NEW TEST FOOD CHEMISTRY and ANALYSIS - THEORETICAL COURSE

TEST FOOD CHEMISTRY - THEORETICAL COURSE (time 3 h)

ACADEMIC YEAR 2006-2007

Friday November 16th 2007
NAME :

1. Explain the protein putrification (putrefaction) process and its importance

DEAMINATION & DECARBOXYLATION
2. Consider a frozen vegetable, stored at respectively -15°C and -30°C. Explain why
temperature fluctuations of for example 5°C may cause more problems in the product
stored at -15°C than in the product stored at -30°C.
Above freezing temp. aw is a function of sample composition and temp. But below
the freezing temp. aw becomes independent of sample and temp. and depends on
temp.At this temp range, aw values are less valuable indicators of physical,
chemical and physiological rxs. At -15°C aw is 0.86. there is no microbial growth
and chemical rxs occur slowly.
3. Explain briefly in max 5 lines (1 figure/reaction = 1 line).
3.1. lysinoalanine

Please turn the page !!

General questions about organic chemistry
4. To which group (ester, carbonic acid, ether, …) of organic compounds the following
belong ?
Structure Group
OH

OH

NH 2
OH

5. Which of the two component would you consider to be more hydrophilic ?

A B Answer
O

O
NH 2 O
OH

O
NH 2 OH
OH
O
O
OH O

O O
 O O

6. Indicate in each of the following chemical structure the asymmetric (chiral) carbon atoms.

O O

HS OH
OH
NH2 NH 2

7. How much H2SO4 ( 0,5 N) will you need to neutralize 25 mL of 2 N NaOH?

8. You prepare a stock solution of NaCl (MW=58,44 g/mol) by dissolving 25,0 g in 100 mL
distilled water. From this stock solution you take 5 mL and you dilute with water to 25 mL,
What is the molarity of the diluted solution?
9. How many millilitres of each concentrated solution should be used to prepare each of the
following solutions
 0,25 l of 4 M acetic acid out of a 20 M concentrated solution?
 50 mL of 0,6 M much H2SO4 out of a 18 M concentrated solution?
Answers

1.
- Protein putrefaction is essentially a microbiological or sometimes an
enzymatic deterioration/degradation process of proteins on the amino acid
level. It occurs as a result of microbiological spoilage (eg on tuna), of
fermentation (eg camembert cheese) or in fruits or vegetables (enzymatic;
pineapple).
- Two main reactions and reaction products occur:
a. Deamination: production of NH3 and carboxylic acids such as Indole,
Pyruvate etc; no special consequences with regard to chemical aspects of
food quality or safety; acids could be used as an indicator for microbiological
deterioration
b. Decarboxylation : production of CO2 and biogenic amines such as
cadaverine, histamine, putrescine, (nor)epinephrine; this reaction is
important for several reasons : sensorial properties (ammonia smell eg in
fish, aroma production in fermented cheeses, putative odour of rotten
fish/meat), food intoxication (especially histamine, which is also the
biochemical mediator in food allergies so pseudo-allergic symptoms are
obtained (vomiting, redness, irritation of skin, asthma etc)), stimulative effects
(adrenaline analogues)
if this question is illustrated with chemical structures, obviously a higher marking
is provided; the same stands for giving more practical examples; if for instance
the concept of microbiological indicators is explained as well, again a higher
appreciations is provided ; for the answer as it is here a 13 is a quite reasonable
mark (if no errors are added obviously)

2. Supposing that the aqueous phase both at -15°C and -30°C is in the rubber state
(fits within the glass transition theory of water, which tells that apart from liquid
water and ice there is also an amorphous, extremely stable glass state and a
very labile rubber state), it is obvious that the stability of the food will be largely
affected by the temperature: the molecular mobility and the viscosity of the
aqueous phase follow the Willhelmy kinetics and not the Arrhenius kinetics as a
function of temperature. Meaning that the mobility is more affected by
temperature changes as expected in the Arrhenius theory. So the stability of the
food is also very much temperature dependent (see also figure). Consequently, at
the safety margin at -30°C will be higher compared to at -15°C and therefore it can
 be expected that the food at -30°C is indeed more stable to temperature
fluctuations.
Again this answer can be better illustrated as it is here; so a answer as it is here, values a
14-15 (if no errors were written down)

3. Lysinoalanine is the adduct between lysine and dehydroalanine (DHA). This

product is toxic in some animals but in other not. Because of the precautionary
principle, all measures are taken to keep the conc. of this compound as low as
possible. DHA originates from OH or high T treatment of proteins from alanine or
cysteine (H2Sprod) –chemical reaction: see course
 4. To which group (ester, carbonic acid, ether, …) of organic compounds the following
belong ?
Structure Group
OH alcohol

O
keton

alkane

OH carbonic acid
O

NH 2 amino acid
OH

O aldehyde

O ester
O

5. Which of the two component would you consider to be more hydrophilic?

A B Answer
O B

O
NH 2 O A
OH

O
NH 2 OH A
OH
O
O
OH O A

O O
O O B
6. Indicate in each of the following chemical structure the asymmetric (chiral) carbon atoms.

O O

HS OH
OH
NH2 NH 2

2
1

7. 50 mL sulphuric acid
8. 0,86 mol/ L
9. A. 50 mL
B. 1,67 mL
6.