Eurofins Nutrition Analysis Center | Des Moines, IA

"The challenge was to increase analytical volume and decrease technician intervention in a controlled system that would maintain Eurofins’ standards for precision and accuracy; the ANKOM 2000 Fiber Analyzer met that goal."  

-Kent Karsjens, Eurofins

The Eurofins Nutrition Analysis Center in Des Moines, IA specializes in analyzing feed, commodities, pet food, food, and dietary supplements for lipids, proximates, vitamins, and minerals. Eurofins Nutrition Analysis Center is a USDA-inspected laboratory and one of only 13 official referee laboratories for soybean meal and oil certified by the AOCS and NOPA.  

The Eurofins Des Moines laboratory relied on the ANKOM 200 Fiber Analyzers to support the high volume of acid and neutral detergent fiber (ADF and NDF) analyses needed on a daily basis for many years. However, there was a need to expand the number of crude fiber analyses performed without expanding the current use of bench space and technician support. Crude Fiber analysis requires both an acid and base step with rinses after each application. The three-hour method requires multiple technician interventions which can affect precision and accuracy if not controlled properly. The challenge was to increase analytical volume and decrease technician intervention in a controlled system that would maintain Eurofins’ standards for precision and accuracy.

The ANKOM 2000 Automated Fiber Analyzer delivered a high volume, low maintenance system that would allow a single technician the ability to run up to 24 samples at a time. Computer controls reduce the need for technician intervention throughout the process, requiring a technician to only have to weigh and seal samples in a Filter Bag and remove the samples at the end of the process for a final drying step. Initially, Eurofins maintained the ANKOM 200 Fiber Analyzers for detergent fiber methods and used the automated ANKOM 2000 system for crude fiber analysis. Over time, Eurofins moved ADF, NDF, and most of the crude fiber analyses to automation by upgrading their A2000 systems to DELTAs, enabling them to keep up with volume demand.