2003 IFT Annual Meeting & FOOD EXPO® Preview_LABORATORY

Laboratory Papers and Exhibits Focus on Safety and other Issues
IFT’s 2003 Annual Meeting & Food Expo® promises to be one of the most information-packed meetings for food technologists working in the laboratory and food safety areas in recent years. Given increased regulatory vigilance and heightened consumer awareness, laboratory and quality assurance personnel are taking on additional duties and responsibilities. Because of new regulations, threats of bioterrorism must be considered in conducting food safety assurance checks. Food security has been added to other issues dealing with consumer health and nutrition and the ever-present dangers of foodborne pathogens.

Many of the technical sessions, of which a few are summarized here, and many of the new laboratory products focus on these concerns.

Papers
Many of the papers presented in symposia and oral and poster sessions cover topics that relate to the above issues.

Seafood Traceability. A symposium on the issues surrounding the safety and tracking of seafood during processing and distribution will be held on Sunday morning.

T. Borrensen, Danish Institute for Fisheries Research, will define seafood traceability and discuss the issue from the European perspective. Traceability is important to determine where defects have originated. It allows for tracing the history, application, and location of any item considered and can relate to both the origin and distribution after delivery. Paper 9-1

M. T. Morrissey, Oregon State University, will discuss traceability of seafood the United States, which is still in an infancy stage. U.S. seafood companies, encountering an economy increasingly driven by consumer demand and concerns about quality, may face the need to regulate themselves and institute voluntary traceability to meet the demands of their buyers, both domestic and foreign. Increased demand for food traceability, both by the consumers and pending legislation, has created economic incentive to develop systems for complete traceability throughout the entire food chain. Paper 9-2

Other speakers at the symposium include G. Doyon, who will give the Canadian view in understanding traceability systems and implementation in food-chain logistics, such as risk assessment and their probability of occurrence. The benefits, difficulties, applications, tools, and challenges, as well as specific terminology and technologies adaptable to generic food-chain logistics, will be presented. Paper 9-3

M. Frederiksen will examine case studies of three fresh fish chains in Denmark and Australia to compare their traceability. The Australian chains were chosen for comparison because they had products with very high value to the very demanding Japanese market. In comparison, the Danish chains had relatively low-value products. Paper 9-4

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Analysis of Phytochemicals. A series of presentations on Sunday afternoon will discuss the chemistry and analysis of phytochemicals or plant bioactive materials.

R.E. Wrolstad, Oregon State University, will deliver the Food Chemistry Division Lecture on chemistry and analysis of anthocyanin pigments. Anthocyanin pigments have received the attention of food chemists for years because of their importance to the color quality of fresh and processed fruits and vegetables. The commercial sector is in particular need of standardized methods for measuring and reporting anthocyanin pigment content. The pH differential spectrophotometric method for total anthocyanins is very suitable for both research and quality control. Systematic methods for identification of anthocyanin pigments are well established, and more than 300 anthocyanins have been identified in nature. Reverse-phase HPLC with UV/visible diode array detection is the method of choice for tracking qualitative changes once identities have been established. This lecture will cover the important developments. Paper 18-1

The analysis of bioactive saponins in foods and natural health products will be discussed by C.T. Ho of Rutgers University. Saponins are a class of natural products which are constructed of aglycones of triterpene or steroidal and sugars. Recent advances in chromatography and spectroscopic techniques such as HLPC, LC/MS/MS, and 2D NMR has made the analysis of saponins in foods and natural health products easier. Paper 18-2

P. Sporns, University of Alberta, will discuss the identification and quantification of food components using Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-MS). While this is a relatively new analytical technique, protein and polymer chemists have quickly adopted it because of its ability to identify biological macromolecules. This presentation will explain its use for identification and quantification of carbohydrates, phenolic compounds, emulsifiers, and many natural food components that are not easily analyzed using any other methods. Paper 18-3

