WALTHAM, Mass.–Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., the world leader in serving science, today announced that scientists at its global Food Safety Response Center, located in Dreieich, Germany, have developed and internally validated a new method for detecting residue levels of the fungicide carbendazim in oranges and orange juice.

The new carbendazim method was developed in response to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announcement in January that it would test shipments of imported orange juice for the fungicide. Thermo Fisher’s method can reliably detect carbendazim in orange juice to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.

Speaking at the Food Safety Response Center in Dreieich, Alan Malus, Thermo Fisher executive vice president and president of the Analytical Technologies Group said, “Our team of scientists worked around the clock to develop a method to rapidly and reliably test orange juice for traces of carbendazim, and we are pleased to provide the industry with an improved method that automates the sample preparation and improves lab productivity.”

The new method for detecting carbendazim uses Thermo Scientific Turboflow technology to automate sample preparation, enabling laboratories to analyze more samples per day. Prior methods rely on manual sample preparation, which is time-consuming and not as repeatable as the new, automated method.

Carbendazim is a chemical fungicide that is used to treat crops worldwide, including in Canada, Japan, Europe and Brazil, to control the growth of fungus and mold. It is not registered for use on U.S. citrus crops. The Food Safety Modernization Act of 2011 requires that importers verify the safety of food from their suppliers and gives the FDA authority to block the importation of foods of questionable safety from facilities or countries.

Laboratories interested in obtaining a copy of the new, validated method can download a copy at www.thermoscientific.com/fsnews.

About Thermo Fisher Scientific

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. is the world leader in serving science. Our mission is to enable our customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer. With revenues of nearly $11 billion, we have approximately 37,000 employees and serve customers within pharmaceutical and biotech companies, hospitals and clinical diagnostic labs, universities, research institutions and government agencies, as well as in environmental and process control industries. We create value for our key stakeholders through two premier brands, Thermo Scientific and Fisher Scientific, which offer a unique combination of continuous technology development and the most convenient purchasing options. Our products and services help accelerate the pace of scientific discovery, and solve analytical challenges ranging from complex research to routine testing to field applications. Visit www.thermofisher.com.