A Snake in The Asparagus? [CASE STUDY]
Background
One area of focus for our lab is the analysis of foods and beverages for identification of contamination by foreign materials. To do this we use a variety of chemical, microbiological, and physical testing along with advanced imaging techniques. Products entering the food supply are inspected for unwanted debris, pathogens, and chemical contaminants at one or more stages during processing. Missed contaminants opens the liability door for food companies and can lead to unwanted legal action and insurance claims. Although modern food processing has introduced sophisticated systems using metal detection and optical imaging to identify and reject unwanted objects, sometimes these provide less than adequate results.
Consider the case of a recent project we were asked to undertake by a well-known vegetable processing company. During production, a sharp-eyed employee of this client observed something unusual in processed asparagus.
Was it just deformed asparagus or something more hideous?
We were asked to isolate and identify the material. Several objects, that were not consistent with the shape, color, or texture of asparagus, were found.
Approach
When solving problems of this nature it’s sometimes best to start by asking the basic questions. What do the objects most closely resemble? Are there basic chemical analyses we can do to characterize the material? Which of our staff scientists should we include in this investigation?
Inspection of carefully captured images (examples above and below, left) showed that the foreign objects exhibited one or more characteristics of an animal that is reptilian in nature. Our initial hypothesis was that the material could have been derived from a snake. We know from our history of food testing that we can compare protein content between asparagus and the material found. Maybe we could ask our friendly neighborhood mongoose for an opinion. Better yet, we should have a reptile expert investigate the morphology of the objects.
Results
The protein results were consistent with an animal source. Careful inspection of the observed scale structure and unique coloration by a herpetologist added more evidence. Finally, careful dissection confirmed our hypothesis – it was pieces of snake! Successful foreign material investigations, like that described here, not only require the interface of several science disciplines and knowing which questions to ask, but it also involves knowing who to ask.
Eurofins SF Analytical is renowned for successfully investigating the most challenging problems in food, beverages, and packaging; including product recall support, insurance and legal investigations. Please contact Mike Dziewatkoski, PhD at Michaeldziewatkoski@eurofinsus.com or call 262-754-5300 if you have a project inquiry or need to speak to a Eurofins Scientist about a problem you are experiencing.