R. Lenoble, Hauser, Inc., will discuss the use of the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity (ORAC) method for standardization of antioxidant nutraceutical and functional food products The assay is a relatively simple but sensitive method suitable for quantifying the antioxidant capacity of a number of products, including whole fruits and vegetables, beverages such as fruit juices and wines, and supplement products. The assay is used primarily for water-soluble antioxidants. Paper 18-4

Z. Lillia, Covance Laboratories, will speak on the validation of an efficient method for the determination of catechins in green tea leaves, extracts, and fortified products using high-performance liquid chromatography. Validation of this HPLC method is considered a key factor in the providing dependable data to support scientific and regulatory decisions. Paper 18-5

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J. D. Wightman, Artemis International, Inc., will discuss the chemistry and analysis of flavonoids. An overview of the chemistry of the various classifications of plant flavonoids—flavanols, flavonols, flavanones, and isoflavanones—will be given, with examples for each. Paper 18-6

A. Muir, Saskatoon Research Centre, will present information on the bioactive compounds of flaxseed. The presentation will review analytical methods for raw materials and consumer products containing flaxseed. Paper 18-7

F. Shahidi, Memorial University of Newfoundland, will speak on the analysis and properties of natural antioxidants. Following fractionation and further separation, the activity of isolated compounds is determined using different in-vitro or in-vivo tests. Effect of processing on phenolics constituents in foods is also important, in that they may lead to their release to the free form, oxidation, and possible removal. Paper 18-8

K. Parkin, University of Wisconsin, will describe the process of prospecting for cancer chemopreventive agents in foods. The talk will focus on the development of a murine hepatoma cell line some 15 years ago. The group has found that choices among alternative methodological protocols using this bioassay can have profound impact on the ability to detect and isolate phase II enzyme-inducing agents from botanical sources. Paper 18-9

Acrylamide in Foods. A two-part symposium will cover the chemistry, toxicology, and regulations of acrylamide in food.

The first session, on Monday morning, will start by framing the debate about acrylamide and include a summary of data from the World health Organization and the Food and Drug Administration concerning the contaminant. Other speakers in the first session will cover the formation of acrylamide in foods, its analytical measurement, and its toxicology. Session 31

The second session, on Monday afternoon, will discuss the risks associated with acrylamide consumption and the various regulatory initiatives being put forth to deal with the problem. The afternoon session will also include a panel discussion with a question and answer period. Session 47

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Managing Microbiological Safety. A Wednesday morning symposium will address the problems of managing microbiological safety of food in a dynamic regulatory and consumer environment.

T.P. Biela, American FoodService Corp., will discuss Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella, the two leading organisms of concern in the meat industry. Recent and costly outbreaks associated with these pathogens have prompted a wide range of industry and regulatory control measures, including the passage of the Pathogen Reduction/HACCP Rule in 1996. More recently, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture has published a proposal which would establish performance standards for Salmonella and E. coli. This presentation will provide an overview of the impact of the landmark rule, discuss the proposed performance standards, and highlight intervention strategies that can be used to control the growth of Salmonella and E. coli O157:H7 in raw meat products. Paper 96-1

L. Jackson, FDA, will discuss ensuring food safety and security from a federal perspective. An industry-initiated Alliance for Food Security was formed in fall 2001 to assist in coordinating efforts across the broad spectrum of the food industry. FDA issued two food security guideline documents—one for food producers, processors, transporters, and retailers and the other for importers and filers. USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service also issued guidelines for food processors. This presentation will outline recommendations from the federal government for enhancing the safety and security of the U.S. food supply. Paper 96-2

J. Kornacki, University of Georgia, will introduce information on Escherichia sakazakii. The organism is a Gram-negative rod within the family Enterobacteriaceae, genus Enterobacter. It is an emerging foodborne pathogen that can cause sepsis, meningitis, or necrotizing enterocolitis in newborn infants, particularly premature infants or other infants with weakened immune systems. Paper 96-3

