Lisa J. Mauer

Melamine detection in infant formula powder using near- and mid-infrared spectroscopy.

Near- and mid-infrared spectroscopy methods (NIR, FTIR-ATR, FTIR-DRIFT) were evaluated for the detection and quantification of melamine in infant formula powder. Partial least-squares (PLS) models were established for correlating spectral data to melamine concentration: R(2) > 0.99, RMSECV ≤ 0.9, and RPD ≥ 12. Factorization analysis of spectra was able to differentiate unadulterated infant formula powder from samples containing 1 ppm melamine with no misclassifications, a confidence level of 99.99%, and selectivity > 2. These nondestructive methods require little or no sample preparation. The NIR method has an assay time of 1 min, and a 2 min total time to detection. The FTIR methods require up to 5 min for melamine detection. Therefore, NIR and FTIR methods enable rapid detection of 1 ppm melamine in infant formula powder.

Effect of Carboxymethyl Cellulose Concentration on Physical Properties of Biodegradable Cassava Starch-Based Films

BackgroundCassava starch, the economically important agricultural commodity in Thailand, can readily be cast into films. However, the cassava starch film is brittle and weak, leading to inadequate mechanical properties. The properties of starch film can be improved by adding plasticizers and blending with the other biopolymers.ResultsCassava starch (5%w/v) based films plasticized with glycerol (30 g/100 g starch) were characterized with respect to the effect of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) concentrations (0, 10, 20, 30 and 40%w/w total solid) and relative humidity (34 and 54%RH) on the mechanical properties of the films. Additionally, intermolecular interactions were determined by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), melting temperature by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and morphology by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Water solubility of the films was also determined. Increasing concentration of CMC increased tensile strength, reduced elongation at break, and decreased water solubility of the blended films. FT-IR spectra indicated intermolecular interactions between cassava starch and CMC in blended films by shifting of carboxyl (C = O) and OH groups. DSC thermograms and SEM micrographs confirmed homogeneity of cassava starch-CMC films.ConclusionThe addition of CMC to the cassava starch films increased tensile strength and reduced elongation at break of the blended films. This was ascribed to the good interaction between cassava starch and CMC. Cassava starch-CMC composite films have the potential to replace conventional packaging, and the films developed in this work are suggested to be suitable for low moisture food and pharmaceutical products.

Biofunctionalized magnetic nanoparticle integrated mid-infrared pathogen sensor for food matrixes.

Magnetic nanoparticles functionalized with anti-Escherichia coli O157:H7 or anti-Salmonella typhimurium antibodies that can specifically bind to their target organisms were used to isolate E. coli O157:H7 and S. typhimurium separately from a cocktail of bacteria and from food matrixes. The pathogens were then detected using label-free IR fingerprinting. The binding and detection protocol was first validated using a benchtop FT-IR spectrometer and then applied to a portable mid-IR spectrometer to enable this approach as a point-of-detection technology. Highly selective detection was achieved in less than 30 min at both species (E. coli O157:H7 vs S. typhimurium ) and strain (E. coli O157:H7 vs E. coli K12) levels in complex food matrixes (2% milk, spinach extract) with a detection limit of 10(4)-10(5) CFU/mL. The combined approach of functionalized magnetic nanoparticles and IR spectroscopy imparts specificity through spectroscopic fingerprinting and selectivity through species-specific antibodies with an in-built sample extraction step and could be applied in the field for on-site food-borne pathogen monitoring.

Kinetic study of catechin stability: effects of pH, concentration, and temperature.

The degradation behaviors of catechins in dilute aqueous systems, including tea beverages and catechin solutions, have been documented; however, their reaction kinetics in green tea concentrated solutions, and impacts of pH, concentration, and temperature thereon, have not yet been established. In this study, reactions were conducted at pH levels ranging from 1.5 to 7, concentrations ranging from 1 to 1666.7 mg/mL, and temperatures ranging from 25 to 120 °C. Catechin contents were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography. Catechins were found to be more stable at high concentrations around pH 4. An empirical model for catechin content was established as a function of pH and temperature and showed good correlation between green tea concentrated solutions and previous reports of catechin stability in powder systems. These results provide useful approaches for shelf life calculations and catechin loss predictions at given temperature and pH conditions in green tea concentrates.

Authentication of pomegranate juice concentrate using FTIR spectroscopy and chemometrics

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and chemometric techniques were used to detect the adulteration of pomegranate juice concentrate (PJC) with grape juice concentrate (GJC). The main differences between PJC and GJC infrared spectra occurred in the 1780-1685cm(-1) region, which corresponds to CO stretching. Principal component analysis of the spectra was used to: (1) differentiate pure PJC and GJC samples and (2) classify adulterated (containing 2-14% vol/vol GJC) and pure PJC samples. Two principal components explained 99% of the variability in each of these applications. Partial least square analysis of the spectra resulted in prediction of the GJC adulterant concentration in PJC with a correlation coefficient, R(2), of 0.9751. Partial least square analysis of spectra could also predict % titratable acidity and total solids in PJC with correlation coefficients of 0.9114 and 0.9916, respectively. Therefore, FTIR and chemometrics provide a useful approach for authenticating pomegranate juice concentrate.

