COVANCE ANNOUNCES NEW ACRYLAMIDE TESTING TECHNOLOGY
Newly Validated Methodology for Identifying Potential Carcinogen in Food Mirrors FDA Procedure |
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August 12, 2002 — Princeton, NJ — Covance Inc. (NYSE: CVD) a leader in food and nutritional testing for more than 60 years, has developed a new method to detect the presence of acrylamide in food. Virtually identical to the FDA's own procedure, this methodology is already being used by Covance on behalf of a number of major food and confectionery companies that sell carbohydrate-rich products that are baked, fried, oven cooked, or processed. Currently, the procedure has been proven to be effective for a variety of foods and Covance is extending the method applicability through cross validation in different matrices.
In April, a report by the Swedish National Food Administration sparked a global controversy over the detection of acrylamide in foods high in starch content such as potato chips and French fries. Acrylamide is a known neurotoxin that can cause genetic mutation and is suspected of being a human carcinogen, although no definitive conclusion on its carcinogenicity has been reached. According to the Swedish report, acrylamide is formed when carbohydrate-rich food is exposed to high heat during the cooking process.
Randall L. Smith, Vice President of Analytical Services, commented, "As a result of the international concern over this potential cancer-causing agent in food, a global demand for new validated methodologies to identify the presence of acrylamide has sprung up almost overnight. By drawing on the technology, equipment, and professional talent that has made Covance the international 'gold standard' in the field of food safety testing, we have developed a methodology that meets the needs of the food industry. Through the wide scale implementation of this methodology, we believe we can make a significant contribution to food safety testing."
Covance's acrylamide testing technology is a combination of liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry that detects acrylamide in concentrations as low as 20 parts per billion, the industry standard. All testing is performed at Covance's Madison, Wisconsin-based food and nutritional sciences laboratory.
Outsourcing acrylamide testing to Covance allows food companies to obtain fast, reliable data without interfering with their own product release testing and other routine activities. Covance is one of only a handful of companies whose food testing data are accepted by regulatory agencies around the world.
Covance, with headquarters in Princeton, New Jersey, is one of the world's largest and most comprehensive drug development services companies with 2001 pro forma revenues of $800 million, global operations in 17 countries, and approximately 7,000 employees worldwide. Information on Covance's products and services, recent press releases, and SEC filings can be obtained through the website in the About Covance area. |
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