Food Chemistry Chemometrics

Chemometrics is the chemical discipline that uses analytical techniques in combination with mathematical and statistical methods to obtain maximum information from chemical samples. The techniques used to measure physicochemical properties of the sample are selected depending of the given situation, and include spectroscopy, gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, etc. Data obtained is analyzed with methods of pattern recognition and multivariate calibration, thus extracting valuable information such as how ripe fruit is, the quality of olive oils, the origin of coffee beans, etc. Moreover, the presence of toxic substances, allergens or adulteration is uncovered. With increasing globalization, it is paramount that we ensure only the highest quality of food is traded between countries.

Food Analysis and Chemometrics gives the reader the necessary background of the application of chemometrics in food. In the first chapters, the design and planning of experiments is explained, followed by the most widely used methods and the fundamentals of data analysis and calibration. The reader will learn how to choose the most suitable technique, obtain, process and analyze the samples, and how to interpret the results. This book is referenced with a wide selection of published research studies, and highlights practical situations in which chemometrics has been applied. The book is aimed at a diverse audience, including food quality and safety testing laboratories, food scientists from academic institutions, industry professionals, and governmental regulatory agencies. Readers will understand both the key principles of chemometric methods of modern food science and how to identify and apply the best technique in real situations.