Given the continuous consumer demand for products of high quality and specific origin, there is a great tendency toward the application of multiple instrumental techniques for the complete characterization of foodstuffs or related natural products. Spectrometric techniques usually offer a full and rapid screenshot of a product’s composition and properties by the determination of specific biomolecules such as sugars, minerals, polyphenols, volatile compounds, amino acids, and organic acids. The present Special Issue aimed firstly to enhance the advances of the application of spectrometric techniques such as gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), isotope-ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), Raman spectroscopy, or any other spectrometric technique, in the analysis of foodstuffs such as meat, milk, cheese, potatoes, vegetables, fruits/fruit juices, honey, olive oil, chocolate, and other natural products. An additional goal was to fill the gap between food composition/food properties/natural product properties and food/natural product authenticity, using supervised and nonsupervised chemometrics.

The determination of food authenticity is a vital component of quality control. Its importance has been highlighted in recent years by high-profile cases in the global supply chain such as the European horsemeat scandal and the Chinese melamine scandal which led to six fatalities and the hospitalisation of thousands of infants. As well as being a safety concern, authenticity is also a quality criterion for food and food ingredients. Consumers and retailers demand that the products they purchase and sell are what they purport to be. This book covers the most advanced techniques used for the authentication of a vast number of products around the world. The reader will be informed about the latest pertinent analytical techniques. Chapters focus on the novel techniques & markers that have emerged in recent years. An introductory section presents the concepts of food authentication while the second section examines in detail the analytical techniques for the detection of fraud relating to geographical, botanical, species and processing origin and production methods of food materials and ingredients. Finally, the third section looks at consumer attitudes towards food authenticity, the application of bioinformatics to this field, and the Editor’s conclusions and future outlook. Beyond being a reference to researchers working in food authentication it will serve as an essential source to analytical scientists interested in the field and food scientists to appreciate analytical approaches. This book will be a companion to under- and postgraduate students in their wander in food authentication and aims to be useful to researchers in universities and research institutions.

The issue of food authenticity is not new. For centuries unscrupulous farmers and traders have attempted to 'extend', or othewise alter, their products to maximise revenues. In recent years the subject has reached new prominence and there even have been situations where food authenticity has featured as a newspaper headline in various countries. Food legislation covering the definition, and in some cases composition, of various commodities has been in place in developed countries for many years and paradoxically it is the legislative trend away from emphasis on composition and more on accurate and truthfullabeliing that has been one driving force for the authenticity issue. Another, and many would speculate as the more potent, driving force is the move towards fewer and larger supermarket chains in many countries. Such trading companies with their images of quality products, buying power and commercial standing, exercise considerable commercial power which has been claimed as a significant source of financial pressure on food prices and food commodity product quality. For whatever reason, recent food authenticity issues have become news and consumers, the media and enforcement authorities are showing more interest than ever before in the subject.

Food is adulterated to increase profit or due to negligence. Adulteration can compromise food safety and quality, and harm consumers. This may undermine consumer trust and the reputation of the food industry. As such, it is very important to monitor, control and detect adulteration. A number of techniques have been developed for the authentication of food and verifying its quality and associated claims. Foods of plant origin are the source of nutrients for billions of people around the globe. Due to the huge variety of plants, and the lack of visual characteristics as a result of processing, advanced techniques are required to detect adulteration. This book reviews the latest developments in the field of authenticity of foods of plant origin, examining concepts such as traceability, and how they are applied to facilitate the support of claims, as well as legislative requirements in the major economies around the world. The basic techniques used nowadays in verifying authenticity of these types of foods are reviewed and discussed, and their applications are summarized. The book also focuses on categories of foods most prone to adulteration attempts due to their characteristics, properties and production methods commonly followed, thus allowing the reader to more easily identify the chapter that is of interest in each case. The book will be of interest to food industrialists, chemists, quality control scientists and technologists, microbiologists, analytical chemists and food physical chemists within the food industry. It is also aimed at academicians who are interested in the authenticity of foods of plant origin and the advancements in the analytical fields that support relevant legal and marketing requirements.

Dairy Science, Four Volume Set includes the study of milk and milk-derived food products, examining the biological, chemical, physical, and microbiological aspects of milk itself as well as the technological (processing) aspects of the transformation of milk into its various consumer products, including beverages, fermented products, concentrated and dried products, butter and ice cream. This new edition includes information on the possible impact of genetic modification of dairy animals, safety concerns of raw milk and raw milk products, peptides in milk, dairy-based allergies, packaging and shelf-life and other topics of importance and interest to those in dairy research and industry. Fully reviewed, revised and updated with the latest developments in Dairy Science Full color inserts in each volume illustrate key concepts Extended index for easily locating information

Instrumental Methods in Food Analysis is aimed at graduate students in the science, technology and engineering of food and nutrition who have completed an advanced course in food analysis. The book is designed to fit in with one or more such courses, as it covers the whole range of methods applied to food analysis, including chromatographic techniques (HPLC and GC), spectroscopic techniques (AA and ICP), electroanalytical and electrophoresis techniques. No analysis can be made without appropriate sample preparation and in view of the present economic climate, the search for new ways to prepare samples is becoming increasingly important. Guided by the need for environmentally-friendly technologies, the editors chose two, relatively new techniques, the microwave-assisted processes (MAPTM (Chapter 10) and supercritical fluid extraction (Chapter 11). Features of this book: - is one the few academic books on food analysis specifically designed for a one semester or one year course -it contains updated information - the coverage gives a good balance between theory, and applications of techniques to various food commodities. The chapters are divided into two distinct sections: the first is a description of the basic theory regarding the technique and the second is dedicated to a description of examples to which the reader can relate in his/her daily work.

Chemical Analysis of Food: Techniques and Applications reviews new technology and challenges in food analysis from multiple perspectives: a review of novel technologies being used in food analysis, an in-depth analysis of several specific approaches, and an examination of the most innovative applications and future trends. This book won a 2012 PROSE Award Honorable Mention in Chemistry and Physics from the Association of American Publishers. The book is structured in two parts: the first describes the role of the latest developments in analytical and bio-analytical techniques and the second reviews the most innovative applications and issues in food analysis. Each chapter is written by experts on the subject and is extensively referenced in order to serve as an effective resource for more detailed information. The techniques discussed range from the non-invasive and non-destructive, such as infrared spectroscopy and ultrasound, to emerging areas such as nanotechnology, biosensors and electronic noses and tongues. Important tools for problem-solving in chemical and biological analysis are discussed in detail. - Winner of a PROSE Award 2012, Book: Honorable Mention in Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry and Physics from the American Association of Publishers - Provides researchers with a single source for up-to-date information in food analysis - Single go-to reference for emerging techniques and technologies - Over 20 renowned international contributors - Broad coverage of many important techniques makes this reference useful for a range of food scientists