Amongst consumers, protein is currently all the rage. In fact, it is in such high demand that the supply can no longer keep up. Supplementary protein is being added to all kinds of consumer goods, like coffee, chips, cereal, sports drinks, and more. Most of these protein boosts are made possible thanks to a by-product of cheese-making known as whey. Since it cannot be produced on its own, cheese and dairy product manufacturers are unable to keep up with the growing demand for what was once considered disposable.<h3>Growing Concern Over 2026 Whey Protein Shortage</h3>While retailers have yet to see stock shortages of whey protein products, shoppers should expect prices to begin to trend upward. According to the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2026-06-01/no-whey-theres-shortage-of-popular-protein-as-food-companies-put-it-in-everything">LA Times</a>, some suppliers are already sold out of their whey for the remainder of 2026, and wholesale costs have escalated by an average of 40%. This cost is sure to be reflected onto consumers soon. For companies that can no longer afford whey protein due to the astronomical price hike, they are forced to either stop production or find an alternative.<h3>Evaluating Whey Protein Alternatives for Food Reformulation</h3>Whey is a complete protein that is naturally found in milk. It contains essential amino acids that support skeletal muscle protein synthesis and accumulation of lean body mass. It is one of the fastest-acting protein sources due to its readily digestible nature and is added to food or beverages easily in its powdered state. All of these elements combined make whey protein one of the most popular sports supplements in the world.There are several alternatives to whey protein that can help keep protein-supplemented products on the shelves, such as plant-based protein or milk protein concentrate. However, since these proteins are formulated differently, change is not often one-to-one. Producers will have to reformulate their products to give customers the closest taste, mouthfeel, and protein content as before—not an easy or quick process.<h3>Ensuring Accurate Protein Content</h3>An important part of reformulation is ensuring that new products will still meet the protein demands of consumers. Testing for protein content can be time-consuming and messy —unless you automate it.With LECO’s <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/products/1884">FP828 </a>and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/products/1885">FP928</a> protein analysis instruments, determining protein content is a swift and easy task. Users get results within 5 minutes with macro sample sizes. Up to 100 samples can be loaded at a time with an autoloader, making these instruments impeccable tools for high-throughput labs that need to reformulate quickly.You can see how both of these instruments provided rapid and accurate data when analyzing whey protein by reading the following application notes:<ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/FP_928_NITROGEN_PROTEIN_WHEY_POWDERED_DAIRY_203_821_671_1ecb5b0d95.pdf">Determination of Nitrogen/Protein in Whey and Powdered Dairy Products using the FP928</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/FP_828_NITROGEN_PROTEIN_WHEY_POWDERED_DAIRY_203_821_670_d13e6d3d92.pdf">Nitrogen and Protein in Whey and Powdered Dairy Products with the FP828</a></li></ul>Beyond reformulation, this shortage of whey protein highlights an important turning point for the food industry.&nbsp;Consumers aren’t going to stop demanding protein-boosted snacks; they will instead buy from the brands that successfully pivot first. High-throughput labs that can quickly validate new plant-based or blended formulations will be the ones that keep products on shelves and maintain consumer loyalty. Is your lab equipped to lead the transition?<blockquote><h4>Upgrade Your Protein Testing Capabilities</h4><ul><li>Explore all the advantages of having a LECO FP828 or FP928 Macro Determinator in your protein lab by visiting the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.leco.com/products/828-series/">FP828 instrument page</a> or <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="http://www.leco.com/products/928-series/">FP928 instrument overview</a>.</li><li>You can also find helpful resources—like application notes and webinars—in our <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.leco.com/applications/protein-analysis/">Protein Analysis Resource Hub</a>.</li><li>If you have a specific question about our protein analysis instruments, feel free to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.leco.com/contact/">contact an expert today</a>.</li></ul></blockquote>