K. M. J. Swanson, General Mills, Inc., will speak on the role of microbiological Food Safety Objectives (FSOs) in the regulatory process, both nationally and internationally. For the past quarter century, the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system has dominated the food industry safety and quality landscape. In recent years, FSOs, a preventive scheme for the management of microbial hazards in foods, has garnered increasing attention, both here and abroad, as a new and intriguing concept in food safety. This presentation will provide a historical perspective of FSOs, the role of the International Commission for the Microbiological Specification for Foods (ICMSF) in the their development, and how companies can utilize them in their risk-management programs. Paper 96-4

B. Swaminathan, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, will look at food isolates from routine surveillance samples and their epidemiological implications. PulseNet has revolutionized foodborne disease surveillance in the U.S. The participation of the federal food regulatory agencies FDA and FSIS in PulseNet enables CDC to retrospectively and prospectively look for clinical isolate DNA pattern matches to those of food isolates that have been collected as part of routine surveillance. In particular, this type of reverse epidemiology is of particular interest for pathogen isolates from products that have been recalled because of contamination by a pathogen under surveillance in PulseNet. Paper 96-5

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Other Topics. Several papers in various other sessions report on interesting new developments.

On Monday afternoon, B. Hartman, Avery Dennison Corp., will describe a new technology for detecting food spoilage. The spoilage indicator is claimed to address many of the shortcomings of the current in-package spoilage detection technologies. It is based on a platinum group metal (PGM) fluorophore (or optionally chromophore) complex which is delivered in a tag or label format. In the presence of gases containing sulfur or nitrogen, such as sulfides or amines, these complexes undergo a change in color, in the case of the chromophore version, or a change in fluorescence, which can be seen under UV light in the case of the fluorophore version. The color/fluorescent change is irreversible.

Spoilage gases typically contain sulfur-or nitrogen-containing species, and this technology has proven to be an excellent method for detecting many types of food spoilage. These PGM-based complexes can be coated in a variety of substrates and used as part of an in-package spoilage detection system. This technology is not sensitive to pH, moisture, or UV light. In addition, only microgram quantities of metal are required. The detector has been shown to be effective when used with many fresh meats, including beef, pork and chicken, and to show promise with seafood and many meat-containing cooked foods as well. Paper 54-2

On Tuesday morning, R. Loftus, Trinity College, will speak on the application of DNA technology for meat traceability. Through the systematic sampling of animals or carcasses, the origin of a particular cut of meat can be verified by comparing its DNA profile with that of its carcass or animal of origin. As the actual meat product and not its label is traced, the need for exhaustive labeling systems and changes in work practices can be greatly reduced, providing considerable savings. Additionally, tracing the product rather than an associated label avoids potential errors or fraud related to the labeling system. Paper 65-5

Also on Tuesday morning, C.H. Goldsmith, SIRA Technologies, will report on the the Food Sentinel System™, which uses a purveyor’s barcode as a test indicator that will bio-chemically or environmentally physically transform itself into a new configuration. It then becomes a tamperproof barcode formatted to interdict and report contaminated and/or temperature-abused food and pharmaceuticals with any barcode reader. Paper 67-7

Exhibits
Of course, there are also numerous exhibits related to quality assurance and laboratory analysis. Here are brief descriptions based on information received as of press time:
• Antioxidant Measurement. Total antioxidants may be measured with the Analytik Jena Photochem. The company claims that it is the first instrument for the examination of the antioxidative capacity of water-soluble and lipid-soluble substances. It allows precise as well as time- and cost-effective analysis of the integral antioxidative capacity of most diverse mixtures, such as oils, wine, beer, coffee, tea, and other products. Analytik Jena, 26009 Budde Rd., The Woodlands, TX 77380 (phone 281-367-6130, fax 281-67-6730, www.analytik-jena.de), Booth 4177

