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Mycotoxins

Mycotoxins are secondary metabolites of certain moulds, mainly Aspergillus, Penicilium, Fusarium and Alternaria. They can occur in almost all products consumed by humans and animals. They are toxins resistant to technological processes (e.g., cooking, frying, baking, distillation, fermentation) and are most frequently found in products of plant origin such as: cereals, cereal products, vegetables, nuts.

The development of moulds and the mycotoxins they produce is influenced by the temperature and humidity of the air, the water content of the raw material and the degree of maturity of the plants. In addition to the high health risk, mycotoxins can cause serious economic losses. This may be the result of unfavourable weather conditions during the growing or harvesting period or of incorrect storage. It should also be taken into account that, with changing environmental conditions, a single mould species can produce several mycotoxins.

According to FAO estimates, mycotoxins may contaminate up to 25% of the world’s food production, and complete elimination of mycotoxins is an essentially unattainable goal. More than 400 mycotoxins are currently known, of which about 20 pose a serious threat to crops that are a source of food for humans and animals. In food and feed, the most commonly determined mycotoxins are:

  • aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2 (aflatoxin M1, mainly in milk and products).
  • ochratoxin A,
  • trichothecenes (e.g. deoxynivalenol, T2, HT-2),
  • fumonisins B1, B2,
  • zearalenone,
  • patulin,
  • ergot alkaloids.

Mycotoxins can form at various stages of food production, from plant vegetation, through harvest, to the storage of the harvest or even the final product. During the vegetation period, phytopathogenic fungi strains, e.g., of the genus Fusarium, are the source of mycotoxins, whereas during storage, saprophytic fungi predominate, especially of the Aspergillus and Penicilium genera, whose mycotoxic activity depends on improper storage conditions, which may result in production of aflatoxins, ochratoxin A or citrinin (so-called storage mycotoxins).

Commission Regulation (EC) No. 1881/2006 of 19 December 2006 setting maximum levels for certain contaminants in foodstuffs, as amended, sets maximum levels for mycotoxins which pose a potential risk to human health and life. In addition to the most commonly determined ones mentioned above, maximum levels have been set for citrinin.

The study of mycotoxins in food and fodder was of particular interest to the J.S. Hamilton Poland Laboratory as early as in the 1960s, immediately after the first reports of the threat in England, where mass epidemics of poultry (“turkey X disease”) caused by mouldy fodder were reported. Over several years, our laboratory developed a method for the determination of aflatoxins using high-performance liquid chromatography. As chromatographic techniques developed, J.S. Hamilton Poland Laboratory validated and accredited methods of analysis of mycotoxins subject to monitoring, using various chromatographic techniques:

  • high performance liquid chromatography with fluorimetric detection (HPLC-FLD),
  • liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (LC‑MS/MS).

The laboratory also performs tests on herbal raw materials developed based on the requirements of the European Pharmacopoeia for the determination of aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 and ochratoxin A.

Contact our team today to learn more about our methods – or to schedule tests with J.S. Hamilton.

Consulting and Cosmetic Product Safety Report (CPSR)

Cosmetics Product Safety Report (CPSR) is an obligatory document for every cosmetic product placed on the European Union market. The legal basis is regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 30  November 2009 on cosmetic products. Detailed guidelines on the information required in the CPSR can be found in Commission Implementing Decision of 25 November 2013 on Guidelines on Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 of the European Parliament and of the Council on cosmetic products (2013/674/EU). Guidelines published by EU scientific committees dealing with risk assessment and recommendations from national competent authorities or sector organizations can provide additional support.

 

Our laboratory, in cooperation with qualified Safety Assessors, can offer you the following services:

  • the Cosmetics Product Safety Report (CPSR),
  • preliminary safety assessment – it is a short version of the safety report, including only the verification of raw materials, analysis of the toxicological profile of the substance and the preparation of a quantitative risk assessment (calculation of safety margins),
  • supplement the safety assessment – after completing the tests and completing the documentation, the Safety Assessor completes the preliminary assessment,
  • updating the safety assessment report,
  • variation of the safety assessment report,
  • translation of the safety assessment report,
  • completion the PIF documentation,
  • calculation of the content of natural / natural / organic / organic ingredients in a cosmetic product,
  • verification of the label for cosmetic,
  • hypoallergenic assessment,
  • creation CPNP account,
  • notification in the CPNP portal,
  • preparing a safety data sheet (MSDS).

