Phenomenex and Vista Analytical Announce New Method for Dioxin Analysis in Animal Feed

New Solutions Meet Needs Arising from Food Scare in Germany

Phenomenex Inc., a global company in the research and manufacture of advanced technologies for the separation sciences, announces the publication of a new method for the analysis of dioxins in animal feed and tissue using high-resolution gas chromatography with mass spec detection (HRGCMS). Demand for these analyses has grown significantly in recent weeks, since the discovery of dangerous levels of the cancer-causing chemicals in animal feed produced in Germany.

The new method, developed in collaboration with Vista Analytical, also analyses dioxin-like compounds dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which are often monitored in conjunction with dioxins to give an overall toxic equivalent (TEQ) for a sample. Dioxins enter the environment and subsequently the food chain through combustion of organic materials in waste incineration. Recently 2,256 tons of fat, incorporated into feed products in Germany, were found to be highly contaminated, posing the threat of chain-reaction through the food supply. Several countries have now banned imports of animal products from Germany as a precautionary measure.

“While dioxin contamination is generally on the decline due to aggressive regulatory action, we can still see accidents, such as the one in Germany,” explains Sky Countryman, manager of applications and applied technology for Phenomenex. “Robust analytical testing procedures are still in demand for the determination of potential dioxin threats in both feed and animal fat.”

A technical note on the new Phenomenex HRGC/MS method has just been published and can be accessed at: www.phenomenex.com/dioxin. The method was used to analyze non-organic chicken feed as well as fish from the Mississippi River and Great Lakes and shrimp from a variety of international sources.

Vista Analytical Laboratory is the premier provider of high-resolution mass spectrometry analytical services. With experience, expertise and responsiveness unmatched in the environmental industry, Vista has built an international reputation for performing difficult trace level analyses reliably on a variety of matrices while meeting or exceeding the most rigorous regulatory requirements.

Phenomenex is a global technology leader committed to developing novel analytical chemistry solutions that solve the separation and purification challenges of researchers in industrial, clinical, government and academic laboratories. From drug discovery and pharmaceutical development to disease diagnosis, food safety and environmental analysis, Phenomenex chromatography solutions accelerate science and help researchers improve global health and well-being. For more information on Phenomenex, visit www.phenomenex.com.