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• Fat and Oil Determinations. Isco rapid extraction systems allow the use of CO₂ for fat and oil determination, eliminating the hazards and delays of traditional organic solvent extraction. FastFat HT and SFX 3560 instruments are used worldwide for QA/QC, process control, NIR calibration, and other applications requiring fast, accurate % fat determination. Applications include oilseeds, chocolate, baking mixes, snack foods, potato products, peanut products, meats, rice, animal feeds, and dairy products. Isco is the world’s leading manufacturer of analytical supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) instruments, and also offers systems for liquid chromatography and for monitoring environmental water quality. Isco Inc., 4700 Superior St., Lincoln NE 68504, (phone 800-228-4373, fax 402-465-3064, www.isco.com), Booth 366

• Automated Colony Counter. The protoCOL is a line of GLP-compliant bacterial enumeration instruments. The colony counter utilizes a high-resolution CCD camera to provide a real-time image of the plate being analyzed. The instrument provides total plate counts in less than 1 sec for pour/spread plates and spiral plates. Inhibition zones can be measured in less than 1 sec with accuracy to 0.01 mm. It can also measure viral plaques, opaque, and non-opaque media with colored or translucent colonies, total plate count, or yeast and mold Petrifilm. Users can define colony size limits for differential counts when multiple organisms are present on the plate. Microbiology International, 5108 Pegasus Ct., Suite L, Frederick, MD 21704 (phone 301-662-6835, fax 301-662-8096, www.microbiology-intl.com), Booth 3875

• Water Activity Measurement. Rotronic, manufacturer of high-quality, precision water activity, humidity, dew point, and temperature measuring equipment, presents an updated line of water activity instrumentation. Using advanced digital signal processing circuitry, the HygroClip-based instruments bring an unparalleled level of flexibility to water activity measurement. The new instrumentation includes a handheld portable solution, a PC-based solution, and a stand-alone instrument for the measurement of water activity. All instruments use the Rotronic sensor for unparalleled accuracy and reliability. Rotronic Instrument Corp., 160 E. Main St., Huntington, NY 11743 (phone 631-427-3898, www.rotronic-usa.com), Booth 1866

• Chocolate Temper Meters. Models 205, 505A, and 806H, 205 will be exhibited by Tricor Systems. Model 205 will be demonstrated with its new internal printer. The Model 806H hand-held gloss/bloom measurement system for confections and packaging will also be shown. Additional demonstrations will include data-acquisition software which allows users to view, print, graph, and save test data from the chocolate temper meters to database files. Tricor Systems, Inc.,1650 Todd Farm Dr., Elgin IL 60123 (phone 847-742-5542, www.tricorsystems.com), Booth 908

• Laboratory Containers. Disposable glass and plastic bottles and jars, buckets, centrifuge tubes, pipet tips, vials, paper cylinders, drums, and UN-rated shipping containers, as well as small mixing equipment, will be exhibited by Qorpak. The company will also demonstrate its new fluid-resistant, antimicrobial lab coats. Qorpak Container Solutions, Corporate One West, 1195 Washington Pike, Bridgeville, PA 15017 (phone 412-257-3100, www.qorpak.com), Booth 4174.

• Rapid Test Kits. Neogen will exhibit its rapid test kits for foodborne bacteria, including the Reveal® lateral flow ELISA and the Gene-Trak® DNA probe. The tests are available for E. coli O157:H7, Salmonella, and Listeria. The company will also exhibit the Acumedia premier dehydrated culture media, available in lots of small custom blends to high-volume production. Neogen Corp., 620 Lesher Pl., Lansing, MI 48912 (phone 517-372-9200, fax 517-372-0108, www.neogen.com), Booth 1219.

