“We’ve been growing rapidly in the testing and analysis solutions we offer to the dairy industry, and the partnership with Bioo Scientific is the latest piece to the puzzle,” Wes Shadow, business development manager for Perten, told DairyReporter.
“The acquisition of Bioo Scientific allows us to provide the dairy industry with a broad selection of easy-to-use, economical and rapid tests designed to meet customer specific needs that enable them to meet regulatory requirements and provide consumers with safe milk and dairy products.”
Bioo Scientific has developed and supplied food safety test kits since 2003, offering a range of test strips (Lateral Flow Devices), ELISA kits, enzymatic assays and immunoaffinity columns for the rapid detection of mycotoxins, antibiotics, microbial and industrial contaminants, natural toxins, constituents, and hormones.
However, additional R&D is needed as Bioo Scientific’s current kits detect several antibiotics currently not regulated or tested for in the US, Shadow said.
Specialization and heightened food safety
“From the manufacturing side, we’ve found that dairy products are becoming more specialized – yogurt and cheese products in particular,” Shadow said. “This product specialization places specific demands on ingredients and therefore more dedicated and improved testing.”
As a result of more specialized dairy processing and manufacturing, the company said it has noticed increased demand for its Rapid Visco Anaylser (RVA). The RVA measures performance of ingredients such as gums, stabilizers and can measure finished goods such as cheese melt properties. It measures viscosity over a pre-determined temperature profile to bring out particular characteristics.
Additionally, it serves as a miniature pilot plant as users can make yogurt and other finished products on a micro-scale (25ml batches), allowing companies to test the effects of new ingredients, suppliers, and formulations.
“From the food safety standpoint, food fraud, adulteration, and naturally occurring toxins are very much at the forefront of everyone’s mind,” he said.