A Review of Technologies for Detection and Measurement of Adulterants in Cereals and Cereal Products

Abstract

Purpose:The continued increase in the world population has triggered an increased demand for food. Cereal grains, flour, and their products constitute the staple diet for most of the world's population. This high demand for food, particularly for cereal-based products, has been exploited for commercial gain through adulteration of food materials. We provide a thorough review of the current developments and limitations of modern, nondestructive analytical techniques used for detection of adulterants in cereals and their products and compare them with conventional methods. Results: Adulterated food poses a serious health risks to humans, animals, and the ecosystem in general. Over the last few decades, the adulteration industry has developed fraudulent practices that often outsmart conventional methods of detection and quality control. Therefore, technological advancements to aid in detection and measurement of adulterants in food products and to ensure food quality and safety are critically important to consumers worldwide. Conclusion: There is a continuous demand for development of nondestructive technology to improve the accuracy and efficiency of detection, measurement, and qualification of adulterants in cereals and other food materials.

Qualitative Analysis of Traditional Italian Dishes: FTIR Approach

“…Interestingly, Li et al [42] described how the absorption intensity of the peak at 1655 cm −1 increased during the mixing, resting, and sheeting processes of noodles, whereas it decreased again during cooking. Another typology of FTIR application on pasta, and widely described for cereal-based products [43], is given by Kamil et al [44], who used FTIR spectroscopy as a tool for detecting the adulteration of pasta.…”

Comparative nondestructive measurement of corn seed viability using Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR) and Raman spectroscopy

“…Some of the conventional methods, including human sorting, immunoassay tests, and polymerase chain reactions, [3] have several shortcomings such as subjectivity, invasiveness, low specificity, long time consumption and low accuracy [4]. On the other hand, modern spectroscopic techniques, such as Fourier transforminfrared (FT-IR), Fourier transform near-infrared (FT-NIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis), Raman, and hyperspectral imaging, have exhibited great potential for detection, qualification, and quantification of target physical and chemical attributes of agricultural products [5][6][7].…”

Detecting Low Concentrations of Nitrogen-Based Adulterants in Whey Protein Powder Using Benchtop and Handheld NIR Spectrometers and the Feasibility of Scanning through Plastic Bag

“…It has been used to detect yellow metanil in tamarind powder [11], husk in coffee [12], corn flour in paprika powder [13] etc. In the dairy industry, it has been used to detect plant proteins in skimmed milk [14], melamine adulteration in milk [15], predict urea in milk [16], and predict diverse adulterants in cereal products [17]. The technique was recently used to quantify and predict urea, L-taurine, L-histidine in whey protein powder [18].…”