Applica's innovative and analytical methods for identifying quality and authenticity of a variety of foods makes them an essential match for Intertek, a spokesperson for Intertek told FoodProductionDaily.com
She said that the acquisition of Applica is part of its continuing effort to keep its food sector clients abreast of innovative food technologies, as understanding all the procedures, best practices, policies and standards for food from farm to fork can be challenging and overwhelming for all food supply chain members.
Strict EU regulations mean that manufacturers must know what is in their products and label them correctly, as contamination with other ingredients can lead to expensive recalls, fines and even law suits.
Honey testing
With this new purchase, Intertek said it gains access to Applica's expertise in applied chemical analysis of honey, with demand for testing of the product to ensure its purity growing significantly among food manufacturers.
Honey is increasingly being used as an ingredient in food products such as baked goods, salad dressings, sauces, candies, dairy products, spreads, cereals meats, snacks and beverages.
"Honey …continues to gain prevalent exposure for its usefulness as both an antimicrobial agent as well as an antioxidant for health conscious consumers," claims Intertek.
Intertek services to food processors cover certification, research, traceability, training, standards development, risk assessment as well as quality control of products like fruit and vegetables, nuts and grains, coffee and tea to determine residues of pesticides and insecticides or mycotoxins.
Innovation
Meanwhile, innovation in analytical instruments netted an IFT Food Expo Innovation Award for CEM Corp at the trade food show in New Orleans last month.
The new Sprint Rapid Protein Analyzer dispenses with the need for harsh chemicals or high heat and provides very accurate protein tests within two minutes, according the company.
"This is a uniquely fast, versatile and portable protein tester that can be used on the production floor or at a receiving station," said Michael J Collins, CEM president and CEO.
Unlike conventional testing methods, which measure protein and calculate nitrogen, the Sprint uses protein tagging technology, which is AOAC-approved for many food products, to deliver a highly accurate direct measurement that is unaffected by naturally occurring nitrogen, fillers or contaminants.
It can be used to test the protein content of all grains, meat, powders, dairy products and pet foods and measures protein from 0.01% to 99.9% in liquids, solids and slurries.