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• Color Measurement Systems. HunterLab will exhibit portable and benchtop color measurement systems for the food industry. These systems may be used for measuring raw materials through final product, including liquids such as sauces and juices, solids such as spices and meats, including nonuniform products such as cereals and snack foods. Applications are found in both quality control and food research. Hunterlab, 11491 Sunset Hills Rd., Reston, VA 20190 (phone 703-471-6870, fax 703-471-4237, www.hunterlab.com), Booth 722

• Combination Density/Refractive Index Meter. The DR45 meter is said to simplify the simultaneous determination of density and refractive index. The company claims that measuring both values with the same instrument increases speed, simplifies procedures, and enhances the accuracy of the results. Mettler Toledo, 1900 Polaris Pkwy., Columbus, OH 43240 (phone 614-638-8537, fax 614-438-4871, www.mt.com), Booth 2073

• Fat Analyzer. The Smart System 5 uses NMR technology combined with microwave drying capability to provide accurate results without solvents or calibration. The system is said to not require frequent calibration like NIR and FTIR instruments and not be affected by changes in the color or texture of the sample or be dependent on sample uniformity. The system software stores methods and test results and guides the user through tests. CEM Corp., 3100 Smith Farm Rd., Matthews, NC 28104 (phone 704-821-7015), Booth 613

• Bag Mixer for Bacteria Extraction. The BagMixer® can be used to extract bacteria from a solid sample. The user places the sample and liquid into a sterile filter and then slides the bag into the mixer. The mixer gently isolates the microbial flora contained in and on the surface of the solid sample. The homogeneous blend in the sterile bag is representative of the overall sample contamination. A variety of standard models cover a wide range of applications in all fields of analysis and research. Interscience Laboratories Inc., RT 3 Industrial Park, Weymouth, MA 02188 (phone 781-682-9033, fax 781-682-9035, www.intersciencelab.com), Booth 3773

• Temperature Monitoring Device. The DataTrace device is less than 1 in long without a probe. The company claims that the newly released Micropack III Tracer is the smallest and least-intrusive temperature-monitoring device available. Used in a variety of situations, including freezing, chilling, pasteurization, and sterilization to help ensure product quality and stability, the tracer provides measurements over a wide temperature range from 20 to 140°C to within ±0.1°C. Mesa Laboratories Inc., DataTrace Div., 12100 W. 6th Ave., Lakewood, CO 80228 (phone 303-987-8000, fax 303-987-8989, www.mesalabs.com), Booth 515

• Moisture Analyzer. The Vapor Pro Fx is designed to measure moisture levels in liquids and most oils down to 10 ppm. Results are achieved in as few as 3 min and may be displayed as percent moisture, parts per million moisture, or micrograms of water. The instrument utilizes a sealed flow path that purges the system with dry nitrogen between tests, thus preventing moist air from entering or trapping itself within the system. In addition, the moisture-specific sensor is not influenced by other volatiles. The company claims that the process accurately reads moisture content without the addition of ambient air humidity or volatiles burned off during the test. Arizona Instruments, 1912 W. 4th St., Tempe, AZ 85281 (phone 602-470-1414, 800-528-7411, www.azic.com), Booth 5422

• Refractometer. The Model J 57 is a temperature-controlled instrument that is said to provide the accuracy of a traditional lab refractometer in a package designed for non-technically trained operators in a production environment. Rudolph Research Analytical, 354 Rte. 206, Flanders, NJ 07836 (phone 973-584-1558, www.rudolphresearch.com), Booth 710

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• Pathogen Detection. The Genevision system uses molecular biology to detect and identify most pathogens based on their DNA signature in less than 24 hr. The detection process can be initiated from a variety of products such as milk products, meat, fruits, and vegetables. Results are provided in less than 24 hr and can be performed on-site. The company claims that simultaneous detection of multiple pathogens such as E. coli O157, E. coli spp., Listeria monocytogenes, and Salmonella spp., can be performed on the same low-density array. Warnex Diagnostics Services, 3885 Industrial Blvd., Laval, QC, H7L 4S3, Canada (phone 450-663-6724, fax 450-669-2784, www.warnex.ca), Booth 1668

