Applied Biosystems – Part of Life Technologies – Helps China Respond to Melamine Contamination in Dairy Products : Government and Industry Increase Contaminant Testing to Increase Fo...( Applied Bios...),Health

Applied Biosystems, part of Life Technologies Corporation (NASDAQ:LIFE), a provider of innovative life science research and discovery solutions, today announced that the Chinese government and two leading food manufacturers are implementing its mass spectrometry-based technologies for food analysis as part of efforts to identify and contain the spread of melamine in the food supply.

SHANGHAI, China & CARLSBAD, Calif. (Business Wire EON) December 2, 2008 -- Melamine contamination in dairy products is getting widespread attention following recent media reports of outbreaks in China and other countries. More than 94,000 infants and young children have been treated for health issues related to tainted infant formula and other products. China is responding to this issue with a series of actions that include increased food safety testing.

Melamine is a synthetic substance generally used in making plastics and fertilizer. The nitrogen-rich molecule is sometimes illegally added to consumer and animal food products in order to increase their apparent protein content. Melamine is known to cause renal and urinary problems in humans and animals; therefore, its use in food production is universally banned.

The Chinese government and industry are taking action to protect a broad range of food products and animal feed through enhanced testing procedures that require laboratory instrumentation capable of precise identification of melamine and other contaminants.

The Chinese General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine and two dairy manufacturers – Shanxi Gucheng and Yashili Dairy Company – are leading the efforts to establish the highest standards of food safety. These organizations recently deployed five API 3200™ mass spectrometry systems, which scan, identify and measure the quantity of various food contaminants. These systems deliver
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