Keeping dioxins out of our food

Keeping dioxins out of our food

Dioxins from industrial processes can show up in our food supply Dioxins from industrial processes can show up in our food supply.

Dioxins and dioxin-like compounds have been linked to developmental problems, immune system damage and cancer.

If no precautions are taken, these toxic compounds can be released into the environment during industrial processes such as metallurgy, cement production, pesticide manufacturing and waste incineration. They then accumulate in the food chain, showing up in the fatty tissues of beef and dairy cattle, pigs, poultry and seafood.

In fact, 80 percent of human exposure to these dangerous chemicals is from food of animal origin.

Regulations in Europe, the United States and other countries require that food samples be tested to detect dioxins and dioxin-like compounds at very low levels.

Agilent has developed a new method for dioxin analysis.  The new method, developed in collaboration with various industry thought leaders, has the following characteristics:

  • Preconfigured and factory-tested analyzer enables laboratories to deliver results quickly.
  • Rugged triple quadrupole GC/MS system has a high-sensitivity ion source.
  • Quantitation is highly repeatable, down to low pg TEQ/g levels in complex matrices.
  • Database includes retention times and SRM transitions for dioxins, furans, PCBs and their 13C isotope labelled standards.
  • Reports of toxic equivalency provided for each sample in accordance to European Union regulations.
  • Lowers cost of maintenance by as much as 70 percent compared to GC-HRMS.

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