• Pathogen Detection and Quality Monitoring. The Lightning MVP instrument is multi-functional and may be used with a range of MVP sampling devices and detachable probes. The unit measures multiple quality indicators such as ATP, pH, and temperature. Data can be downloaded to a PC for analysis and record keeping with MVP Trax. Customized trend analysis of single or multiple plant sites is available through the MVP LIP program. Biocontrol Systems, Inc., 12822 SE 32nd St., Bellevue, WA 98005 (phone 425-603-1123, fax 425-603-0080, www.biocontrolsys.com/ift2003), Booth 3918

• Texture analyzers. Instron will exhibit its 3300 series single-column texture analyzers designed to evaluate the texture of solid and semi-solid foods. The instruments include a precision load frame with integrated digital control electronics, a load cell, and testing software. The system provides automatic recognition and calibration of load cells, eliminating the need for calibration weights. A range of test fixtures and software allows food texture and food packaging testing to be performed on the same system. A high-torque DC motor with digital position control enables the system to provide the excellent speed control necessary for testing strain rate–sensitive foods. In addition to constant speed tests, the series can perform true strain rate and load rate tests using Instron’s Merlin software. Test fixtures for shear, deformation, puncture, stickiness, hardness and many other texture tests are available. Instron, 100 Royall St., Canton, MA 02021 (phone 800-564-8378, www.instron.com), Booth 3717

• Acid/Base Titrator. The Orion Model 925 Flash Titrator is said to perform titrations in less than 30 sec. The company claims the instrument utilizes new nanotechnology for very rapid acid/base titrations with no external titrant. The system employs a 12-mm probe, which features independent pH FET, planar conductivity, and temperature sensors, plus a platinum electrode surrounded by the pH sensor that electrochemically generates the acid or base titrant from the sample itself. The generated titrant moves by diffusion over the pH FET’s sensing area, and the pH inflection vs time profile is obtained. This diffusion time is proportional to the concentration of the acid or base in the solution and is reported in the concentration unit selected by the user. Thermo Electron Corp., 166 Cummings Center, Beverly, MA 01915 (phone 978-232-6000, www.thermo.com/orion), Booth 3480

• Dough Property Measurement. A new variable-speed Farinograph® measures water absorption of flour and mixing properties of dough. The previous mechanical balance system has been replaced by a sensitive, modern electronic system for torque measurement. The measured data are transferred by a serial port to the evaluating computer. The zero point is automatically set by the measuring system. The sensitivity range is set by choosing the correct mixer: 10-, 50-, or 300-g mixer. C.W. Brabender, Instruments, Inc., 50 E. Wesley St., South Hackensack, NJ 07606 (phone 201-343-8425, fax 201-343-0608), Booth 1775.

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• Enzymatic Method for Yeast Assimilable Nitrogen. A quantitative, enzymatic method for the sequential determination of ammonia and L-arginine is now available as a commercial reagent kit for assessing fermentation nutritional status. Assay results are linear for ammonia to 400 mg/L and for L-arginine to 500 mg/L. L-arginine constitutes about one-third of the primary amino nitrogen of grape must. Total yeast assimilable nitrogen is conveniently and reliably estimated using this reagent. 19912 Unitech Scientific, Corby Ave., Lakewood, FL 90715 (phone 562 924-5150, fax 562 809-3140, www.unitechscientific.com), Booth 4708.

