LEAF is furnished with state- of- the- art equipment for the extraction/digestion, analysis and identification of a vast array of inorganic and organic chemicals. LEAF applications ranges from identification of contaminants in different environmental matrices (e.g. water, waste water, soil, compost.), food and agro-food products (raw, processed, canned, etc.), and non-edible oil analysis (such as gasoline, diesel and industrial oil), to food chemistry and microbiology such as nutritional labeling, pesticides residues, heavy metals, colorants, allergens, and aflatoxins. LEAF services also cover pharmaceutical products, occupational and public health research and diagnostic medical services such as organic acids, trace and heavy metals, tobacco metabolites (nicotine, cotinine, 1-HOP) and exposure to specific organic pollutants and its metabolites in biological specimens (hair, semen, blood, urine, teeth and body fluids).
LEAF also operates FAFS laboratories. In line with the mission and vision of the faculty, laboratories at FAFS aim to provide hands-on agricultural experience and constitute a suitable background for scientists and students to implement proper lab diagnostics and assessment techniques. FAFS labs record of excellence has positioned them to rank among the top institutions in Lebanon and the region across multiple disciplines of sustainable plant and animal health and production, human nutrition and dietetics, Food safety and security, landscape design, environment, community and rural development and others. FAFS labs provide state-of-the-art laboratory support to further broaden the collaboration with the industry, public and private sector in order to improve the wellbeing of people in Lebanon and the region, educate future scientists through hands-on experience, and address emerging problems facing agriculture and food in Lebanon and the region, as well as satisfy the needs to tackle novel research issues imposed by recent challenges such as global warming, water scarcity, emergence of zoonoses and species-specific infections, etc.
The laboratory provides testing services on numerous sample matrices, including the following:
- Food
- Drinks (such as wine, arak, whisky)
- Beverages
- Potable and bottled water
- Ground & Surface water
- Hazardous wastes
- Wastewater
- Sludge and leachates
- Compost
- Pharmaceuticals and Drugs
- Biological tissues
- Soil, stones, and rocks
- Alloys and composites
Below is a list of tests offered at LEAF:
Microbiological Testing of Animal and Feed Products
- Total Bacterial Count
- Coliforms count
- Staphylococcus aureus count
- Salmonella spp. count
- Clostridium spp. count
- Mastitic milk bacteriology
- Quality control test of dairy milk
- Susceptibility testing to antimicrobials
- Investigation of a poultry disease outbreak
- Histopathology of animal organs
- Vaccine and infection titers to NewCastle disease
- Vaccine and infection titers to Avian Influenza H9N2 disease
- Vaccine and infection titers to Infectious Bursal disease
- Vaccine and infection titers to Infectious Bronchitis
- Vaccine and infection titers to Mycoplasma gallisepticum
- Aflatoxins in animal feed
Animal Feed Proximate Testing
- Moisture%
- Crude Fat%
- Crude Protein%
- Crude Fiber%
- Acid Detergent Fiber%
- Neutral Detergent Fiber%
Bacteriological
- Total & Fecal Coliform (Thermotolerant and E.coli)
- E. coli 0157
- Heterotrophic Bacteria (HTC)
- Pseudomonas Aeruginosa
- Fecal Streptococcus
- Staphylococcus aureus
- Listeria
- SRB (Clostridium)
- Yeast and Mold
- Legionella
- Other bacteria in food products and environmental samples (Salmonella, Campylobacter and others )
- Endotoxin
- Norovirus and Hepatitis A viruses
Chemical Tests
- Protein
- Fat
- Moisture
- Ash
- Peroxide Value (oxidation)
- Chemical analysis for blood (Vitros machine)
- Calories measurement (calorimeter)
Organic Compounds
- Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAH)
- Nitrosamines
- Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)
- Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (PAH and ALiphatic)
- Oil & Grease
- Biocides (Pesticides, insecticides, herbicides like OCP, NPP, Carbamates, Pyrethroids)
- Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB) /Arochlors
- Fatty Acids
- Haloacetic Acids
- Pharmaceuticals
- Phthalates
- Phenols
- Solvents
- Aflatoxins & Ochratoxins
- Gluten
- Colorants
- Sweetners
- Sugars
- Hydroxymethyl furfural
- Diastatic Activity
- Peroxide & iodine value of oil
- Fibers
- Protein
- PFAS
- Latest emergent toxicants
The availability of these tests is pending on availability of non expired individual standards
Inorganic Compounds
- Metals: More than 40 metals and some of their isotopes.
- Routine Physical & Chemical parameters (Cyanides, Fluorides, Ammonia etc.)
- Non Routine: Melting point, Density, Weight, and Karl Fisher Water content
- Asbestos
- Micro and nano particles
Please note that Radionuclides test will be introduced soon
Food Processing Equipment
- Steam Blancher
- Steam Jacketed kettle
- Can Sealer
- Exhauster
- Retort
- Laboratory Pasteurizer
- Cheese Press
- Spray Dryer
- Cabinet Dryer
- Pulp Finisher
- Arabic Oven, Dough Mixer, Dough Sheeter
Quality Control
- Lacticheck
- Texture analyzer
- Farinograph
- Rancimat
- Refractometer
- pH meter
- Water activity meter
- Ebulliometer
- Titrimetric Acidity
- Hydrometer
- Viscometer
Enviro-Medical
- Drugs in blood and urine
- Metals in human tissues
- Vitamin B
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin D
- Vitamin E
- Organic toxicants in biological tissues