Please isolate your sample into a sealed container such as a petri dish or a small ziplock bag. When submitting sediment pads for analysis please ensure they are completely enclosed or placed in a secondary container such as an envelope or ziplock bag. We request that you try not stick samples to tape or glue-like substances as this may coat the sample and interfere with our ability to isolate it for testing.
Before sending your sample, please contact our Forensics Team with details of your testing needs and we can provide you with additional information and get a quote sent out to you if required.
Our standard turnaround time (TAT) is 5 working days and does not include our more specialised testing. If you require specialised testing an additional 5-10 working days is added to the TAT depending on which analysis you require. We will let you know about this when we provide options for additional testing.
Urgent TAT is 2-3 working days from receipt of the sample at our Wellington Laboratory. Urgent testing also comes with a 100% surcharge.
Raw Materials testing
In this type of testing, samples are compared with our reference database to provide a result on a scale from not consistent to consistent. From lowest confidence to highest confidence of a reference comparison match is: ‘Not Consistent’, ‘Some Similarities with’, ‘Strong Similarities with’ and ‘Consistent’.
To check if AsureQuality has a reference for the raw material you are testing, please contact our Forensics Team to confirm before sending the sample.
If you require a formal quote to produce a purchase order, please contact our Forensics Team.
To submit your sample, fill in a Forensic submission form (available to download at the bottom of the page) with your details and what you want the sample to be called (include batch/lot number if required). In the ‘sample details’ or ‘purpose of testing’ section write ‘Raw Material Identification’. If you want you can also include the type of raw material, i.e. lactose, L-carnitine, citric acid etc., but it is not required.
Send the sample and submission form to:
AsureQuality Ltd
ATTN: Forensics
1C Quadrant Drive,
Waiwhetu,
Wellington, 5010
You could also send the submission form electronically to Forensics@asurequality.com and GracefieldSR@asurequality.com. Please note that only the recipient emails in the ‘Reporting Details’ section on the submission form will receive the Forensic Report.
Foreign matter/reference comparison testing
Our forensics team can help with the identification of numerous sample types including oil- / fat-based materials, protein-based materials, carbohydrate-based materials, dairy-based materials, burnt dairy, plastics, rubbers, fibres, paper, plant matter, pest fragments, glass, metals, hairs, bone fragments and a few other specialty types.
If you are unsure whether we can help with the foreign matter you are wanting tested, please contact our Forensics Team to confirm before sending the sample.
If you require a formal quote to produce a purchase order, please let our Forensics Team know and you will be provided a generic Forensic quote. This will provide you with all of the generic test codes you may need. If you require further specialty test codes (for things such as glass, plant and pest fragments) we can quote those separately.
To submit your sample, fill in a Forensic submission form (available to download at the bottom of the page) with your details and what you want the sample to be called (include batch/lot number if required). In the ‘sample details’ or ‘purpose of testing’ section write as much information as you can about what it is, where it has come from, and what you want us to be able to tell you. For example, “black foreign matter found in our mixer after running a skim milk powder batch. Please identify” or “Sample X is foreign matter, please identify. Compare with Reference Y to confirm if it is a source”.
Send the sample and submission form to:
AsureQuality Ltd
ATTN: Forensics
1C Quadrant Drive,
Waiwhetu,
Wellington, 5010
You could also send the submission form electronically to Forensics@asurequality.com and GracefieldSR@asurequality.com. Please note that only the recipient emails in the ‘Reporting Details’ section on the submission form will receive the Forensic Report.
Understanding Forensic Test codes
FR-IDEN01 (01-DEFAULT)
- This is required for every foreign matter job and covers various operations surrounding the identification process each sample undergoes. This includes visual microscopy, a brief visual description of the foreign matter, images of the foreign matter under the microscope, measured dimensions, any raw analytical data obtained during testing, the interpretation of those results, and a generic list of potential sources of the foreign matter.
FR-IDEN01 (02-ADD)
- This is required for every additional foreign matter sample within the job that is covered by the 01-DEFAULT test code.
FR-IDEN01 (03-MULTI_INCOMP)
- This is required for every cross-comparison within a single report.
FR-IDEN01 (04-MULTI_EXCOMP)
- This is required for every cross-comparison of samples between reports. This test code covers a comparison of up to 4 components from a previous report with the new report being produced.
FR-FTIR01 (01-DEFAULT)
- This is our most standard form of testing as it allows for identification of organic matter. This includes fat, carbohydrate, protein, dairy, fibres, rubbers and plastics.
FR-SEMX01 (01-DEFAULT)
- This is our analytical technique for identification of inorganic testing. This includes metals, minerals, and some glass identification capabilities. This provides the elemental composition of the material, i.e. whether it is composed of iron, silicon, calcium, magnesium, etc.
SC-IDEN04 (01-DEFAULT) - AQ Forensic Pest Visual
- This is required for visual pest identification. It covers only the visual analysis of the pest fragment based on its found condition. Any detached legs, antennae, body parts are also sent for analysis along with the larger body portion if required.
- There is a chance that there is not enough sample, or it is too damaged to be accurately identified based off visual analysis alone, and that you will also require Pest DNA analysis.
SC-IDEN04 (02-DNA) – AQ Forensic Pest DNA
- This is required for pest DNA identification when visual analysis was unable to conclusively identify the sample.
- There is a chance that DNA analysis is inconclusive as the sample may be too badly damaged or has gone through a heat process where the DNA is no longer viable.
SC-IDEN05 (01-DEFAULT) – AQ Forensic Plant Visual
- This is required for visual plant identification. It covers only the visual analysis of the plant based on its found condition.
- The analysis is usually only used where the sample has been heated and DNA is not viable.
SC-IDEN05 (02-DNA) – AQ Forensic Plant DNA
- This is required for plant DNA identification. It is usually the first choice for plant based samples where DNA is likely viable.
- There is a chance that DNA analysis is inconclusive as the sample may be too badly damaged or has gone through a heat process where the DNA is no longer viable.
SC-ECOG01 (01-DEFAULT) – DNA Analysis
- This is required for specialty DNA testing for samples where AsureQuality inhouse DNA testing does not cover the DNA type. This may be specific species such as armadillo etc.
- There is a chance that DNA analysis is inconclusive as the sample may be too badly damaged or has gone through a heat process where the DNA is no longer viable.
SC-ECOG02 (01-DEFAULT) – Visual Hair Examination
- This is required for specialty hair visual analysis where AsureQuality analysts cannot achieve a conclusive answer. This may be due to the hair pigmentation being too dark and requiring a polarised microscope.
Please feel free to contact the forensics team on Forensics@asurequality.com if you have any further questions.
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