Introduction - Advances in Chemistry (ACS Publications)

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Introduction J O H N R. MATCHETT

Downloaded by 80.82.77.83 on March 19, 2018 | https://pubs.acs.org Publication Date: June 17, 1950 | doi: 10.1021/ba-1950-0003.ch001

Agricultural Research Administration, Bureau of Agricultural and Industrial Chemistry, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C.

A m o n g the spectacular scientific accomplishments of the historically recent past, none has made a more profound contribution to our physical well-being than have those of Appert, Pasteur, and others, through which we have gained practical ascendancy over the world of food spoilage microorganisms. Shorn of the safeguards founded firmly on those researches, modern civilization, if possible at all, would be quite different, and many of our common foods would be unknown. In any event, mastery of the basic principles of spoilage prevention has permitted turning our scientific searchlight on the quality of our daily fare and it is here, of course, that the techniques of food analysis make their indispensable contribution. Why should we wish to know the composition of foods? Perhaps, first of all, we must know that our food is nutritious, that it contains the elements essential to growth and maintenance of our bodies in optimum amount along with the calories needed for the fuel supply. As our living habits become more complex, we are increasingly dependent on precise analysis because the naturally balanced diet of our ancestors is no longer to be had by most of us. Second only to its adequacy, our food must be wholesome and our very existence bespeaks the excellent job our food-analyst guardians are doing to ensure that we receive exactly what we bargain for—that is, clean, unspoiled food, unadulterated with any undeclared substance, harmful or otherwise. Thirdly, the research worker in countless fields must depend on the methods of food analysis for control of his experiments, and this can be vital. It has been pointed out recently, for example, that the observed toxicity of certain substances may be affected significantly by the composition of the basic diet. Opportunities for Food Research Perhaps to the food technologist, food analysis is most important of all, for to him it provides means for assessing the quality of his product. He must know not only that the food he prepares is nutritionally sufficient and that it is clean and unadulterated, but also that it is good to eat. In no field of food research does so much remain to be learned. What are the substances responsible for the characteristic flavors of foods? We know a few of the simpler ones, but the chemistry of our common fruit and vegetable flavors is almost wholly unexplored. Even when known, their analysis will not prove simple, for it is readily apparent that they are very complex mixtures. Our knowledge of food colors is somewhat more advanced than in the case of flavors. The chemistry of many of the important pigments is known and we can at least describe with confidence the colors of many clear liquid foods; maple sirup is an example. For many years the measurement of texture of food products has merited and received a great deal of study. As a result a few simple measurements can be made and reproduced. The toughness of meat and the tenderness of raw, if not of cooked peas, can be determined; but very little is known of the

ANALYTICAL METHODS IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1950.

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ADVANCES IN CHEMISTRY SERIES

chemical factors that affect texture. What, for instance, determines the moisture relationships within foods, and how does it change on cooking or processing or storage? The researcher in food and its analysis is keenly aware that his task will not be finished until the "quality" of a food product can be denned completely in precise terms of its flavor, color, texture, and nutritive value. The goal is distant but the journey is well begun. The papers contained herein describe the present state of affairs in each of as many of the fields of food analysis as time for the symposium permitted. Each has been covered by an outstanding worker in his field. It is unfortunate that B. L . Oser's excellent paper on "Advances in Vitamin Determination' does not appear. His more comprehensive review of food analysis which appeared in Analytical Chemistry [21, 216 (1949)] should by all means be studied along with the papers contained herein.

Downloaded by 80.82.77.83 on March 19, 2018 | https://pubs.acs.org Publication Date: June 17, 1950 | doi: 10.1021/ba-1950-0003.ch001

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ANALYTICAL METHODS IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY Advances in Chemistry; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 1950.