NMR Methodologies in Food Analysis

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) methodologies offer a comprehensive characterization of foodstuffs owing to the possibility to study a sample from different points of view including structural, compositional, functional, morphological etc. aspects. High resolution NMR spectroscopy applied to semi-solid food samples or to extracts in solution is used to determine the foodstuff composition. Here, some features of high resolution NMR methodologies related to food analysis such as quantitative analysis, chemometrics, and use of databases are included. Other NMR methodologies such as relaxometry and imaging described in this chapter give precious information regarding morphology and texture of intact food samples

NMR Applications in Food Analysis: Part A

Applications of high-resolution NMR in liquid-state and in semi-solid matrices in the analysis of food components and entire food samples are described using examples of different food matrices and different problems related to food safety, traceability, geographical and botanical origin, farming methods, food processing, maturation and ageing, etc. Although NMR has not yet been recognized as an official methodology of food control for the numerous applications of NMR reported in the literature, the potenziality of this methodology also shows as an approach complementary to the other recognized conventional methodologies

NMR Applications in Food Analysis: Part B

Applications of low-field NMR relaxometry and NMR-imaging in the analysis of food samples are described using examples of different food matrices and different problems related to food processing, maturation and ageing, authenticity, shelf-life, perishability, etc