A dedicated acrylamide laboratory has been set up by Reading Scientific Services (RSSL) to meet rising demand for testing.
The business said new EU acrylamide legislation, introduced this year, has increased calls for testing, and it has introduced the lab to boost capacity and reduce turnaround times.
“The expansion of our team and laboratory space not only enables us to handle a large number of test samples in a short timeframe, it is also highly cost-efficient,” said Emilie Clauzier, senior scientist and technical specialist at RSSL, adding such benefits were particularly important for companies undertaking large due diligence programmes involving multiple products or batches.
RSSL has developed a bespoke method of acrylamide detection using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry – one of the two EU-recommended analytical techniques – and its own modified method, designed to boost volume capabilities.
The service has achieved UKAS accreditation for biscuits, and RSSL said it was equally applicable to all relevant food categories, such as crisps, coffee and bread.
“Demonstrating compliance with the legislation is a priority for our customers and, due to the variability of certain raw materials, regular monitoring of products throughout the year is now essential,” said Clauzier.
“Our detailed analysis provides data which can be used to link recipes and processing parameters with the presence of acrylamide in the finished product. We can then work with customers to identify how to further mitigate against this formation, if levels are above the range set by the EU.”
Subscribers to British Baker can read a legal expert’s take on the new acrylamide laws here.
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