Max Planck Innovation licenses software for analysing metabolites in foodstuffs

03 Nov 2010 | News

Metabolomic Discoveries GmbH has licensed the TagFinder software developed by the Max Planck Institute for Molecular Plant Physiology in Golm. This software forms part of a new method for analysing metabolites in foods such as fruit and vegetables, for quality control.

In contrast to existing methods, which can only identify a handful of metabolites, TagFinder can identify hundreds of metabolites in a sample, using high resolution mass spectrometry to create a typical decay pattern for each metabolite.

These patterns, in effect a fingerprint for each substance, are then matched with the extensive mass spectra database of Metabolomic Discoveries.

“For a long time, identifying vast numbers of metabolites in a sample was a major problem in metabolomics. With this software we are now able to offer our customers a highly accurate and robust analysis of hundreds of known and unknown metabolites,” said Nicolas Schauer, CEO of Metabolomic Discoveries GmbH.

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