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Contaminants and Pesticides
Food and feed products can be subject to chemical contamination from various sources throughout the entire production chain. The presence of these substances represents a growing concern for consumer safety and environmental health.
Contaminants and chemical residues can originate from different sources, including:
- Raw Materials: Chemicals can be naturally present in the raw materials used for food and feed production. For example, some heavy metals can be absorbed by plants directly from the soil.
- Production Processes: During production, chemical reactions can occur, especially in processes that require high temperatures or use chemicals for extraction. These processes can introduce contaminants such as acrylamide and 3-MCPD.
- Agronomic Practices: Crop treatments, such as the use of pesticides, plant protection products, and pest control agents, can leave chemical residues in the final products. Excessive or improper use of these substances can increase the risk of contamination.
Some of the most significant chemical contaminants impacting the agro-food chain include:
- Pesticide Residues: These originate from the use of pesticides in agricultural practices and can persist in food and feed products.
- Heavy Metals: Including cadmium, lead, and arsenic, which can be present in raw materials or introduced during the production process.
- Process Contaminants: Substances such as acrylamide and 3-MCPD, which can form during food processing.
- Mineral Oil Hydrocarbons (MOSH): Contaminants that can be introduced through lubricants used in production machinery.
- Perfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS): Chemical compounds used in various industrial applications that can contaminate the environment and subsequently, food products.
Safety and Health Concerns.
The presence of these elements can have harmful effects on human health, causing a range of issues from acute intoxications to long-term chronic disorders.
To ensure food safety, it is crucial for regulatory authorities and agro-food industries to adopt rigorous measures to monitor and control the presence of these contaminants. This includes implementing sustainable agricultural practices, responsible pesticide use, and adopting production technologies that minimize the formation of contaminants. Effective management of chemical contamination is essential to protect consumer health and the environment.
Determination of Contaminants and Residues.
Our analytical tests ensure the quality and safety of food and feed productsacross a broad spectrum of contaminants.
Our laboratory employs high-level methods and instrumentation for detecting numerous contaminants and pesticide residues, providing precise, reliable, and rapid results.
Analytical Techniques Available:
- UHPLC-MS/MS and GC-MS/MS triple quadruple
- HPLC-GC-FID for MOSH
- HPLC/DAD
- ICP-MS
Our services
Pesticide Residues
Evaluation of the presence of chemical residues from agricultural treatments.
Heavy Metals
Analysis of heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and mercury, which are restricted by European Regulations.
PFAS and TOF
We test for the presence of perfluorinated substances (PFAS, Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) and PFCs (Perfluorocarbon Compounds), which are hazardous to health.
MOSH
Detection of mineral oil hydrocarbons, primarily derived from crude oil, but also synthesized from coal, natural gas, and biomass.
MCPD and MCPD Esters
These are food processing contaminants. The esters of 3-MCPD, 2-MCPD, and glycidyl esters are contaminants in processed vegetable oils formed during high-temperature oil refining.
Acrylamide
Acrylamide is a toxic compound commonly used in the production of paper, dyes, plastics, and in the treatment of drinking and wastewater.
Microplastics
In collaboration with the University of Florence, we can analyze various matrices using advanced micro FTIR instrumentation, performing qualitative and quantitative recognition of plastics.
