Services >> Food

The food industry needs critical tests such as pesticide residues, toxic metals, afflotoxin, residual contaminants etc., in tea, coffee, spices, fresh fruits and fruit concentrates, pulses, cereals, fresh vegetables, processed food, confectioneries and various other food and agri products. .

STARTECH labs has the following expertise in the field of food analysis:

• Pesticide residue analysis
• Antibiotic residue analysis
• Mycotoxin and afflotoxin estimation
• Toxic metal estimation
• Microbiological evaluation
• Shelf life studies
• Special studies for food industry

Pesticide Residue Analysis

Pesticide Residue analysis of food is conducted in segregated laboratory environment to avoid cross contamination. Test methods are based on national and international standards such as The Pesticide Manual (FDA), EPA, AOAC, IS etc., The methods adopted at Startech are fully validated and important data on spiked recovery tests is furnished in the reports to reflect accuracy of results. All raw data including chromatograms are archived securely for customer reference in case of requirement. The categories of products routinely tested for Pesticide Residues include Food, Agri products, Soil etc. Pesticide residues estimated in food, agri products, soil etc.

Pesticide residues estimated in water, food, drugs, agri products, soil etc., are
• Organo chlorine
• Organo phosphorous
• Pyrithroid
• Carbamate
• Fungicide
• Herbicides/weedicide
• Fumigant

Chromatographic equipment employed for residue analysis include Gas Chromatographs with FID, ECD, High performance liquid chromatographs with UV visible and PDA detectors.

Antibiotic Residues

Antibiotic residues in food and feed of animal origin when consumed may cause health problems. STARTECH adopts test methods based on AOAC for the estimation of antibiotic residues.

Products which can be tested

• Egg powder
• Milk and other dairy products
• Meat and Poultry products
• Fish and allied products
• Antibiotic residues which can be tested
• Chloramphenicol
• Chlortetracycline HCL
• Oxytetra-cycline
• Enroflaxacin
• Sulphonamides
• Nitrofurans etc.,
• Other polychlorinated Bi-phenyls
• Mycotoxin Estimations

Food and agri products containing even low levels of Mycotoxin are harmful for human health. Some toxins are carcinogenic.

Mycotoxin

Following products are tested for the Mycotoxin

• Agri produce such as seeds and nuts
• Tea
• Coffee
• Rice
• Edible oils and allied products
• Toxic Metals

Toxic Mestal Estimation

Startech is equipped with Atomic Absorption Spectrometer for estimation of metals in food, dairy products.

Elements such as As, Pb, Cd, Hg, Cu, Cr, Zn, Sn present in excessive amounts in food are treated as Toxic metals. These elements induce toxic effects on human metabolism. Such food containing excessive amounts of toxic elements can be segregated and discarded / avoided from consuming.

Products which can be tested:

• All agri products: Raw and finished/processed
• Canned food
• Packaged food
• Beverages

Microbiological Evaluation

Microbial contamination in food material leads to faster deterioration and pose danger to the health of consumers. Certain microorganisms contained in food cause gastro-intestinal disorders.

Products which can be tested:

• Processed fruit and vegetable products
• Dairy products
• Cereals
• Feed etc.,
• Micro-organisms / Pathogens tested
• Total aerobic microbial count
• Yeast and molds
• Salmonella
• Shigella
• Coliforms
• Bacillus substilis
• Klebsiella
• Pneumoniae
• Listeria
• Staphylococcus aurens
• Thermophilic bacteria
• E.Coli
• S.Epidermidis
• Lipolytic bacteria
• Pseudomonas
• M.Lutius