One of the most reliable techniques for determining the age of a wine or a brandy is looking at the quantity of carbon isotope that exists in these liquors. This method uses radioactive carbon isotopes left in the atmosphere by atomic bomb tests carried out about 50 years ago, as well as from the burning of fossil fuels and volcanic eruptions. NMR is also used to conduct this analysis to determine the vintage of a wine quite accurately.
To determine whether caviar is truly from a sturgeon or another type of fish, analysts examine the product’s DNA, the unique marker of a species. Sometimes enhanced with fluorescent dyes, samples can be examined by a photo spectrometer or, if more sophisticated test is required, the NMR is once again brought into play. DNA testing is also proving an effective way to identify the authenticity of basmati rice, since rice varieties have different DNA fingerprints.
After saffron, vanilla is the world’s most expensive spice, and some manufacturers add coumarin to vanilla products to increase the vanilla flavor perception. Coumarin is a phytochemical found in many plant species, the main source being the tonka bean. It has a sweet herbaceous odor and has been used in food, tobacco, and cosmetics as a flavoring and fragrance material. However, coumarin has been shown to be damaging to liver cells, and has been prohibited from being added to food in the U.S. since 1940. Liquid chromatography, HPLC, and even ultra-high performance chromatography (UHPLC) have proved to be effective scientific methods to determine the presence of coumarin in vanilla extract products.
The demand for the specialty gases that facilitate the detection of ever lower levels of chemicals in food is on the increase. For example, Linde offers the food industry a range of high purity specialty gases that include nitrogen and helium for gas chromatography mass spectrometry, nitrogen for liquid chromatography mass spectrometry, liquid helium for NMR, and helium gas for HPLC and UHPLC.
However, the integrity and purity of the gas is only as good as the equipment that delivers it to the point of use. For instance, Linde says it can ensure its gases are delivered to the instrumentation without comprising their quality—often up to a purity level of 99.9999 percent—through its specialty gases equipment.
Harrison is global head of specialty gases and specialty equipment at Linde Gases in Germany. Reach him at [email protected].
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