 

We treat each product individually and with full professionalism. Our Safety Assessors offer assistance at every stage of the preparation of documentation for cosmetic products, as well as provide advice in the field of cosmetics regulation, guidelines and recommendations of EU scientific committees.

If you are interested in the above services, please contact Customer Service Office.

 

Machinery Directive MD

Notified (NB 2057) J.S Hamilton, as a third party, carries out mandatory conformity assessment of products with the requirements of Directive 2006/42/EC (MD).

Directive 2006/42/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 17 May 2006 on machinery, amending Directive 95/16/EC was implemented into Polish law by the Regulation of the Minister of Economy of 21 October 2008 on essential requirements for machinery (Journal of Laws No. 199, item 1228).

Products placed on the market or put into service must meet the essential safety and health requirements for the design and manufacture of:

(a) machinery,

  1. b) interchangeable equipment,
  2. c) safety components,

(d) lifting accessories,

  1. e) chains, ropes and webbing,

(f) removable mechanical transmission devices,

(g) partly completed machinery;

Before placing machinery on the market or putting it into service, the manufacturer or his authorised representative must, inter alia, carry out the appropriate conformity assessment procedure. For the aforementioned products, the Notified Body carries out voluntary conformity assessment for the product group respectively:

machinery for underground works of the following types:

  • locomotives and brake trucks,
  • hydraulic powered roof supports,
  • vehicle service lifts,

carries out the following conformity assessment procedures:

  • EC type examination.

and for the product group:

  • equipment for lifting persons or persons and goods involving a risk of falling from a height of more than 3 metres,
  • logic systems providing safety functions.

carry out the conformity assessment procedure EC type-examination.

The necessary tests to confirm that the machine meets the essential health and safety requirements of the MD Directive are carried out in our own accredited testing laboratory No. AB 1552.

Voluntary certification of Ex products

Notified Body (NB 2057) J.S. Hamilton Poland – Certification Body, based in Siemianowice Śląskie, as a third party has the capability to carry out mandatory and voluntary conformity assessment of products based on the requirements of Directive 2014/34/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014 on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres.

The necessary tests required to confirm the manufacture of an explosion-proof Ex device are carried out in our own accredited testing laboratory No. AB 1552.

In addition to the obligatory EU Type Examination assessment, we carry out the non-obligatory Type Examination certification process for non-electrical equipment in categories M2 and 2, as well as for equipment in category 3. This is an excellent way of confirming product conformity if you want the design and documentation to be verified by specialists. The process is similar to the EU Type Examination assessment, but applies to products for which no mandatory certification is required. The Type Examination Certificate does not, however, release you from additional procedures appropriate to the category and type of product, e.g. retention of documentation.

 

RoHS tests

RoHS testing

The laboratory of J.S. Hamilton Poland S.A. in Siemianowice Śląskie offers ROHS testing of electrical and electronic equipment according to directives 2011/65/EU ROHS DIRECTIVE II, 2015/863 ROHS DIRECTIVE III, DIRECTIVE 2017/2102

 

RoHS testing concerns the restriction of certain hazardous substances such as:

  • lead
  • mercury
  • cadmium
  • chromium (VI)
  • polybrominated biphenyls (PBB)
  • polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE)
  • di 2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP)
  • Butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP)
  • Dibutyl phthalate (DBP)
  • Diisobutyl phthalate (9DIBP)

At the J.S. Hamilton laboratory, ROHS testing is performed using a screening method, XRF, which combines the highest accuracy and precision in elemental composition analysis.

If the presence of Pb, Br, Cd, Cr, Hg is detected, or if the result is close to the limit of acceptability for a given element, the sample must be additionally verified by chromatographic and spectrometric methods, which are performed at our branch in Gdynia.

In the course of further analysis, the content of Pb, Cr(VI), Hg, Cd and PBB and PBDE is determined in detail.

 

Full scope of our accreditation AB 079, AB 1552 .

Fertilizers testing, load and discharge supervision

J.S. Hamilton Poland Sp.z o.o. with well-established reputation provides quality and quantity monitoring services and protects and strengthen the reputation of our clients and their fertilizing products. As a well-experienced company, J.S. Hamiloton provides professional services individually tailored to the needs of our clients.

Our accredited testing laboratories offer analytical testing capabilities which are the basis for the financial settlements and ensure quality control of goods.

Cosmetic Packaging

In the European Union, the contents of cosmetics are regulated by the Cosmetics Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009, which provides the following legal requirements which must be met by the company placing the cosmetic product on the market:

  • review cosmetic ingredients and only use compliant ingredients,
  • manufacture cosmetics in accordance with GMP,
  • perform product safety assessments,
  • prepare a compliant product label,
  • prepare and maintain a product information file.

