CHEMICAL ANALYSIS

Nutrient Analysis
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-elxW6bxUU
pH
• Measurement of the pH of food mixtures often is essential to
determine acidity or alkalinity
• pH meter- is more precise way of obtaining accurate information on
this facet of food
• Most foods have a pH of 7 or less, which means that they are acidic in
reaction
Sugar Concentration
• Refractometers- can determine the concentration of a sugar solution;
the concentration is reported on the Brix scale
• (Quick-Brix™ refractometer)
Example in testing the sugar level in grapes in producing wines
Saltiness
• Flame photometry analyzes the sodium content of foods.
Aroma
• aroma analysis was developed in the late 1990s
• electronic nose including a series of sensors (e.g., metal oxides,
conducting polymers, or quartz microbalance
• A testing machine that develops diagrams of the flavor components in
a headspace sample.
• used effectively as a tool in analysis, quality control, and/ or product
matching
Flavor
• chromatography - Separation of discrete chemical compounds from
a complex mixture by the use of solvents or gases; separation may be accomplished by
use of a GLC or a HPLC or by other somewhat less sophisticated means
• The key to this type of research is the use of the gasliquid chromatograph (GLC) and the
high-pressure liquid chromatograph (HPLC)
• Identification of these compounds may involve the use of mass spectrometry or infrared
spectroscopy
• The ultimate goal of this sophisticated basic research is
to synthesize flavors in the laboratory and then to produce them for industrial use so that
nature’s flavors can be replicated accurately
High Performance Liquid Chromatography
Gas Liquid Chromatography
Electronic Tongue
• are being developed to identify the presence and relative amounts
of compounds that can be detected in a solution of food by sensors
sensitive to basic tastes (sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami).
Electronic Tongue
Proximate Analysis
• Proximate analysis of a food determines the amount of each of these
nutrients in a known quantity. Results can be expressed in grams
of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins in a specified serving portion or in
percentages. Nutrient analysis of minerals and vitamins is important
in the food industry to provide the necessary figures for nutrition
labeling
Proximate Analyser