 From Trash to Treasure: Testing Alternatives to Whey Protein Amidst Shortage

Interlaboratory comparisons (ILCs) have been used for more than a century and many important concepts are linked to them. This leaflet addresses the basic terminology of ILCs, why some colloquial terms can be misleading or misunderstood, and the importance of harmonisation.&nbsp;An ‘ILC’ is the organisation, performance and evaluation of measurements or tests on the same or similar items by two or more laboratories in accordance with predetermined conditions [1]. ILCs have a variety of overall – and detailed – objectives, the three most common [2] being:<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Eurachem_Let_s_call_a_PT_scheme_a_PT_scheme_3_9993b9fb0f.jpg" alt="Eurachem: Let’s call a PT scheme a PT scheme" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_Eurachem_Let_s_call_a_PT_scheme_a_PT_scheme_3_9993b9fb0f.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="1516" height="472"><h4>Some comparisons have special names&nbsp;</h4>The evaluation of participant (laboratory, organisation or individual) performance is typically referred to as ‘proficiency testing’ (PT) or ‘external quality assessment’ [1]. When the main objective is evaluating the performance of, for example, a candidate standard method, the ILC is often called a ‘method performance study’ or a ‘collaborative study’ [2, 3]. The former is quite clear whereas wording such as “collaborative” and “cooperative” just stresses joint effort. A project aimed at producing a new certified reference material may involve several laboratories conducting analyses on agreed properties [4]. Not surprisingly, this work is sometimes labelled as a ‘material certification study’. Special ILCs used to demonstrate measurement capabilities of National Metrology Institutes are called ‘key comparisons’, ‘supplementary comparisons’, and ‘pilot studies’ [5].&nbsp;<h4>Some terms can be confusing&nbsp;</h4>Other terms for ILCs, including ‘ring test’, ‘round robin’ and ‘circle analysis’, are common in the literature. They have, however, been used for different objectives and different designs and may be ambiguous or understood differently by laboratory staff. The use of these terms may, for example, imply a specific way of distributing the ILC sample. ISO/IEC 17043 uses ‘sequential scheme’, for a PT where a unique item is transferred between the participants and ‘simultaneous scheme’, in which similar items from a batch are distributed simultaneously to the participants [1].&nbsp;Terms like ‘measurement audit’, ‘interlaboratory testing scheme’, ‘measurement comparison scheme’, ‘rapid performance evaluation scheme’ and ‘intercalibration’ may not correctly reflect the category of laboratory involved, or the type of work participants do during the ILC.&nbsp;When in 1994 the IUPAC defined and described three major types of ‘interlaboratory studies’, the word ‘study’ was preferred to synonyms such as ‘trial’, ‘exercise’, ‘test’, ‘evaluation’ or ‘check’ [2].<h4>Let’s try to harmonise&nbsp;</h4>Many laboratory staff are unaware of official terms related to ILCs but recognise the acronym PT and words like ‘ring test’. Ideally, we would use a common scientific language, but harmonisation is time consuming. Terms appear and disappear and definitions change. The same term can be defined differently, even in different international standards. Lack of standards and guidelines in local languages can cause confusion and contribute to spreading of less appropriate terms.&nbsp;<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Eurachem_Let_s_call_a_PT_scheme_a_PT_scheme_2_820043ce8b.jpg" alt="Eurachem: Let’s call a PT scheme a PT scheme" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_Eurachem_Let_s_call_a_PT_scheme_a_PT_scheme_2_820043ce8b.jpg 234w," sizes="100vw" width="1006" height="671">Much confusion can be avoided by clear reference to relevant standards and sectoral guides. ISO/ IEC 17043 [1] and ISO 13528 [6] contain many important concepts related to PT schemes and other ILCs. Some of these are also incorporated into ISO/IEC 17025 [7]. Additional useful, and free, tools are the Eurachem PT Guide [8] and the ISO online browsing platform [9].&nbsp;In writing guidance and instructions, remember that the term ‘interlaboratory comparison’ has a broad meaning and can be used for all cases described above. Sometimes this is clear enough for the reader. In other cases, use acknowledged terms that reflect the detailed objective of the ILC. Let’s call a PT scheme a PT scheme!