However, there is scarce detail on the requirements for the cosmetics packaging. There are only general guidelines:

  • the packaging must not contain any of the substances expressly not allowed in the Cosmetics Regulation
  • the packaging should be in line with the general safety requirement of Article 3 for the cosmetic product
  • the packaging should be safe for human health when used under normal or reasonably foreseeable conditions.

The very useful guideline for safety assessment of cosmetic packaging is an advisory document developed by Cosmetic Europe: INFORMATION EXCHANGE ON COSMETIC PACKAGING MATERIALS ALONG THE VALUE CHAIN IN THE CONTEXT OF THE EU COSMETICS REGULATION EC 1223/2009,  13 June 2019:

“Regarding a potential impact of the packaging on the safety of the cosmetic product, the main concern lies with the potential migration of substances from the packaging into the cosmetic formulation. Depending on the material combination used, such migration may be unavoidable – and indeed, the Cosmetics Regulation acknowledges in Article 17 that: “The non-intended presence of a small quantity of a prohibited substance, stemming from … migration from packaging, which is technically unavoidable in good manufacturing practice, shall be permitted provided that such presence is in conformity with Article 3” (i.e. the requirement for products to be safe). It is therefore important that the cosmetic product safety assessor receives relevant information on the composition and migration behavior of the packaging material in order to be aware if any significant migration occurs and assess whether it would impact the cosmetic formulation safety.

For the following reasons, the information generated under food packaging legislation can in principle also be used for the safety assessment of packaging used for cosmetic products:

  • physicochemical similarities between many cosmetic formulations and typical food materials
  • manufacturing standards based on Good Manufacturing Practices
  • safety assessment of the food packaging based on its composition and potential migration of substances into the food
  • similar worst-case ratio of packaging surface to packaging content between food and cosmetics

The Food Contact supply chain has developed a practical approach based on existing legislation which can be adapted for Cosmetic Packaging. The principle has been adopted that, in the majority of cases, if the packaging is safe for a specific type of food, it should also be suitable for cosmetics that have similar physical chemical properties as this food”.

For each component where this is possible, the supplier should therefore state and prove:

  • compliance with the general requirements of EU Framework Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 on food contact materials,
  • compliance with the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP Regulation (EC) No 2023/2006),
  • compliance with requirements of EU or national legislation that are applicable for the specific type of food material,
  • the types of food (food simulants) for which this statement of compliance is valid. This allows the cosmetic product safety assessor to determine whether the information on food packaging safety is relevant for his specific cosmetic formulation.

To help our customers comply with the above rules – and to make sure their products and packaging are safe to the consumer, our laboratories at J.S. Hamilton offer a range of testing services for cosmetic packaging:

  • overall and specific migration into all food simulants
  • specific migration of:
    • Primary Aromatic Amines (PAAs) and Annex II Metals,
    • plasticizers, antioxidants, monomers and other additives,
    • Non-Intentionally Added Substances (NIAS) Screenings by methods: GC-MS/FID, LC-QToF-MS, Hedsapace-GC/MS,
    • bisphenols A, B, S, F and epoxy resin derivatives BADGE, BFDGE and NOGE in coated materials, plastics and adhesives,
    • mineral oils (MOSH/POSH & MOAH),
  • sensory analysis acc. DIN 10955, EN 1230-1/-2
  • colorfastness acc. EN 646, DIN 53160-1 / -2
  • barrier properties against gases: oxygen (OTR), water (VWTR), CO2

Contact our specialists today if you want to schedule testing or organize a sales meeting.

MOSH, POSH and MOAH

Mineral oil hydrocarbons (MOH) are complex chemical mixtures. They are mainly MOAH – mineral oils, consisting of aromatic hydrocarbons, and MOSH – mineral oils, which are mixtures of saturated hydrocarbons. The presence of these substance in food products is a threat to consumer safety and should therefore be monitored. At J.S. Hamilton, we perform MOSH and MOAH determination for food and packaging products.

The issue regarding the presence of mineral oils in food first emerged as a result of research conducted in a laboratory in Zurich, which showed the presence of certain types of mineral oils in dry food stored in packaging made of paper and cardboard. Furthermore, in 2012, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) issued an opinion in which it considered exposure to MOSH to be of concern and exposure to MOAH to be of particular concern.

