Fera’s food safety experts make use of liquid chromatograph-tandem mass spectrometry based testing methods to highlight the levels of a comprehensive range of dyes within your food samples. These dyes are known to have been used illegally as topical fungicides or acaracides in the aquaculture industry. The use of dyes in food production is banned in the EU. Fera’s testing procedure can provide the evidence required to satisfy regulators that any residue levels within your food product samples are compliant with requirements and safe for human consumption.

This complete screen includes the following set of dyes: Malachite green / Leucomalachite green, Crystal violet / Leucocrystal violet, Azure B, Brilliant green, Ethyl violet, Methylene blue, New methylene blue, Nile blue A, Pararosaniline base, Rhodamine 6G, Victoria blue B, Victoria blue R, and Victoria pure blue BO. Sample types screened include seafood and fish, both products which would contain residues from illicit use of dyes in aquaculture.

The dyes screen is conducted using an analytical method based on liquid chromatograph-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), at our state-of-the-art suite. This testing method has been validated in accordance with the principles set out in Commission Decision 2002/657/EC, and our dyes analysis is accredited to ISO17025 by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS). Turnaround is typically 10 working days after sample receipt by our science team.