Anti Microbial Inhibition Studies (Preservative Challenges) - USP 51

IG Micromed provides comprehensive testing for Anti Microbial Inhibition Studies based on USP-51.  These procedures determine if your product will have the antimicrobial (preservative) functionality to allow regulatory acceptability and shelf stability under normal conditions.

Products are inoculated with high levels of 5 strains of organisms.  E. Coli, Staphylococcus Aureus, Pseudomonas Aeurginosa, Candida Albicans and Aspergillus brasiliensis,  Product is challenged for 4 weeks with an expected log reduction of 5 for the organisms of interest.

We can also modify challenge studies to your specific requirements.  For further information contact Peter Taylor at ptaylor@igmicromed.com

How to Determine Shelf Life - A Brief Discussion

Food Product Shelf life is often required by regulators, distributors and retailers from food producers prior to allowing a product to be sold. Shelf life can be determined through a variety of processes, however for each product there will be the need to develop a project and consider the unique requirements of product, storage temperature, retail environment and detail of shelf life.

The simplest way to determine shelf life is to simply store the product at proposed retail storage conditions and perform a simple taste and appearance evaluation at given intervals. When product is no longer acceptable then shelf life is determined. This simple procedure can usually be performed by the food manufacturer within their own facilities. Prior to this, testing for pH and water activity can indicate shelf stability of product.

To add an additional level of detail during the study, the food manufacturer can submit samples for 'food poisoning' microbiology package that determines total bacteria, yeast and mold, coliforms, staphylococcus aureus, salmonella and clostridium perfringens on periodic samples throughout the study. This will add a level of confidence for food safety within the simple study.

There has been a suggestion that shelf life studies can be accelerated. However a real time study is the only format available for most budgets. An accelerated shelf life study requires a database of information on how all the ingredients of a food product, under certain conditions and mixtures, would react at elevated temperature and humidity and how that would relate to a real time study. The comparative information is not easily available and cost prohibitive.

Shelf life studies can be fully customized as necessary. There is virtually no limit to the parameters to consider when evaluating your product's shelf life. However, simplicity is usually the best process. Simply measure the bacterial, yeast and mold load of your product over time under expected storage conditions to evaluate the food safety parameters. You may add pathogens of concern during the study. At the same time you will monitor, within your own facilities, the taste, odour, feel and appearance of your product during the shelf life evaluation. Once the product reaches a stage that you feel is unacceptable and the food safety aspect is still acceptable you will be able to specify a shelf life.

 

For further information and to set up a consultation for shelf life evaluation, please contact:

 

Peter Taylor

Business Development Manager
IG MicroMed Environmental Services
Direct: 604-209-2858
Email: ptaylor@igmicromed.com

Introducing Quantified Almond Allergen Testing

We have just introduced Almond Allergen testing using Veratox allergen system.  This results are quantified in the range of 2.5 to 25ppm.  Almonds are one of the more common treenut allergens and can be used as an indicator of allergen problems.  Standard turnaround is one week with rush services available.

For further information and pricing, please contact info@igmicromed.com

Rapid Listeria Species Swab Analysis

IG MicroMed offers rapid 2 day listeria species swab analysis based on the latest PCR technology.  Using GDS PCR and following Health Canada official and accredited methodology we can analyze environmental swabs in 2 days, allowing you to make the crucial decisions on your compliance with RTE (Ready-to-Eat) regulations.

For further information and pricing contact us at info@igmicromed.com

Introducing Multi-Treenut Allergen Analysis

IG MicroMed will be introducing a new qualitative multi-treenut allergen test to detect six treenuts (almond, walnut, pistachio, hazelnut, cashew and pecan).  This will allow food producers to detect for treenuts in one test and make early and economical decisions.  At this time testing only applies to environmental swabs or rinses, not to food samples.

Contact us at info@igmicromed.com for pricing and additional information.

Latest Updates from CFIA - September 18, 2015

 

For latest information on CFIA (Canadian Food Inspection Agency)  recall notices and regulatory information regarding Food Safety, follow this link.