Sources of mineral oil (MOH) contamination in food include migration from packaging (recycled paper, release of printing inks, use of mineral oils in the manufacture of plastics), use of jute or sisal bags, food additives such as anti-caking agents, contamination on processing lines (lubricants, diesel) or contamination during harvesting (agricultural machinery).

Mineral oils are harmful to health and accumulate mainly in fatty and dry foods. In the human body, they accumulate in internal organs, can lead to damage to the liver, heart valve and lymph nodes, and their consumption increases the risk of cancer.

In 2017, Commission Recommendation (EU) 2017/84 of 16 January 2017 was published, which required Member States to monitor the presence of mineral oils in food (fats and oils, bread, pasta, breakfast cereals, confectionery and pastry products, grains for human consumption, nuts, cured meats, fish and canned fish, confectionery products including cocoa and chocolate, ice cream and desserts, oilseeds, legumes) as well as in food contact materials.

The work on setting rules regulating the presence of mineral oils in food and in food contact materials and articles at EU level is still ongoing. In August 2020, the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture notified an updated version of the draft mineral oil regulation to the European Commission – discussions are still underway.

J.S. Hamilton Poland laboratories perform MOSH and MOAH determination by accredited method using HPLC-GC-FID in continuous mode in food, paper and board packaging and plastics.

Contact our team today to schedule your tests with us – or to learn more about mineral oils monitoring.

ATEX, IECEx training courses

In order to fully operate in the Ex market and avoid mistakes, the right competence is required, and the best way to do this is through appropriate industry-specific training.

Accredited as well as notified certification bodies have a high level of technical knowledge, and this knowledge is willingly passed on to others in the form of training. We provide customer-specific training. The range of possibilities is enormous:

  • legislation and problems concerning the marketing of products
  • CE marking
  • plant overhaul
  • ISO 9001, ATEXQ, IECEx QAR production quality systems
  • Normative and constructional requirements for Ex equipment

 

Training courses are individually tailored to the customer’s requirements, with the training programme being developed and approved by the customer on a case-by-case basis in order to focus on the issues that are really important. We conduct training in the form of open discussion, answering questions on an ongoing basis from the participants. The training can conclude with an examination at the request of the client.

 

 

Ageing, climatic and durability tests

Aging, climatic and durability tests

In the field of ageing, climate testing, we have a wide range of technical capabilities:

  • tests in a salt chamber, in neutral, acidic and alkaline brine,
  • tests in the Xenon chamber (xenon lamps) and UV chamber,
  • tests in climatic chambers, laboratory dryers, in thermal shock chambers (change of temperature up to 10s),
  • ageing tests in Mattson’s solution.

In terms of the predicted durability of corrosion protection coatings, we are able to determine their predicted durability, whether for surface, underground or

in water. We carry out tests in terms of test standards in brine, condensation, melting in water, and alternating cycles.

Durability testing according to the EN ISO 12944 standard series.

Following the durability test, we carry out control tests on the durability of coatings in accordance with

according to standard ISO 4628

 

The most commonly performed research methods:

EN 60068 series of standards

  • Environmental tests – Part 2-1: Tests – Test A: Cold,
  • Environmental tests – Part 2-2: Tests – Test B: Dry heat,
  • Environmental tests – Part 2-78: Tests – Test Cab: Moist solid heat,
  • Environmental testing – Part 2-14: Tests – N-test: Temperature changes
  • Environmental tests – Part 2-30: Tests – Test Db: Moist heat cycling
  • (12 h + 12 h cycle),
  • Environmental tests – Part 2-38: Tests – Test Z/AD: Combined temperature/humidity cyclic test,
  • Environmental tests – Part 2-67: Tests – Cy test: Moisture solid heat, accelerated test intended primarily for components.

EN ISO 9227 Corrosion tests in artificial atmospheres – Salt spray tests

EN ISO 6270-1 Paints and varnishes — Determination of resistance to moisture — Part 1: Condensation

We perform tests on the durability of plastics using the “Langley” exposure parameter

EN ISO 4892-2 Plastics — Exposure methods for laboratory light sources — Part 2: Xenon arc lamps — Amendment 1: Classification of daylight filters

PN-EN ISO 4892-3 Plastics — Exposure methods for laboratory light sources — Part 3: UV fluorescent lamps

The laboratory is accredited by the Polish Centre for Accreditation in the field of geometric measurements.

The full scope of our accreditation is AB 1552.

