Technology

CANTEST’s Food Safety Division is equipped with highly advanced equipment that has proven to be invaluable in meeting new analytical challenges and client demands.

All instruments allow for low detection limits with high degrees of accuracy and precision, as precise analysis plays a key role in controlling the safety and nutritional quality of food.

Technology at CANTEST Food Safety includes:

• GC/MS
  Commonly used for food analysis because of its effectiveness in separating, identifying and quantifying properties of compounds. Components in the sample are vaporized in a stream of helium carrier gas and run through a column. Molecules are then ionized and separated according to their mass to charge ratio.  Used in
  
  • multi-residue pesticides analysis
  • fatty acid profiles
  • cholesterol
  • various analyses related to additives and preservatives in food
    
• LC/MS
  Applied to the identification and quantification of low volatile organic and inorganic compounds present in samples. The instrument provides analysts with both molecular weight and structural information for peak identification and confirmation. Used for
  • agricultural chemicals
  • various veterinary drug residues
    
• LC/MS/MS
  More sensitive than a LC/MS, providing more detailed structural information. This helps to confirm the identity of analyzed compounds. The division is equipped with a Waters Quattro micro API high performance triple quadrupole for routine LC/MS/MS operation.  Used to
  • Analyze various residue compounds
  • Obtain confirmations of positive residue results
    
• HPLC and GC-ECD devices
• CHARM Analyzer
• Post Column Derivatization unit
• IR spectroscope
• UV/Visible spectrophotometers
• Kjeldhal protein analyzer
• Water activity meters