CHEMICAL-BROMATOLOGICAL ANALYSIS LABORATORY

General organization and activities of a laboratory of food analysis. Preparatory activities to the analysis of foods: mode of expression of concentrations and computation for the preparation of salt solutions, acids, bases, organic compounds of known concentration and dilutions. Criteria for the choice of solvents. Nutrients, food components and contaminants: mode of expression of their concentrations. Principles of food sampling, storage and sample preparation for analysis. Principles and techniques of extraction, isolation and purification of analytes from food matrix. Qualitative and quantitative analysis. Definition of limit of detection and quantification. Mode of expression and processing of analytical results; calculation of measurement uncertainty. Calibration curves for quantitative analysis: processing and use. Measurement of pH and water activity of foods of animal origin: theory, practical aspects and application. Proximate composition of meat: theoretical principles and practical. Spectrophotometric methods: theory and applications for the evaluation of the quality and safety of food of animal origin. Chromatographic methods: theory and applications in food analysis with particular reference to assays for the determination of the composition of lipids and vitamin E in meat.