“Cats and dogs first” is at the heart of the Royal Canin mission. In keeping with their passion to make sure products are perfect for South African pets, Royal Canin’s new edition local state-of-the-art laboratory with new technology and staff checks all raw material and final product passing through the factory to make sure products are of top nutritional quality and safety. Part of this new expansion meant that new laboratory equipment had to be acquired, and scientific company Labotec supplied two Julabo Recirculating Coolers, the Buchi NIRFlex spectrometer and Buchi Rotavapor. The equipment used during testing procedures forms part of the 89-check raw material sampling plan.
All new equipment was specified by Royal Canin’s French headquarters where an established research and development laboratory in Aimargues, southern France creates new products precisely balanced to the needs of cats and dogs, as well as breed-specific and symptom-specific animal diets. This central laboratory is supported by eleven factory laboratories around the globe, the newest situated within an eco-park in North Riding, north-west of Johannesburg.
Rigorous testing and processing of every raw material before it enters the factory is paramount, and needs to correspond to a complex scientific nutritional formula. Should any raw material not align with specification, it is immediately rejected.
The Buchi NIRFlex is a modular, flexible spectrometer used to predict protein, moisture and fat in seconds. The measurement cells offer different ways of measurement i.e. petri dishes, vials, a device to accept any container like sample bags. Its various sampling techniques are all backed by powerful software and ready-to-use applications. Buchi’s Rotovapor is used for the routine evaporation of solvents in the laboratory.
During the extraction cycle, which determines the total dietary oil or fat content of the raw material and finished product, the solvents are heated and cooled down using the Julabo Recirculating Coolers. The advantage of using this method ensures a water saving as less water is used due to the closed loop system. The scientific environment is also controlled, as the exact specific temperature for cooling can be set, and solvent loss is limited during the process. The Julabo Coolers have a flexible installation, and the laboratory is installing them under the lab benches.
Ingredients are always selected according to the quality of nutrients provided, and Royal Canin guarantee a constant nutritional formula in their food by balancing nutrients such as lipids, fatty acids, mineral salts, vitamins, trace elements amino-acids and proteins to match the precise needs of dogs and cats. By balancing technology, science, research and passion, they aim to keep our local pets in the best possible health.