Waters’ rapid evaporative ionisation mass spectrometry (REIMS) research system with iKnife sampling system eliminates the need for sample preparation and chromatographic separation, so food, microbiology and tissue researchers can benefit from near-instantaneous data acquisition. Direct, rapid heating of the sample forms vapour which is analysed in the mass spectrometer (a Xevo G2-XS QTof or SYNAPT G2-Si HDMS).