Water-Solids Interactions: Deliquescence

Deliquescence is a first order phase transition from solid to solution that occurs at a relative humidity (RH) that is characteristic to the solid ingredient. In blends containing more than one component with deliquescent behavior, the RH of the solid-solution transition will be lowered, leading to some level of dissolution at relatively low RH conditions. Dissolution arising as a result of deliquescence will impact the chemical and physical stability of complex food systems. Because chemical reactions occur much more readily in solution, deliquescence will enhance the degradation of labile food ingredients. RH fluctuations will lead to cycles of deliquescence and efflorescence (crystallization), which will contribute to particle agglomeration and caking. This review addresses the phenomenon of deliquescence, the significance of deliquescence to the food industry, measurement techniques, the kinetics and thermodynamics of deliquescence, the behavior of mixtures of deliquescent salts (including phase diagrams and thermodynamics of binary systems), and consequences of deliquescence on chemical and physical stability of powdered food and nutritional ingredient blends.

Use of Fourier transform infrared spectra of crude bacterial lipopolysaccharides and chemometrics for differentiation of Salmonella enterica serotypes

Aims:  To evaluate Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and chemometrics for differentiating intact cells and crude lipopolysaccharide (LPS) extracts from Salmonella serotypes.

Degradation Kinetics of Catechins in Green Tea Powder: Effects of Temperature and Relative Humidity

The stability of catechins in green tea powders is important for product shelf life and delivering health benefits. Most published kinetic studies of catechin degradation have been conducted with dilute solutions and, therefore, are limited in applicability to powder systems. In this study, spray-dried green tea extract powders were stored under various relative humidity (RH) (43-97%) and temperature (25-60 °C) conditions for up to 16 weeks. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to determine catechin contents. Catechin degradation kinetics were affected by RH and temperature, but temperature was the dominant factor. Kinetic models as functions of RH and temperature for the individual 2,3-cis-configured catechins (EGCG, EGC, ECG, and EC) were established. The reaction rate constants of catechin degradation also followed the Williams-Landel-Ferry (WLF) relationship. This study provides a powerful prediction approach for the shelf life of green tea powder and highlights the importance of glass transition in solid state kinetics studies.

In-situ fluorescent immunomagnetic multiplex detection of foodborne pathogens in very low numbers

Consumption of foods contaminated with pathogenic bacteria is a major public health concern. Foods contain microorganisms, the overwhelming majority of which are nonpathogenic, some are responsible for food spoilage, and some cause serious illness leading to death or a variety of diseases in humans. The key challenge in food safety is to rapidly screen foods to determine the presence of pathogens so that appropriate intervention protocols can be pursued. A simple fluorometric immunological method in combination with a magnetic concentration step was developed for rapid detection of target bacteria with high sensitivity and specificity in less than 2h without enumeration. The method constitutes performing an in-situ immunoassay on a magnetic bead through the formation of a sandwich complex of the target bacteria and the probe (detection antibody-denatured BSA labelled with fluorophores) followed by the release of fluorophores by means of enzymatic digestion with proteinase K. The limit of detection (LOD) was <5 CFU/mL of the tested pathogens (Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella typhimurium, and Listeria monocytogenes) in buffer. When the pathogens were inoculated in foods (spinach, chicken, and milk), the LOD was under 5 CFU/mL for E. coli O157:H7, S. typhimurium and L. monocytogenes. Furthermore, the method was highly specific in detecting the target pathogens in a multiplex format. The developed in-situ fluorescent immunomagnetic sensor approach offers distinct advantages because it is rapid, highly sensitive, and easy to use and could therefore be potentially used as a pathogen screening tool.

Detection of E. coli O157:H7 from Ground Beef Using Fourier Transform Infrared (FT‐IR) Spectroscopy and Chemometrics

FT-IR spectroscopy methods for detection, differentiation, and quantification of E. coli O157:H7 strains separated from ground beef were developed. Filtration and immunomagnetic separation (IMS) were used to extract live and dead E. coli O157:H7 cells from contaminated ground beef prior to spectral acquisition. Spectra were analyzed using chemometric techniques in OPUS, TQ Analyst, and WinDAS software programs. Standard plate counts were used for development and validation of spectral analyses. The detection limit based on a selectivity value using the OPUS ident test was 10(5) CFU/g for both Filtration-FT-IR and IMS-FT-IR methods. Experiments using ground beef inoculated with fewer cells (10(1) to 10(2) CFU/g) reached the detection limit at 6 h incubation. Partial least squares (PLS) models with cross validation were used to establish relationships between plate counts and FT-IR spectra. Better PLS predictions were obtained for quantifying live E. coli O157:H7 strains (R(2)> or = 0.9955, RMSEE < or = 0.17, RPD > or = 14) and different ratios of live and dead E. coli O157:H7 cells (R(2)= 0.9945, RMSEE = 2.75, RPD = 13.43) from ground beef using Filtration-FT-IR than IMS-FT-IR methods. Discriminant analysis and canonical variate analysis (CVA) of the spectra differentiated various strains of E. coli O157:H7 from an apathogenic control strain. CVA also separated spectra of 100% dead cells separated from ground beef from spectra of 0.5% live cells in the presence of 99.5% dead cells of E. coli O157:H7. These combined separation and FT-IR methods could be useful for rapid detection and differentiation of pathogens in complex foods.