CRC packaging

Our laboratory offers tests on child resistant packaging acc. to EN ISO 8317:2006P. J.S. Hamilton testing laboratories provide clients  with significant global expertise in substances and chemicals analysis classified in accordance with regulated categories:

  • acute toxicity categories 1-3,
  • Specific Target Organ Toxicity (STOT)  – single exposure category 1,
  • Specific Target Organ Toxicity (STOT) – repeated exposure category 1,
  • corrosive effect on the skin category 1,
  • containing 3% methanol and/or 1% dichloromethane,
  • toxicity hazard of inhalation except aerosolized substances or mixtures brought onto market or packagings with sealed appliance producing aerosol.

ATEX Directive

Notified Body (NB 2057) J.S. Hamilton Poland- Certification Body, based in Siemianowice Śląskie, as a third party has the capability to carry out mandatory and voluntary conformity assessment of products based on the requirements of Directive 2014/34/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014 on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres.

Products intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres must comply with the essential health and safety requirements of European Union Directive 2014/34/EU commonly referred to as the ATEX Directive. In order to determine whether a product meets the requirements of the directive, appropriate conformity assessment procedures must be applied.

According to the ATEX Directive, the level of protection and the associated assessment procedures depend directly on the level of hazard and the environment in which the device will operate.

 

Certification Body for Group I and II Category M1 and 1 products respectively:

  • electrical appliances,
  • non-electrical equipment,
  • parts and components,
  • protection, control and regulation apparatus,
  • protection systems

and for Group I and II products, categories M2 and 2:

  • internal combustion engines,
  • electrical equipment,
  • parts and components,
  • protection, control and regulation apparatus,
  • medium and low voltage motors.

carry out the following conformity assessment procedures according to modules:

  • Module B: EU type examination (Annex III),
  • Module D: Conformity to type based on quality assurance of the production process (Annex IV),
  • Module F: Conformity to type based on product verification (Annex V),
  • Module C1: Conformity to type based on internal production control and supervised product testing (Annex VI),
  • Module E: Conformity to type based on product quality assurance (Annex VII)
  • Module A: Internal production control (Annex VIII) + Transfer of technical documentation
  • Module G: Conformity based on unit verification (Annex IX)

 

The necessary tests required to confirm the explosion-proof performance of group I and II equipment of categories M1 and 1 and M2, 2 and 3, respectively, are carried out in our own accredited testing laboratory No. AB 1552.

In addition to the obligatory EU Type Examination assessment, we carry out the non-obligatory Type Examination certification process for non-electrical equipment in categories M2 and 2, and for equipment in category 3. This is an excellent way of confirming product conformity if you want the construction and documentation to be verified by specialists. The process is similar to the EU Type Examination assessment, but applies to products for which no mandatory certification is required. The Type Examination Certificate does not, however, exempt you from additionally applying a procedure specific to the category and type of product, e.g. retention of documentation.

Module A: Internal production control (Annex VIII) + handing over of technical documentation applies mainly to the manufacturer, it is his responsibility to carry out the process of design, production, product quality supervision in accordance with the requirements of the essential safety requirements of the ATEX Directive. As an additional activity to which the manufacturer must pay attention is the retention of the documentation in the Notified Body. Documentation should be retained for 10 years after the end of production. The Notified Body of J.S. Hamilton accepts documentation in both paper and electronic form.

EMC tests

As part of our cooperation, we offer you electromagnetic compatibility testing and certification for compliance with general standards.

 

We operate in the series of standards:

  • PN-EN IEC 61000-6-1 series, PN-EN IEC 61000-6-3 standards for immunity and emission
  • in residential, commercial and light industrial environments,
  • the series of standards PN-EN IEC 61000-6-2, PN-EN IEC 61000-6-4 norms concerning immunity and emission in industrial environments,
  • compliance with PN-EN IEC 55014-1, PN-EN IEC 55014-2 standards concerning common use instruments, electric tools and similar devices, or subject matter, for example concerning luminaires and railway applications according to IPI-6 or EMC tests according to PN-EN 60335-1,

The research is carried out in accordance with the developed research plan. The result of the work is a comprehensively prepared accredited report, available in Polish or English.

