Every year, certain Christmas treats are specifically tested for undesirable contaminants: Acrylamide in gingerbread, speculoos biscuit and cinnamon stars or mineral oil residues in Advent calendar chocolate. According to the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority), the undesirable production-related substance acrylamide potentially increases the risk of cancer. Critical for the mineral oil residues are the aromatic mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOAH) which are also classified as potentially carcinogenic.

In the last years a positive trend was registered and fewer products were contaminated - does this trend continue?

CLINICAL TRIALS

With the end of the Brexit transition period on 31 December 2020, the known conditions will change and pharmaceutical companies not prepared will face serious issues and uncertainties. No extension of the transition period has been requested, and according to a joint technical notice by the European Commission, EMA and HMA, no further prolongation beyond 2020 is possible. EU pharmaceutical law will no longer apply for the UK.

The so-called process contaminant acrylamide is an undesirable by-product that can be produced in food by certain thermal manufacturing processes. The absorption of acrylamide can have a genetic and carcinogenic potential.

Based on the view of the European Parliament that lower limits for acrylamide in baby and toddler food are possible, the limits proposed by the EU Commission were rejected by a large majority on the grounds that the proposed limits are too high. So it still remains exciting.

Furan and methylfurans are volatile compounds that can be formed when food is heated and can be carcinogenic in higher quantities. Due to their low body weight, the sensitive consumer group of infants and small children tend to consume more furan per kilogram of body weight than adults. The formation of furan during the preparation of food can be significantly minimized by using moderate preparation conditions ("gilding instead of charring").

The requirement for meaningful analysis results is always independent, qualified and professional sampling. But the conditions for this are not always optimal - on busy roads, in muddy or rocky terrain or on lakes / port areas in a boat - a daily challenge.

For our customers we do not stop at any matrix, whether soil, building rubble, sewage sludge, ground water, sediments or waste water - our employees are regularly trained and checked internally and externally for each sampling.