Quality Standards
ICAAS is concerned to improve the amino acid quality standards with a target of bacterial contamination. To this end, we have developed standards for insoluble contaminents which are closely related to the problem of bacterial contamination.
ICAAS is working to establish a framework for assessing the safe levels of amino acid intake in humans under various conditions. We have found that safety can only be discussed hand in hand with quality and we have become concerned with a risk of low quality amino acids on the market. ICAAS members have been producing or using high quality amino acids for a long time and believe that the quality of products on the market should not be allowed to deteriorate.
In order to reduce the risk presented by amino acids of low quality, we have developed a voluntary simple method which could potentially supplement the current Food Chemical Codex standards, as well as national ones. The method (see PDF) concerns “insoluble foreign matter” to detect water-insoluble foreign materials. Because amino acids with high quality are soluble in water under adequate conditions, insoluble foreign matter in the sample solution can indicate the degree of microbiological contamination in low quality products. Indeed, the number of insoluble matters is well correlated to the frequency of samples with bacterial contamination as shown in the below graph.
The fewer the particles of insoluble matter the more products with bacteria can be excluded. Using the criteria of < 10 particles (size, 1 x 1 mm) that ICAAS is proposing, more than 80% of the low quality samples can be excluded. Usually bacterial number is counted by growing bacteria on plates, but this method takes time and energy. The proposed insoluble foreign matter test is much easier and quicker than a bacterial count and it can be applied to all major amino acids listed below.
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Amino acids
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Crystal Form
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CAS No.
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L-Alanine
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56-41-7
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L-Arginine
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74-79-3
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L-Arginine HCl
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1119-34-2
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L-Asparagine
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monohydrate
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5794--13-8
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unhydrous
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70-47-3
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|
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L-Aspartic acid
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56-84-8
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L-Cysteine HCl H2O
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monohydrate
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7048-48-6
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unhydrous
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2024/1/1
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|
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L-Cystine
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56-89-3
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L-Glutamic acid
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56-86-0
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hydrochloride
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38-15-8
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|
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L-Glutamine
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56-85-9
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Glycine
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56-40-6
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L-Histidine
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71-00-1
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L-Histidine HCl H2O
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5934-29-2
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L-Isoleucine
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73-32-5
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L-Leucine
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61-90-5
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L-Lysine HCl
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657-27-2
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L-Methionine
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63-68-3
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L-Phenylalanine
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63-91-2
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L-Proline
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147-85-3
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L-Serine
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56-45-1
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L-Threonine
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72-19-6
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L-Tryptophan
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73-22-3
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L-Tyrosine
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60-18-4
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L-Valine
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72-18-4
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