Let’s call a PT scheme a PT scheme!

The countdown is on for one of the world’s leading conferences dedicated to food analysis. The 12th International Symposium on Recent Advances in Food Analysis (RAFA 2026), taking place in Prague from 3–6 November 2026, is approaching two important milestones: the Early Bird registration deadline and the deadline for oral abstract submissions, both ending on 30 June 2026. Researchers, analysts, industry professionals, regulators, and students are encouraged to secure their participation at a reduced registration rate and take advantage of the opportunity to present their latest scientific results to the international food analysis community.RAFA 2026 will once again bring together leading experts from academia, industry, and regulatory organizations to discuss the latest developments in food safety, authenticity, contaminants, non-target screening, PFAS, microplastics, food contact materials, artificial intelligence, and advanced analytical technologies. The preliminary program already features an outstanding lineup of internationally recognized speakers addressing some of the most pressing challenges in modern food analysis and food safety.<h3>Registration</h3><blockquote>👉<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://rafa.easyevent.eu/tickets/">Register to attend RAFA 2026!</a>Early-bird registration until 30 June, 2026</blockquote>After successful submission of your registration, you will receive by e-mail (i) an automatic confirmation of receipt indicating the total amount of payment due (either for bank transfer or for on-line payment by card), (ii) login to Member section where you can administrate your profile, submit your abstracts, and from September 2026 register for satellite events, workshops and seminars. If it will not be delivered within a few minutes after submission of your registration please contact us at RAFA2026@vscht.cz.As soon as payment of registration fee is processed, you will also receive by e-mail (iii) confirmation of payment.<h4>Registration Fees</h4><ul><li>Smart rate (Until 30 June, 2026): € 655</li><li>Regular registration (Until 30 September, 2026): € 855</li><li>Late registration (From 1 October, 2026): € 955</li><li>Student rate*&nbsp;<ul><li>Until 30 June, 2026: € 465</li><li>From 1 July, 2026: € 605</li></ul></li></ul>* The proof of student status (e.g. copy of a student identify card) is requested as an attachment of the registration form.<h5>The regular registration fee will include:</h5><ul><li>Attendance at all scientific sessions, workshops, seminars, vendor seminars and other satellite events</li><li>Access to the poster and exhibition area</li><li>Conference kit (name badge, conference bag, conference documents, certificate of participation, certificate of presentation on request)</li><li>Final programme</li><li>E-Book of Abstracts</li><li>Coffee breaks</li><li>Buffet luncheons</li><li>Welcome drink</li></ul>In the registration form you can register free of charge for the welcome drink and you can also order ticket(s) for the conference dinner (€ 85).Please note that your registration is firm when your payment has been received.<h3>Abstract submission</h3><blockquote>👉<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://rafa.easyevent.eu/tickets/">Submit your ABSTRACT HERE!</a>In order to submit an abstract, you must first register to attend RAFA 2026. After registration you will receive an access to the Member section where you can submit your abstract(s).</blockquote>&nbsp;After successful submission of your abstract you will receive an automatic confirmation of receipt of submitted abstract via e-mail. If it will not be delivered within a few minutes after submission of your abstract please check at first your spam box-mail and then contact us at RAFA2026@vscht.cz.Please ensure that your abstract does not contain spelling, grammatical or scientific errors. Even though modifications of your submitted abstract will be allowed in the Abstract section of the Member section until the deadline for the abstract submission, please be confident on the lack of errors in your final version prior to starting the submission process.The abstract will be reproduced exactly as submitted. No proofreading will be done, although some corrections may be requested by the reviewers.If you need to withdraw your abstract, a written statement reflecting the reasons for this decision must be sent to RAFA2026@vscht.cz no later than September 30, 2026.<h4>Important notice:</h4><blockquote>1 registered participant can submit no more than 2 abstracts.