 

EMC test standards EN 61000-4-x series:

1)Electrostatic discharge (ESD) immunity test

2)RF radiated electromagnetic field immunity test

3)Testing of immunity to series of fast electrical transients (BURST)

4)Surge test

5)Immunity test against conducted disturbances, induced by radio frequency fields conducted disturbances induced by radio frequency fields

6)Testing of immunity against magnetic grid frequency fields

7)Testing of immunity against voltage dips, short circuits and variations in supply voltage (AC)

Biofuels

For companies operating in the biocomponents and biofuels market, J.S. Hamilton offers:

  • outsourcing of laboratory testing. The laboratory performs quality control of crude oil supplies, conducts routine process control and quality control of products obtained by the biorefinery, and issues relevant quality certificates for biocomponent customers.
  • laboratory testing:
    • esters of methyl fatty acids (FAME, B100) in accordance withPN-EN 14214
    • bioethanol
    • rapeseed oil as a stand-alone fuel
    • glycerine effluent
    • bio fuel oil
  • aboratory testing of FAME and diesel blends for compliance with the requirements contained in the relevant Regulation of the Minister of the Economy on biofuel quality,
  • Identification and determination of the composition of fatty acid esters in diesel blends,
  • sampling of biocomponents from onshore tanks, cisterns based on relevant standards.

 

By decision of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, the laboratory is authorised to carry out quality tests on biocomponents and issue the relevant quality certificates (Regulation of the Minister of Economy and Labour of 19 October 2005 on quality requirements for biocomponents and methods of quality testing of biocomponents).

The laboratory also performs laboratory testing of glycerine for compliance with the requirements of the Pharmacopoeia.

Acrylamide

Acrylamide is a chemical compound formed from sugars and amino acids (free asparagine), naturally present in food, when processed at high temperatures, such as frying, roasting, grilling and baking. It is considered to be a carcinogenic compound toxic to the nervous system of humans and animals. It was initially thought to be formed mainly in products produced from potatoes (chips and crisps) and cereal products (e.g., fresh bread, crispbread, toast, breakfast cereals, biscuits, crackers, etc.). Nowadays, it is known that other products, such as roasted and instant coffee, cereal coffee, cocoa, chocolate and chocolate products, roasted nuts and almonds, dried fruits (e.g., plums, pears, apricots, bananas), fried and extruded soy products, and even dried and roasted tea leaves, mainly of green tea, may also be sources of acrylamide.

Published at the end of November 2017, Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/2158 of 20 November 2017 outlining mitigation measures and reference levels to limit the presence of acrylamide in food entered into force on 11.04.2018. The regulation determines:

  • measures to reduce the level of acrylamide in foodstuffs where it may be formed,
  • reference levels (for chips, potato crisps, snacks, crackers, bread, breakfast cereals (except oatmeal), small bakery products, coffee and coffee substitutes, and for baby foods and processed cereal-based foods for infants and young children) to be used to check the effectiveness of the mitigation measures taken,
  • criteria for analytical methods for the determination of acrylamide in food.

According to the above-mentioned Regulation, it is the responsibility of food producers and suppliers to apply appropriate mitigation measures and to establish a sampling and analytical programme.

The laboratory of J.S. Hamilton Poland has tested acrylamide content in a variety of food products for many years now. The accredited method for the determination of acrylamide based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry detection meets the performance criteria mentioned in Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/2158 of 20 November 2017.

If you are planning on securing compliance with the criteria, contact us today to schedule testing for your first batch of samples.

Low Voltage Directive LVD

Directive 2014/35/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 26 February 2014 on the harmonisation of the laws of the Member States relating to the making available on the market of electrical equipment designed for use within certain voltage limits reduces conformity assessment procedures to internal production control (Module A) in which the involvement of a notified body is not required.

For the purposes of the LVD, “electrical equipment” means any equipment designed for use with a voltage in the range between 50 V and 1 000 V alternating current and between 75 V and 1 500 V direct current, with the exception of equipment and phenomena listed in Annex II to the Directive.

The manufacturer shall draw up a technical documentation. The documentation shall make it possible to assess the conformity of the electrical equipment to the relevant requirements, and shall include an adequate analysis and assessment of the risk(s). The technical documentation shall specify the applicable requirements and cover, as far as relevant for the assessment, the design, manufacture and operation of the electrical equipment.

The manufacturer shall take all measures necessary so that the manufacturing process and its monitoring ensure compliance of the manufactured electrical equipment with the technical documentation and with the applicable requirements of this Directive.

The manufacturer shall affix the CE marking to each individual electrical equipment that satisfies the applicable requirements of this Directive. The manufacturer shall draw up a written EU declaration of conformity for a product model and keep it together with the technical documentation at the disposal of the national market surveillance authorities for 10 years after the electrical equipment has been placed on the market. The EU declaration of conformity shall identify the electrical equipment for which it has been drawn up.

A copy of the EU declaration of conformity shall be made available to the relevant market surveillance authorities upon request.

