The chemical test to determine the amount of amino acids with a primary amino group in the hydrolysates of proteins and food‐stuff, by the treatment of a sample in glycerol with sodium nitrite and acetic acid and a measurement of the volume of nitrogen gas that is generated, this method is generally referred to as the van Slyke determination. This method can be used to determine the amount of amino acids quantitatively, and the result is consistent with the determination using 2,4‐dinitrofluorobenzene (DNFB, the Sanger method) and ninhydrin. However, there are certain amino acids in the protein, which cannot be determined. This method has wide application in amino acid analysis.