</blockquote>To apply for a young scientist’s oral presentation, as an indication please respect the rule that you should be born in 1991 or later.The text of the abstract should be limited to 3000 characters including spaces. Tables and pictures are not allowed.Abstracts of oral presentations and posters will be included into the "e-Book of Abstracts" only after receipt of the conference registration fee. Any payment of the registration fee has to be received until September 30, 2026, otherwise contribution(s) will not be included into the e-Book of Abstracts and the Conference programme.<h3>Program</h3><h4>Invited Speakers</h4><h5>Food allergen risk assessment: Past, present, future</h5><ul><li>Ben Remington from Remington Consulting Group B.V., Utrecht, the Netherlands &amp; University of Nebraska, USA</li></ul>Food allergy and allergen management are global public health issues, and consumer protection depends on transparent and trustworthy labelling. While 30 years of scientific advances show that low level exposures, or reference doses, are unlikely to trigger reactions in most allergic individuals, harmonized and globally aligned regulations are still needed to promote consistent allergen risk assessment and labelling decisions. This presentation will discuss the landscape of allergen risk assessment, global policy developments, current research and future needs in the area.<h5>Unmasking hidden adulteration in honey: Strategies for detecting and characterizing honeys produced from sugar-fed colonies</h5><ul><li>Oscar Nuñez Burcio from University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain</li></ul>From hive to jar, not all honey tells the same story. This presentation addresses hidden adulteration associated with sugar-fed bee colonies, highlighting implications for authenticity, production practices, and the need for a more precise characterization of honey to ensure consumer trust.<h5>Analytical and toxicological methods for safety of food contact materials</h5><ul><li>Erich Leitner from Graz University of Technology, Institute of Analytical Chemistry and Food Chemistry, Graz, Austria</li></ul>Food packaging plays a critical role in protecting and preserving food throughout the supply chain. All packaging materials intended to come into contact with food must comply with strict EU safety rules. Due to increased complexity of packaging solutions, lowering legal limits and increasing numbers of target compounds, we also have to adapt the strategies used to verify and guarantee the safety of these materials.<h5>Data-driven strategies to reduce complexity in non-target HRMS analysis of food samples</h5><ul><li>Anneli Kruve from Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden</li></ul>LC/HRMS based non-target screening can detect hundreds to thousands of chemical features in complex food and environmental samples. Investigating all of these in detail is practically impossible, so which ones to focus on? Novel computational tools developed in computational mass spectrometry allow predicting the toxicity and concentration of the detected chemical features even if these have not yet been fully structurally elucidated. Combining these predictions enables us to focus on the chemical features possessing high risk.<h5>Role of AI in the identification of emerging food systems risks</h5><ul><li>Ákos Bernard Jóźwiak from Syreon Research Institute, Budapest, Hungary</li></ul>AI-assisted evidence synthesis – spanning curated scientific evidence, exposome data, and network analysis – is the backbone of next-generation emerging chemical food safety risk identification, enabling earlier signals and more resilient surveillance systems.<h5>Challenges of microplastics analysis in the context of food safety</h5><ul><li>Dorte Herzke from Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo, Norway</li></ul>Food and food packaging are major sources of micro- and nanoplastic exposure. Plastics used in processing, storage, and packaging can release particles through heat, abrasion, and degradation. Small particles below 2 µm may cross gut barriers and carry chemicals, highlighting the need for robust and sensitive measurement methods.<h5>Never-ending analytical challenges in PFAS analysis of food</h5><ul><li>Darina Dvořáková from University of Chemistry and Technology Prague, Prague, Czechia</li></ul>Exploring and monitoring PFAS in food requires advanced strategies. Combining targeted, suspect, and non-target HRMS analysis, determination of total fluorine and sum parameters, and novel sensors provides new insights into PFAS occurrence and supports food safety monitoring.<h5>An overview of the latest scientific knowledge on process contaminants in food for appropriate risk management measures</h5><ul><li>Thierry Delatour from Nestlé Research, Lausanne, Switzerland.</li></ul>Recent scientific findings related to acrylamide and furans formation, occurrence and analytical methods in food provide important insights for risk management.

