DSM Nutritional Products and BioAnalyt are launching the iCheck Sudan technology in China. The first user of this technology will be the Shanghai Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As part of their Food Quality Control programme, Shanghai FDA has started using this new technology at the Shanghai Universal Expo 2010 which will be visited by approximately 70 million people.
iCheck Sudan was developed further to a research project initiated in 2007 by DSM, in collaboration with BioAnalyt (Germany). The aim was to develop a fast, portable and accurate test to detect Sudan Red dyes in eggs.
This project was initiated in response to scandals in Europe and China in 2005 and 2006 where certain food products (e.g. eggs) were found to be tainted with Sudan Red dyes, even though the use of these dyes had been banned for years in the food and feed industries, because of their carcinogenic potential. DSM, as world leader in the development of food and feed ingredients, wanted to support the egg industry to restore confidence and protect DSM customers businesses and brands from the use of unknown tainted feed ingredients.
Antonio-Ruy Freire, President Animal Nutrition & Health at DSM Nutritional Products, commented: "The development of iCheck Sudan shows once more DSM's commitment to quality, traceability, reliability and sustainability for feed and food ingredients, which is clearly communicated through DSM's Quality for Life vision. It also shows that we are dedicated to support our customers, the food safety authorities and all the other stakeholders of the food chain for the benefit and safety of consumers."
The use of iCheck Sudan will be extended to countries where there is a demand either from food safety authorities or stakeholders of the egg value chain.