Food & Beverage Analysis Bacterial Test Results Within a Working Day


Hygiena International Ltd has further developed their highly successful ATP bioluminescence system to specifically measure bacterial contamination, giving results within a working day or shift. The development involves their low cost but highly sensitive EnSURE hand-held luminometer, combined with their new versatile MicroSnap Total test. This system enumerates bacteria in raw, cooked and liquid foodstuffs as well as on solid surfaces such that results are available in 7 hours or less. The Hygiena MicroSnap Total bioluminogenic test system has a large dynamic range, being able to detect 10 - 10,000 bacteria without the need for serial dilutions, and every viable bacterium in the sample is measured. Accordingly the result is more precise and sample preparation is simpler, thus saving time and labour. MicroSnap requires simple, low cost equipment and being totally mobile, it can be successfully utilised in small remote locations.


MicroSnap Total can be used to test almost any sample and has been used to measure contamination in a wide variety of food types and on solid surfaces. Contamination levels of <10 cfu/g of ground beef were detected in 7 hours whereas >10,000 cfu/g were identified within only 4 hours. Similar results were also obtained for a variety of ready-to- eat foods and good correlations were obtained with the plate count.


For the first time, ATP technology has been modified to be independent of ATP in the sample, such that many specific test applications can be developed, and all of which can be performed on the same, low cost, portable instrument (EnSURE). This multiple test platform includes specific tests to measure bacterial contamination including specific indicator and pathogenic bacteria. The MicroSnap range includes tests for Total Counts, Coliforms and E. coli. Tests for Listeria species, L. monocytogenes, and Staph. aureus as well as its antibiotic resistant forms are also in development. The ZymoSnap range detects enzymes of industrial importance such as phosphatases for dairy and meat products, proteases, lipases and amylase giving results in minutes. SuperSnap is a high-sensitivity surface hygiene test giving results within 15 seconds, that is used as part of an allergen management program together with a high sensitivity protein test (AllerSnap).


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Food Tracker with Humidity Sensor Introduced MORE INFO. 161


Redesigned Mini Automatic Titrators for Wine Analysis Launched


Hanna Instruments is pleased to announce the release of two new mini automatic titrators designed specifically for wine production. The new titrators, HI 84500 and HI 84502, are designed to


measure sulphur dioxide (SO2) and total acidity, parameters essential in the art of wine making. These units replace HI 84100 and HI 84102 and feature improved accuracy with a high precision piston dosing system and compact, space saving footprint. They also feature automatic stirrer speed control, a graphic mode with exportable data and a Good Laboratory Practices (GLP) feature which allows users to view calibration data.


“Hanna Instruments understands that small variations in acidity and sulphur dioxide content can have a significant impact on the overall quality and stability of wine.” said Paul Fabsits, Vice President of Global Business Development for Hanna Instruments.


“The more accurate the instrumentation, the more consistent the results will be. By incorporating a new precision piston style dosing system and an algorithm for dynamic dosing, we have been able to take an already accurate product and improve it significantly.”


In addition to performing automatic titrations, these units provide the added benefit of doubling as an mV/ORP meter (HI 84500) and a pH/mV meter (HI 84502). This added usability gives users the ability to consolidate some of their processes, saving time and money. Hanna’s new mini titrators will be available through any of their 40 international locations.


These offices provide Hanna customers with local service, support and training and are part of Hanna’s goal to provide an exceptional customer experience.


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Datapaq introduces a new generation of the Food Tracker temperature profiling system with a humidity sensor for even more comprehensive data on food processes. The capacitive sensor provides both relative humidity and temperature data in processes from -50 to 200°C. It is ideal for baking applications such as dough proving where the moisture level is critical to product quality and yield. The humidity sensor is connected to the data logger along with up to eight type T thermocouples. While the logger is protected by a thermal barrier, the sensors can be placed directly within the product, on the surface, or in the air.


The Food Tracker enables HACCP-compliant documentation. The data logger has a large non-volatile memory that can be read out when the device exits the process. Additionally, an optional integrated radio transmitter provides the ability to send real-time temperature data to receivers outside the process, enabling instant parameter review and adjustment. The tested and proven radio telemetry system operates on license-exempt frequencies and is approved for use in Europe and other regions. The accompanying Insight software enables comprehensive analysis including functions such as microorganism lethality calculations (Fo, Pu). The system can be configured to generate alarms at critical control points. It allows users to adjust process temperatures to approximate the ideal values and thus optimise productivity and operating costs. A choice of thermal barriers affords suitable protection in static and conveyor ovens, steam cookers, deep fat fryers, and freezers. Further accessories include food trays and thermocouple jigs.


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ICP-MS Employed to Speciate Arsenic and Measure Nanoparticles in Food


Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc has announced that The National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark (DTU), has adopted a Thermo Scientific iCAP Q inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS) for research supporting EU Commission development of standards for arsenic and nanomaterials in food. Dr Erik Huusfeldt Larsen, Senior Researcher at The National Food Institute,(DTU) and his Metals, Minerals & Nano Group at DTU are using the iCAP Q ICP-MS system to determine the species of arsenic found in food samples. EU Commission researchers have found that it is no longer adequate to measure total arsenic in food because small amounts of inorganic arsenic can be associated with diseases such as cancers of the skin and bladder, while organic arsenic is much less toxic. Larsen notes that until recently, arsenic contamination was associated mainly with fish and other marine products; but in recent years, arsenic found in drinking water, rice and wheat have also attracted public attention.


This work supports the European Conffidence project , including inorganic arsenic. In this project, the iCAP Q instrument will be used for selective and sensitive detection of arsenic following solid phase extraction. Dr Larsen’s group also collaborates on the EU-funded NanoLyse project for determination of nanoparticles including silver, silica and organic nanoparticles in the food matrix. The iCAP Q system will be used in ‘single particle’ ICP-MS mode for determination of metallic nanoparticles in food. ”This technology gives us the capability to detect and count individual nanoparticles in food, and this is very important,” said Dr Larsen. “We need to know more than just the size of the particles present, we must also be able to determine the number-based size distribution of particles in a sample. This matters because toxic effects are likely to be associated with the huge surface area of nanoparticles.”


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