Deadline for RAFA 2026 Early Registration and Oral Abstract Submission is approaching

Article

Product

Events

Application

Academy

RAFA provides an overview of contemporary trends in ANALYTICAL & BIOANALYTICAL STRATEGIES IN FOOD QUALITY AND SAFETY CONTROL and discusses CHALLENGES / NOVEL APPROACHES IN FOOD AND NATURAL PRODUCTS ANALYSIS.

Recent Advances in Food Analysis (RAFA)

Eurachem is a European network promoting international traceability of chemical measurements and good analytical practice. It provides expert guidance, supports method validation, uncertainty evaluation, proficiency testing, and facilitates discussion on technical and policy issues in analytical quality.

Eurachem

In 1936, the Laboratory Equipment Company introduced the first rapid carbon determinator for the American iron and steel industry.  Today, almost 80 years later, LECO is recognized globally as a leader in the development of high-quality analytical instrumentation, mass spectrometers, comprehensive two-dimensional chromatography, metallography & optical equipment as well as consumables.

LECO

Thermo Scientific™ iCAP™ TQ ICP-MS

Future-proof your laboratory with the power of Triple Quadrupole ICP-MS. Exceptional interference removal for research level analysis combined with routine ease of use.

<h4>Ultralow limits of detection - even for the most challenging analytical applications - and surprisingly easy to use</h4>Harness the power of Triple Quadrupole (TQ) ICP-MS for uncomplicated analysis with incredible accuracy. Expand your applications and enhance your laboratory efficiency with this breakthrough technology, which is so easy to use that it can be operated by any analyst.<ul><li>Reaction Finder enables you to tackle challenging matrices without complex, time-consuming method development.</li><li>Common Thermo Scientific™ Qtegra™ ISDS Software platform allows analysts to switch easily between ICP techniques without the need for specialist training.</li><li>Minimal installation and bench space requirements ensure any laboratory will benefit from this technology.</li></ul>The Thermo Scientific™ iCAP™ TQ ICP-MS is the solution to future-proofing your laboratory: explore developing markets, push the boundaries of your research and meet the requirements of evolving legislation.<ul><li>‘Right first time’ analysis with powerful interference removal, even in the toughest matrices.</li><li>Reduced re-runs in the daily workload with assured accuracy and repeatability.</li><li>Maintains the flexibility of single quadrupole (SQ) mode for less challenging analyses.</li></ul><h3>Inside TQ Technology</h3><h4>Highly effective interference removal for accurate and reliable results</h4><ul><li>Utilizes up to four different collision and reaction gases and the unique Reaction Finder simplifies method development. There is no requirement for advance knowledge of complex reaction chemistry: Reaction Finder does it all for you!</li><li>Integrated reaction gas handling features ensure safe and reliable instrument operation.</li><li>If SQ analysis is required, simply use the preset Single Mode Kinetic Energy Discrimination (KED) mode for rapid and reliable results.</li><li>For ultimate flexibility, the iCAP TQ ICP-MS enables you to easily switch from SQ to TQ mode in a single sample analysis, providing the best results for your complete suite of elements.</li></ul>Let Reaction Finder select the right mode for your analysis:<ul><li>SQ mode: comparable to SQ-ICP-MS instruments, Q1 transmits all masses</li><li>TQ on mass mode: Q1 and Q3 set to the same mass</li><li>TQ mass shift mode: Q1 and Q3 set to different masses</li></ul><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Thermo_Scientific_i_CAP_TQ_ICP_MS_3_cea2b3cb58.jpg" alt="Thermo Scientific™ iCAP™ TQ ICP-MS" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_Thermo_Scientific_i_CAP_TQ_ICP_MS_3_cea2b3cb58.jpg 176w," sizes="100vw" width="1739" height="1536"><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Thermo_Scientific_i_CAP_TQ_ICP_MS_4_29db95b766.jpg" alt="Thermo Scientific™ iCAP™ TQ ICP-MS" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_Thermo_Scientific_i_CAP_TQ_ICP_MS_4_29db95b766.jpg 206w," sizes="100vw" width="1352" height="1024"><h3>Ultimate Ease of Use</h3><h4>Qtegra Intelligent Scientific Data Solution Software</h4>Intuitive software enables plasma ignition to data reporting in just five clicks, enhancing your productivity for rapid results.Reaction Finder Streamline your workflow with Reaction Finder.