A look at food testing from the perspective of the testers and industry experts who devote their careers to it.

The world of food and supplement testing is often viewed as a black box. As producers, processors, and consumers, you know that testing is done on food to create nutrient labels, verify claims and safety standards, and comply with regulations. This view of food testing is baked into HACCP plans and company SOPs, dictating that the testing must be done.

But how is food and supplement testing approached and performed, considering the vast array of testing methodologies and the innumerable variety of product matrices and formulations? What do laboratory results mean and how can they be used to improve the actual products and processes?

Join Eurofins Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Doug Marshall, as he shines the light into the box to dive into the motives and workings behind the science with experts spanning all areas of the testing industry from research microbiologists to business directors.

These casual conversations led by Dr. Marshall, will provide you with:

• Transparency into the testing process
• Key regulatory considerations across multiple industries
• Best practices for sampling and method selection
• Insights and guidance on result meaning and application

Mollie Van Alst serves as the Senior Analytical Services Manager within Eurofins Food Chemistry Testing laboratory in Des Moines, IA, which specializes in nutrition analysis of several food & beverage matrices. Mollie's subject matter expertise lies in FDA nutrition labeling, specifically the Nutrition Facts Panel portion but also other components.

Her day-to-day involves troubleshooting lab results as they pertain to nutrition labeling, such as mass balance discrepancies or fitness for regulatory compliance. Mollie also keeps current with new industry regulations and provides training to internal team members, as well as hosts external webinars for Eurofins clients.

Dr. David Legan is the Director of Science for Eurofins Microbiology. Formally affiliated with the lab in Madison, WI, he works across the US network of labs on all aspects of method selection, development, validation, and verification. In previous roles he spent time within Kraft Foods and Nabisco working on preservation systems, food safety and pathogen modeling. He began his career at Campden BRI in the UK working on all aspects of bakery microbiology. He holds a PhD from the University of Reading in the UK. 

In this episode, Dr. Legan joins Dr. Doug Marshall to discuss his extensive background in microbiology, the challenges that he faces in method development and application, and other insights that he has gained throughout a lengthy 40-year career.

Christine McIntosh-Cole is the Business Unit Manager for Eurofins GeneScan in New Orleans, LA. In this role, Christine is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the division's operations, with a focus on driving growth, enhancing service delivery, and fostering a culture of innovation and collaboration. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Louisiana State University (LSU) and has an extensive background at Eurofins including positions such as Business Development Director, Client Onboarding Manager, National Sales Manager, and Analytical Services Manager.

In this episode, Christine and Doug review the many different career paths of Eurofins, the ins and outs of running a business, and the unique service offerings of GeneScan.

Cris Amarillas, Ph.D., is the Chief Science Officer for Botanicals at Eurofins Botanicals Inc. In her role, she serves as the scientific botanical expert, guiding technical direction in botanical testing and quality, and ensuring accuracy and excellence throughout the organization. Dr. Amarillas holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Stanford University and is a clinical herbalist, having completed two certificate programs at the California School of Herbal Studies (CSHS). Cris brings her passion for herbalism, botanical chemistry, regulatory frameworks, and industry applications to all aspects of her professional life.

In this episode, Dr. Amarillas takes Doug through questions and approach that people should be thinking about for botanical testing, pulling on her expertise as an herbalist, physical chemist, and ballerina (?!) along the way.

Stay tuned for the next episode in our "Behind the Science" series. Sign up below to be notified of upcoming episodes.

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