Case Study: Dark Material in a Cheese Product
The Challenge
When preparing for packaging, a client noticed small, unexpected pieces of dark material in a cheese product. The pieces looked metallic, so they suspected the contamination was a result of corroded metal or carbon from a filter. Since foreign materials in a product can be dangerous to consumers and harmful to brand image, they wanted to determine what exactly the material was and where it may have originated in the manufacturing process to prevent future contamination.
Our Approach
Our research team started with a visual inspection of the size, shape, and morphology of the small, dark material using light and SEM microscopy. Visually, they looked like small pieces of metal, but it was unclear where they may have come from. To further analyze the material, we used a non-destructive approach with SEM-EDXA, which provides a look at the elemental composition of the small pieces. This elemental analysis showed that while the pieces looked like metal, the metallic element content was very low, while the carbon and oxygen content was high.
The Solution
The elemental analysis suggested that the small pieces were not corroded metal. The client supplied a sample of filter media used in the manufacturing process, and we confirmed that the elemental composition of the media and foreign material matched. After changing the media and adding additional filtering steps, our client no longer had contamination issues.
Our Team
Eurofins SF Analytical is renowned for successfully investigating the most challenging problems in food, beverages, and packaging; including product recall support, insurance, and legal investigation. Our experts’ range of expertise from microbiology to analytical chemistry coupled with years of experience makes them the ideal team for foreign material and contamination investigations. Click here to connect with an expert, or visit our website to learn about the full range of offerings.
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