FOPFA502- CONDUCT FOOD ANALYSIS IN FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRY
Introduction
Investigations in food industry, governmental agencies, or universities, often require
determination of food composition and characteristics. Trends and demands of consumers,
the food industry, and national and international regulations challenge food processor as they
work to monitor food composition and to ensure the quality and safety of the food supply.
All food products require analysis as part of a quality management program throughout the
development process (including raw ingredients), through production, and after a product is
in the market. In addition, analysis is done of problem samples and competitor products. The
characteristics of foods (i.e., chemical composition, physical properties, sensory properties)
are used to answer specific questions for regulatory purposes and typical quality control. The
nature of the sample and the specific reason for the analysis commonly dictate the choice of
analytical methods. Speed, precision, accuracy, and ruggedness often are key factors in this
choice. Validation of the method for the specific food matrix being analysed is necessary to
ensure usefulness of the method. Making an appropriate choice of the analytical technique
for a specific application requires a good knowledge of the various techniques
For example, your choice of method to determine the salt content of potato chips would be different if
it is for nutrition labelling than for quality control. The success of any analytical method relies on the
proper selection and preparation of the food sample, carefully performing the analysis, and doing the
appropriate calculations and interpretation of the data. Methods of analysis developed and endorsed
by several no profit scientific organizations allow for standardized comparisons of results between
different laboratories and for evaluation of less standard procedures. Such official methods are critical
in the analysis of foods, to ensure that they meet the legal requirements established by governmental
agencies. Government regulations and international standards most relevant to the analysis of foods
are mentioned .