Our analytical services and specialists underpin our technical support team. Connecting our technical services with the strength of our a...
Analytical advancements
12 February 2021

Our analytical services and specialists underpin our technical support team. Connecting our technical services with the strength of our analytical department provides you, our customers, with an extension of
your team that will take a scientific and holistic approach to your challenges. This is particularly useful when definitive results and input are needed, in instances when your company is required to make important food safety decisions. Our
testing catalogue is the basis of our current analytical services, and our
custom analysis support gives our customers the opportunity to access non-routine methods of detection. This combination makes our laboratory unique in South Africa. However, this was not enough for our analytical team. Tasked with the challenge of identifying further opportunities for innovation alongside our available catalogued tests, they embarked on a journey to identify the challenges that we understand our customers experience with the analysis methods currently available. Their mission: to convert our customers’ challenges for service benefits.
Our technical team has scored the following value-add wins for our customers:
Improved turnaround time:
Until now, receipt of results has been slowed by the analysis methods used. Over the years our team has reduced this lag by improving process flows; however, a limit had been reached. We are pleased to announce that with the new advances we have made in terms of our technology, we have been able to reduce our lead time from 5-6 working days to 4-5 working days from the day the sample is received.
Eradication of cross-reactivity:
Cross-reactivity is the most frequent cause of false-positive results in allergen detection; a product sample may appear positive, despite the allergen not being present in the sample. This is a global challenge relating to antibody production for commercial testing kits that all laboratories face – even ours, despite our analytical team taking all precautions and always selecting the most suitable kits for the different allergens listed in our
testing catalogue. Although not a concern for some of our clients, when cross-reactivity does occur it can be a real challenge. Our technology developments have put an end to this problem.
Detection of allergens in processed food:
Some assay targets depend on the precise three-dimensional structure of an allergen remaining intact for detection. This means that food processing (which often involves hydrolysis and denaturation) could result in these proteins becoming undetectable. The biological significance of this is not always clear, as with some allergens, the conformation of the allergen is key to its allergenicity; with others, it is not. Our analytical team advises our clients on how to manage this challenge, and presents solutions that will achieve the best results. We are now very excited to offer an innovation that will accurately measure proteins in any form in which they might be a risk.
Cost structure advantages:
In addition to the benefits above, we are now able to offer cost structures regardless of the specific tests selected.
Contact FACTS today to identify how this analysis can support your food safety team.