NOPS testing reaches new heights in 2013

2013 was another record breaking year for IEN’s NOPS (naturally occuring prohibited substances) analysis service.  It has grown year on year since its inception and IEN are now one of the most experienced and biggest providers of this service in Europe and beyond, with new clients in Australia, India and the Middle East.  This ongoing quantitative and geographical growth of our service is being mirrored by an increasing diversity of sample types being submitted by our clients such as feed ingredients (including herbals), additives, premixes, as well as finished feeds and supplements.  At IEN we pride ourselves in our customer service, providing post-reporting support in terms of interpretation and advice that draws upon our unique in-house blend of analytical skills and equine feed production knowledge.  The increased application of common contaminants testing following the inception of the BETA-NOPS Scheme and the due diligence that accompanies it within commercial companies manufacturing under the UFAS and FEMAS Codes has helped to drive down the number of post-race or competition positives over the years.  Consultancy advice encompassing traceability and risk assessment are an important addition to NOPS testing in order to minimise the risk of contamination from substances that fall outside of the scope of the current NOPS screen.