Page 38 - FoodFocusThailand No.158 May 2019

SPECIAL FOCUS

Food Processing Line Inspection

The production line inspection is a verification method to ensure the product quality on site at different
stages of production process, as well as operating procedures in the organization. The inspection is
divided into physical examination from the use of various senses of the body (Organoleptic or Sensory
test), through using the tool or various instruments for testing.

Here is the examination of products in various methods that most and attached to the Mass Spectrometry (MS) as Gas Chromatography-
food manufacturers have used, starting from Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) which can analyze results and report
on volatile compounds in each element. The working principle is
1. Organoleptic or Sensory Test is an examination based on various substances which are distinguished from the gas
the different senses of humans, including chromatography and various monoclonal substances, enter to the
• Sense of sight to distinguish color (Color) MS, then the monoclonal molecule will receive energy from the high-
• Sense of touch such as chewing, squeezing, or touching with the energy electron beam at the value of 70 electron volts in order to
+.
hands to recognize the texture (Texture) breakdown into the charge form called “Molecular ion, M or M ”
+
• Sense of smell to separate or recognize the smell of the product which create classification or other elements.
(Odor) GC and GC-MS can analyze for gas such as hydrogen gas,
• Sense of taste by tasting to separate the various flavors of food alcohol gas, esters, aldehydes, ketones, essential oils, fatty
(Taste) acid, methyl ester, and essential fatty acids such as DHA or EPA in
• Sense of hearing or listening such as the separation of the fish oil.
crispness of the product (Crispness) • Analysis of various substances in liquid form such as food,
The testing by this method requires the knowledgeable, expertise, medicine, cosmetics and herbal extracts, which is in liquid form.
and experience person as a tester since it is decided by the person only. Normally, we will see the use of the High Performance Liquid
Chromatography (HPLC), which is a device to distinguish and analyze
2. Instrumental Analysis is an examination to confirm various substances that are in liquid form, making it possible to analyze a
values in food by using instruments or various tools as a measure. There wide range of substances by the HPLC with is combined with the
are general instruments that can analyze and provide the result in Diode Array Detector (DAD) or Photo Diode Array (PDA) and
specifics. Evaporative Light Scattering Detector (ELSD). In addition, HPLC can
2.1 General Parameters for primary food testing is an examination also detect fungal toxins as if the device is installed with Fluorescent
to check the quality of food or simply check of raw materials. The methods Detector and UV Detector with Pre-column Derivatization System,
are included pH, Brix, water activity (a ), Moisture Content (MC). the UV light will increase the efficiency for analyzing on the aflatoxin
w
Currently many tools and instruments are designed to facilitate users in toxin effectively.
various forms such as handheld tools, measuring tools that need to be HPLC is able to analyze substances that are ingredient of food
installed, and tools that be able to use or provide results for more than such as quantity of oil and fat, sugar, and protein. It can analyze
one function or multi-function instrument. substances such as organic acids in food to determine freshness or
2.2 Specific Parameters to find an in-depth outcome or a specific analyze beverages such as phosphoric acid, formic acid, acetic acid,
parameter of food or each type of raw materials as follows as well as the amount of food additive to check on the quality such
• Analysis of various substances in the form of gas, odor in food, as benzoic acid, sorbic acid, and dehydroacetic acid etc.
naturally, humans can distinguish or respond to 5,000 - 10,000 kinds of • Analysis of various substances in the form of organic substance
odor substances. Yet, there are many other substances that humans by using a testing instrument called NIR Spectroscopy, which NIR
cannot clearly distinguish or categorize. Therefore, Gas Chromatography stands for Near-infrared. It is a molecular analysis method that does
(GC) is a device that can be used to distinguish each kind of odor clearly not destroy samples. The analysis is based on the measurement of
by varying the rate of movement of each component of the mixture on the amount of light absorbed by the sample in the wavelength range
a stationary phase under the mobile phase, which is helium gas. The of about 400-2,500 nm. It is a method that provides effective and
outcome of the GC testing will come out in term of volume. It cannot rapid outcomes. This method is used to measure products both in
analyze complex substances or cannot tell whether isolated volatile quantity and quality from a testing of raw material to inspection and
substances give odor or not. Hence, this device has been developed improvement of product quality.
38 FOOD FOCUS THAILAND MAY 2019

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