Elemental Profiling for the Detection of Food Mixtures: A Proof of Principle Study on the Detection of Mixed Walnut Origins Using Measured and Calculated Data.

Element profiling is a powerful tool for detecting fraud related to claims of geographical origin. However, these methods must be continuously developed, as mixtures of different origins in particular offer great potential for adulteration. This study is a proof of principle to determine whether elemental profiling is suitable for detecting mixtures of the same food but from different origins and whether calculated data from walnut mixtures could help to reduce the measurement burden.

Decoration of 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) with N-oxides increases the T relaxivity of Gd-complexes.

High complex stability and longitudinal relaxivity of Gd-based contrast agents are important requirements for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) because they ensure patient safety and contribute to measurement sensitivity. Charged and zwitterionic Gd-complexes of the well-known chelator 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA) provide an excellent basis for the development of safe and sensitive contrast agents. In this report, we describe the synthesis of DOTA-NOx, a DOTA derivative with four N-oxide functionalities via "click" functionalization of the tetraazide DOTAZA.

Rapid determination of the shell content in cocoa products using FT-NIR spectroscopy and chemometrics.

The determination of the cocoa shell content is of interest because a high shell content causes a reduction in the quality of cocoa products. Consequently, the aim of the present study was the development of a routinely applicable method for the quantitation of shell material in cocoa nibs. For this, 51 fermented cocoa samples of different varieties from 14 cocoa growing countries covering the crop years 2012-2017 were acquired.

Food Authentication of Almonds ( Mill.). Fast Origin Analysis with Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry and Chemometrics.

Food fraud is a growing problem, especially misdeclaration due to regional price differences offering a wide field. Fast, powerful, and cost-effective analytical methods are therefore essential to counteract food fraud. The isotopolome is suitable for origin discrimination and was analyzed in this study using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).

Determination of Isothiocyanate-Protein Conjugates in a Vegetable-Enriched Bread.

Vegetables of the plant order Brassicales are believed to have health-promoting properties, as they provide high contents of glucosinolates (GLS) and deriving from these, enzymatically and heat-induced breakdown products, such as isothiocyanates (ITC). Besides their positive physiological effects, ITC are electrophilic and can undergo reactions with food components such as proteins. Following the trend of improving traditional food products with GLS-rich ingredients, interactions of ITC with proteins can diminish the properties of both components-protein's value and functionality as well as ITC's bioactivity.