Mass spectrometry (MS) technology, as an efficient and precise analytical tool, has been widely applied in the food industry. With its high sensitivity, accuracy, and high resolution, it has become a core technology in food composition analysis, additive detection, and contaminant monitoring. As global food safety standards continue to rise, mass spectrometry plays a crucial role in ensuring food quality and safety. Alfa Chemistry's mass spectrometry platform provides customers with state-of-the-art analytical technology, ensuring that your products meet international standards and safeguarding consumer health.
What Services Do We Offer?
Alfa Chemistry's mass spectrometry platform integrates multiple advanced technologies to meet the diverse needs of food analysis. Below are the main services we offer:
Food Composition Analysis
We use Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) to quantitatively analyze the nutritional components and aromatic substances in food. Through precise analysis, we help you understand the composition of your food and ensure it complies with nutritional labeling requirements.
Food Additives Detection
We can detect various additives in food, including preservatives, colorants, and artificial sweeteners. Using GC-MS and LC-MS technologies, we can quickly screen multiple additives in food to ensure their use complies with food safety standards.
Contaminant Detection
Pesticide residues, veterinary drug residues, mycotoxins, and other food contaminants can pose a threat to consumer health. Using LC-MS/MS, GC-MS/MS, and other technologies, we can precisely detect harmful substances in food, such as organophosphorus pesticides, carbamate pesticides, mycotoxins, and more, ensuring product safety.
Food Safety Testing
We provide heavy metal analysis (such as lead, mercury, cadmium, etc.) and trace element detection. Using ICP-MS and other technologies, we can sensitively detect harmful elements in food to ensure that the food complies with international food safety standards.
What Are the Advantages of Our Platform Technology?
Alfa Chemistry's Mass Spectrometry (MS) platform combines multiple advanced mass spectrometry techniques, enabling high sensitivity and high-resolution analysis for various food samples. Below are some of the typical mass spectrometry techniques we use and their applications:
| Mass Spectrometry System | Key Advantages | Typical Food Analysis Applications |
| Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS / GC-MS/MS) | High sensitivity for volatile/semi-volatile compounds, well-established library matching | Pesticide residues, volatile aromas, food additives, lipid oxidation products |
| Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS / LC-MS/MS) | Suitable for polar/large molecular compounds, precise quantification | Pesticide/ veterinary drug residues, mycotoxins, nutritional metabolites, food adulteration |
| High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry (HR-MS) | Ultra-high resolution + accurate quantification, supports non-targeted metabolomics | Food metabolomics, unknown contaminant screening, full-spectrum identification |
| MALDI-TOF MS | Fast, minimal sample preparation, suitable for large molecules/protein/microbe fingerprints | Food authenticity identification, microbiological identification, protein/peptide labeling |
| ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry) | Extremely high sensitivity for multi-element detection, wide dynamic range | Heavy metals (lead, cadmium, mercury) and trace element analysis |
| Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (EA-IRMS) | Precise stable isotope ratio measurement, trace source identification | Food origin traceability, adulteration detection, metabolic pathway research |
| Rapid Screening Platforms (DART MS, DESI MS) | Direct sampling, no chromatography required, ideal for on-site rapid detection | On-site pesticide screening, rapid quality control |
With these advanced mass spectrometry technologies, we can provide you with high sensitivity and high-resolution food analysis, ensuring that you receive accurate analytical results.
What Are the Core Applications of Our Technology?
Based on the different needs of food analysis, we offer detection services for the following core application scenarios:
| Application Field | Main Detection Targets | Common Mass Spectrometry Platforms | Typical Cases |
| Pesticide/Antibiotic Residues | Organophosphates, carbamates, chlorinated organic pesticides, etc. | LC MS/MS, GC MS/MS | Multi-residue simultaneous detection via SCIEX platform |
| Mycotoxins (Fungal Toxins) | Aflatoxins, ochratoxins, fumonisins, etc. | LC HR MS, LC MS/MS | High-resolution Orbitrap for accurate identification |
| Food Additives & Sweeteners | Preservatives, colorants, sweeteners | GC MS, LC MS | High-throughput screening via GC TOF |
| Nutritional Metabolomics | Amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, metabolite profiles | UHPLC Q TOF, Orbitrap | Metabolomics platform supporting 17,000+ compound library |
| Food Authenticity Identification | Origin, species, adulteration detection | MALDI TOF, LC HR MS | MALDI TOF demonstrated in food authenticity analysis |
| Heavy Metals & Trace Elements | Lead, cadmium, arsenic, mercury, etc. | ICP MS | Standard detection method in the industry (no specific evidence listed) |
| Isotope Tracing & Source Tracking | Origin marking, adulteration tracing | EA IRMS, GC IRMS | Isotope ratio mass spectrometry applied in food safety |
| Rapid On-site Screening | Rapid pesticide pre-screening, quality control | DART MS, DESI MS (trend) | Suitable for rapid on-site detection (industry trend) |
What Success Stories Can We Share?
Case 1: Pesticide Residue Testing - SCIEX Platform
We provided pesticide residue testing services for a well-known agricultural product manufacturer. Using the SCIEX platform's LC-MS/MS technology, we successfully detected and quantified various pesticide residues in samples, including organophosphates and carbamates. This testing helped our client ensure their products met international food safety standards and successfully avoid potential compliance risks.
Case 2: Food Additive Screening - LECO GC TOF MS
A food processing company required rapid food additive screening for its products. We employed LECO GC TOF MS for high-throughput screening and successfully detected preservatives, colorants, and sweeteners in the food products. This service helped the client ensure the transparency of product ingredients and compliance with national standards, safeguarding consumer health.
Case 3: Heavy Metal Analysis - Agilent ICP-MS
We provided heavy metal analysis services to a beverage manufacturer using the Agilent ICP-MS platform to detect harmful metals such as lead, mercury, and cadmium in their products. Our analysis confirmed that their products met heavy metal safety standards and helped deliver safe, health-conscious beverages to the market.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How long does it take to get results from mass spectrometry testing?
Typically, mass spectrometry results will be provided within 3 to 5 business days. The exact time depends on the number of samples and the testing scope.
How should food samples be prepared for testing?
We provide detailed sample preparation guidelines to ensure the samples meet mass spectrometry testing requirements. Generally, clients need to send the food samples to our lab and prepare them according to our instructions.
What advantages does mass spectrometry have over other analytical methods?
Mass spectrometry offers high sensitivity, high resolution, rapid analysis, and high throughput processing capabilities, allowing for the detection of trace components, contaminants, and additives in food in a short time, providing more accurate and reliable results.
Can all components in food be comprehensively analyzed?
Our mass spectrometry platform can analyze a wide range of components in food, including but not limited to nutritional components, food additives, contaminants, and heavy metals. We can customize the analysis plan based on your needs to ensure comprehensive coverage of your testing requirements.
How is the accuracy of mass spectrometry testing ensured?
We use advanced mass spectrometry instruments (such as Orbitrap, SCIEX, Agilent, etc.) for analysis and follow standardized procedures and quality control measures to ensure the accuracy of every test result. Additionally, we provide detailed reports and analysis results to ensure you receive reliable information.
Collaboration with Alfa Chemistry
If you have any questions about our mass spectrometry (MS) platform food analysis services, or would like to learn more about the testing services we offer, please feel free to contact us. We offer free consultations and can customize personalized food analysis solutions for you.
Our services are for research use only.
