Chemical Analysis for Food and Beverage Testing

Chemical analysis of foods and beverages is performed to ensure safe consumption, product quality, and product integrity. Chemical analysis is a pre-requisite for safeguarding correct food labeling, as well as protection of consumers against adulteration, misbranding of food, and unsafe beverages. To achieve these objectives, a combined approach including suitable food legislation, increased controls by food authorities, continuous studies by food safety agencies and universities to improve knowledge about food and food processing, and enhanced responsibility of the food industry is critical. 

This combined monitoring approach is particularly important in the food and beverage industry due to the complex nature of how products come to market. For example, contamination of processed meat might come from the manufacturing process, but could also come from the animal feed or even the soil the feed was grown in. 

Thus, analytical testing in the food and beverage industry also extends to environmental testing (e.g., soil and water quality, air monitoring). Analytical and instrumental methods for food and beverage analysis and quality control are implemented to test for safety, quality, and nutritional value. The complex compounds of our modern diet are analyzed in chemical testing labs in accordance to global and local regulations. 

Related Technical Articles

• Analysis of Fats (Fatty Acids, FAMEs, Glycerides) in Food and Beverages
  This article explores the analysis of fats in food and beverage products. From derivatization of fatty acids to FAMEs, to analysis of FAME isomers, and more we are your one-stop shop for all of your food and beverage analysis needs.
• Detecting Heavy Metals in Food and Beverages
  Testing for heavy metals in food and beverages? You understand that prolonged trace exposure to heavy metals such as arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and thallium (Tl), via the food, beverages and drinking water we consume can cause serious health risks.
• GC Analysis of Omega 3 Fatty Acids in Fish Oil Capsules and Farm Raised Salmon
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• K268 Olive Oil Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2568/91 Annex IX
  Learn about the UV-spectrometric determination of the K268 nm value of olive oil, assessing the UV absorbance at 268 nm, to ensure quality and compliance with regulatory standards.
• K270 Olive Oil Commission Regulation (EEC) No 2568/91 Annex IX
  Learn about the UV-spectrometric determination of the K270 nm value of olive oil, assessing the UV absorbance at 270 nm to ensure quality and compliance with regulatory standards.

Related Protocols

• Derivatization of Fatty acids to FAMEs
  Explore how GC can be used to analyze fatty acids either as free fatty acids or as fatty acid methyl esters.
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  Explore the cost-effective and reliable smartphone-based pH determination of coffee samples using MQuant® pH test strips and the MQuant® StripScan App.

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Common Chemical Analysis Techniques

• Disinfection Control via Reflectometry and Spectroscopy
• Ingredient Determination such as Salt, Vitamin C, and Calcium by Volumetric Titration
• Water Content Determination by Karl Fischer (KF) Titration
• Trace Element Analysis by Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS)
• Metal Content Determination by Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP)
• Planar Pesticide Extraction with the QuEChERS Solid Phase Extraction Sample Preparation Method
• Preparing Food Samples for Direct Instrumental Analysis with Solid Phase Microextraction (SPME)
• Toxin and Pesticide Screening by HPLC and UHPLC (MS-detection)
• Titration
• Determination of Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME) by Gas Chromatography (GC)
• Ingredient Determination of Carbohydrates, Sugars, Lipids, Proteins via Enzymatic Analysis

Nutritional Data for Packaged Food and Beverages

Nutritional data on packaged food is necessary to help customers make informed decisions based on dietary needs or to manage diet-related disorders. Accordingly, labeling regulations provide detailed requirements for nutritional labeling (nutrients, amounts, and caloric values) on food packages. Additional food testing by manufacturers for nutrients, like carbohydrates (sugars, saccharides), dietary fiber, organic acids, sugar alcohols, fats (fatty acids, FAMES, glycerides), proteins (amino acids, peptides), sodium, vitamins, and minerals is crucial for consistent nutrient declaration.

Contamination Testing for Food & Beverage Safety

Chemical food safety analysis allows for the safe consumption of products free of allergens, harmful pesticide residues, heavy metals, mycotoxins , and veterinary drug residues. Advances have been made in crop protection and food manufacturing procedures to enable increased food production.  In parallel, the long-term effects of these advances, such as the increased use of pesticides to ensure adequate crop yield, are under constant review by government regulatory agencies to ensure they do not become harmful.   

Analytical Testing for Food Adulteration and Misbranding

Food authenticity testing ensured food integrity by protecting customers from food adulteration and misbranding. Analytical methods are used to detect substitutions of ingredients or illegal chemical additions that alter or mask characteristics.