial. A new immunoaffinity column makes your vitamin analysis more effective and convenient.

News: Infographic: Watch out for allergens this Christmas (20/12/2016)

Christmas time is here: A time for love, family – and candy. Last year, more than USD 600 million were spent on Christmas candy in the US. But not everybody can enjoy gingerbread, sugar cookies and co. Check out our infographic and learn which treats might be dangerous for allergic people.

News: PCR analysis the easy way (02/03/2020)

Real-time PCR has proved to be a reliable and efficient analysis method in many areas. For laboratories who have avoided up to now the investments for PCR analysis, a new compact PCR cycler now makes it easy to get started.

News: Histamine intolerance: What you need to know about eating fish (11/02/2016)

If you have histamine intolerance, you must avoid many foods: Histamine is present in a lot of products from eggs and cheese to meat and fish. If you don’t want to give up eating fish, here’s how to enjoy your meal without regret. Proteins are a vital component of our daily nutrition. They are essential […]

News: Out-of-season increase of norovirus cases (22/08/2024)

Norovirus facts:￭ Norovirus is a highly contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea￭ Contaminated oysters are a common source of outbreaks￭ Rapid detection is essential to prevent the spread of illness Norovirus remains a significant cause of foodborne illness worldwide, particularly within the food industry, where maintaining safety and quality is paramount. In 2024, there […]

News: Microbial spoilage in juices and soft drinks: Detecting key spoilers with GEN-IAL® real time PCR kits (08/10/2024)

In the beverage industry, particularly in the production of fruit juices and soft drinks, microbial contamination poses considerable challenges to product quality and shelf life. While strict hygiene protocols and pasteurization processes aim to mitigate contamination, certain resilient microorganisms, such as molds, yeasts & bacteria, continue to present issues. Among these, Alicyclobacillus species, yeasts, and […]

News: World Coconut Day – 8 surprising facts (01/09/2021)

International Coconut Day is celebrated on September 2nd. The coconut palm grows in the tropical belt, yet it is no longer considered exotic here; it has long been a staple of our cuisine. Here are 8 startling facts.

News: A Sustainable Christmas Feast: Delicious, Eco-Friendly, and Heartwarming (19/12/2023)

As we gather with loved ones to celebrate Christmas, there’s an opportunity to not only indulge in delicious food but also to make choices that are kind to the planet. In this Christmas food blog, we’ll explore the concept of a sustainable Christmas feast. From locally sourced ingredients to eco-friendly cooking methods and mindful consumption, […]

News: Genetically modified organisms (GMO) – subject to a lot of controversy (31/05/2022)

Although, GMO foods may become an essential tool in feeding the world’s growing population and undergo strict testing, people have concerns about possible risks, and there is much debate about the pros and cons of using GMOs.

News: Improve your analysis skills (05/09/2018)

New regulations, new processes and not least new technologies are constantly changing laboratory work. Regular training courses for laboratory personnel are more important than ever.