The Role of Analytical Testing in Maintaining Food Safety
The safety of the food supply appropriately remains a high priority for industry stakeholders, regulatory agencies and consumers. With the emergence of new safety challenges and issues, companies are establishing and upgrading programs to reduce risk factors. These programs are continuously monitored for reliability and effectiveness. Due to the health and safety risks posed by chemical, microbiological and environmental contaminants, analytical methods are increasingly becoming a centerpiece of food safety programs.
Innovative analytical approaches are being developed in response to emerging food safety issues. Established, officially approved methods are used to monitor for known issues. Oftentimes, new analytical methods are developed or modified rapidly in response to issues, such as melamine contamination, which are unforeseen. In such instances, accurate data derived from sound, validated analytical methods are required to enable industry stakeholders and regulators to make sound scientific decisions.
Through research, industry has improved a host of analytical methods in recent years, resulting in higher sensitivity for difficult-to-detect contaminants, detection of contaminants in new matrix classes and faster turnaround times for results. These advances have been made in the face of changing regulations, more rigorous method-validation standards and consumer demands for safe, quality products. Going forward, this spirit of innovation will continue to be crucial in industry’s efforts to ensure the safety of the global food chain.