Enzyme Analysis and Bioassays in Food Analysis

Abstract

The objectives for carrying out analysis of food products include food safety, food quality, meeting regulatory requirements and the control of food processes. Biological entities used in food analyses include enzymes, microbes and antibodies. Based on categories of food analysis general principles of enzyme, immunological and whole organism (microbial) analyses are described. Applications of the use of enzymes for substrate analysis, with examples of their application, are presented. A brief description is given of the use of enzymes as preparative tools in food analysis and of biosensors that use enzymes as elements. Immunological analysis applicable to food systems is given with an emphasis on applications related to food safety. Microbial assays used in food analysis are described including vitamin analysis and protein quality.

One Hundred Years of Progress in Food Analysis

“…Enzymes, microbes, and antibodies have been exploited as biosensors to rapidly measure the presence of amylases or proteases in foods, which can cause starch thinning or bitter flavors, respectively. Enzyme-linked assays have been used to measure vitamins, antibiotic residues, microbial toxins, various sugars, ethanol, and carbon dioxide (69). In certain cases, enzyme activity assays are practical food safety probes to measure whether adequate processing of a food product has been achieved.…”