RAFA 2021: Toxicity and authenticity testing of foods with trace elemental and stable isotope analysis

Addressing authenticity of fish oils by online coupling of GC-IRMS with an organic mass spectrometer

As fish oils become a popular and precious source of omega-3 fatty acids, the risk of mislabeling and adulteration has risen significantly. The fatty acid profiles of different fish oils do not often allow the discrimination between different sources and geographical origins. In this study, the compound specific multi-isotope analysis of fatty acids allowed the discrimination of fish oils from different provenance, following risk-based comparisons from market experience. In the light of emerging cases of food fraud, we present how GC-MS-IRMS advanced technology can tackle these problems for addressing authenticity of fish oils.

Using triple quadrupole ICP-MS to improve the speed, sensitivity, and accuracy of the analysis of toxic and nutritional elements in baby foods

Food and food supplements supply the human body not only with energy, but also essential macro- and micronutrients for a long and healthy life. While several elements are essential nutritional building blocks, exposure to heavy metals, like arsenic, mercury, and lead, potentially present in food as contaminants may lead to serious negative effects on health. An especially vulnerable group susceptible to different illnesses and potential lifelong neurological damage through exposure to toxic heavy metals are infants and young children. In this presentation we are going present a simple and fast analytical method based on the combination of triple quadrupole ICP-MS with oxygen as the only collision / reaction cell gas used for highly accurate and sensitive analysis of both nutritional and toxic elements in different types of baby foods.

Learning points:

• Learn how to apply triple quadrupole ICP-MS systems and GC-MS-IRMS for trace elemental and isotope analysis
• Get to know how triple quadrupole ICP-MS removes the most challenging interferences for key elements
• Learn how isotopes can be used for authenticity testing and determination of geographical origin

Who should attend:

• Lab managers and analysts that have specific analytical challenges with food and beverages
• QA/QC and research laboratories that want to be ready for future challenges
• Scientists/chemists/analysts interested in using isotope fingerprints for food analysis

Presenter: Dr. Sukanya Sengupta (Application Specialist, Thermo Fisher Scientific)

Sukanya is a geochemist by training, and she focused on triple oxygen isotope studies in terrestrial samples during her PhD and Post-doc research in Göttingen, Germany. She joined Thermo Fisher Scientific in Bremen in 2020 as Application Specialist for ICP-OES and ICP-MS, where she assists customers with their daily measurement routines by developing new methods and applications that meet the requirements of analytical testing laboratories and research facilities.

Presenter: Dr. David Psomiadis (Chief Business Officer, Imprint Analytics GmbH)

David Psomiadis (PhD) works as Chief Business Office at Imprint Analytics GmbH. Since 2013, he has settled in Neutal, Austria, as a member of the grounding team of Imprint Analytics. He has published more than 70 contributions in scientific journals and conferences, and he holds a regular member position in international committees and working groups (eg. AOAC, CEN) related to food authenticity testing. In his role at Imprint Analytics, he leads the global Food Authenticity business strategy, brand development and collaborations within global networks and international consortia.

Presenter: Dr. Mario Tuthorn (Senior Product Marketing Specialist, Thermo Fisher Scientific)

After completing his PhD in Isotope Biogeochemistry at the University of Bayreuth, Germany, Mario joined Thermo Fisher Scientific in Bremen in 2016 as an application specialist for the Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry portfolio, developing applications and methods for compound specific isotope analysis in a variety of fields by using gas and liquid chromatography. Since 2019 Mario has taken on Product Marketing role for gas isotope ratio MS and organic elemental analyzer instrumentation, focusing on product positioning and marketing activities.