Chemical analysis of foods: an introduction

Understand the role and importance of food analysis in food and drink safety and quality assurance.

Big decisions are made on the basis of food analysis. Is the food safe? Is it what it says on the label? Are the declarations of ingredients, nutritional and other information correct? Does it conform to legal limits for pesticide and veterinary residues? Does the product or ingredient conform to specifications agreed between the retailer, manufacturer and/or supplier? Often, these and many other questions can only be answered through chemical analysis. If this is not done properly, then wrong decisions might be made, wasting considerable amounts of material and energy, or worse still, compromising food safety.

This book explains chemical analysis of food in relation to those issues that are addressed on a day-to-day basis by industry, government and enforcement authorities - for food safety, food quality, trading agreements and regulatory compliance, for example. Aimed at non-specialists within industry, education and enforcement, the emphasis is on the use and importance of analyses, though it explains the principles of the main methods used and outlines why many analyses are more complicated than might appear at first glance. Throughout it emphasises the importance of using the right approach to get the right result.

Contents include:

Introduction

The right approach, the right result

• Sampling
• Method development
• Validation, quality controls and standardisation
• Measurement uncertainty
• Accreditation and proficiency schemes
• Choosing a laboratory

Techniques in chemical analysis

• Sample preparation
• Gravimetric methods
• Chromatography and mass spectrometry
• Spectrophotometry
• Titration, Kjeldahl and Dumas
• Water activity and pH
• Immunoassays, DNA and electrophoresis

Uses and examples of food analysis

• Composition, authenticity and suitability for purpose
• Contaminants, pesticides and veterinary residues
• Surveillance and legislation
• Flavour, off-flavour and taint
• Product development
• Research

Compromises and complications in food analysis

Conclusions

Glossary and common acronyms

Selected references, further reading and websites

Softcover - 144 pages

The Key Topics in Food Science & Technology Series has been developed to meet a need within industry, education and enforcement bodies for industrially relevant introductory guides to specific aspects of food science and technology.