Compositional Analysis in Food

The compositional analysis of food provides detailed information about food components such as protein, vitamins, fat, fibers and minerals that are used to comply with regulatory purposes and to provide with an answer to quality control needs throughout the entire food supply chain. There are a number of methods and technologies that can be used to perform compositional analysis. The choice of the appropriate solution depends on the type of food matrix, the analysis to perform and the method validation. With its broad range of technologies, PerkinElmer is now able to provide fast, accurate and precise solutions for the compositional analysis of food and foodstuff at every stage of the process. We offer the broadest IR and NIR portfolio in the market, with dedicated analyzers for specific applications like grain and dairy, as well as general purpose instruments suitable for a wide range of users, both for lab-based analysis as well as on-line process measurements.

Nutritional Analysis

For accurate analysis of the nutritional content in food products and compliance with labeling regulations, food producers around the world turn to analytical solutions from PerkinElmer.

Both organic components (such as protein) and inorganic components (such as iron and calcium) can be rapidly measured with our instrumentation. The extended dynamic range capabilities of our category-leading inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometers (ICP-MS) — providing nine orders of magnitude — are ideal for measuring macro-level nutritional elements such as Mg, K, and Na.

Our instruments help food companies ensure that ingredients meet Certificate of Analysis (COA) specifications, guaranteeing proper consistency and nutritional levels. They also support the confirmation of food label claims, making sure that the nutritional content in the food matches what is stated on the product label. Applications span a wide range from infant formula to highly-processed food products.

With precision measurement capability and rapid turnaround speeds, our analytical solutions are the preferred option for obtaining the nutritional information required in the food industry.

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Proximate Testing

The determination of major components in food such as moisture, protein, fat, fiber, carbohydrate, ash and other minor components, has a relevant role for Quality Control, product development and regulatory compliance. For this reason, fast analysis times are crucial. We can help you to optimize your proximate analysis through a range of dedicated, reliable and proven solutions.

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Metals, Minerals Testing

Originally performed by manufacturers to ensure product quality and safety, the analysis of metals in food is now required by most of the regulatory agencies and to determine compliance with current trade and food labeling laws. The analysis of metals and minerals in foods is challenging due to the wide range of concentrations present, which may vary from ppb (ng/mL) to percent levels. The situation is further complicated by naturally occurring seasonal and varietal differences. As a global leader in atomic spectroscopy solutions, PerkinElmer supports food laboratories to meet the most demanding requirements for the elemental determination of metals in food.

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Sugar Testing

The growing awareness and attention of consumers along with the continuously evolving of nutrition labeling requirements have made sugar and carbohydrates analysis a need in the Food and Beverage industry. The analysis of the sugar content, additionally, can provide information about possible adulteration. With a portfolio of analytical technique ranging from NIR analyzers, to LC- and UV- based instrumentation, PerkinElmer is able to provide solutions for sucrose determination as well as for glucose and other carbohydrates.

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Fatty Acids, Vitamins & Aminoacids

Fatty acid profiling is a critical analysis for the Food industry. It can be used for example for the determination of the quality of oil seeds. For seed breeders, the fatty acid profile is also critical as there is an increasing demand for varieties with specific characteristics. Our Diode Array NIR analyzers can determine individual fatty acids with accuracy in only 6 seconds. Through our GC-FID technique is possible to determine the relative abundance of fatty acids in oil after triglyceride hydrolysis and subsequent saponification in basic medium (to obtain the corresponding methyl esters). For instance, the presence of fatty acids normally absent in the olive is indicative of adulteration of the product with oils obtained from different seeds.

Compositional Analysis - Related Content

Compositional Analysis - Related Content

Analysis of Sugars in Maple Syrup by HILIC with Refractive Index Detection

Maple syrup, a common natural sweetener, is consumed regularly by households around the world. Quantification of sugar content in maple syrup is paramount to satisfy product labeling requirements and ensure label-claim accuracy. Although sucrose is the primary sugar component in maple syrup, a complete identification and quantification of the other complex carbohydrates, including glucose, fructose and maltose, is essential. In this application note, a robust and efficient method for the determination of the four aforementioned complex carbohydrates is presented. Utilizing an LC 300 HPLC system, a hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC) technique is utilized with subsequent detection achieved utilizing an LC 300 Refractive Index (RI) detector.

Analysis of Phytoestrogen Isoflavones in Dietary Supplements by HPLC/UV

Isoflavones are water-soluble compounds found in many plant and food sources. Designated as phytoestrogens, isoflavones are structurally similar to to the female hormone estrogen, and have been shown to exhibit a number of beneficial impacts to human health, such as a reduction in the development of certain cancers, as well as an improvement in cholesterol ratios. Studies also suggest, however, that the phytoestrogenic nature of isoflavones can also lead to an exacerbation of existing thyroid disorders, owing to a disruption to the endocrine system. As such, precise quantification of isoflavone content in nutraceutical products is paramount to ensure label-claim accuracy and consumer safety. In this application note, an efficient and reliable method for the determination of six common isoflavone compounds is presented. The method, which was developed in accordance with the USP monograph for soy isoflavones in dietary supplement capsules, utilizes a PerkinElmer LC 300 UHPLC system, with subsequent detection of compounds achieved utilizing an LC 300 PDA detector.