• Refractometers. The new RFM800 refractometers with “intelligent thermal management” temperature control are said to offer 0–100% Brix, 1.3–17 Refractive Index, sample temperature to 100°C, and high precision/accuracy across the range. Bellingham+Stanley Inc., 1000 Hurricane Shoals Rd., Ste. D-300, Lawrenceville, GA 30043 (phone 770 822 6898, 800-678-8573, fax 770-822-9165, www.bs-rfm.com), Booth 4667

• Cryoscopes. The Advanced Model 4C3 cryoscope is designed to detect added water in milk and to keep milk shipments moving. It determines the molecular weight of an unknown or unidentified substance by measuring the amount by which the freezing point of a solvent is lowered when a known amount of the unidentified substance is dissolved in it. Advanced Instruments, Inc., 2 Technology Way, Norwood, MA 02062 (phone 800-225-4034 or 781-320-9000; fax 781-320-8181), Booth 326

• Reference Standards. High-purity standard solutions and custom blends may be used for the calibration, interference check, quality control, and development of analytical methods for AAS, ICP, ICP-MS, CNS elemental analysis, and ion chromatography. Metal standards are directly certified against NIST 3100 Series Standard Reference materials. The certified reference materials are in solution and solid form and cover a variety of products, including dog food, sugar, corn meal, milk powder, soybean meal, cottonseed meal, wheat flour, and baby formula. The materials are being certified for major, minor, and trace metals, including carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen. High Purity Standards, P.O. Box 41727, Charleston, SC 29423 (phone 843-767-7900, fax 843-767-7906, www.hps.net), Booth 5315

• Refractometers. Atago offers refractometers that can be used to measure the concentration of a broad range of aqueous solutions, from the sugar concentration of beverages, fruit juices, jam, and honey to the concentration of machine cutting oils and other industrial fluids. Polarimeters are also available. Atago U.S.A., Inc., 13005 NE 126th Pl., Kirkland WA 98034 1-425-821-9050 1-425-825-5525 www.atago.net) Booth 4707.

• Purge-and-Trap System. The new Velocity XPT is a patent-pending accelerated purge and trap system that can be Visit us at IFT FOOD EXPO® Booth 934 used for monitoring volatiles in food packaging and other food and beverage applications. The system allows users to analyze heavier flavor volatiles with the highest recovery and minimized carryover. The instrument’s chamber is said to provide the most efficient desorption, resulting in high recoveries and lowest carryover, especially for higher-boiling compounds. The completely inert steel sample pathway also prevents loss of active, polar, or high-boiling compounds. Other time-saving features include electronic flow control, pressure monitoring, and automatic leak check. Tekmar-Dohrmann, 4736 Socialville-Foster Rd., Mason OH 45040 (phone 513-229-7000, fax 513-229-7050, www.tekmar.com), Booth 4868

• Dispersion Analysis. The Turbiscan AGS is an automated ageing station for the Turbiscan high-concentration emulsion and dispersion stability analyzer. Temperature can be controlled up to 60°C with a capacity of 54 samples. The instrument measures the destabilization of concentrated dispersions and determines the mechanisms driving it. It may be used to improve formulations, document stability tests, and shorten stability test time. Sci-Tec, Inc., 6660 N. High St. Suite 2A, Worthington, OH 43085 (phone 614-888-0023, fax 614-888-0285, www.sci-tec-inc.com), Booth 507

• Environmental Monitoring Products. Acomplete line of airborne particle counters, microbial air samplers, agar strips, contact slides, and other products for environmental monitoring will be offered for use in a wide range of contamination control applications. Biotest Diagnostics Corp., 66 Ford Rd., Suite 220, Denville, NJ 07834 (phone 973-625-1300 or 800-522-0090, www.BiotestUSA.com), Booth 1982

• Water Activity Meter. The Instantaneous Water Activity Meter is said to reduce the time of product analysis and allow real-time on-line analysis of products. Water activity is one of the most critical factors in determining the quality and safety of foods. It affects the shelf life, safety, texture, flavor, and smell of foods. Decagon Devices, 950 NE Nelson Ct., Pullman, WA 99163 (phone 800-755-2751, www.decagon.com), Booth 2261 

Editor’s note: See the July issue of Food Technology for additional coverage of Food Expo exhibitors whose information arrived too late for inclusion in this issue.

by JAMES GIESE
Internet Editor