&nbsp; Use this intuitive feature to achieve optimal interference removal for your target analytes via intelligent measurement mode selection.<ul><li>Removes the complexity from TQ technology.</li><li>Automatically selects the isotope, reaction gas and product ion.</li><li>Dramatically decreases method development time.</li><li>Enables accessibility to all users.</li><li>Provides the confidence of accurate data.</li></ul>Enhance your productivity through automated sample handling, managed within the simple interface of Qtegra ISDS Software. Routinely tackle advanced applications with hyphenated techniques to expand your application capabilities.Autodilution Fully integrated control of autodilution peripherals in Qtegra ISDS Software, delivering error-free prescriptive and intelligent dilution options.Speciation The Qtegra ISDS Software ChromControl Plug-in provides control of chromatography systems for automated sample analysis in a single software. In addition, dedicated chromatographic data processing and compound quantification features deliver simple and reliable speciation analysis.Nanoparticles Enhance your laboratory with dedicated data analysis for nanoparticle size and concentration characterization using the advanced feature set provided in the Thermo Scientific npQuant Plug-in.Laser Ablation trQuant data evaluation simplifies quantification and data export when coupled with dedicated and highly flexible laser control plug-ins.<h3>Environmental and Human Health</h3><h4>Meet the most demanding challenges in protecting our future</h4>Clinical Accuracy Advance your clinical research with total confidence provided by superior interference removal. Use Reaction Finder to determine the appropriate measurement mode for your specific application to easily obtain accurate results. Perform robust and rapid analyses, even with small volume or complex samples, such as blood and urine.Pharmaceutical Compliance Comply with confidence: iCAP TQ ICP-MS technology meets global regulatory standards including FDA, U.S. Pharmacopeia &lt;232&gt; and &lt;233&gt;, and ICH Q3D. Full system qualification, powerful reporting and integral regulatory compliance tools in the Qtegra ISDS Software enable simplified method validation, total data security and audit assurance.Geoscience Optimize geochemical exploration and mining profitability with accurate mineral analysis. Discover more about your sample with easy coupling to a range of lasers for spatial analysis of precious minerals and zircons.Environmental Health The iCAP TQ ICP-MS is a powerful solution for routinely and accurately quantifying trace analytes in the most challenging environmental matrices. Optimize your productivity with a combination of SQ and superior TQ interference removal modes. In addition, seamless speciation is achievable in any laboratory for accurate risk assessment in environmental analysis.Food Safety Remove uncertainty from food safety analysis and be prepared for future legislation with speciation and nanoparticle characterization capabilities. Even the most challenging matrices are no obstacle for the iCAP TQ ICP-MS, ensuring reliable elemental analysis to support production of safe, high quality food and beverage products.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Thermo_Scientific_i_CAP_TQ_ICP_MS_2_ba6da840f1.jpg" alt="Thermo Scientific™ iCAP™ TQ ICP-MS" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_Thermo_Scientific_i_CAP_TQ_ICP_MS_2_ba6da840f1.jpg 191w," sizes="100vw" width="650" height="532">

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Deadline for RAFA 2026 Early Registration and Oral Abstract Submission is approaching

Let’s call a PT scheme a PT scheme!

From Trash to Treasure: Testing Alternatives to Whey Protein Amidst Shortage