Mass spectrometry techniques for rapid detection of adulteration of milk powder and vegetable oils in developing countries.

The photoionisation mass spectrometry has been developed at The University of Manchester and matured under continuous support from STFC. It has reached an unprecedented sensitivity of fg/ sample, reduced in size down to tabletop making it cheap and transportable, opening the way for rapid screening capabilities in developing countries. The project will identify and select appropriate analytical techniques and develop protocols to assess the authenticity, safety and quality of food in developing countries. Milk powder and vegetable oils will be used as exemplar commodities to establish methods and guidance for 'front-line' food adulteration screening. We will continue and deepen our existing collaboration with China, India, Malaysia, Morocco, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Uganda in the framework of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) coordinated research project "Field-deployable analytical methods to assess the authenticity, safety and quality of food". The samples of milk powder and vegetable oils will be collected from different geographical regions/ producers of these countries and sent to our Manchester laboratory for analysis. They will be screened for harmful antibiotics residues and traces of nitrogen reach compounds e.g. urea and biuret. Their fatty acids profiles will be determined and statistically analysed to reveal the origin and possible adulteration by mixing with other less expensive or refined products.
Together with the collaborators from developing countries, experts from IAEA and UN and industry we will analyse and disseminate the data obtained in the analytical campaign which will help in shaping the new policies in developing countries and the UK, improve food safety and quality, and may lead to commercialisation of technology developed under STFC support. We will provide a technical advice and guidance and assist in transfer of developed analytical methods and protocols to a research and commercial bases available in China, India, Malaysia, Morocco, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Uganda.

Beneficiaries of our work are researchers and policy makers in developing countries with whom we collaborate, industrial companies with whom we work closely and the general public (both in UK and developing countries).

International organisations such as UN and IAEA are beneficiaries of our expertise in analytical science, particularly in mass spectrometry.

We work closely with a number of high-technology companies who manufacture the specialized components and instruments that we require, to improve their products and input our knowledge into the design of new instruments. A small number of companies have spun out from researchers who have worked in our research group. We also train PhD students and postdoctoral researchers who have left our research group to work successfully in industry or set up their own companies.

We also reach the public through setting up blogs to discuss our science and give wide exposure to newsworthy results and information that interest them.

The general public will have an increased understanding of the science underpinning our work, and its relevance to society. It is hoped that events targeted towards secondary school and A-level students may inspire a new generation of scientists, adding to the number of skilled individuals contributing to the UK economy.

The general public in development countries an in the UK will benefit from improved quality and safety of the food products i.e. milk powders and vegetable oils.