Authenticity and traceability of vanilla flavors were investigated using gas chromatography-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-IRMS). Vanilla flavors produced by chemical synthesis (n = 2), fermentation (n = 1), and extracted from two different species of the vanilla orchid (n = 79) were analyzed. The authenticity of the flavor compound vanillin was evaluated on the basis of measurements of ratios of carbon stable isotopes (δ(13)C). It was found that results of δ(13)C for vanillin extracted from Vanilla planifolia and Vanilla tahitensis were significantly different (t test) and that it was possible to differentiate these two groups of natural vanillin from vanillin produced otherwise. Vanilla flavors were also analyzed for ratios of hydrogen stable isotopes (δ(2)H). A graphic representation of δ(13)C versus δ(2)H revealed that vanillin extracted from pods grown in adjacent geographic origins grouped together. Accordingly, values of δ(13)C and δ(2)H can be used for studies of authenticity and traceability of vanilla flavors.

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Vanilla is one of the most popular spices in the world and is therefore often added to food products to enhance the taste with its desirable flavour. Vanilla flavour is highly susceptible to economically motivated food fraud since the main component ‘vanillin’ can easily be produced by much cheaper synthetic processes. The determination of the vanillin source is not always an easy task, especially when very low concentrations are incorporated in complex food matrices. Here, we present an easy sample preparation procedure that includes a solid‐phase extraction clean‐up to determine the isotopic carbon ratio of vanillin in food products by headspace solid‐phase microextraction and gas chromatography coupled to isotope ratio mass spectrometry. Isotopic fractionation during the sample preparation procedure was carefully evaluated. The method was applied to 23 commercial food samples including vanilla sugar, dairy and soy products. The study illustrates the potential and limitations of the authentication of vanilla flavour by the isotopic carbon ratio of vanillin. Further, the complexity of the authenticity assessment of vanilla flavours in composite food is demonstrated.

A floating Tension Leg Platform (TLP) wind turbine was constructed at scale 1/200 and its dynamic response was analysed experimentally in co-directional wind and waves. The wind turbine was Froude scaled and a new rotor was designed to yield maximum power and Froude scaled thrust at the low model Reynolds number. Physical limitations due to the large scaling ratio further meant that some structural adjustments were necessary. Nacelle and floater accelerations were measured by means of two accelerometers. The TLP was moored with four different tendon configurations and exposed to different constant wind speeds and irregular sea states as well as a range of regular waves. It was found that an increase in wind speed reduces the wave-induced floater motion but causes slightly larger nacelle displacements. Further, the orientation of the spokes relative to the direction of wind and waves influences the pitch stiffness and thereby the nacelle displacements. Inclining the tendons towards the wind turbine reduces the nacelle displacements significantly and reduces the occurrence of slack tendons, but increases the inline tilt-motion of the rotor. Application of a very stiff mooring configuration increases the occurrence of slack tendons and the magnitude of the pitch accelerations. In a robust commercial design, however, slack tendons must be avoided. The experiments demonstrate the ability of the wind turbine model and the experimental setup to give insight to the dynamic characteristics of floating TLP wind turbines. V C 2014 AIP Publishing LLC. [http://dx.

Capillary column gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, under electron impact and chemical ionization conditions, was used for the detection and identification of mustard and other sulfur vesicant‐related decomposition products in a number of aqueous sample extracts. Interpretation of the mass spectral, infrared, chromatographic and trimethylsilyl derivatization data acquired during this study enabled the identification of nineteen sulfur vesicant‐related hydrolysis products. Many of the compounds characterized during these analyses, including a number of ether/thioether macrocycles and vinyl alcohols, have either not been previously reported or have not been previously associated with the decomposition of munitions‐grade mustard.