News: Coronavirus: Can you get infected through food?
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The spread of the coronavirus is causing concern worldwide. Because knowledge of this novel virus is still limited, there is much speculation. For example, there are fears that the virus may also be transmitted through food. Is there any truth to this?
News: Meat fraud: Your meal might not be what is says on the label
(19/06/2020)
Pork does not belong in a kebab or a beef sausage. However, adulteration of meat products with cheaper pork is a common form of meat fraud. This is a problem – especially for consumers who refrain from eating pork for religious reasons.
News: Buckwheat – a hidden food allergen?
(08/09/2021)
Buckwheat is popular in many countries, including Russia, and is usually enjoyed either sweet or hearty, similar to that of semolina. It’s time to take a deeper look at the plant, especially because buckwheat does not contain gluten. Allergy patients, however, must use caution.
News: FDA defines „gluten-free“ for food labeling
(22/08/2013)
Finally, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a new regulation for the amount of gluten that may be present in foods marketed as gluten-free. The limit was set to 20 ppm (parts per million). Like many other countries, the US has also followed the recommendations of the CODEX Alimentarius. For the enforcement of […]
News: Spotlight on beer – International Beer Day
(04/08/2015)
The first Friday of every August is international beer day. An excellent moment to put the spotlight on 2 quite different quality aspects of beer: gluten content and beer spoilage.
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: High levels of ochratoxin A found in dried figs
(17/02/2016)
Lately, there has been an increase in the presence of ochratoxin A in dried figs. Our colleagues from R-Biopharm Rhône have summarized the most important information for you.
News: Does your chocolate contain allergens?
(07/07/2016)
The 7th of July is World Chocolate Day: An excellent moment to put the spotlight on that tasty treat. According to the statistics, we eat around 9 kg of chocolate per year. Yet, many people must avoid chocolate because it may contain allergenic substances.
News: Gluten-free food: Standards and regulations you should know about
(12/01/2017)
Producers of gluten-free food must comply with certain requirements in terms of labelling, manufacturing and analysis. From Codex Alimentarius to the AOECS standard and EU regulations: We have summarized the existing legislations – and recent resolutions you should be aware of in 2017.
News: First validated allergen reference material is now available
(30/01/2017)
Certified reference material plays a decisive role in food analysis. But so far, suitable material was missing for allergen analysis. Now, MoniQA Association has presented the first validated reference material for the analysis of milk allergen.
News: Improving allergen analysis: Research project receives subsidies
(10/02/2017)
Together with the Fresenius University and the Geisenheim University, R-Biopharm is developing an improved ELISA method for the detection of food allergens. The federal state of Hesse is providing financial support for the project – granting funds of around 330,000 euros.
News: Food fraud: What’s really in our food?
(21/03/2017)
Ever since the horsemeat scandal it is clear that our food isn’t always what we think it is. Food fraud cases emerge again and again – and consumers are increasingly concerned. Here are five food fraud facts you should know about.
News: Mycotoxin analysis via smartphone: new hope for farmers?
(29/06/2017)
Mycotoxins are a big threat to agriculture. Particularly in developing countries, crops are often contaminated with mycotoxins – with dangerous consequences for the population. Modern technology can improve the situation for farmers and consumers.
News: Beeware! There might be antibiotic residues in your honey
(18/08/2017)
Bees are of great importance for humans: these busy little animals not only produce delicious honey, but also pollinate our crop plants – and thereby ensure our food production. However, even bees can get sick and need to be treated with medication. This is not without consequences.
News: LC-MS/MS: Method of choice for efficient multi-mycotoxin analysis
(11/07/2018)
For the detection of mycotoxins, liquid chromatography with mass spectrometric detection (LC-MS/MS) has become very popular in recent years. Laboratories with high sample throughput are especially increasingly relying on this precise and efficient method. Here‘s how to handle matrix effects and make optimal use of LC-MS/MS.
News: S. diastaticus: a new challenge in beer analysis?
(02/08/2018)
Contamination with the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae var. diastaticus (often shortened to S. diastaticus) is currently a hot topic in the beer industry. Breweries worldwide are affected. For International Beer Day, here’s what you should know about this harmful wild yeast.
News: The fight against food fraud
(27/06/2019)
Deceptive labelling, prohibited additives or the substitution of expensive ingredients with cheaper components: During a global raid against food fraud, Interpol seized counterfeit goods worth approximately 103 million euros. In order to detect adulteration, analytical methods are essential.
News: New data: This is how common food allergies really are
(17/01/2020)
According to a recent study, more than 10 percent of adults in the United States suffer from food allergies, while almost 20 percent think they do. What’s behind this?
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: Semi-automated nucleic acid preparation for food and feed samples – simplicity and convenience
(30/07/2020)
Extraction of nucleic acids is a vital part of real-time PCR and is often challenging due to several factors such as the high variability of sample matrices and inhibitory substances like plant ingredients, alcohols or salts.
News: New social media series: What are the benefits of automation to your qPCR lab routine?
(05/10/2021)
Standardization of methods, a more efficient lab routine, and saving time and resources. Automation has many advantages. We answer the most important questions about automation.
Highlight: Beer analysis
Do you want to test beer for beverage spoilers? For fast and specific screening and detection of microbiological spoilage parameters in breweries, a wide product line of qPCR kits is offered.
News: Good allergen management saves lives
(26/10/2021)
“Gluten-free”, like “allergen-free”, is on everyone’s lips today. Even if foods are produced without allergens such as peanuts or milk or without gluten, they can be dangerous for allergy sufferers and patients with celiac disease. The reason for this is contamination. Test methods should therefore be integrated into an allergen management system. How should allergen […]
News: Mycotoxins in animal feeds: How dangerous are they for pets?
(26/11/2021)
Gastrointestinal disorders and impairment of the immune and nervous systems: Mycotoxins, the metabolic product of mold fungi, are not just hazardous to human health; they may also be toxic for pets. How do mycotoxins get into pet food? What health risks are there? As a pet owner, this is vital information!
News: R-Biopharm christmas recipe: Peanut-caramel lozenges (approx. 80 pieces)
(17/12/2021)
Our R-Biopharm christmas recipe this year was submitted by our employee Christine. These peanut-caramel lozenges are delight for the whole family, to be shared under the Christmas tree. Or maybe you could bake a batch of cookies and give them to your friends as a gift? In any case, we hope you enjoy baking them, […]
News: 5 fascinating facts about nuts
(27/10/2022)
In the USA, National Nut Day is celebrated on October 22. Reason enough to take a closer look at the little vitamin bombs. 1. Not everything we call a nut actually is one In fact, from a botanical point of view, there are only a few “true nuts”, including hazelnuts, walnuts as well as sweet […]
News: Ochratoxin A in coffee: Ensure compliance with new legislative levels
(30/03/2023)
Coffee production Coffee comes from Coffea, a tree which belongs to the Rubiaceae family, with the largest diversity found in humid environments. Different varieties of coffee, require different environments for the plant to grow. In general, coffee grows from the Tropic of Capricorn to the Tropic of Cancer. Higher altitudes produce coffee beans with a […]
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 […]