The Certification Body and the J.S. Hamilton laboratory, on a voluntary basis, for electrical equipment:

– draws up reports on tests carried out in our test laboratory,

– issues product safety opinions,

– certifies for compliance with national and international standards.

Competence of the Certification Body and the Laboratory

COMPETENCES

The Certification Body and the Testing Laboratory are independently organisational units legally affiliated and part of J.S. Hamilton Poland Sp. z o.o.

EU NOTIFICATIONS

The Certification Body in Siemianowice Śląskie has been granted the status of Notified Body by the relevant Minister for the subject of the Directive, in order to be notified to the

 

European Commission and the Member States of the European Union as a body designated to carry out tasks related to the

with conformity assessment within the scope of Directive 2014/34/EU (ATEX) and has the status of Notified Body with the number NB 2057 granted by the European Commission.

 

EU notification scopes:

 

COMPETENCE IN PRODUCT CERTIFICATION

The Certification Body carries out voluntary certification of products within the scope of the obtained Accreditation AC 149 issued by the Polish Centre for Accreditation.

ZNAK AKREDYTACJI AC 149

The competences of the Testing Laboratory have been confirmed by the Polish Centre for Accreditation with accreditation certificate AC 149. The accredited activities are specified in the

in the Scope of Accreditation No. AC 149.

Accreditation has been granted for:

J.S. Hamilton Poland Sp. z o.o.
ul. Chwaszczyńska 180, 81-571 Gdynia
Certification Body
ul. Wyzwolenia 14, 41-103 Siemianowice Śląskie

The obtained accreditation confirms the compliance of J.S. Hamilton Poland Sp. z o.o. Certification Body in Siemianowice Śląskie the requirements of PN-EN ISO/IEC 17065:2013-03 “Conformity assessment. Requirements for bodies certifying products, processes and services.”

Certyfikat Akredytacji AC 149

Zakres Akredytacji AC 149

Wykaz norm i dokumentów normatywnych w ramach elastycznego zakresu akredytacji AC 149

 

COMPETENCES OF TESTING LABORATORY

Operating within the structures of J.S. Hamilton Poland Sp. z o.o. in Siemianowice Śląskie, the Testing Laboratory carries out a number of tests and trials within the scope of the obtained AB 1552 accreditation issued by the Polish Centre for Accreditation in Warsaw.

The Testing Laboratory is an organisationally independent unit legally related to

and being a part of J.S. Hamilton Poland Sp. z o.o.

Competences of Testing Laboratory have been confirmed by the Polish Centre for Accreditation with accreditation certificate AB 1552. Accredited activities are specified in

in the Scope of Accreditation No. AB 1552. –ZNAK AKREDYTACJI AB 1552

Accreditation was awarded to:

J.S. Hamilton Poland Sp. z o.o.
ul. Chwaszczyńska 180, 81-571 Gdynia
Testing laboratory
ul. Wyzwolenia 14, 41-103 Siemianowice Śląskie

The accreditation obtained confirms the fulfilment by J.S. Hamilton Poland Sp. z o.o. Testing Laboratory in Siemianowice Śląskie the requirements of PN-EN ISO/IEC 17025:2018-02 “General requirements for the competence of testing and calibration laboratories

and calibration laboratories”.

Certyfikat Akredytacji AB 1552

Zakres Akredytacji AB 1552

Biodegradability and compostability

A team of experienced J. S. experts Hamilton has been offering services in the field of confirming the quality and safety of products, and above all supports environmentally friendly solutions.

Environmentally friendly materials and packaging have become very popular in recent years. This is directly due to emerging environmental trends, increasing public awareness and market demands.

Such packaging can be a green alternative to standard products. The growing market demand for such products causes many manufacturers to focus their attention on creating and improving compostable and biodegradable materials.

The terms biodegradable and compostable can refer to a product which, in the European Union, complies with the requirements of the harmonised directive 94/62 EC norm EN 13432:2000, EN 14995:2006, assessing the composting capacity of plastics, as well as EN ISO 20200:2015 and EN 14045:2003 (determination of the degree of decomposition of the sample under simulated composting conditions at the laboratory scale).

THE CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT FOR BIODEGRADABLE AND COMPOSTABLE MATERIAL CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING STEPS:

  • characteristics of the material – identification of the components of the material and their identification,
  • testing of elements (Zn, Cu, Ni, Cb, Pb, Hg, Cr, Mo, Se, As, F),
  • compostability – sieve analysis,
  • biodegradability – degradation of the material under controlled laboratory conditions,
  • ecotoxicity – the rate of germinated seeds and the increase in plant mass on the resulting compost.