Analysis of Moisture and Fat in Corn chips using the Diode Array 7200

In the production of snack foods such as corn chips, moisture and fat are important control parameters that have a great impact on production costs as well as product quality. The Near Infrared Reflectance (NIR) technique is particularly suited for measurement of these parameters, but in the past instrument limitations have not permitted users to reap the full benefits of NIR. Sample preparation requirements such as grinding or special cups made analyses laborious, time consuming and error-prone.

Analysis of Raw Meat By-Products using the DA 7250 NIR Analyzer

For meat processors and users of meat by-products, such as pet food producers, it is important to rapidly test samples for protein and other nutritional contents. The Near Infrared Reflectance (NIR) technology is highly suitable for these purposes. The DA 7250 uses novel Diode Array NIR technology and performs a multi-component analysis in less than 10 seconds. During this time a large number of full spectra are collected and averaged.

Analysis of the NPN - Calculated urea in raw milk

Rapid routine determination of NPN/Calculated urea in raw milk with LactoScope FTIR milk analyzers. Analysis of NPN/Calculated urea in raw milk provides a useful indication of how effectively cows digest protein in the rumen providing vital information for feeding strategies and reproductive performances.

Butter - DA 7250

Analysis of fat, moisture and salt is of great importance to butter plants. By accurately controlling these constituents the producer can experience significant savings. Using the DA 7250, production staff can perform their own analysis 24/7 and have instant access to the results. The results can be used for process optimization and to avoid costly mistakes and potential penalties.

Corn - DA 7250

Whenever corn is used as a raw material it is important to have fast and full knowledge of its composition and properties. In wet or dry milling, feed milling, ethanol production and other processing, the raw material will affect the process efficiency as well as the quality of the final product. The DA 7250 can accurately determine moisture, protein, oil and starch in corn in 6 seconds without prior sample grinding.

Wheat flour method (ethanol) - RVA 24.02

Wheat flour quality can vary greatly between samples. The quality of the gluten protein in wheat flour largely determines its suitability for use in many products including pan breads, flat breads, cakes, pastries and alkaline noodles, although each application requires a different quality. For example, strong wheat flour is preferred for commercially produced pan breads because of its good mixing tolerance and superior baking qualities. Combining speed, precision, flexibility and automation, the RVA is a unique tool for product development, quality and process control and quality assurance.

The Elemental Analysis of Meat and Seafood with the NexION 300/350 ICP-MS

The elemental content of food products is very important, both in relation to nutritional and toxic elements. Nutritional elements can either be native to the food substance or can be added to enhance the health benefits. Toxic elements can enter food either through the environment or processing during production. Hopefully, toxic elements will be present at extremely low levels, while nutritional elements will be present at optimal levels. The elemental capabilities and dynamic range of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) make it ideally suited for the analysis of food materials. This work has demonstrates the ability of PerkinElmer’s NexION 300/350X ICP-MS to effectively measure macro-level nutritional elements in the same analysis run as lower-level elements, without having to dilute the samples.

Analysis of Water-Soluble Vitamins in Infant Formula by UHPLC-MS MS

Water-soluble vitamins (WSV), comprised primarily of the vitamin B complex, are essential ingredients in many foods, particularly in infant formulas. When analyzing fortified foods, this can be particularly challenging due to the wide range in concentration of vitamins, in keeping with daily allowances. This application note presents a LC-MS/MS method for the efficient, routine and robust chromatographic analysis of B-vitamins in infant formula. Eight water soluble vitamins over a wide concentration range were identified and quantified in under four minutes. The results showed excellent retention time repeatability and the method was able to detect vitamin B12 at 0.5 ppb, well below the expected level of ~2 ppb in infant formulas.

Characterization of Fats in Cookies Using Power Compensation DSC

The processing and handling behavior of food fats has been found to depend upon the solid-to-liquid fat ratio in the food sample. Many rheological or flow properties, and their resultant effect on the texture of the final product, stem from this fat ratio index. The Power Compensation or double furnace DSC yields excellent results for foods including the fat nature and content. The fast responsiveness of the Power Compensation DSC provides the highest possible resolution and this is critical for characterizing the various polymorphic melting forms associated with fats in foods.

The Analysis of Copper, Iron, and Manganese in Wine with FAST Flame Atomic Absorption

This work demonstrates the ability of the PinAAcle 900 flame AA spectrometer to measure Cu, Fe, and Mn in wines to comply with Chinese wine import regulations coupled with FAST Flame sample automation for increased throughput.

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