Public Analyst
Public Analyst laboratories specialise in the science of Public Protection, testing food, water, feeds, toys, cosmetics, etc, to confirm compliance with current regulations. They are the internationally recognised official EC food control laboratories, within the United Kingdom.MTD's UKAS Accredited Public Analysts operate independently of any external organisation or Governmental Body.
The extensive training and expertise required to obtain a Mastership of Chemical Analysis (MChemA) (Public Analyst qualification) makes Public Analysts a rare breed (only about thirty currently practice in the UK). However, MTD are pleased to offer the services of three fully qualified and experienced Public Analysts who are skilled at presenting their findings and, if necessary, as expert witnesses in a court of law.
MTD's laboratories contain highly sophisticated modern equipment sitting alongside traditional-looking racks of glassware. Suitable analysis is applied to each specific investigation, where even the best modern technology may not be as appropriate as a classical approach.
MTD have contracts with Local Government Authorities and provide many services to industries where our high degree of skill, reliability and integrity may not be available through other commercial laboratories.
Public Analysts are active in many areas relevant to the protection of the public, particularly the
following:-
- Agriculture
- Blood Alcohol Service
- Consumer Protection/Trade Description
- Environment
- Food
- Pharmaceuticals
- Waters & Effluents
Agriculture
Fertilisers for full statutory analysis and contaminants.
Grains and animal feeding stuffs for full statutory analysis and examinations including:
- Mammalian protein
- Medical additive
- Nutrition
- Other contaminants
- Toxicants
Hay and silage assessments.
Soil analysis for:
- Lime requirements
- Macronutrients
- Micronutrients
Blood Alcohol Service
Blood and urine analysis in accordance with the Road Traffic Act
Advisory Services include consultancy in "back-calculations" for Solicitors and expert witness appearances when required.
The laboratories operate to a UKAS quality system with an extensive list of validated methods, a numbers of which are UKAS accredited. For a list of our current accredited methods follow to link below to our schedule of accreditation on the UKAS website:
Link to HJE schedule on UKAS website
Consumer Protection/Trade Description
Items which are subject to the Sale of Goods Act, Trades Descriptions Acts, and the CHIP Regulations this would include:- Antifreeze preparations
- Detergents
- Glazed ceramics and cooking ware.
- Hand tools for claims relating to metal type and fitness for purpose
- Household chemical preparations
- Textile fibre content
- Toys, pencils and graphic items
Food
Full chemical analysis and bacteriological examination of foods, including:- Composition
- Contaminants
- Modified atmospheres
- Nutrition
- Pesticide
- Preservative
- Shelf-live evaluation
- Toxicant residues
Immunological examination of foods including:
- Detection of cows milk in goats milk and cheese
- Meat species
- Peanut protein
- Soya
- Various mycotoxins
Full microscopical evaluations including:
- Foreign bodies in foods
- Identification of moulds
- Insect fragments
- Plant tissues
DNA analysis
- Fish species
- GMOs
Local Authority food complaint sample investigation including foreign body identification utilising MTD's electron microscope and infra red microscope
All aspects of food legislation including correct labelling requirements.
Environment
- Assessments of air pollutants
- Contaminated land and groundwater pollutants analysis
- Identification of unknown containers of substances washed onto local beaches for the Emergency Services or Local Authorities
- Landfill gas
- Services or Local Authorities
Pharmaceuticals
- Examination for drugs of addiction (Home Office Licence)
- Herbal medicine examinations
- Full monographs assays for medicines contained in the British, European and United States Pharmacopoeias
Waters & effluents
- Full analysis of effluents, trade wastes and landfill leachates
- Full chemical and bacteriological analysis of drinking waters to regulatory standards.
- Swimming pool water chemical and bacteriological testing
Advisory Services include quality assessments of water for bottling, production from boreholes, recommendations for treatment of potable water and safe discharge of trade wastes.