Chemical Analysis in the Food and Beverage Industry: Why Is It Essential?

#1 Protect Consumers

Examining supplies and ingredients is vital because of cases of food contamination. Vegetables and crops may contain toxins from the use of pesticides and herbicides. Worse, food products sold on the market may contain heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, and cadmium originating from packaging, soil, or water.

Ensuring the food available to consumers is safe is every food manufacturer’s top priority. They subject all food products to rigorous testing to mitigate the risk of foodborne diseases and allergic reactions. Atomic absorption spectroscopy and gas chromatography are excellent analytical techniques to detect pathogens, contaminants, and harmful substances in food samples.

#2 Reveal Nutritional Value

Chemical analysis of food and beverages determines the nutritional value of the products consumers take. Mass spectrometry and other techniques help food manufacturers publish food labels. These labels show in-depth data on the calories and nutrients per serving, including sugars, sodium, fat, cholesterol, protein, and carbohydrates.

Food labels help consumers plan their meals, track their calorie intake, and avoid excessive or deficient nutrient intake. They also help nutritionists recommend hand-picked products that address their patients’ dietary needs.

#3 Prevent Food Fraud

Food forgery is a serious global issue that has long been endangering lives. It directly affects consumers and puts the credibility of food manufacturers and ingredient suppliers on the line.

A stark example of this issue happened in 2007. Thousands of pets in the U.S. died after consuming pet food processed from melamine-contaminated wheat gluten. Similarly, three million chickens fed with melamine-contaminated wheat suffered the same fate.

Another infamous incident occurred in 2008 during the Chinese milk scandal. It implicated companies like Nestle that laced their products with melamine to boost their protein content.

Widespread food fraud cases explain why food regulators have set up strict guidelines to follow. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and polymerase chain reaction testing are effective chemical analysis techniques for detecting anomalies in food products.

#4 Comply With Government and Industry Regulations

Testing food samples in chemical testing labs enables food and beverage manufacturers and suppliers to follow FDA regulations. For instance, the agency recommends a maximum level of 10µg/kg or ppb inorganic arsenic in ready-to-drink apple juice products for safe consumption. Additionally, peanut butter in the U.S. should contain at least 90% peanuts and have a total fat content not exceeding 55%.

#5 Ensure Quality Control

Maintaining the quality of products during mass production is a significant challenge for large-scale food manufacturers. They must ensure the taste, texture, and appearance pass their quality standards.

Food analysis helps them achieve this goal. It detects inconsistencies with the ingredients and packaging materials used and any changes in storage conditions and manufacturing processes. Even better, it prevents them from distributing sub-standard products to consumers, making their food items and beverages trustworthy and reliable.