Our laboratory offers tests of biodegradability and compostability of products.

For more information, please feel free to contact us.

Testing of explosion-proof construction products

Testing of explosion-proof construction products

In the field of testing explosion-proof construction products, we use the methods and requirements specified in the type series of standards EN 60079, IEC 60079, EN 80079, IEC 80079.

Testing in the scope of the ATEX directive and the IECEx system.

As an accredited laboratory and notified body, we support our customers in both the European and international markets.

 

We carry out tests in the field of:

  • measurement of geometrical quantities,
  • resistance of the enclosure to pressure, static and dynamic pressure loading,
  • protection against the transmission of explosions,
  • measurement and determination of reference pressure,
  • electrical strength of insulation
  • insulation clearances
  • capacity of cells and batteries,
  • short-circuit resistance of cells and batteries,
  • testing of transformers,
  • hot thermal resistance
  • cold thermal resistance,
  • free fall strength,
  • thermal tests, temperature rise,
  • IP degree of protection,
  • explosive gas concentration measurements
  • measurements of explosive gas and air flows.

 

We carry out tests on electrical equipment operating in potentially explosive atmospheres:

  • flame-resistant shielding “d”,
  • gas shields with positive pressure “p” and “pD”,
  • equipment with equipment protection level (EPL) Ga,
  • dust-protected equipment enclosure “t”
  • reinforced construction “e”
  • intrinsically safe execution “i”,
  • non-sparking execution type “n”
  • hermetic protection “m”,
  • sand shields “q”,
  • oil shielding “o”.

We also test non-electrical equipment operating in potentially explosive atmospheres for ‘ATEX’ and IECEx accreditation.

The laboratory is accredited by the Polish Centre for Accreditation for testing flameproof covers for use in potentially explosive atmospheres.

The full scope of our accreditation is AB 1552 .

Dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls

The term “dioxins” is a simplified name for 7 polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), 10 polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and 12 dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (dl-PCBs). According to the World Health Organisation, of the dioxin group, which contains 75 polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin (PCDD) congeners and 135 polychlorinated dibenzofuran (PCDF) congeners, 17 compounds are of toxicological concern. Due to their similar mechanism of action, 12 of the 209 PCB congeners were included among dioxins. In addition, a criterion was set for the sum of 6 non-dioxin-like PCB congeners. Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006, as amended, sets maximum levels for the sum of dioxins, for the sum of dioxins and dioxin-like PCBs (DL-PCBs) and for the sum of the 6 selected non-dioxin-like PCB congeners ICES-6 (ndl-PCBs).

Different congeners of dioxins and dl-PCBs exhibit different toxicity. In order to be able to express the sum of the toxicity of the congeners and to facilitate risk assessment, the concept of so-called toxic equivalency factors (TEFs) has been introduced. The analytical results relate to the sum of all the dioxin and dioxin-like PCB congeners and are expressed in toxic equivalents (TEQs), which are the sum of the products of the individual congeners multiplied by their TEFs.

Maximum levels for dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls dl-PCBs, in TEQs, have been established for meat and meat products, land animal liver, fish meat and fish products, fish liver, certain shellfish meat, fish oils raw milk and dairy products including butter, chicken eggs and egg products, animal fats, vegetable oils and fats, and food intended for infants and young children under Commission Regulation (EC) No 1881/2006, as amended. In feed, the maximum levels in the EU are set by Directive 2002/32 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 May 2002 on undesirable substances in animal feed, as amended, whose provisions were implemented in Poland by the Regulation of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of 6 February 2012 on the content of undesirable substances in feed, as amended.

The laboratory at J.S. Hamilton Poland is the first commercial laboratory in Poland to implement and accredit a method for the determination of “dioxins and PCBs” in food (including vegetable and animal oils and fats, meat and meat products, milk and milk products, fish and fish products) and feed, meeting the requirements of the reference method according to Commission Regulation (EU) 2017/644 of 5 April 2017. laying down methods of sampling and analysis for the control of levels of dioxins, dioxin-like PCBs and non-dioxin-like PCBs in certain foodstuffs and Commission Regulation (EC) No 152/2009 of 27 January 2009 laying down the methods of sampling and analysis for the official control of feed. The method of analysis is based on gas chromatography with high-resolution mass spectrometry detection.

Contact our team today if you want to schedule testing or learn more about dioxins.