Food Quality Magazine
ISSUE 01 | SUMMER 2014
Protein is the key value parameter in
milk. Standard methods to measure
protein rely on a simple nitrogen
assay with the protein concentration inferred from the nitrogen
content. Adding other chemicals rich
in nitrogen can artificially boost the
protein content in powdered milk
and increase its price. While there
are many high-nitrogen compounds
that could potentially be used to doctor powdered milk, the DairyGuard is
currently programmed to screen for
19 of these nitrogen-rich compounds
and can be easily extended to detect
future unknown additives as well.
How does it all work? Using a principal components analysis-based
method, such as Soft Independent
Class Analogy (SIMCA), a fingerprint
is developed for each sample of unadulterated milk powder. The degree
of “fit” of that sample spectrum to
the model is then used to determine
whether a resulting test is a “pass”
or “fail.” To further refine those preliminary results, the DairyGuard uses
advanced algorithms that combine
the SIMCA data with the sensitivity benefits of a targeted approach.
While these algorithms need some
information about potential adulterants, they are just a single spectrum
of the pure sample. They can be
shared between sites and even generated by instrument manufacturers.
Through non-targeted testing, the
system’s Spectrum™ Touch software alerts users to any known –
or unknown – adulterants in milk
powder, right away. In addition, the
software can be optimized for use
with PCs, touchscreen devices, and
remote control environments.
Criminals and their adulteration
schemes are not about to disappear
overnight. That is why it is reassuring to know that PerkinElmer’s wide
array of analytical instrumentation
and “boots-on-the-ground” expertise are helping to protect us all
from potential threats before they
become real ones and by scanning
dairy ingredients right down to
the molecular level. No more looking for that proverbial needle in a
haystack. PerkinElmer’s 7,600 scientists, analysts, and global service per-
sonnel make sure there is nothing in
that stack except hay.
With more than 75 years’ experience, PerkinElmer is helping dairy
and food-processing companies optimize the integrity of their supply
chain while protecting their brands
with scientific solutions to detect
fraud, control quality, and provide
real-time, supply-chain intelligence.
From the first ingredient to the final product, food processors count
on PerkinElmer to protect their
products, brands, and their global
reputations by helping to assure that
what is printed on the label is exactly
what is in our foods – and nothing
more – each and every time.
For additional information on
PerkinElmer’s important work in
the fight against food fraud, follow
this link: http://www.perkinelmer.
com/Food. For more details on the
DairyGuard Analyzer, see http://
www.perkinelmer.com/DairyGuard.
References:
1
http://www.marketsandmarkets.
com/PressReleases/dairy-ingredients.asp
2
Transparency Market Research,
Global Dairy Products Market –
Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share,
Growth, Trends and Forecast, 2013
– 2019.
3
http://dairyfreecooking.about.
com/od/dairyfreebasics/tp/
HiddenDairyProducts.htm
4
http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2013/01/23/
faux-pas-food-fraud-on-the-rise/
5
http://www.foodfraud.org/.
6
http://www.usp.org/news/
new-sweetener-oat-bran-derived-ingredient-linked-health-benefits-and-guidance-fight-milk-adulteration-among-proposed-usp
7
Current lab technologies available
include nuclear magnetic resonance,
molecular spectroscopy, and mass
spectroscopy, and stable isotope
analysis.
Sharon Palmer, “Fingerprinting
Food: Augmenting Existing New
Infrared Technology to Fight Dairy
Adulteration,” Food Quality &
Safety Mag