CHALLENGE
CHALLENGE
The Fight Against Agricultural Chemical Residues and Harmful Substances
in Food
The Fight Against Agricultural Chemical Residues and Harmful Substances
in Food
In Pursuit of Healthy, Abundant Food In Pursuit of Healthy, Abundant Food
Food
- Shimadzu analytical and measuring instruments continue to support food safety and security
- Seeking new value in food products in service to society’s overall health
Shimadzu analytical and measuring instruments continue to support food safety and security
Analyzing food additives and agricultural chemical residues
In the 1960s through to the 1970s, the safety and reliability of Japan’s food supply was threatened by a major issue. This was the presence of additives and chemical substances in food, as well as threats to human health and the environment from agricultural and other chemicals that were used in the effort to conquer postwar food shortages through mass production of agricultural products.
As countries around the world moved to take action with respect to these substances, Japan enacted its Food Sanitation Act in 1947. Food additives were designated for the first time, followed by the addition of new additives and revision of limits, and in 1968, limits for agricultural chemical residues in food were also established. Consequently, meeting these limits became a prerequisite before food products could be sold.
Shimadzu's analytical and measuring instruments played an active part in formulating and updating these laws. Shimadzu began marketing UV-visible spectrophotometers in the 1950s. By measuring the light transmittance of food extracts with these devices, one can determine the levels of dyes, preservatives and other additives that are present. Shimadzu developed Japan's first gas chromatograph (GC) in 1956, allowing the analysis of agricultural chemical residues. GCs employ helium or other gases to heat and vaporize samples for analysis, but foods such as vegetables must be preprocessed—including being minced, extracted, concentrated, and filtered—before analysis. As concerns spread regarding foods forming the basis of people’s lives, Shimadzu established its analysis center in 1964, reflecting its belief that if people were to be able to eat with peace of mind, analytical techniques, such as preprocessing, needed to be promoted along with the development of analytical and measuring instruments. As such, Shimadzu was hosting training sessions to promote the spread of the necessary preprocessing techniques a full four years before the government established its residue limits for agricultural chemicals under the Food Sanitation Act. In 1972, with the debut of liquid chromatographs (LC), which could analyze samples without heating and using liquids instead of gases, the range of agricultural chemical residues subject to analysis greatly increased.
Realizing highly accurate testing with rapid, highly sensitive separation and detection equipment
Where no residue limits existed for specific agricultural chemicals, measures (such as prohibiting sale) could not be taken even upon detection. In response, Japan revised its Food Sanitation Act and introduced a new Positive List System in 2006. Residue limits were established for all agricultural chemicals, with products exceeding the limits prohibited from being sold in principle. Regulation was applied to more than 800 chemicals, and inspections were required to detect even tiny amounts. As such, more precision and efficiency are required than ever.
This is where a mass spectrometer (MS) becomes useful. These highly sensitive devices can measure substances separated by GC or LC in minute quantities. GC-MS and LC-MS systems are employed by agricultural testing stations and vegetable shipping centers such as agricultural cooperatives and food manufacturers, public and private inspection entities, and other users.
Supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) has recently begun to attract interest. SFC utilizes the supercritical state of matter, which has both gaseous and liquid properties, and its separation characteristics differ from those of GC and LC. Shimadzu has developed a fully automatic system for extraction through to analysis of target components, enabling the detection of agricultural chemical residues with a high degree of precision.
In addition to testing for chemical residues, devices from Shimadzu are contributing to food safety and security. For example, with aging, it becomes more difficult to chew and swallow food smoothly, a condition known as dysphagia. For those with dysphagia, whether or not a food is easy to swallow is a significant determining factor in the safety and security of the food they eat. Standards have been established for the hardness and adhesiveness of food intended for consumption by individuals with dysphagia, and Shimadzu material testing equipment can determine adherence to such standards.
Seeking new value in food products in service to society’s overall health
Contributing to health promotion with functional-ingredient and other types of analysis
By verifying that harmful substances in food, if any, are only present within safe limits, public trust in food safety and security is ensured, and expectations increase with respect to substances that support health and maintain or even enhance cognitive functioning. Such substances are now a subject of research.
One example is the labeling system for functional foods that came into effect in Japan in 2015. This allows enterprises to advertise the functional merits of their food products based on scientific evidence. For example, dietary fiber can help promote digestive functioning and prevent or ease lifestyle diseases by helping to eliminate fats and sugars during digestion. The carotenoids abundant in green and yellow vegetables can defend cells against oxidative damage by quenching reactive oxygen species. If food producers can verify the amounts of such substances in food, they can promote their products from a different basis than taste alone, and consumers will be enabled to more easily choose healthful foods. As such, this is another area where analytical and measuring instruments can add value to food and support healthy eating habits.
In 2014, before the labeling system for functional foods was introduced, Shimadzu established the Miyazaki Food Research Consortium in collaboration with Miyazaki Prefecture, University of Miyazaki, and other organizations. The Food Safety Analysis Center, which opened in Miyazaki City in 2015, is working to develop new analytical technologies in categories including antioxidants and immunity, and is helping to ensure the safety and quality of foods that make functional claims.
Striving to realize a healthy, long-lived society with the latest equipment and technology
To make further contributions to food, Shimadzu has entered into a joint research agreement with Japan’s National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO) with the goal of analyzing functional components of food. Shimadzu has also established its NARO Shimadzu Kyoto Laboratory for Food Innovation (the NARO Shimadzu Laboratory) at the company’s head office. In addition, in 2022, Shimadzu established the Self Care Food Council in collaboration with NARO, Hokkaido Information University, and food manufacturers. In addition to verifying the functionality and safety of agricultural products, Shimadzu is developing analytical and measuring instruments for purposes including diagnosis of and research relating to Alzheimer's disease. Overall, our aim is to create a social system that allows people to choose the foods they need to maintain health, and realize a society of long life and good health through food.
For example, in Yamaguchi Prefecture, we are collaborating with Yamaguchi University and others in a study that involves three groups. One group received guidance relating to exercise, nutrition, and cognitive training once a week for 18 months. The second group consumed a designated yogurt each day. The third group acted as a control. The study compared and verified the degree of decline in cognitive and motor functions, if any, for each group. This research utilizes Shimadzu's new analytical method for detecting Alzheimer's lesions (amyloid accumulation) with a high degree of accuracy from a few drops of blood, and the knowledge gained thereby is being used to carry out research in conjunction with government and private sector organizations.
In joint research with Hokkaido’s Ebetsu City and other partners, we are conducting annual examinations of 1,200 Ebetsu citizens aged 55 to 75, with the aim of examining measures, focusing on diet, to prevent the progression of dementia. This is the first large-scale survey in Japan specifically to investigate the causes of Alzheimer's-type dementia over a 10-year period. Shimadzu’s role is to analyze and evaluate the results of blood tests and other measurements, utilizing the latest analytical and measuring instruments.
Thus Shimadzu’s diverse efforts to meet the challenge of realizing a healthy, long-lived society are also taking place in the field of healthcare. Food is the cornerstone of life, nurturing mental as well as physical health. With pride in our mission to support the foundations of people's lives, Shimadzu's analytical and measuring instruments will keep on evolving for a better future.
CHALLENGE
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