Verotoxin-producing EHEC bacteria are a common cause of food-borne infections. Here’s what food producers should know about the risk associated with the pathogen and the methods of detection.
Hygiene plays a key role in food production. Microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, yeasts and molds can spoil food and may cause a risk to health. Regular monitoring throughout the production process is therefore necessary. We show you what is important in your hygiene monitoring and present methods that make determining microbial counts child’s play.
Listeria monocytogenes is frequently associated with the most severe outbreaks in terms of hospitalisations and deaths. In 2021, Listeria outbreaks included fresh produce, cured meats, ready to eat chicken products as well as cheese. 18 outbreaks of infections were traced to bagged salads and led to a recall of more than 200 varieties of bagged […]
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
“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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Enzymatic food analysis is probably one of the oldest biochemical methods in food and feed testing. The so-called “Yellow Line” from Roche is widely accepted as a reference method for many food and feed testing applications. R-Biopharm has successfully sold these products for more than 20 years. So why change a winning team?
R-Biopharm offers diverse testing solutions for a wide range of analytes and matrices. See our complete product portfolio here and find the product you need.
Almonds are a healthy snack and a popular ingredient in baked goods and many other foods. But for people with allergies, almonds are a risk – especially if they are present in foods without being labeled accordingly. Food fraud can affect almost any product. Fraudsters make a lot of money with low-quality olive oil, mislabeled […]
The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is an antibody-based test method. This widespread technology is sensitive, fast and reliable.
Listeria is a hot topic these days – not only in Germany. The risk posed by these pathogenic bacteria is often underestimated.
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.
June 1 is World Milk Day: a good reason to take a closer look at this tasty drink, which is very nutritious, but also an ideal breeding ground for harmful microorganisms.
Is this the next case of food fraud after the horsemeat scandal? Examiners recently analyzed seafood dishes in Brussels (Belgium). The appalling result: Every third seafood dish served in restaurants contains a fish species other than the one you’ve paid for. Here’s what you need to know about the most affected species, the impact on […]
In the last months, the RIDA®SMART APP for mycotoxin analysis has received much attention. Now, there’s a new update for the innovative software for quantitative analysis of mycotoxins. Here’s what the new version 1.2 can do.
Food fraud is a major problem for the beverage industry. High-priced spirits such as single malt whiskies are particularly subject to fraud. Here’s what you should know about food fraud in the alcoholic beverage sector and how to detect adulterated whisky.
In the USA, Thanksgiving will be celebrated this Thursday. On this occasion, we have collected some useful tips to make your Thanksgiving dinner a success.
Eggs are very versatile foods and for many people an inherent part of the diet. However, they also are one of the most common allergy triggers worldwide.
Egg allergy is among the most common food allergies worldwide and particularly affects children. An egg-free diet often is a challenge – especially in the holiday season.
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!
Quebec, October 4th, 2016 – The German company R-Biopharm, one of the largest food diagnostics companies worldwide, is establishing a new Centre of Expertise on food allergen management in collaboration with Université Laval’s Institute of Nutrition and Functional Foods (INAF).
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 […]
Mustard is categorized as a spice, globally ones of the most important ones, and belongs to the Brassicaceae family of plants. Other plants in this family include for example broccoli, cabbage, and rapeseed (canola).
Antibiotics have become an indispensable tool in medicine, treating numerous infectious diseases effectively and safely. However, researchers warn that this could change as a result of increasing resistance. Antibiotic resistance is on the rise worldwide. Experts see this as one of the greatest health risks for the human population. If pathogens become resistant to antibiotics, […]
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.
30 years ago, R-Biopharm was founded as a working group with only six employees. Today, it’s a leading developer of test solutions with more than 1,000 employees and subsidiaries and distributors all over the world. Take a look at our timeline and discover what happened on the way.
R-Biopharm Rhône Ltd is pleased to announce the launch of their new melamine solid phase clean-up columns for the analysis of melamine in a range of commodities by HPLC or LC-MS/MS. Melamine is an organic base chemical rich in nitrogen and is most commonly found in the form of white cyrstals. Melamine is widely used […]
The use of the broad-spectrum antibiotic Chloramphenicol (CAP) is totally banned world-wide since many years. As an alternative substance, Florfenicol is widely used, mainly in veterinary medicine. For this less toxic antibiotic Maximum Residue Levels (MRLs) are established by the European Union, varying from 100 to 3000 ppb, depending on the matrix.
With the launch of the EuroProxima Malachite Green Total ELISA, R-Biopharm offers a screening test that is fully validated for the measurement of malachite green, leucomalachite green, crystal violet and leucocrystal violet in fish and shrimp.
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.
Efficient modern food production requires rapid decisions.
Last year, a study on food fraud attracted attention in Europe: one out of three fish dishes wasn’t what is said on the menu. Consumers and authorities were alarmed and called for stricter controls. What has been achieved so far?
Shellfish including crustaceans and mollusks must be declared as an allergenic ingredient in food products in accordance with the EU Directive (EC 1829/2003 and EC 1830/2002).
Drinking is a huge part of how we socialize, celebrate, and also sometimes deal with stress. However, as more people make a point of a conscious lifestyle or become sober-curious, fully sober, or simply want a more fun night off, there is an increasing demand and popularity for low and non-alcoholic beverages. These include alcohol-free […]
Grain harvest is well under way. This brings mycotoxins such as aflatoxin and ochratoxin into the focus again. However, also the less known mycotoxins T-2 and HT-2 toxin are a threat to harvest. This year, contamination could be particularly high.
Whether non-alcoholic beers, sparkling wines or even wines: Drinks without alcohol are becoming increasingly popular. But how much alcohol is actually still in wine that is declared alcohol-free? And how is it ensured that the product meets the legal requirements? In recent years, the range of the range of non-alcoholic wine alternatives has grown strongly […]
This year’s grain harvest has begun. After the very changeable weather conditions, the question arises whether the harvest could possibly be contaminated with mould. What does this mean for the harvest and the resulting products?