How Safe is Safe? Analytical Tools for Tracing Contaminants in Food

摘要

A growing world population up to 9.7 billion by 2050 will increase the demand for food. This will require higher crop production globally, by enhancing productivity through optimised methods, fertilisers, agrochemicals and pesticides. In order to comply with regulations on food safety, manufacturers of food and beverages must carefully control contaminants such as pesticides, mycotoxins and heavy metals. Protection against fraudulent products and improper food ingredient labelling is also essential. Analytical instrumentation technologies and methods such as mass spectrometry coupled with liquid chromatography (LC), gas chromatography (GC) and inductively coupled plasma (ICP) provide the tools to support and guarantee food safety with consumer, animal and plant protection.