Chemists at Jeol USA have published a report entitled Rapid Detection of Melamine in Dry Milk Using AccuTOF-DART.
The findings demonstrate that Direct Analysis in Real Time (DART) open-air ionization can rapidly and accurately screen suspected foods for melamine.
The Jeol AccuTOF-DART analysed a mixture of powdered milk and melamine in seconds.
The DART detected melamine at levels well below the United States Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) maximum allowable concentration of 2.5ppm.
Earlier this year, the FDA's Forensic Chemistry Center (FCC) reported that researchers had initially detected melamine in pet food using the DART open-air ionization method.
The University of the Pacific also used the DART and published its findings in the Journal of Analytical Toxicology after successful analysis of dog food during a recall of pet foods in April 2007.
The AccuTOF-DART methodology does not require time-consuming extractions or chromatographic methods to detect melamine in dry milk or other food products.
The analysis was carried out by dipping a melting point tube into the mixture and then dangling the glass rod in front of the DART sensor.
Within seconds of sampling the tainted milk powder, the AccuTOF-DART provided exact masses and isotopic data to identify melamine at levels between 500ppb and 1000ppm.
